Heart of Stoneby Jill Marie Landis
Irish Angel series, Book 1
Christian Fiction / Historical / Romance
Published February 2010
Zondervan
320 pages
About the Book
She had the darkest of pasts. And he had everything to lose by loving her. Laura Foster, free from the bondage of an unspeakable childhood, has struggled to make a new life for herself. Now the owner of an elegant boardinghouse in Glory, Texas, she is known as a wealthy, respectable widow. But Laura never forgets that she is always just one step ahead of her past. When Reverend Brand McCormick comes calling, Laura does all she can to discourage him as a suitor. She knows that if her past were discovered, Brand's reputation would be ruined. But it's not only Laura's past that threatens to bring Brand down—it's also his own. When a stranger in town threatens to reveal too many secrets, Laura is faced with a heartbreaking choice: Should she leave Glory forever and save Brand's future? Or is it worth risking his name—and her heart—by telling him the truth?
My Thoughts
Laura Foster runs a respectable boarding house in Glory, Texas. She has kept her distance from almost everyone in town for fear that her devastating childhood and checkered past would be discovered. When Reverend Brand McCormick begins calling on her—and refuses to be turned down—she begins to open up to him. When someone from her past arrives in town, she fears she will lose everything and ruin Brand as well.
The opening pages of Heart of Stone tell the story of Laura's childhood, and I was immediately captivated and couldn't wait to see what the rest of the story was going to be like. Jumping forward to the "present," I found myself liking Laura despite her prickly personality. Her character isn't as perfect as many "heroines" are. She has tons of flaws and many hurdles to overcome. As the story progressed, I loved seeing her friendships with Brand and others in town blossom and help her work through her problems and realize what true faith is.
At times I was more interested with the story of Laura and her sisters than the current story line, so I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Also, don't let the "romance" label throw you off if you're not a huge fan of the genre. I felt like the romance was more subtle and took a backseat to the other aspects of the story. Landis writes with depth and emotion and I look forward to more from her in the future! [4 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for my fair and honest review.
Laura Foster runs a respectable boarding house in Glory, Texas. She has kept her distance from almost everyone in town for fear that her devastating childhood and checkered past would be discovered. When Reverend Brand McCormick begins calling on her—and refuses to be turned down—she begins to open up to him. When someone from her past arrives in town, she fears she will lose everything and ruin Brand as well.
The opening pages of Heart of Stone tell the story of Laura's childhood, and I was immediately captivated and couldn't wait to see what the rest of the story was going to be like. Jumping forward to the "present," I found myself liking Laura despite her prickly personality. Her character isn't as perfect as many "heroines" are. She has tons of flaws and many hurdles to overcome. As the story progressed, I loved seeing her friendships with Brand and others in town blossom and help her work through her problems and realize what true faith is.
At times I was more interested with the story of Laura and her sisters than the current story line, so I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series. Also, don't let the "romance" label throw you off if you're not a huge fan of the genre. I felt like the romance was more subtle and took a backseat to the other aspects of the story. Landis writes with depth and emotion and I look forward to more from her in the future! [4 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for my fair and honest review.
About the Author
Jill Marie Landis is the bestselling author of over twenty-five novels. She has won numerous awards for her sweeping emotional romances, such as Summer Moon and Magnolia Creek. With her toes in the sand and head in the clouds, Jill now lives in Hawaii with her husband, Steve.
Jill Marie Landis Online
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