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About the Book:
When Ruby McCoy and her mother arrive in Fairplay and promptly move into the biggest mansion around, they are the talk of the town. But while Mrs. McCoy worries about ribbons, trunks, and wallpaper, Ruby rolls up her sleeves. Since the hanging of her notorious gangster father five years ago, Ruby, hiding under an assumed name, is on a mission to right her father’s wrongs. She is determined to spend every penny of her inherited “blood money” helping those who paid the price for her father’s crimes. But she didn’t plan on falling in love.
Sheriff Rex Truett doesn’t trust Ruby and doesn’t care who knows it. The keeper of Fairplay’s law and order makes it his business to find out why a stranger—especially a beautiful, rich, female stranger—would set up businesses, donate to schools, hire workmen to rebuild houses, and provide access to the best medical care. But when a cholera epidemic sweeps through the city, he is forced to reconsider.
About the Author:
A prolific writer, Loree Lough has 108 books, 68 short stories, and more than 2,500 articles in print. Her novels have earned dozens of industry and Reader’s Choice awards. A frequent guest speaker for writers’ organizations, book clubs, private and government institutions, corporations, and college and high school writing programs, Loree and her husband, Larry, divide their time between a home in the Baltimore suburbs and a cabin in the Allegheny Mountains.
Her books have over 3700 ratings on Goodreads with the first two books in The Secrets of Sterling Street series, Currency of the Heartand Guardians of the Heart receiving multiple four and five star reviews on book review and retail sites.
My Thoughts on Healing of the Heart:
Healing of the Heart by Loree Lough deals with some issues that can be very true to our lives. For example, Ruby, the main character struggles with blaming herself for the actions of her criminal father and spends years of her life trying to atone for his evil deeds. We can often be drawn into that place in our lives where we blame ourselves for something over which we have no control, and at times, for someone else’s actions. Ruby also battles with the decisions she’s made and the subterfuge she’s engaged in in an attempt to right her father’s wrongs and not let anyone know her connection to him. The author works to show us just how hard it is for Ruby to overcome these things and to believe good about herself even when she has people constantly trying to tell her about all the good they see in her. The author also addresses how an attitude of vengeance can affect your life through the character Rex. I really wanted to see both characters freed from those struggles.
While the author does deal with these issues, I felt like they could have been better developed and done in such away that better showed the progression of the characters out of those thought processes and beliefs. As it is, the characters seem to struggle with those things right up until the very end with not much sign of them changing their thought patterns and so it made the “change” difficult to believe. I struggled a little to relate to the characters and there were several instances in which they and their actions and thought processes were somewhat frustrating to me.
I also spent a good deal of the book wondering if I was missing something regarding different events and aspects in the story. Information was often delivered in such a way that I was surprised by it and wondering when it had happened. Not enough detail was given to explain many of those situations in a satisfactory manner. At times, the format made things hard to follow (I may have had an unedited version which could have contributed to that and the final version may flow better).
The book also deals with a small cholera outbreak in the town of FairPlay, and I have to say, that though there were some things about the book I didn’t care for, I was impressed by what seemed to me to be a pretty realistic portrayal of the outbreak and the depths of care needed to help those affected overcome it and prevent the further spread of it.
While this book is not one of my favorites, some of the things that were an issue for me may not be an issue for a different reader. Please take a look at some of the other blog stops (listed below) for other readers’ thoughts on Healing of the Heart.
Blog Stops:
November 22: Bibliophile Reviews
November 22: Jeanette’s Thoughts
November 23: Neverending Stories
November 23: Lane Hill House
November 24: Reviewing Novels Online
November 24: Christian Bookaholic
November 25: Christian Author: A.M. Heath
November 25: Redeemed Hope Dweller
November 26: A Simple Life, really?!
November 26: Moments Dipped in Ink
November 27: inklings and notions
November 27: Splashes of Joy
November 28: Ashley’s Bookshelf
November 28: Daysong Reflections
November 29: Black ‘n Gold Girl’s Book Spot
November 29: Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations
November 30: Bigreadersite
November 30: Singing Librarian Books
December 1: Pause for Tales
December 1: Smiling Book Reviews
December 2: A Greater Yes
December 2: Genesis 5020
December 3: Reader’s cozy corner
December 4: Book Bites, Bee Stings, and Butterfly Kisses
December 4: Karen Sue Hadley
December 5: A Baker’s Perspective
December 5: Rhonda’s Doings
Giveaway:
In honor of her tour, Loree is giving away her books: Secrets on Sterling Street series, Prevailing Love (3 in 1), Pricilla Hires a Husband, Lone Wolf, and Emma’s Orphans, a KJVER Study Bible, and an Abba pillar candle in a wicker basket! Click the photo below to enter; be sure to comment on this post to claim your nine bonus entries for this giveaway!
**I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Redeemed Hope Dweller 