When the Heart Heals

Summer’s coming, folks, which means hours of lolling around reading good books, right?

Ahem.

Maybe it’s more like grabbing ten minutes of quiet time in the bathroom to sneak in a few pages, but either way, I thought it was time to recommend some new books. First up, Ann Shorey‘s When the Heart Heals.

Back Cover Blurb:

Courageous and unconventional, Rosemary Saxon served as a nurse during the Civil War, a service that has caused most women in town to regard her as unfeminine and downright vulgar. Although she would like to put her experiences as a nurse behind her, she must support herself.

Rosemary takes a position with Dr. Elijah Stewart and a mutual attraction begins to develop. But when a sophisticated woman arrives in town claiming to be Elijah’s fiancée, a heartbroken Rosemary decides to leave Noble Springs and start fresh. Can Elijah convince her of the mystery woman’s deception before he loses her forever?

Return to the town of Noble Springs, Missouri, for an engrossing story of love’s tentative first steps and fragile future in the face of opposition. Readers will find in Rosemary a sympathetic but strong woman determined to thrive in a world that doesn’t always understand.

My take:  

I’ve always loved Ann’s writing. In fact, I wrote a rave review for her first book, Edge of Light, back in 2009 that you may read here.

If you open up the paperback version of When the Heart Heals, you can read my endorsement of the first book in the series. I’m sorry if I sound like a dork, but opening up a new release and seeing my name makes me feel like I’m still a real writer. 🙂 

The authenticity of  Where Wildflowers Bloom transported me straight to post-Civil War times, yet the characters–their hopes, dreams, conflicts, and fears–all ran contemporarily true. Another winner from Ann Shorey!

All that to say, I’d be shocked to ever read a book of hers that I don’t enjoy. One of my favorite things about Ann’s novels has always been the different slant of the women’s careers. In a way, I leave her novels feeling like I got a realistic look at history and learned something I’d not known before. I found the early medical knowledge in this book to be fascinating. Of course, that’s just the frosting on the cupcake. The real story is about finding the bravery to open one’s heart to love.

At a moment of particular romantic tension, Ann writes, “Once they’d spread the quilt in the freckled shade cast by the tree ….” Only a genius writer can make laying of a blanket down fresh and new, while capturing the tone of the moment and giving the reader a great visual.

Check the book out. If you can, read Where Wildflowers Bloom first. When the Heart Heals can easily stand alone, but you’ll enjoy the little nuances and nods to the previous story.