The Burnt Heart Audiobook By Mae Pierce cover art

The Burnt Heart

Toxic Hearts, Book 1

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The Burnt Heart

By: Mae Pierce
Narrated by: Cecily Foster, Walker Williams, Dylan Ford
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About this listen

It wasn't a proposal like I expected—but a breakup.

In the shadowy underworld of Greenich Bay, even my status as the Orazio heir couldn't shield me from heartbreak. Jesse, Logan, and Briar, the ones I trusted most, shattered me after five years of love. No proposal, just betrayal. Vengeance drove me into the arms of my ex-fiancé, a rival crime family scion. Let them see how quickly I can move on. They don't need to know that our arrangement is fake.

With my life in danger, I am forced to rely on them again. They use the opportunity to beg for my forgiveness. But the pain from their betrayal still smolders. How can one mend a scorched heart?

We broke our girl's heart.

A desperate, last-ditch decision severed us from our soulmate. Dark secrets drove us to wound the woman we cherished. Now, we must confront our past to secure our future. When Adelaide becomes a target of a ruthless enemy, determined to end her life, we won't stop until we earn her back.

Healing a burnt heart is never easy, but our unwavering devotion burns hotter than ever.

©2023 Mae Pierce (P)2024 Podium Audio
Contemporary
All stars
Most relevant  
I am a big fan of Mae Pierce. She is the queen of angst with top tier groveling.

The Burnt Heart

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I read The Burnt Heart when it was released and fell in love with it. So when I saw there was finally an Audible version I had to have it listen to it. The narrators do an amazing job expressing the emotions. Love Mae with her men who learn to grovel when they finally figured out what they lost and that all her FMCs are strong and don’t “need a man”. It’s just “muah” chefs kiss!!

Love Mae and her grovels

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Let me start with the positive: the narration was phenomenal. Each voice actor brought something distinct and real to the table. It was honestly refreshing to hear an African American character portrayed with authenticity—no caricature, no stereotypes, just a natural delivery that made the character feel grounded and genuine. The emotional tone, pacing, and vocal nuance from all the narrators made the experience immersive, even when I wasn’t connecting with the story.

Now… the book itself? That’s where things unraveled for me.

I went in excited for the reverse harem vibes and emotional drama, but what I got was more toxic than tender. The male characters weren’t just emotionally unavailable—they were manipulative. The reason for the breakup? They needed money to open a gym, so they could somehow “prove” to her father that they were worthy of her… after he kept sending people to attack them. That’s the logic we’re working with. Instead of communicating or protecting her by staying together, they faked a breakup and broke her heart to convince the investor and don't get me started on that connection.

It wasn’t romantic. It wasn’t noble. It was exhausting..

I stopped at Chapter 14. There’s a moment where Briar’s so-called friend swirls his drink and says, “If something is floating in your drink, ignore it 🙄.” And that was it for me. The writing made it so obvious he was about to be drugged, and it didn’t feel clever or suspenseful—it felt lazy. That whole scene, like much of the book, was full of potential but poorly executed.

If you’re in it for a long grovel arc and don’t mind some toxic behavior from the love interests, it might land better for you. But for me, great narration just couldn’t save a story that felt more frustrating than romantic.

Narration Deserves 5 Stars—The Story, Not So Much

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