Audiobook Review: Heart by Garrett Leigh

Cornish pastry chef Seb Wright dreads the summer tourist season. The cash injection to his artisan fudge pantry is more than welcome, the extra work, less so. Then one summer, a shadowy Good Samaritan catches his eye. Irish Traveller Dex is bewitching, a beautiful sullen enigma who turns Seb's world upside down until he disappears in the night, vanishing like a mystical summer rain.

Twelve months later Dex is in the midst of a dark storm. A slave to his master, 'Uncle' Braden, he spends his days cleaning caravans and his nights working in Braden's other businesses. His short summer with Seb seems a lifetime ago. Lost in the savage violence of the murky underworld, he doesn't dare dream he'll ever find his way back, until one night, a brutal crime opens the door for a chance escape. A new life beckons, old faces emerge, and immersed in the heady vibe of London’s East End, new love begins to heal his fractured heart.

Narrator: Dan Calley
Listening Length: 5 hrs 53 min

This is a beautiful classic Garrett Leigh angst-fest. It hurt so good!

Even better, it was wonderfully narrated by Dan Calley. I’d highly recommend the audiobook version.

When the two men first meet on the Cornish seaside, Seb’s not quite sure what to make of Dex. But he can’t deny that he feels a pull towards the vagrant, and he’s happy when Dex seems to respond back.

But Dex then disappears without a trace, leaving only enigmatic memories behind.

The truth about Dex is heart-wrenching. And be warned - the author doesn’t leave anything to the imagination. Readers get a front-row seat to the violence of the criminal world Dex was trapped in.

How Dex is treated and what he goes through would break anyone, and yet he keeps a core of fight in him.

And he has that brief moment of happiness with Seb to sustain him. The short summertime when Dex got a glimmer of a different life with a kind man.



When Dex eventually gets the chance to run, he goes to London. Only to end up face-to-face with Seb again.

I loved their reunion. It was awkward, but the electric pull between them was so obvious.

And even better was the friendship they slowly built. Their past and the feelings on both sides are undeniable elephants in the room, but the two men take it slow.

I really appreciated how perceptive Seb was of Dex’s boundaries. The space and care was exactly what Dex needed to gradually come out his shell.

Once they take it a step further, their relationship continues much in the same way - sometimes it’s two steps forwards and one step back, but it’s sweet and the love grows bit by bit.

Dex’s past does catch-up with him and Seb eventually, but they get through it. And their happy ever was a perfect ending, leaving no doubt that they’d build a forever home together.

If you’re looking for a complex love story that will put you through the wringer but leave your heart full, give ‘Heart’ a try!

A copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.