Book

Heart of the ocean

A dark secret . . . a grieving ghost . . . a handsome stranger . . . What more could Eliza Robinson want?

Except for maybe her life.

In Heather B. Moore’s enthralling 1840’s historical romance, Heart of the Ocean, Eliza Robinson has turned down the very pretentious Mr. Thomas Beesley’s marriage proposal. As a business partner of Eliza’s father, Thomas quickly discredits the family and brings disgrace to the Robinson name.

While her father scrambles to restore his good name in New York City, Eliza flees to the remote Puritan town of Maybrook to stay with her Aunt Maeve. Maybrook is the last existing Puritan town, having survived centuries of outside influence. Although relieved to be away from all- things-male and unforgiving gossip columns, odd things start to happen to Eliza, and she is plagued by a ghostly voice. Her aunt’s explanation? That Eliza is being haunted by a woman who died of a broken heart twenty years ago.

After Aunt Maeve is tragically killed, Eliza’s life is put in danger as she tries to uncover the mystery of her aunt’s death. She encounters Jonathan Porter in Maybrook, whose presence in the town seems suspicious, yet she finds herself drawn to him. When she discovers that Jonathan’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust.

Review

This book was not the standard read for me. Eliza is used  to high society life in New York, but flees from all of it and the shame of turning down the marriage proposal from Thomas Beesley, her father’s business partner. She is welcomed in Maybrook by her aunt. She finds the slower life in the Puritan town a welcome change after all of the judgement and gossip she has endured in New York.

Sadly her aunt is murdered, and she is imprisoned for the crime alongside the handsome stranger that came to her aid in the middle of the night of her aunt’s murder.

Jonathan Porter doesn’t plan on staying in Maybrook, he is just passing through looking for some evidence from the past, so when he meets Eliza, he doesn’t respond to well to the sudden emotions she evokes in him.

Many secrets are uncovered and a slow and beautiful love connection is made between Eliza and Jonathan. But as which many love stories, there are many obstacles they must face.

Miss Brown once again brings a captivating read, with a nice spin to it. The ghostly element adds a new dimension to the tale, that had me turning the pages to see not only how Eliza and Jonathan would get their HEA but also how the secrets of the past would be exposed and questions long unanswered would be put to rest. This book was change for me, not that I have been reading that many of the same books lately, but it was one that stood out as being even more unusual than all the others I have read in a while.

 

About the Author

Heather B. Moore

Heather B. Moore is a USA Today bestselling author, with a dozen historical thrillers written under the pen name H.B. Moore. Latest is Finding Sheba (will be re-released Feb 2015 through Thomas & Mercer). Under Heather B. Moore she writes romance and women’s fiction and inspirational non-fiction, latest is The Fortune Cafe. Her various author names can be confusing so her kids just call her Mom.

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