3.5 stars rounded up. This was a lovely debut novel, and a unique premise with a book within a book - it was a creative way of providing an alternate timeline.

I got very sucked into the "book" story, to the point that I had to remind myself which "real life" characters they aligned with. The beginning had more of the present day timeline, and I would've liked a bit more present day in the last third of the book. It's a tough balance to keep the reader engaged in both parallel stories and overall I think the author did it well.

The book touched a lot on the "ifs" that we all experience in our life - what if this or that had gone differently, how would things have turned out? I thought I knew how the book would play out, but found myself happily surprised by the last quarter of the book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review - and congratulations to the author on their debut novel!

A story within a story, you follow Olivia and Eamonn on a love journey like no other. Through present and fictional history written by Eamonn you watch a love story unfold in the beautiful Ireland and London back drop.
A sucker for second chance romance and a lover of One Day by David Nicholls this book really appealed to me. What would you do if he broke your heart and then wrote a book about it?
The book from start to finish had me fully in the will they won’t they scenario you want so much to see there love unfold however you also have life in general that takes over always feeling an obstacle is forever in the way of true love. Why don’t we just say it? Why don’t we chase the love of our life’s? What’s stopping us? Is it ever too late?

This was very smartly written by Malika I love the flashbacks of the younger Olivia and Eamonn’s come from his book. I loved the other characters had depth to them and really fit in well the whole way through. I was hopeful all the way through this book and I was so happy with the ending because it hadn’t been what I expected.
Absolutely loved loved loved this and would 100% recommend to anyone that loves a romance.

second chance lovers
growth and forgiveness
power of love

I want to preface this by saying that One Day is one of my favorite books of all time. This book has very obvious shades of it/David Nicholl’s writing as a whole, as that was a huge plus in me wanting to read it!

What would you do if the person who broke your heart over a decade ago suddenly shows back up in your life…and wrote a book about you? The premise is so interesting, and it’s written beautifully.

It was so smart and such a different way of doing flashbacks of Olivia and Eamonn’s younger selves as the characters of Ava and Conor from Eamonn’s book. I really, really enjoyed that.

I do think it was a tiny bit too long, but overall, it was a super solid read!

If you’re a fan of the book ‘One Day’ then you definitely should be picking this one up and adding it to your tbr shelves. This was an easy, enjoyable read, a book within a book set across dual timelines. You do need to concentrate in order to remember who is who across the present day chapters and their fictional counterparts in the past retold through Eamonn’s book. Usually I struggle with miscommunication tropes but this did not bother me in the slightest, it was well written, realistic and I easily immersed myself within the story, visualising the characters, setting and the events as they unfolded. I really liked that the characters were older and how the book highlights that it’s okay not to have life go according to plan! The story had me guessing throughout with the whole “will they, won’t they” and I was actually quite pleasantly surprised with the ending!

4.5!!!!

WHAT ON EARTH😭😭 This was stunning!!!!! I am so so proud of Malika for writing this beautiful story about “what if’s”, second chances, and the journey for finding who and what you love!!! If you’re a fan of “One Day” and “Normal People”, this gave me the same vibes!!!!

Olivia and Eamonn take you on a RIDE!!! As friends that meet in Ireland one summer, to lovers, to strangers, to friends again (maybe), to WHO KNOWS WHAT NEXT, this book had me hooked!!!

The Irish coast setting, the book within a book plotline, and the messy mistakes of people in love….INCREDIBLE!!!

My heart just ached for these characters as they figure themselves out and what they want! GOSH!!! Even the side characters had me craving more of their story!!

Such a phenomenal debut!!! EEEE!!!

This book is perfect for you if you love stories with…

📖Ireland & London settings
📖Friends to Lovers
📖Will They, Won’t They
📖A book within a book
📖Time Jumps

Oliva and Eamonn were once in love. 15 years later, she is preparing to move to Canada with her boyfriend. She happens to stop in to a book event, where Eamonn is reading from his book, all about a lost love.

Eamonn's book begins with the pact they once made - the one that Olivia thinks he broke, and that he thinks she walked away from.

Now Olivia must decide if moving to Canada with her boyfriend is the right choice...or if she and Eamonn are truly meant to be together.

This is a beautiful story of second chances, friendship and love. It's a refreshing story of grown people and the choices they make that can change everything.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review.

Book Review Hold on to Your Heart by Malika Nekhala
 
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Spice: 🌶️🌶️ (more like 1.5)

I was at a loss for what to read next and was generously offered an eARC of Malika’s novel, Hold on to Your Heart, by Malika herself. As someone who mainly reads fantasy or books relevant to my work space, the genre was not my usual wheelhouse but a welcomed departure. Although this is Malika’s debut novel, it gives the impression of a seasoned writer.

Hold on to Your Heart is a novel within a novel, which gives it a cinematic atmosphere as we straddle two different timelines. We follow Olivia and Eamonn in present day and their fictional youthful counterparts, Ava and Connor.

I really enjoyed this bittersweet novel. It was like walking through someone’s life and experiencing their could have been love story. It was excellently written and well paced. The dialogue felt natural and the characters were well developed. Early on I knew how I thought it should end and by the time I was at the ending I was left with a mix of emotions regarding the outcome.

Spice: there were two scenes of note but the spice in this novel was very tame (if I compare it to some of the other spice in popular reads at the moment 🥵 If it was a film it would be M/PG13 easily). Nothing explicit, tastefully done.

If you like dual points of view, young love, lost love, yearning, books that could be movies, strong FMCs, bittersweet, warm vibes, or close friendships, this book could be right for you and I would recommend getting your hands on a copy when it releases 28 May 2025.

Hold on to your heart, by Malika Nekhla
4.25 ⭐
I loved this book! A book inside another book.
Hold on to your heart is a story of encounters and disagreements between Olivia, a photographer who had a summer romance in her youth with Eamonn, a writer.
Due to a lack of courage and truth, the two, who were young at the time, lose touch.
They meet again later, with lives already made, remade and unmade. When Olivia walks into a bookshop and comes across Eamonn presenting his new book... the book with their story. Thrown into the past, Olivia is taken by surprise by a story she thought was buried somewhere between Ireland and England and which had broken her heart.
Eamonn never thought it would be so easy to meet Olivia again, but there she was, in the back of a bookshop in London. Had she read the book? Was she there to break his heart once again?
So many “ifs” throughout this story and the book written by Eamonn.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes strong emotions, who is looking forward to the end... but you'll need a cup of tea to steady your nerves.
Thank you to the Netgalley platform and the author, Malika, who generously sent me this book in exchange for an honest review.

Tropes:
📷Friends to Lovers
📝Timeline
📷Dual POV
📝Missed Opportunities
📷Will They Won’t They
📝Miscommunication and Assumptions

FQ :
“You’re afraid to really love someone, because it hurts too much – because you’re already thinking of losing them again.”
“No matter if I close my yeas or keep them wide open, it’s you I see. You’re everywhere and still completely out of my reach…”
“…you have to be willing to grieve if you want to be able to experience that soul-shaking kind of love…”

I love books like One Day and Love Rosie and this book perfectly fits the bill of you enjoy those types of stories. I loved reading about their relationship history and what happens if you get that second chance and about how things That are meant to be will always find a way. Beautiful story

the book really grabbed me. i have to admit i always feel a bit "arrrk" going in to these books. as i know ill have to choose a side and what if its not the one the author goes with. because like in this book there are two men involved. one the love of her life back then. he broke her heart. but thats not the way he thinks it went. and in the now we have the other man Graham who Olivia is on the cusp of up sticking to Canada with.
then she comes across Eamoon, her first loves book. the book about them. the book about what happened. so what does she do now? and what could reading this book possibly give her? its not going to make her decision to move any easier now, is it?
i love the pov and timeline shifts in this book. the book had that light irish charm and witt that seems to just be woven through the words in these novels based there.
a really heartfelt and heart holding book. a little gem of a book this was and luckily Malika didnt break my own heart...

Hold on to Your Heart is a debut novel by Malika Nekhla.
This story follows Olivia as she prepares to move to Canada with her boyfriend but has a run in with someone from her past. Eamonn was her love from long ago that never worked out but now he has written a book that tells their story, will it hold the answers Olivia needs.
This story is short and sweet at only 200 pages but manages to cover alot through its dual POV with flashbacks in the format of novel chapters from Eamonns book.
The writing format took me a minute to get used to as I figured out who was who between the present day and novel excerpts but once I got my head around the POVs I liked the structure and different perspectives.
I loved the setting jumping between Ireland and the UK and the dialogue was so well written that I could hear the Irish accent which just made me love the characters more.
It was refreshing to have older characters close to my age and relevant pop culture references dotted through provided some nostalgia for the romance novels and movies of the 2000s.
Overall I loved the characters in this story and the unique way we learn the story through present day interaction and past events through the lens of Eamons novel.
A lovely debut novel, releasing 28 May, perfect for lovers of One Day or looking for a touching, low spice romance that explores second chances at love and friendship.