Review: Three Sides of a Heart, Natalie C. Parker

Review: Three Sides of a Heart, Natalie C. ParkerTitle: Three Sides of a Heart: Stories About Love Triangles
Author: Natalie C. Parker
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult Fiction
Publication Date: December 19, 2017
Rating: four-stars

Summary (from Goodreads):

You may think you know the love triangle, but you've never seen love triangles like these.

These top YA authors tackle the much-debated trope of the love triangle, and the result is sixteen fresh, diverse, and romantic stories you don’t want to miss.

This collection, edited by Natalie C. Parker, contains stories written by Renee Ahdieh, Rae Carson, Brandy Colbert, Katie Cotugno, Lamar Giles, Tessa Gratton, Bethany Hagan, Justina Ireland, Alaya Dawn Johnson, EK Johnston, Julie Murphy, Garth Nix, Natalie C. Parker, Veronica Roth, Sabaa Tahir, and Brenna Yovanoff.

A teen girl who offers kissing lessons. Zombies in the Civil War South. The girl next door, the boy who loves her, and the girl who loves them both. Vampires at a boarding school. Three teens fighting monsters in an abandoned video rental store. Literally the last three people on the planet.

What do all these stories have in common?

The love triangle.

Amazon “iBooks”

❃ I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. ❃


✼ We may earn an affiliate commission if you make a purchase through links on our site.

Review: Three Sides of a Heart, Natalie C. Parker

Three Sides of a Heart by Natalie C. Parker is an anthology not to be missed. These sixteen short stories by some of my favourite authors each put a spin on the classic love triangle trope. There is definitely something for everyone, and it might even change your opinion on love triangles.

❀ New Perspective

I love the concept of this anthology! The love triangle gets a lot of hate in YA, but honestly, I can appreciate one that is well-executed. Three Sides of a Heart takes this trope and twists it, giving the reader a whole new perspective. There is something from every genre with all kinds of pairings, and many of my favourite authors have contributed stories. Even if you loathe love triangles, I would still recommend this anthology, as there is so much to it that you are bound to find something you like.

❀ Sabaa Tahir’s is a Favourite

My favourite of the stories was Sabaa Tahir‘s Waiting. One of the love interests is in jail, which isn’t common in YA, and the story features letters between him and the main character, which I always love. The main character is strong and sassy, and there is actually a bit of humour, which I appreciated. Waiting is such an emotional story that is so well-written, and I would definitely read a full book with its plot.

❀ Renée Ahdieh’s story is original

I also really enjoyed Renée Ahdieh’s La Revancha del Tango. This story is set in Buenos Aires and is all about the tango. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about the tango before, so I found the originality to be refreshing. Unus, Duo, Tres by Bethany Hagen intrigued me as well. I’m not really a fan of vampire stories, but the emotion and plot twists kept me captivated.

Three Sides of a Heart by Natalie C. Parker is an anthology focusing on love triangles. There are many excellent works in this book, but I especially enjoyed Sabaa Tahir’s contribution. There is so much diversity and so many different genres, so I would absolutely recommend this one.


Book Quotes: Three Sides of a Heart, Natalie C. Parker

Book Beginning

“All right,” Steven says grandly. “You walk into a room with a kerosene lamp, a candle, and a fireplace. What do you light first?”

Friday 56:

The first thing I know is that I’m curled up on my side, suspended in loving warmth. My body adrift in a tropical ocean of blue water.

candid cover avatar

About The Candid Cover

Olivia ❀ Canadian YA book blogger, Starbucks lover, & professional bibliophile.

6 thoughts on “Review: Three Sides of a Heart, Natalie C. Parker

  1. Sophie @ Blame Chocolate says:

    I can certainly appreciate a love triangle if well-executed, too. It’s not usually the case, though, and they’ve become so overdone that I think people have the right to complain about them. Still, I’m really curious about this anthology, especially since it features such awesome authors!
    Wonderful review 🙂

  2. Raven @ Dreamy Addictions says:

    Nice review! I’m so glad you loved this book. I was actually looking forward to your review and I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed sabaa Tahir’s and Renée Ahdieh’s story because they’re both my favorite authors. I really can’t wait to devour this book.

  3. Kelly says:

    I’m glad you liked this one! I have to say that I did see this one and passed on it because I hate love triangles, but maybe I should go back and request it because it sounds like such a wonderful read with stories by so many great authors. I’m super glad that you loved it – great review!

    • Candid Cover says:

      You know, if I hadn’t been gifted this one at an event, I am not sure if I would have requested it either. The love triangle can be a really tricky thing if not executed properly. I was so happy that I enjoyed this one so much and I hope that you enjoy it as well. 🙂

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.