My Review of Where Hearts are Free by Golden Keyes Parsons

Here's a description of the book from Thomas Nelson Publishing:

"The odds are stacked against Bridget and Philippe reuniting. But God has a plan for them if they'll only believe.

It’s 1687, in the burgeoning town of Philadelphia, and for seven years, Bridget Barrington has watched with growing affection as Philippe Clavell worked as an indentured servant for her father, a wealthy landowner.

Her father rejects her request for Philippe to be a potential suitor as he has none of the qualities Mr. Barrington hoped for his daughter's future husband, the least of which is a respectable income.

Heartbroken, Bridget accedes to her parents’ wishes and gets engaged to a man she does not love. However, Bridget's husband-to-be does not love her, but only her wealth.

But there's always light in the midst of darkness for those who have faith. This stunning historical romance concludes the gripping Darkness to Light series."

My Rating: Fall

My Review:

Bridget is a girl who knows her own heart. Unfortunately, she has a hard time getting the man she loves to accept it. Suffering from rejection, she is forced to accept the proposal of a man she doesn't love. Will Bridget and Philippe ever find a place where their hearts can be free?

With an interesting plot and an admirable theme of various types of freedom, Where Hearts are Free is not a bad read. The inspiration from the author's own family history is very neat, and the setting is intriguing.

That being said, it took me a long time to finally read all the way through this, and it was a struggle to finish it. I found there to be little unique about the heroine, and there weren't many qualities that endeared her to me. I liked the hero, especially at the beginning, but it seemed to me that he really didn't care much for the heroine other than as a member of his employer's family and a childhood friend. To have him become a complete romantic when his own thoughts don't even lend themselves to love is neither consistent nor realistic.

All in all, this book has potential. Parsons' writing is enjoyable, just not overly ambitious. Since I have not read the first two books in the "Darkness to Light" series, perhaps Where Hearts are Free may be better accepted by those who have already become invested in the series.

*With thanks to Thomas Nelson Publishing through the Booksneeze program for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion.*