michellef's review against another edition
4.0
`A Heart's Gift` is a family drama novel by Lena Nelson Dooley. The setting is Colorado - 1893.
I felt the characters were portrayed well as the storyline intermingled throughout the novel. The novel was a bit long, a few chapters shorter would help in keeping the reader's interest. However, there are at least three storylines: a murder mystery, a marriage of convenience, and a suspenseful ending.
I would recommend this novel to readers interested in westerns and historical romance. I give this book 4* out of 5* and I want to thank the author for sending me the book to review. I love the cover and feel it portrays what the novel is about.
Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this novel. All opinions are my own."
I felt the characters were portrayed well as the storyline intermingled throughout the novel. The novel was a bit long, a few chapters shorter would help in keeping the reader's interest. However, there are at least three storylines: a murder mystery, a marriage of convenience, and a suspenseful ending.
I would recommend this novel to readers interested in westerns and historical romance. I give this book 4* out of 5* and I want to thank the author for sending me the book to review. I love the cover and feel it portrays what the novel is about.
Disclaimer: "I was provided a free copy of this novel. All opinions are my own."
sassybookishmama's review against another edition
4.0
I am a sucker for the marriage of convenience trope and this was definitely one of those. I really enjoyed this story. The characters were very well done and so is the plot. The story is about Lorinda and Franklin. Lorinda is a sweet, innocent young woman living in the mountains of Colorado. She has past hurts of abuse from her father and marries Mike who although keeps his hands to himself but believes that women should not really have a say in things more of the barefoot and pregnant kind of man. When tragic news comes at her door she has to make a decision on what to do, especially since she is with child. She decides the best thing to do is leave and stay with Franklin Vine in his ranch along his housekeeper.
Franklin feels a pull towards Lorinda and he cannot explain it. I absolutely loved the conflict within him as he tries to figure out why he is feeling this way. (Also the way the author describes him, he sounds absolutely yummy... definitely swoon worthy material!) He has been hurt before and wants no part of it but at the same time he wants an heir for his ranch. Goodness the way he is with the baby is heartwarming. You definitely fall for him immediately and are rooting for him the entire time. Although there are times you want to bop him upside the head as he keeps his feelings for Lorinda inside instead of just letting her know.
There are some surprising elements that I was not expecting in this story which were great! It definitely kept me reading. I loved how the author weaves faith through out the whole story but its not preachy. This is also one of the first books that I have read that addresses nursing/breastfeeding so openly. I enjoyed this aspect of the book very much as you don't see that very often.
I wish that we would of read more of Lorinda letting Franklin know why she was so reserved and her back story with her father so that's the only thing that was missing for me. Despite that I thought the story was very good and I will definitely be reading more from this author.
(I received a copy of this book from the author through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
mrsellygilbert's review against another edition
5.0
I received a free copy of this book to review and I can’t tell you how glad I am to have discovered this author!
A Heart’s Gift checks a lot of boxes for me… an inspirational historical romance set in the west. I quickly came to love the main character, Lorinda. When her husband doesn’t return from what should have been a short trip, Lorinda finds herself facing an uncertain future in a dangerous area. Despite her drive to be independent of the control of men, she soon realizes that the help of truly good man is a wonderful thing.
I loved watching Lorinda grow as a character. Her increasing faith was inspiring. I loved that Dooley didn’t let her become the typical overly dramatic romance novel heroine. Her feelings for Franklin matured along with her faith, which I thought was a great way to develop this story.
I can’t wait to read more books by Lena Nelson Dooley! 5/5 stars!
A Heart’s Gift checks a lot of boxes for me… an inspirational historical romance set in the west. I quickly came to love the main character, Lorinda. When her husband doesn’t return from what should have been a short trip, Lorinda finds herself facing an uncertain future in a dangerous area. Despite her drive to be independent of the control of men, she soon realizes that the help of truly good man is a wonderful thing.
I loved watching Lorinda grow as a character. Her increasing faith was inspiring. I loved that Dooley didn’t let her become the typical overly dramatic romance novel heroine. Her feelings for Franklin matured along with her faith, which I thought was a great way to develop this story.
I can’t wait to read more books by Lena Nelson Dooley! 5/5 stars!
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