Praise for The Queen of Hearts One of Real Simple 's “Best Books of 2018” Named a Most Anticipated Book of 2018 by Southern Living , Elite Daily, and Writer's Digest “Martin leverages her own background as a doctor to great effect throughout...[she] is equally insightful about many aspects of long-term female friendships, especially the blind spots that they often contain by necessity.”—The New York Times “A gripping and emotional novel perfect for fans of Meredith and Christina's iconic friendship, The Queen of Hearts is the perfect book for fall.”—Bustle “Martin’s extraordinary sensitivity and empathy shines through during moments of crisis, which draw out the subtle, complex shades of her characters…the beautifully rendered characters and compelling, rhythmic storyline make The Queen of Hearts a thrilling read, and a fascinating look into the medical world. It’s an impressive debut, full of warmth and excitement.”—The Harvard Crimson “Fans of Grey’s Anatomy are sure to enjoy this new release, a novel about friendship, success, and secrets set amid the day-to-day drama of a hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina.”—Southern Living “Kimmery Martin’s excellent debut novel serves up an irresistible mix of romance, ER drama, friendship and betrayal. Martin, a physician herself, writes in a clear and lively way....In her hands, dramatic hospital scenes and routine kitchen conversations are equally compelling.”—BookPage “A secret from two doctors' pasts may put what they cherish most under the knife: their friendship. A book about female friendships that unapologetically wears its heart on its sleeve.”—Kirkus Reviews “Martin’s debut novel, about pediatric cardiologist Zadie Anson and trauma surgeon Emma Colley, is a medical drama executed with just the right balance of intensity, plot twists, tragedy, and humor...A remarkably absorbing read.”—Booklist “Whip-smart and full of heart, Martin expertly weaves the threads of friendship, love and betrayal into a story that crackles with humor and compassion. A brilliant debut.”—Lisa Duffy, author of The Salt House “In The Queen of Hearts , debut author Kimmery Martin brings humor and insight into this exploration of friendships and secrets set in the fascinating world of practicing doctors. She effortlessly weaves the past and the present to bring you all sides of this nuanced story. Part mystery and part exploration of the human heart, Martin has a cure for what ails both her characters and their relatable problems. Sure to be a hit with fans of JoJo Moyes and Liane Moriarty.”—Catherine McKenzie, bestselling author of Hidden and The Good Liar “In The Queen of Hearts , Kimmery Martin deftly weaves a tale of friendship and betrayal, family and lost love, the choices that define us and the secrets that keep us. Brimming with wit, intelligence, humor, and warmth, this dazzling debut teaches us about the heart’s surprising resilience. Kimmery Martin is a new voice to watch.”—Sarah Domet, author of The Guineveres "Full of wit, subtext, and (of course) heart. Martin's writing is smart, compassionate, and just plain entertaining. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!"—Jessica Strawser, author of Almost Missed You “Martin’s voice is sharp and authentic in this captivating debut about two old friends and the scorching secret that nearly destroys them. Your heart will be thumping until the final page.”—Emily Liebert, author of Some Women “Intense, vivid and sometimes surprisingly funny, The Queen of Hearts gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the world of female physicians. Martin moves effortlessly between the women's highly relatable suburban lives and the literally cutting-edge drama of their work.”—Kim Wright, author of Last Ride to Graceland , 2017 winner of the Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction “Tragedy and secrets refuse to stay buried in this fast-paced and clever exploration of the storied connection between Emma and Zadie. As wives, mothers, and physicians, they are just as susceptible to life and its multicolored traumas as any of the souls they care for.”—Nadia Hashimi, international bestselling author of The Pearl that Broke Its Shell “If you love Big Little Lies and medical dramas such as Grey’s Anatomy and ER, there is no better book for you than The Queen of Hearts .”—Hypable
…Martin leverages her own background as a doctor to great effect throughout…Martin is equally insightful about many aspects of long-term female friendships, especially the blind spots that they often contain by necessity, the subjects both parties are careful not to mention…Martin's portrayal of the guilt born of selfishness, of knowing that a past version of yourself was capable of truly monstrous behavior, is also sharp. It's Emma's remorse that tips the novel's final third into darker territory. Zadie's story begins by offering a somewhat superficial portrait of what it means to be a doctor, or a wife, or a friend. But Emma's story leads us to a place considerably more painful and, ultimately, affecting.
The New York Times Book Review - Angelica Baker
12/11/2017 Martin’s debut novel is a medical drama about two friends facing the secrets of their past after the reappearance of the man who broke one of their hearts. Zadie Anson, a pediatric cardiologist, and Emma Colley, a surgeon, live in Charlotte, N.C., and have been friends since college, maintaining their relationship through the ups and downs of parenting young children and working in demanding careers. Nick Xenokostas, who was Zadie and Emma’s chief resident when they were in medical school, moves to Charlotte and joins Emma’s surgical practice. Flashbacks from their alternate points of view reveal events of the year when Zadie and Nick had a brief, tumultuous affair, including the secrets from that year that Emma has kept from Zadie, which could destroy their friendship. With Nick’s reappearance, Emma fears that he might tell Zadie some disturbing truths. Meanwhile, she must weather professional angst when a difficult surgery ends badly, leaving her career in jeopardy. Emotional and difficult to put down, Martin’s excellent story of friendship is shrewdly plotted and contains a cast of flawed, rich, believable characters. The realistic and vivid medical angle (Martin is an ER doctor) adds to the novel’s appeal. Agent: Jane Dystel, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Feb.)
Narrators Shannon McManus and Catherine Taber provide dynamic performances with voices that are as different as the friends they portray. Sadie and Emma are now wives and mothers with successful careers, but news that a former colleague is returning has the two women swept back to decade-old memories surrounding their tragic third year of medical school. As Emma, Faber uses pauses to depict calmness despite descriptions of her mental chaos, a technique that reflects the character’s disconnect with her emotions. McManus gives Sadie a slight twang and warm intonations that convey the emotions others see in her and her innate likability. Squeals of laughter and comedic dialogue between her children bring much needed moments of levity. This audiobook will captivate listeners. A.L.C. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
Narrators Shannon McManus and Catherine Taber provide dynamic performances with voices that are as different as the friends they portray. Sadie and Emma are now wives and mothers with successful careers, but news that a former colleague is returning has the two women swept back to decade-old memories surrounding their tragic third year of medical school. As Emma, Faber uses pauses to depict calmness despite descriptions of her mental chaos, a technique that reflects the character’s disconnect with her emotions. McManus gives Sadie a slight twang and warm intonations that convey the emotions others see in her and her innate likability. Squeals of laughter and comedic dialogue between her children bring much needed moments of levity. This audiobook will captivate listeners. A.L.C. © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine
2017-11-13 A secret from two doctors' pasts may put what they cherish most under the knife: their friendship.Emma, a trauma surgeon, and Zadie, a pediatric cardiologist, have survived big and small things together: medical school, breakups, horrifying stomach bugs, losing patients, and the deaths of loved ones. Since they first met at summer camp, the two seemingly opposite women have been best friends: Emma is the unapproachable, perfectly maintained counterpart to warm, trustworthy Zadie. Over the years, Zadie and Emma have grown together as doctors, mothers, and friends—sometimes knowing the other's heart better than their own. Written from both women's points of view, the novel oscillates between a crucial year from medical school and the present. In their third year of med school, the women experience a tragedy that upends their lives in ways they cannot begin to fathom. The unforeseen consequences ripple out to the present when their former chief resident, Nick Xenokostas, re-enters their lives. Zadie and Nick's complicated relationship forces the women to grapple with a potentially friendship-ending secret. A former emergency room physician, Martin distills medical jargon into digestible metaphors and sets scenes as carefully as her characters scrub for surgery. The dialogue is on the casual side because Martin uses all-caps and some phonetic writing ("Whereygoing?"), but if it sometimes falters, the plot and characters make up for it. When the secret (or secrets) is disclosed toward the end, an unexpected but logical twist adds another layer of grief to the revelation.A book about female friendships that unapologetically wears its heart on its sleeve.