Save up to 20% off select gift cards
Kindle Unlimited
Unlimited reading. Over 4 million titles. Learn more
Read for Free
OR
$1.25

Promotions apply when you purchase

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

Sold by Amazon.com Services LLC.
Read with our free app
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Adrienne Vaughan
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

The Hollow Heart: ...love will find a way (The Heartfelt Series Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Adrienne Vaughan (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.2 out of 5 stars 164 ratings
The Hollow Heart, is a fast moving, contemporary romantic adventure.

Marianne Coltrane, a feisty, investigative journalist is dedicated to her work. Yet when she exposes a heinous crime involving the mysterious disappearance of infants from a mother and baby home, she has no idea how close she has come to secrets hidden in her own past. But her chance to discover more is thwarted by corporate manoeuvres and the sudden 'retirement' of her editor and mentor, leaving her at a crossroads.

Deciding to return to her Irish roots, she and her beloved Highland terrier, Monty, up sticks and move to a small island off the west coast where she hopes to find peace and tranquility, and the chance of a fresh start. But on her arrival she literally runs into the well known actor, Ryan O’Gorman and unfortunately their paths have crossed before. He's just landed the biggest role in movie history and to her mind is one of the most conceited, arrogant individuals on the planet. And not only does he loathe journalists, it looks like he's planning to stay on the island too. Great!

But little does Marianne suspect they may have something in common.

Totally devoted to their careers, they're both convinced their chance of true love has long since passed them by…but ...unsurprisingly dear reader ... fate has other ideas!
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Book 1 of 3
    The Heartfelt Series
  2. Print length
    385 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    March 16, 2021
  6. File size
    903 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
Next slide of product details

Shop this series

 See full series
There are 3 books in this series.
This option includes 3 books.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Adrienne Vaughan has been making up stories since she could speak; primarily to entertain her sister Reta, who from a very early age never allowed a plot or character to be repeated - tough audience. As soon as she could pick up a pen, she started writing them down. It was no surprise she wanted to be a journalist; ideally the editor of a glossy music and fashion magazine, so she could meet and marry a pop star - some of that came true - and in common with so many, still holds the burning ambition to be a 'Bond Girl'! She now runs a busy PR practice and writes poems, short stories and ideas for books, in her spare time. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and a founder member of the indie publishing group The New Romantics4. Adrienne lives in Leicestershire with her husband, two cocker spaniels and a retired dressage horse called Marco. The Hollow Heart is her debut novel. The sequel, A Change of Heart, is currently being scribbled down at every available moment.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08Z76BDVJ
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 16, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 903 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 385 pages
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Book 1 of 3 ‏ : ‎ The Heartfelt Series
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.2 out of 5 stars 164 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Adrienne Vaughan

Adrienne Vaughan

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Adrienne Vaughan writes spell-binding, page-turning romantic suspense.

Her award-winning 5 Star Heartfelt Series - The Hollow Heart, A Change of Heart and Secrets of the Heart - features a feisty investigative journalist, a beautiful West Highland terrier and is set on a remote island off the West Coast of Ireland.

Her latest novels Summer of Secrets and Secrets of the Shell Sisters are spell-binding family sagas with a touch of Irish magic, this time set on Ireland's Ancient East Coast.

Her collection of short stories and poetry, Fur Coat & No Knickers was shortlisted for the Irish Carousel Prize for Anthology, her short story Dodo's Portrait, was shortlisted for the Colm Toibin International Short Story Award at the Wexford Literary Festival and Matilda's Wings was runner up in the Society of Women Writers & Journalists short story competition.

All her books are heart-warming, uplifting tales of love and adventure, featuring her fabulous trademark twists and turns and laugh out loud moments. Her characters always are and always will be completely irresistible.

She's keeping everything crossed there's still time to realise her ambition and become a Bond girl!

Customer reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
164 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find the book enjoyable and romantic, with one noting it's better than average chic-lit. The writing quality receives positive feedback, with one customer mentioning minimal grammatical/spelling errors. The storyline receives mixed reactions, with some finding it intriguing while others say it's difficult to follow, and the pacing starts slow according to several reviews. Character development is also mixed, with some finding the characters engaging while others say the development wasn't there.

Select to learn more

ReadabilityRomanceWriting qualityStorylinePacingCharacter development
12 customers mention "Readability"12 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable and funny, with one describing it as a lively novel.

"This is a wonderful and evocative novel set mostly in Ireland and the UK and should be very satisfying for those women (and men) who very much..." Read more

"...In the end, I considered it a good debut and an enjoyable read. The ending was a bit quick, with a few unresolved questions...." Read more

"This book is amazing! It started slow and I didn't like it, but once Ryan O'Gorman showed up it got great fast!..." Read more

"...All that is nit-picking to a certain degree. It was a pleasure to read an e-book that was well edited and didn't have a lot of typos and grammatical..." Read more

5 customers mention "Romance"5 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the romance in the book, describing it as sexy and involving friendship, with one customer noting it's better than average chic-lit.

"...Her heroine is... complicated... by turns cynical, romantic, naive, believably competent, a crusader for social causes, tough as nails, vulnerable,..." Read more

"The blurb for the book said "Sexy, moving and funny" and a very small plot description. Sounded like a fun little romance...." Read more

"...It's a story of multiple tales - challenges, love, betrayal, vulnerability, friendship, tragedy and ultimately hopefully triumph in the face of it..." Read more

"...Set mainly in Ireland it contained romance, sadness, friendship, and an interesting group of characters...." Read more

3 customers mention "Writing quality"3 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book, with one noting it is well edited and contains minimal grammatical and spelling errors.

"...Always a sucker for that kind of environment. The writing was competant with just the right amount of description to let the reader "see"..." Read more

"...The author did a great job!" Read more

"...It was a pleasure to read an e-book that was well edited and didn't have a lot of typos and grammatical errors...." Read more

15 customers mention "Storyline"10 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the storyline of the book, with some finding it intriguing and multi-layered with enough twists to be interesting, while others find it difficult to follow.

"This is a wonderful and evocative novel set mostly in Ireland and the UK and should be very satisfying for those women (and men) who very much..." Read more

"...The storyline was intriguing, if a bit too long in some areas. I have to say, however, that I felt the book to be a bit disjointed...." Read more

"I was immediately sucked into this novel, but are so many twists and turns, that after a while I felt like I was looking at one of those paintings..." Read more

"The blurb for the book said "Sexy, moving and funny" and a very small plot description. Sounded like a fun little romance...." Read more

9 customers mention "Pacing"4 positive5 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it strong and well put together, while others mention that it started a little slow.

"This book is amazing! It started slow and I didn't like it, but once Ryan O'Gorman showed up it got great fast!..." Read more

"...naive, believably competent, a crusader for social causes, tough as nails, vulnerable, and very much distinguishable from a doormat...." Read more

"...This is not a fast-paced adventure, but is about life as it really is sometimes. It is sexy, moving and funny and very quietly sucked me in...." Read more

"...She was strong, loyal, and caring. I loved the Irish village and all of the inhabitants. Always a sucker for that kind of environment...." Read more

6 customers mention "Character development"4 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the character development in the book, with some finding them engaging while others say it wasn't there.

"...but this one is really good, a strong female lead journalist and a male actor. Looking forward to book two." Read more

"...Unfortunately the character development wasn't there, the plot was all over the place,and it couldn't hold my attention for very long...." Read more

"...It was a pleasant read with engaging characters and a beautifully described setting." Read more

"...Ireland it contained romance, sadness, friendship, and an interesting group of characters. I look forward to reading the next book in the series." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars It's... complicated...
    Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    This is a wonderful and evocative novel set mostly in Ireland and the UK and should be very satisfying for those women (and men) who very much prefer substance over fluff. Although the author here serves up a "first" novel, she describes herself as having been a storyteller from childhood, and it shows. She's not afraid to tackle "deep" subjects, loss and grief, grave illness, and some few of the larger problems of society as a whole. Her heroine is... complicated... by turns cynical, romantic, naive, believably competent, a crusader for social causes, tough as nails, vulnerable, and very much distinguishable from a doormat.

    The transition in diction from Received English to West Country Irish seems accurate, to my untutored ear at least, since I have not the Gaelic and my only words of it seem to be but one, "Sláinte", and that sometimes unsteadily, so the distinctive Irish culture adds yet another dimension to an already multifaceted novel.

    I highly recommend it.

    Cheers,

    Lee-Anne
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • MV
    4.0 out of 5 stars Good debut novel
    Reviewed in the United States on January 3, 2013
    Verified Purchase
    First of all, I must have liked this book because I neglected many items on my "to do" list in order to find out how it ended! So, the positives: I enjoyed the strength of the main character. Marianne had so many negative experiences, but still managed to persevere. She was strong, loyal, and caring. I loved the Irish village and all of the inhabitants. Always a sucker for that kind of environment. The writing was competant with just the right amount of description to let the reader "see" the setting and a minimum of grammatical/spelling errors. The storyline was intriguing, if a bit too long in some areas.

    I have to say, however, that I felt the book to be a bit disjointed. While I understand and appreciate that the beginning half of the story gave background and understanding of the many challenges that Marianne faced, it felt like there were two different stories contained in one book. There were many characters introduced in the first half of the book. Unfortunately, we really didn't get enough information about them (except Paul and George) to care about them--even Jack, her boss, with whom it is inferred that she was close. I needed a bit more emotional connection to some, while I felt others were just extraneous.

    The Irish villagers were much more "fleshed out" and felt more vivid in my mind. A particular scene on a boat almost had me in tears as I had come to like the character tremendously.

    I was a bit ambivalent about Ryan. He started out well, but, at time, seemed rather weak and indecisive. It almost made me wonder if he was good enough for Marianne. Fortunately, she didn't seem to feel that way.

    In the end, I considered it a good debut and an enjoyable read. The ending was a bit quick, with a few unresolved questions. But, that's not unusual when a second book is planned. And, being a sucker for those Irish characters, I'll probably be getting the next book.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Jeff
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic book.
    Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    This book is amazing! It started slow and I didn't like it, but once Ryan O'Gorman showed up it got great fast! I couldn't put this book down, I seriously love it! Highly recommend, following this book through to the end and following the next 2 books of this story! The author did a great job!
    Helpful
     Report
  • Simon's Mom
    4.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected
    Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    The blurb for the book said "Sexy, moving and funny" and a very small plot description. Sounded like a fun little romance. Well, it's a lot more than that. Actually, it's the kind of book I seldom read as I like thing just a little edgier. The story covers maybe 3 years and follows the ups and downs of Marianne's life. This is not a fast-paced adventure, but is about life as it really is sometimes. It is sexy, moving and funny and very quietly sucked me in. And, for an author's debut book, it is excellent.

    On the down side: the author was very vague about the ages of her characters and I think, for the main characters at least, it would have helped a little to get a more clear picture of them. It might have helped also to have some of the thoughts and feelings of the other characters and not just the main character. There was character development, but not always very clearly defined. Marianne had some intense, enlightening watershed moments and those helped to define her character and personality a little better. Ryan, the other main character, doesn't appear until about a fourth of the way into he book. He wasn't quite as clearly defined so it was hard for me to really connect with him the way I would have liked.

    All that is nit-picking to a certain degree. It was a pleasure to read an e-book that was well edited and didn't have a lot of typos and grammatical errors. I recently read a book in which the author had someone making some paper mache items and referred to them as paper "machete". Really?

    I can strongly recommend this book as long as you aren't looking for fast-paced and suspense in your reading. It's a lovely, warm book and I'm looking forward to the sequel due out next year.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • M
    5.0 out of 5 stars Irish charm
    Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    The book started slow. Too much happening in Marianne's life and too much of her past carried over to the story. But when she hits the island the story changes and the Irish town is delightful.
    I really enjoy Irish tales and this one ranks right at the top.
    Great story.
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • MissMommy
    3.0 out of 5 stars Better than average chic-lit
    Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I was immediately sucked into this novel, but are so many twists and turns, that after a while I felt like I was looking at one of those paintings where they just threw stuff at a canvas and decided to see what stuck. The ending was too contrived for me. On the fence as whether to read the rest of the series.
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Souffle Girl
    5.0 out of 5 stars A fabulous debut novel
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I really loved this novel. The story of Marianne Coltrane, a campaigning journalist, is gripping from the start. The author really puts her heroine through the mill and the story is action-packed, full of twists and turns, tugging at the emotions from the beginning to the end.
    The plot is rich and eventful but the characters are what makes this novel stand out. Marianne, whose life is filled with drama from the day she is born, is a very worthy heroine. Courageous, strong and compassionate, she is a lovely character who makes the reader root for her from the start.
    Such a great heroine deserves a very special hero, and Ryan O'Gorman is such a man. At first, I was wary of him, wondering if he was really worthy of our girl, but gradually he won me over when it became very obvious that his overwhelming love for Marianne was indeed genuine.
    The couple are surrounded by an amazing assortment of secondary characters, endearing, annoying, amusing and eccentric. In turn they made me laugh, they made me cross, and they made me cry. Monty, the adorable Westie, is a major character and I fell in love with him from the moment he appeared.
    The island itself is a major character, and the author is brilliant at describing this magical setting and igniting a desire to visit Ireland and take in the beautiful scenery.
    This novel will tug at every heartstring, evoke every emotion and fill your thoughts when you have to put it aside to do other things (trust me, I know!) so that you can't wait to get home and escape back to Innishmahon to find out what's happening next - and believe me, there is always something happening. I won't go into any more detail because I don't want to spoil the story for others, but there is a moment of genuine shock and heartbreak quickly followed by a twist and a truly satisfying conclusion.
    I am so pleased I bought this novel and am very much looking forward to reading the sequel. I can't wait to find out what happens next!
    Report
  • Cathy
    4.0 out of 5 stars Great debut
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 16, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    4.5*
    We first meet Marianne Coltrane, investigative journalist for the Chesterfield Chronicle, as she confronts Sister Mary May about the illegal sale and adoption of children from the women’s refuge she runs. Marianne’s work and resulting article earns her a nomination for Journalist of the Year.

    At the National Media Awards Marianne eventually meets George Brownlow, the new Chesterfield MP, after an unsuccessful attempt at an interview. She and George hit it off and a relationship develops. But fate has other plans for Marianne. After she suffers a tragedy, a near disaster and to escape the pressures of work she takes a sabbatical from the newspaper. The beautiful island of Innishmahon, off the west coast of Ireland, begins to work it’s magic and puts Marianne on the road to emotional recovery.

    Marianne crosses paths with actor Ryan O’Gorman, who she met briefly in England when he also saved her life. Journalists are not his favourite people, and he also needs recovery time, away from the spotlight of the media. Life on the island isn’t as quiet as Marianne hoped it would be after a major storm and the resulting damage, and when Ryan lands a huge movie contract almost out of the blue, circumstances conspire to disrupt her life once again.

    I’m late to The Heartfelt series, but what a great start and a wonderful debut! I enjoyed the first part of the story but loved it when Marianne went to Innishmahon. Beautifully described and giving a real sense of place, it’s filled with a wonderful array of individual characters. The warmth of the well defined and realistic inhabitants, and the rugged beauty of the place shines through.

    This isn’t a straightforward romance – there are several dramatic and significant threads running through the narrative. I found Oonagh’s storyline particularly touching and poignant. The characterisation and dialogue are very well done and Marianne is strong enough to carry the storyline. She’s been through so much but her resilience and spirit keep her going. A well-written and engaging story.

    I chose to read and review The Hollow Heart based on a copy of the book supplied by the author/publisher.
    Report
  • Welsh Annie
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved every moment...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    How gorgeous was this book? The story is just wonderful, moving from the cut-throat world of investigative journalism, through glamour, glitz and mayhem,and on to the perfectly-drawn setting of Innishmahon, where it continues as a very moving love story with an uncertain outcome and a gripping tale of the lives of a cast of characters I really took to my heart. At the story’s centre is Marianne – it took me a while to get totally on her side, but I grew to love her, and her day to day struggles against life’s challenges became compulsive reading.

    The whole book really came to life for me when the story moved to Innishmahon – although I must say there was plenty to keep me gripped into the early hours in what came before, as well as some real shocks and surprises, and quite a few tears. But I just loved the island community and its vividly drawn characters: it’s an immense achievement to make a reader care so much about a diverse (even strange?) collection of people, every one beautifully rounded with a back story of their own, all coming together to support each other through a whole range of problems, whether small and personal or cataclysmic and life-threatening.

    The central love story is totally engrossing as it ebbs and flows and sometimes founders – fraught with misunderstanding and breakdowns in communication, quite agonising at times, but totally beautiful when everything comes together. And should you think that a relationship between a journalist and reclusive movie star seems a tad unlikely and far-fetched, it most certainly isn’t – every moment is absolutely real, believable and touches your heart.

    The island setting against which the story plays out is almost a character in its own right – I really wanted to be in there, helping to lay the stones, when the community came together to rebuild that vital bridge. And there are so many threads and themes in this book that I’m not even going to try to cover them – I loved the complications around Marianne’s parentage (and particularly enjoyed its resolution), and some of the personal stories of the islanders were so wonderfully handled. All of life is here – and I loved every moment.

    Adrienne Vaughan writes just beautifully – perfect handling of relationships and emotions, dialogue so real you can hear it, a great touch with gentle humour, and she can really tell a superb story. And it hasn’t escaped my notice that The Hollow Heart is just part one of a trilogy – I still have A Change of Heart and Secrets of the Heart to look forward to. Now isn’t that simply wonderful?
    Report
  • ElaineG
    5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 23, 2012
    Verified Purchase
    I thoroughly enjoyed this book which has a lot more to it than the average romance novel. Spanning the worlds of investigative journalism, glitzy Hollywood and the rough and rugged coastal islands of Ireland, it is a book you can really get yourself lost in. There is the romance in the novel, but also a lot of drama, heartache and trauma but you will be wiping a tear away one minute and smiling the next.

    The characters are very well rounded, they grow as the book progresses and dialogue is believable. I particularly loved the way the author drew out the story, especially in the first half of the book, because for quite a while I was kept guessing about who was going to end up with who, as everytime I thought things were going in one direction, the author put the spanner in the works - sometimes with a huge shock!

    I would not be so bold as to compare this author to any other author, but I know I would certainly recommend this book to my mother, who is a big Maeve Binchy fan, and think that anyone who enjoys her books would enjoy this one as well.
    Report
  • anne birch
    4.0 out of 5 stars wonderful story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 26, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    Most enjoyable book I have read in a long time. Listened to the author on radio leicester(quite by chance) and was drawn in. Being irish I liked the fact the book was based there and felt it could have been set anywhere in Ireland. From the start I couldn't wait to get to the next chapter it was so full of surprised. Have bought the sequel and can't wait to start it.
    Report

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Report
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Report
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?
Report