Happy Saturday, friends! Today I’m giving you three for the price of one. I’m long overdue on my reviews for the latest two books in the Hearts at War series by Angela K. Couch, so I thought we should revisit my review of book 1 while we’re at it. So instead of doing one long review, I’ve got 3 mini reviews for you today 🙂
SERIES: Hearts at War #1
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Romance
PUBLISHER: Pelican Book Group
RELEASE DATE: February 1, 2017
PAGES: 316
Surrounded by the musket fire of the American Revolution, Rachel Garnet prays for her family to be safe.
When the British invade the Mohawk Valley and her father and brother don’t return from the battle, she goes in pursuit of them. She finds her brother alive but her father has been killed at the hand of the enemy. Amidst the death, how can she ignore a cry for help? Rachel reluctantly takes in a badly wounded British officer. But how long can her sense of Christian duty repress her hatred for his scarlet coat?
Passages of Scripture and fleeting images of society are all Andrew Wyndham recalls after he awakens to the log walls of his gentle prison. Even his name eludes him. Rachel Garnet insists he is a captain in the British army. He mourns the loss of his memory, but how can he hope to remember war when his “enemy” is capturing his heart? Andrew’s injuries are severe, his memory slow to return, and the secret of his existence too perilous to ignore.
As Rachel nurses him back to health, his hidden scarlet coat threatens to expose the deeds of her merciful heart, and Andrew is forced to face a harrowing decision—Stay hidden and risk losing the woman he loves or turn himself in and risk losing his life.
The Scarlet Coat by Angela K. Couch is captivating in the dilemmas it presents, in the characters it introduces, and in the romance it embraces. The history of the era becomes personal and dimensional, and there are moments so wrought with tension that it takes your breath away. Fans of Amber Lynn Perry and Laurie Alice Eakes will feel right at home here, and the issues Couch raises are just as timely today as they were then. A sweet romance with depth and insight into grace and prejudice and forgiveness.
See my full review HERE
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Loved it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / Will forget to breathe on occasion
SERIES: Hearts at War #2
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Romance
PUBLISHER: Pelican Book Group
RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2017
PAGES: 310
Love comes at a price and Lydia Reynolds refuses to pay it. Better to close her heart to everything and everyone.
When her brother-in-law won’t grant her passage to England, where she hopes to hide from her pain, New Englander, Daniel Reid, becomes her only hope—if she can induce him to give her information about the notorious Swamp Fox and his troops.
When the British grow impatient and Daniel evades her questions, Lydia must decide how far to take her charade. The poor man, already gutted by love, hasn’t grown as wise as she. Or so she supposes . . . until the truth is known, the muskets are loaded . . . and it is time to decide where true loyalties lie.
I am so glad that book 2 follows up with Daniel, who I had a love-hate relationship with in book #1. Regardless of how I felt about him at any given moment in The Scarlet Coat, he needed his own story and I’m delighted that Couch gave him one. And what a story it is too! Espionage, danger, high-stakes tensions, and of course romance – each element kept me turning the pages to find out what would happen next. I must confess that there were moments when I wasn’t sure how everything could possibly work out, yet the ending ties it all together in a truly riveting way. However, it’s Lydia’s journey to know God personally that touched me the most. The Patriot and the Loyalist shines a spotlight on a particularly compelling time in American history, and Couch brings these characters and their love story vividly to life against the background of adventure and intrigue.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Loved it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / Will forget to breathe on occasion
SERIES: Hearts at War #3
GENRE: Inspirational Historical Romance
PUBLISHER: Pelican Book Group
RELEASE DATE: November 9, 2018
PAGES: 282
Burying his wife is the hardest thing Joseph Garnet has ever done—until he’s called to leave his young son and baby daughter to fight Iroquois raiders. When one of the marauders tries to steal his horse, the last thing he expects is to end up tussling with a female. The girl is wounded, leaving Joseph little choice but to haul her home to heal—an act that seems all too familiar.
Though Joseph doesn’t appear to remember her, Hannah Cunningham could never forget him. He rode with the mob that forced her two brothers into the Continental Army and drove her family from their home—all because of her father’s loyalties to The Crown. After five years with her mother’s tribe, the rebels and starvation have left her nothing but the driving need to find her brothers.
Compelled by a secret he’s held for far too long, Joseph agrees to help Hannah find what remains of her family. Though she begins to steal into his aching heart, he knows the truth will forever stand between them. Some things cannot be forgiven.
One of the things I love most about these books is the way the title of the series has more than one meaning – meanings that play out on the pages of the books so beautifully. ‘Hearts at War’ obviously reflects the tumultuous times in which the series is set – from the settlers’ war with the British to their skirmishes with neighboring Native American tribes. It also, however, is reflected in the characters themselves, in the way the hero’s and heroine’s beliefs/politics are often in conflict with each other. In The Tory’s Daughter, it’s perhaps never more personal. Throw in a lot of tension from varying sources (including the romantical kind!), a marriage-of-convenience, secrets, danger, and a sweet theme of faith – and you really shouldn’t relax until you’ve turned the last page. Joseph and Hannah are both compelling characters right off the bat, but as their story progresses they become even more so. Fully engaging in every way, this book grabs your attention quickly and doesn’t let go until you reach the end. Each book can be read as a standalone, but it’s also nice that we get to revisit characters as we go along.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Loved it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / Will forget to breathe on occasion
To keep from freezing in the Great White North, Angela K Couch cuddles under quilts with her laptop. Winning short story contests, being a semi-finalist in ACFW’s Genesis Contest, and a finalist in the International Digital Awards also helped warm her up. As a passionate believer in Christ, her faith permeates the stories she tells. Her martial arts training, experience with horses, and appreciation for good romance sneak in there, as well. When not writing, she stays fit (and warm) by chasing after three munchkins.
What about you? Which of these three books interests you the most?
This sounds like a good series. Nice reviews.
Thanks!
I’m intrigued! Thanks for the review
I think The Scarlet Coat caught my eye the most, along with the rest in the series! Would love to win any of these as a print copy! Thanks for the great reviews:)
So glad you enjoyed my Heart’s at War series! Last but not least is releasing this summer, The Return of the King’s Ranger. 🙂
Yay! I was hoping there would be at least one more!
Just to wet your appetite as I think you will really like it. 🙂
The war for American freedom is over, and the British have gone back to England. Myles Cunningham wants to go home as well, not knowing what has become of his family since he was forced into the Continental Army nine years earlier. He returns to the Mohawk Valley with the understanding that he is believed to have been shot for deserting—fiction that might be made real if anyone recognizes him as the son of a Tory, and a King’s Ranger.
Everything is wonderful in the growing community along the Mohawk River, except Nora Reid is still alone. With her brother happily settled and both of her younger sisters starting families of their own, Nora feels the weight of her twenty-four years. A long walk leads her to the overgrown rubble of the Cunningham homestead where a bearded stranger begins to awaken feelings she’d lost hope of ever experiencing.
With secrets abounding—including whether Myles even cares for her—Nora must determine what she is ready to give up and how far she will go to secure his affections. She begins to break through his defenses, but Myles can’t risk staying. Not if he loves her.
EEP! YAY!!!!
I just read all three if these books in January. I loved them all and am looking forward to the fourth book!
Great novels!