Heart of Gold, written by Robin Lee Hatcher, stole my heart! At 294 pages, this historical fiction book is an enjoyable read.
Shannon Adair grew up in Virginia and loved the life that she and her parents had. But when her mother died and Virginia was torn by war and death, Shannon’s minister father Delaney decided that it was time to go elsewhere. When Shannon and her father arrived in Idaho territory, it was not with excitement. Grand Coeur was a mining town, and there were very few women. Shannon held bitterness in her heart that her wonderful life had changed.
Matthew Dubois was a stagecoach driver for Wells Fargo, and when his sister and her son moved in harboring a heart-wrenching secret, Matthew ends his driving days in exchange for working in the office. Once Matthew realizes that his sister is dying, his goal is to find someone who can be a mother to his nephew, and Shannon Adair seems to be the perfect fit.
Shannon, holding on to her pride, has to decide where her feelings lie–with her own pride or with the man who has stolen her heart.
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I read a lot of books, and not all books leave a big impression on me, but this one has. There is a portion of the book that I want to share that really touched my heart. The way Robin wrote this part was truly beautiful and poetic. It’s a portion where Matthew’s sister Alice is lying on her bed, thinking about leaving this world and her son Todd behind. (Chapter 15, page 135)
Her eyes closed, she pressed the side of her face against Todd’s thick, unruly hair and breathed in. He smelled of little-boy sweat and puppy-dog slobber, of pinecones and wood smoke. And suddenly she felt like crying, for she was certain she would miss these smells, even in heaven.
Forgive me, Father. I don’t mean to cling to this world. It’s only-
Her breath caught in her chest as the strangest of sensations swept over her. She would almost swear that someone had touched her hair, had breathed deeply of her scent. And an instant later an overwhelming sense of being loved swirled around her, a love so big it encompassed her son as well.
“Ma? You all right?”
She opened her eyes. “Yes, I’m all right, darling. I really am all right.”
If you enjoy Christian historical romance, this one will be right up your alley. If you’d like to read an excerpt, Robin has a portion of it on her website. You can go {here} to read.
I am a member of BookSneeze, a fabulous program through Thomas Nelson. BookSneeze sends members free books to read and keep in exchange for written reviews on a blog and on a major retailer’s website (such as Amazon or Barnes & Noble).
