(Heart of the West, Bk 3)
by Maggie Brendan
Christian Fiction / Historical /
Romance
Revell Publishing
Copyright 2010
Pages: 326
ISBN: 9780800733513
(from Amazon):
She has everything her heart desires . . . except the one thing money can't buy
Can April and Wes see past their differences to envision a future together? Or are they destined to live the rest of their lives alone?
Book three in the Heart of the West series, A Love of Her Own is an adventurous, spark-filled ride through love in turn-of-the-century Montana.
What I thought (with a few spoilers):
I'm so happy to finally know what happens to Josh McBride's sister, April! Ever since I first met this blonde-haired spit-fire in No Place for a Lady, I've wondered how her story was gonna play out. It was a wild ride, just as I had suspected!
Though April was my least favorite person back then, she finally redeems herself in her own story. She still comes across as a little selfish, very independent, and somewhat spoiled. All in all, this makes for a really fast-paced read. It was nice to catch up with some of the folks from The Jewel of His Heart, but Josh and Juliana were hardly even mentioned (they were on their honeymoon!).
Wes Owen turns out to be such a sweetheart -- I'm so glad! I wanted to like him in The Jewel of Her Heart, but he was still rough around the edges. He has since straightened out his life, and become one delicious horse trainer. ;)
There are lots of great secondary characters, one of which is Billy Taylor, a young orphan who loves horses almost as much as April. He became one of my favorite people right from the start. It was also lots of fun getting to know Natalie, Louise, Miss Margaret, and so many more of the folks who reside in Lewistown, Montana.
I only have one "complaint" with this book -- the very abrupt, slam-the-door in your face ending. I mean, WOW! One minute you're sitting there, enjoying a historical moment with April, Wes, Billy, and their friends -- then, a few pages later, the story is over! I didn't see it coming and was unpleasantly surprised. I still had a few questions that weren't yet answered. What happened to Billy (he's one of my favorite characters)? Did he find a permanent home with Morgan and Lenora? Did anything serious develop between Louise and Mark? What did April's parents think about her decision to stay in Montana? I just felt unsettled at the end; like I wasn't given time to prepare. Maybe it's just me, and it didn't/won't bother anyone else. Don't get me wrong, it's definitely worth reading - I was just a little disappointed.
If you haven't read any of Maggie Brendan's books, be sure to pick up this series and read them from beginning to end. The characters are wonderful and will seem like family in no time. You can visit Maggie at her blog: SouthernBelle Writer.
***Thanks to Donna @ Revell Publishing for providing me a copy to review! ***
2 comments:
Great review! I've only read the first book in the series...and like you mentioned too, April was not my favorite character in it. :)I'm looking forward to the 2nd book and this one.
I tried to read the first book in this series but for some reason I just couldn't get into it. :( But I love the covers..they are so pretty. :)
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