AUTHOR: Tracie Peterson
DATE: 2020
PUBLISHER: Bethany House
STARS: ****1/2
Portland, Oregon, 1879. Nancy Pritchard finds herself a widow with a world of problems when her deceased husband's schemes start to come to light. As she searches through the pieces of her loveless marriage, Nancy realizes there is a lot that she didn't know about this man.
Seth Carpenter is a childhood friend of Nancy's who has recently returned to Portland. He's delighted to see her again, and as a lawyer, he is able to help her sort through the legal aspects of her husband's death. But there's more to him than meets the eye, and his job will take him into a darker side of Nancy's life--a side she didn't even know existed. As they search for the truth behind her husband's death, their attraction to each other creates complications, and the threat to Nancy increases. Can Seth be honest with her about who he really is and why he's come to Portland? And can Nancy bear another betrayal?
A familiar place in a different era drew me to Secrets of My Heart. I enjoyed imagining how Portland and area looked in 1879, especially the familiar Columbia and Willamette rivers. I did, however, have a hard time identifying with Nancy. Her stubborn refusal to reconcile with her parents touched a sore spot, as mine are gone from this earth. I do understand grief, and can only imagine the depth of sorrow at losing her beloved little brother.
Seth makes a wonderful hero, even though his need for secrecy creates a chasm between Nancy and him. I loved the renewal of friendship and hoped they could get past the barriers to find true love.
The supporting cast, especially the sisters Clifton and Mrs. Weaver, call for books of their own to reveal their well-kept secrets. I look forward to Gabe and Clementine’s story, too.
Well-written (as expected from Tracie Peterson), Secrets of My Heart earns four and a half stars from me. Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.