Book Review - The Heart's Appeal

ABOUT THE BOOK:

London, 1881

He Never Expected to See Her Again. Then She Appeared with a Most Unexpected Request. . . .

Strong-minded and independent, Julia Bernay has come to London to study medicine and become a doctor--a profession that has only just opened up to women. When she witnesses a serious accident, her quick action saves the life of an ambitious young barrister named Michael Stephenson. It's only later that she learns he could be instrumental in destroying her dreams for the future.

Coming from a family that long ago lost its status, Michael Stephenson has achieved what many would have thought impossible. Hard work and an aptitude for the law have enabled him to regain the path to wealth and recognition. His latest case puts him in the middle of a debate over the future of a women's medical school. He's supposed to remain objective, but when the beguiling and determined Julia reappears with an unexpected entreaty, he begins to question what he's made most important in his life. But Julia may be hiding her own motivations. As the two are tangled into spending more time together, will their own goals be too much to overcome?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jennifer Delamere's debut Victorian romance, An Heiress at Heart, was a 2013 RITA Award finalist in the inspirational category. Her follow-up novel, A Lady Most Lovely, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly and the Maggie Award for Excellence from Georgia Romance Writers. Jennifer earned a BA in English from McGill University in Montreal, where she became fluent in French and developed an abiding passion for winter sports. She's been an editor of nonfiction and educational materials for nearly two decades, and lives in North Carolina with her husband.

MY REVIEW:

I had a hard time getting into this book. I really didn't like the main character of Julia during the first few chapters and wondered if I could even finish this book. However, I kept going and soon found myself liking her and seeing the changes in her. She has strong faith and desires God to use her in any way that He chooses. I grew to really admire this in her.

I felt the strong male character, Michael, was the perfect companion to Julia's own strong tendencies. He keeps her grounded and they are both very good for each other. The fact that they both have high goals for each other and are on a path to do great things, makes these characters very interesting.

The story is very well written and I enjoyed the backdrop of London in the early 1880's. The historical background is well done and I enjoyed this aspect very much.

This is a good novel and, if like me, you find yourself not really liking it for the first few chapters, keep reading as you will soon be glad you did. I think you'll enjoy this story as much as I did.

*This book was provided to me for my honest review by Bethany House


Blessings - Julie