MY REVIEW: I’ve often heard the old axiom about getting “more bang for the buck”. A Heart Revealed is definitely a good example of that. First of all, the book itself is at least two hundred pages longer than most of the novels I read. Then, although the primary characters of the story are Emma Malloy and Sean O’Connor, the reader is also treated to the ongoing drama of the members of the O’Connor family who have been featured in the earlier novels of both The Daughters of Boston and the Winds of Change series.

A Heart Revealed is going to be a bit difficult for me to review without any spoilers but I shall give it a try. It should be fairly obvious that since this story features Emma and Sean, a romance between them will develop. It was evident that the two of them shared a platonic affection but the story was well advanced before either realized that their feelings were even stronger. Then there was the fact that Emma was already married. How would she and Sean overcome that obstacle? Well, I can say that my speculations were totally off track and there were several surprises in store before the book ended.

I have read every book in both of Lessman’s series and I think that A Heart Revealed has to be my favorite of them all. Julie’s skill with character and plot development has just improved with each book even though it has been excellent from the beginning. I admit that there were a few times that I became impatient with the length of the book but I believe that was more because I was trying to meet a deadline for this review. If I had been able to read it at my leisure, I would have savored it more. As in the previous books, A Heart Revealed is an honest portrayal of real life with all its best and worst and the human emotions and actions that keep it interesting. Woven throughout the narrative is one of the strongest messages of faith that I have encountered but it seems to be a natural part of the story.

If you haven’t discovered Julie Lessman’s books yet, you are missing a treat. I strongly recommend A Heart Revealed as well as her previous novels.

This book was provided for review by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

She Left Ireland And A Man Who Broke Her Heart… Only To Find An American Who Could Restore It.

Julie Lessman’s new novel A Heart Revealed (ISBN: 978-0-8007-3416-9, $14.99, 512 pages, September), the second offering in the “Winds of Change” series, opens in Boston in 1931, where thirty-one-year-old Emma Malloy has fled from an abusive marriage in Ireland. Although her former husband has left her haunted and deeply scarred. Emma cannot help but develop strong feelings for her friend Charity’s brother, Sean O’Connor. Described by his sister as very stubborn, Sean maintains that he is not the marrying kind. But as he and Emma draw closer and closer, will her strong, tender heart ensnare him and change his mind?

Transporting readers back to a time when the Empire State Building was brand new and the local speakeasy was a common destination, Lessman outlines the fascinating era and its citizens with deft precision. Lessman, who has been hailed as a writer with noteworthy skill by Publishers Weekly has once again delivered an epic tale featuring vibrant characterization, wonderful thrills, sharp dialogue, and surprises both large and small.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Julie Lessman is an award-winning author whose books give readers “Passion With a Purpose,” underscoring her intense passion for both God and romance. Julie is the recipient of 13 Romance Writers of America awards and was chosen as #1 Romance Fiction Author of the Year in the Family Fiction magazine 2011 Readers Choice Awards. She was the winner of the 2009 ACFW Debut Author of the Year and Holt Medallion Awards of Merit for Best First Book and Long Inspirational. She resides in Missouri with her husband, daughter, son and daughter-in-law and is the author of “The Daughters of Boston” series, which includes A Passion Most Pure, A Passion Redeemed, and A Passion Denied. Her “Winds of Change” series has recently released with A Hope Undaunted, which ranked #5 on Booklist’s Top 10 Inspirational Fiction for 2010. You can contact Julie through her website at www.julielessman.com.