Lydia King knows what it’s like to be in need, so when she joins the Teaville Moral Society, she genuinely hopes to help the town’s poor. But with her father’s debts increasing by the day and her mother growing sicker by the week, she wonders how long it will be until she ends up in the poor house herself.
Her best chance at a financially secure future is to impress the politician courting her, and it certainly doesn’t hurt that the moral society’s president is her suitor’s mother. Her first task as a moral society member—to obtain a donation from Nicholas Lowe, the wealthiest man in town—should be easy . . . except he flat-out refuses.
Despite appearances, Nicholas wants to help others but prefers to do it his own way, keeping his charity private. When Lydia proves persistent, they agree to a bargain, though Nicholas has a few surprises up his sleeve. Neither foresee the harrowing complications that will arise from working together. When town secrets are brought to light, this unlikely pair must decide where their beliefs—and hearts—truly align.
Goodreads | Amazon
My Thoughts
As an avid reader and book lover, I especially enjoy reading books about avid readers and book lovers! Julia’s circumstances have a wonderful resemblance to Belle’s story in Beauty and the Beast. Her mother is sickly, her family is poor, she’s being pursued by an arrogant man of power, she’s thrust into the company of a man rumored to have beastly manners, and of course, she loves to read!
Despite his prickly demeanor, Nicholas is determined to use his wealth to help the less fortunate and in many ways, he’s trying to atone for his past. As Julia tries to figure him out, she perceives him first as a Scrooge then perhaps a Robin Hood.
Both of them try to resist the growing attraction between them but there’s no denying their growing friendship and the bonds of compassion and literature. Watching Nicholas and Julia learn from one another and grow in their faith made me love them both all the more!
A Heart Most Certain has a lovely mix of suspense, philanthropy, and romance. My favorite scene is a masterpiece of storytelling and takes place in the garden, you’ll know it when you read it… and you most definitely should read it!
I fell in love with Melissa’s style from the first novella I read and can’t wait to see what she has in store next! I already have my favorites picked out from the Teaville Moral Society ladies and I can already see it earning a spot among my all-time favorites.
I requested the opportunity to read and review this book through the Bethany House Blogger Reviewer program. The opinions expressed are my own.
About the Author
Carol Award winning writer, Melissa Jagears, is a homeschooling mom who writes Christian Historical Romance into the wee hours of the night. She’s the author of the Unexpected Brides Series with Bethany House. The prequel ebook novella, Love by the Letter, is her ACFW Carol Award winning novella and free to try. You can learn more about her, her books, and where she hangs out online by visiting her website.
Website | Facebook | Pinterest
amzn_assoc_placement = “adunit0”;
amzn_assoc_search_bar = “false”;
amzn_assoc_tracking_id = “faithfbookis-20”;
amzn_assoc_ad_mode = “manual”;
amzn_assoc_ad_type = “smart”;
amzn_assoc_marketplace = “amazon”;
amzn_assoc_region = “US”;
amzn_assoc_title = “”;
amzn_assoc_linkid = “fc9f05fee4c063aba9be1f02a47022f5”;
amzn_assoc_asins = “0764217518,0764211684,0764211692,0764211706”;
Faithfully Bookish 