Norato built suspense in each of the main characters. Not just an expected ending added to the spice.

Wanting to keep reading about their lives and how their faith played into it.



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Title: Prize of My Heart
Author: Lisa Norato
Pages: 299
Year: 2012
Publisher: Bethany House
The year is 1815 and the war with Great Britain has recently ended. Now Brogan Talvis, former privateer for the United States Navy, is free to search for his son. His wife told him the day before he left port to fight in the war that she had sent their 2-year-old son away someplace where Brogan would never find him. Brogan is incensed, but can do nothing at the time. As soon as the war was over, he began his search and stumbled across a clue. He followed that up and discovered his son, alive and well, living with a kind family. His plan is to ingratiate himself with this family and then steal his son away. He has no idea why they would accept his son and raise him as their own and thinks they might have a hidden purpose for doing so. He doesn’t count on his son’s love for the daughter of the family as if she were his own mother and that he himself falls in love with her. At the end of his rope, will he return to the God of his youth or will he continue to think he isn’t worthy in God’s eyes due to the circumstances of his birth and upbringing?
Lorena Huntley has dedicated herself to home and family. She loves the small shipping town where she lives and is knowledgeable of her father’s shipping company. She enjoys baking and raising her 5-year-old brother. She meets Captain Brogan Talvis and soon is enamored of him. She sometimes finds it strange the kindness he extends to her young brother, but begins to see Brogan as a loving, compassionate and kind man. Will she be able to tell him her secret about her brother? No one else knows, except her father, and maybe things should stay that way. She tries her best to follow God’s will, but sometimes that is risky.
This is a gentle love story with a wonderful ending that will put a smile on readers’ faces. The themes of forgiveness, sacrificial love, honor, loyalty and more are prevalent throughout the story. This is a story that flows easily from page to page. The characters are likeable and the love story well done. I look forward to reading more novels from this author.
My rating is 4 stars.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. Other reviews can be read at http://seekingwithallyurheart.blogspot.com/. Also follow me on Twitter @lcjohnson1988, FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/lisa.johnson.75457 ( )

Looking for a swashbuckling tale that combines romance, mystery and adventure? Then look to Prize of My Heart by Lisa Norato. Set on land and sea in the early 1800s, this historical romance features a dashing hero and a sweet, but determined, heroine striving to overcome the past and make a way for a better future.

Privateer Captain Brogan Talvis has never really had a family. An orphan, his deceased wife gave up their son while he was at sea. Determined to reclaim his child, Brogan finds Ben, now Drew, is living with a loving family and attached to the very lovely, Lorena. Brogan’s plan to retake his son is thwarted by the growing feelings he has for Lorena.

Although a quick read, Prize of My Heart delivers a lot within its pages. The plot twists and turns with one surprise after another. The characters quickly endear themselves to the reader. And if you are looking for a hunky hero, Brogan Talvis is your man! I found the New England setting of the early 1800s interesting as well. Norato does a great job in exploring the themes of family and father and sons — earthly and heavenly.

All in all, Prize of My Heart is a good choice for those who like a fast-paced historical romance with a faith message.

Recommended.

Audience — older teens and adults. ( )

Captain Brogan Talvis is on a quest to reunite with his son who was secreted away by his unfaithful, late wife. His discovery of the boy's location leads him to the home of Lorena Huntley who cares for the child as her own. In lieu of an immediate kidnapping, Brogan meets with the family under other pretenses and finds himself drawn to Lorena, who has plenty of secrets of her own. As the time to take his son nears, Lorena is suddenly in danger and Brogan must decide whether to rescue Lorena or take his son.

I liked – but didn't love – reading Prize of My Heart by Lisa Norato. I thought the beginning was exceptionally good and liked that the story delivered both adventure and romance. Throughout the story, there was a strong emphasis placed on speaking the truth and knowing a person's background. Unfortunately, I felt that a certain twist later in the story undermined this theme as a prominent character was left not knowing the truth. I can't say more without spoiling things, but it did not sit well with the rest of the story or with me as a reader. Aside from that, Prize of My Heart is an enjoyable read. I recommend it to fans of historical romance who are looking for a little adventure in the story, but I do encourage renting it from the library before buying.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this free advanced reader copy from the publisher via LibraryThing . I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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." ( )

Although this book started out in a seemingly predictable manner as far as eventual plot line, the author did a great job at creating unique characters who had compelling problems to overcome. Overall a good read. ( )