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| Heritage Beacon Fiction, May 2016 |
Since her assault, Miss Annette Chetwynd has been plagued by nightmares and worries about an arranged marriage.
She yearns to find her anonymous rescuer. Unfortunately, her health and intellect prevent it. Both repel suitors and cause Annette to doubt God's existence, at least until He answers her prayers in an unusual way. . . .
Mr. Peter Adsley is joining the clergy, and he desires a godly wife by his side. After a failed attempt to obtain one, he engages in a clandestine meeting with the bewitching young woman who keeps crossing his path. But she is so unsettling.
Destined for disappointments, Peter and Annette both endure disgraceful situations. Will Peter's faith sustain him through overwhelming setbacks? Can Annette overcome her doubts? Or will their starving hearts yield to the machinations of a mad man?
Though you wouldn't know it by the cover, Starving Hearts is more of a suspense novel than a romance. I felt a sense of foreboding as I read—I was just sure something awful was on the next page (and sometimes it was). The suspense built the farther I got into the novel, and that's what kept me reading.
Starving Hearts is mainly about Annette Chetwynd and Peter Adsley and their struggle to be together. However, I didn't particularly care for the romance. Peter and Annette "fell in love" very quickly, though it really just seemed like obsession/fantasy on both of their parts. I spent the first half of the novel struggling to really engage with the plot, probably because I wasn't into the romance. I did appreciate some of the side characters and their interactions with Peter and Annette, though—characters like Turtle, a cabin boy on a ship Peter traveled on; Bledsoe, the ship's captain; and Steven Likebridge, tormentor of both Peter and Annette. When these characters became more prominent in the plot, I became much more interested in the story, and I flew through the last quarter of the novel.
Even though he was the villain, Steven Likebridge (Slike) was the most compelling character. Whereas I felt that Annette and Peter weren't quite fleshed out enough, Mendenhall really dove deep into Steven's character. The sections of the book that were from his point of view were the most interesting to me, and I loved discovering more about him as the book progressed. His motivations were made clear throughout the novel, and the twists surrounding his past and present were very satisfying. While overall I struggled to get into Starving Hearts, I would be totally on board with a sequel all about Steven. 2-1/2 stars.
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Will Annette's search for love and acceptance replace the loss and hurt in her heart? Find out in Janine Mendenhall's book one, Starving Hearts, of the Triangular Trade Trilogy. Since her assault, Miss Annette Chetwynd has been plagued by nightmares and worries about an arranged marriage. But she yearns to find her anonymous rescuer. Unfortunately, her health and intellect prevent it. Both repel suitors and cause Annette to doubt God’s existence, at least until He answers her prayers in an unusual way. . . .
Join in the search for love and acceptance with Janine and Starving Hearts by entering to win the Delightful Heart Gift Pack Giveaway.
One grand prize winner will receive:
- A copy of Starving Hearts
- A bottle of essential oils
- An essential oils diffuser necklace
- A chiffon scarf
- A shoulder handbag
- A copy of Jane Austen's World
Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on September 12. The winner will be announced September 13 on Janine's blog.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Also, some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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