MY REVIEW:
Raised in a “tribe” of New Orleans street urchins after the death of her parents, Maddie Grande was well trained in the arts of lying and stealing. After the death of the tribe’s leader, the gang disbanded and Maddie moved to an isolated cabin in the bayou with twin brothers who were fellow tribe members. Plagued by recurring nightmares, Maddie was determined to put her dishonest life behind her. That dream came to an abrupt halt when the twins brought home a young kidnapped girl and forced her to care for her while they went back to the city to await the ransom.
Pinkerton agent Tom Abbott was close to finding the young woman he had been hired to located when he suspected a connection between her and the kidnapping and became involved in the investigation. Even though he was certain Maddie was guilty, he found himself irresistibly attracted to her. However his dedication to the law forced him to follow through even if it meant her imprisonment.
Excellent setting descriptions made me feel as though I were with the characters both in the bayou and on the streets of New Orleans. Characters were well-rounded and realistic with little Penelope a precocious charmer. The plot moved at an agreeable pace and held my attention until the end. I found myself awake well past bedtime in order to see how it ended.
With a message of hope and forgiveness, Heart of Lies shows that it is never too late to turn your life around and do the right thing. I recommend this book to all who enjoy historical novels.
This book was provided for review by the Amazon Vine Program.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Raised in a tribe of street urchins, Maddie Grande was taught to be a thief and beggar on the streets of New Orleans. But Maddie doesn’t know her real name or where she came from.
Raised by Dexter Grande, Maddie and her twin “brothers” have recently left New Orleans and moved to the bayou. The twins are rarely there, but Maddie has come to love the swamp. She has learned to fish and trap and sell pelts at the local mercantile.
Maddie longs to change her life but knows that her brothers will never give up their lawless ways. When they kidnap the daughter of a wealthy carpetbagger, the twins force Maddie to hide the precocious eight-year-old while they return to New Orleans to wait for notice of a reward.
Pinkerton agent Tom Abbott is assigned to the kidnapping case in which Maddie has become an accomplice. In a journey that takes them to Baton Rouge, a mutual attraction becomes evident, but Tom and Maddie cannot trust each other.
Will Maddie ever discover who she is? Will her real family ever find her? Will Maddie and Tom listen to their hearts? Or will they choose honor over love?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jill Marie Landis is the bestselling author of over twenty novels. Jill has won numerous awards for her sweeping emotional romances, such as Summer Moon and Magnolia Creek. With her toes in the sand and head in the clouds, Jill now lives in Hawaii with her husband, Steve. Visit Jill Marie at www.jillmarielandis.com .
Read Jill’s interview at the Zondervan blog where she discusses writing Heart of Lies.
