Review Detail

Kasie West brings us another compelling read with “Listen to your Heart,” a story about lake life, friendships, secrets, and podcasting.

Our main character, Kate Bailey, would choose spending all her time on the lake if it wasn’t for her parents insisting she go to school, her best friend insisting she check out her latest crush, and - well - the classes she needs to take as a junior. One unexpected class on her schedule is podcasting, mostly at the request of her best friend.

Kate expects to get a background job in this class – maybe editing or research – and in a curious twist, it’s her suggested theme that gets chosen for the class, landing her in the host seat. Maybe talking to other people isn’t Kate’s favorite thing to do, but she’s willing to give this a try especially when her love of the lake and her family’s marina is challenged.

What she doesn’t expect out of all of this is to fall for her bestie’s crush. He seems to be everywhere she turns up, and although Kate thinks she’s gaining intel for her friend on what he’s like, it turns out that she gets to know him better and better until she can’t stop the butterflies she feels for him.

What turns out to be a crush turns into something more as friends navigate friendships, crushes navigate new love, and podcasting takes a turn when it’s time to record live at the Fall Festival.