Book Review: V.B.’s impression of Heart’s Blood by Alice Von Kannon
The latest I Love Romance Blog review selection is Heart’s Blood by Alice Von Kannon. Take it away, V.B.!
Thanks!
This book is an excellent historical romance. I liked that it was set in notorious Salem Massachusetts, but in 1803. The author did an excellent job with the historical facts and vernacular. She puts you in the timeframe. Like other reviewers, I felt the story took time to build. It was slow moving at first, but I didn’t mind, because it helped me understand Issac and Eleanor better. Then, by halfway in, I was ready for the drama to start, and boy did it ever.
Just about the time that Issac and Eleanor realize they love each other, the action picks up with nice family drama, a bit of betrayal, and a murder mystery. The last third of the book is fast-paced and fun to read. This is definitely an epic historical romance.
I enjoyed the American-ism of this book. It does an excellent job of putting you in the New England of 1803. Yankees, whale oil, clipper ships, and classism is all there. How the characters react to their sexual chemistry felt realistic in terms of their strict “WASP” culture and religious bents. The sex scenes are graphic, but not in a bad way. You know exactly what they are doing. “Steam” lovers will enjoy the sexiness.
My only complaint is the head jumping. Mid-way through a chapter you are suddenly in Eleanor’s POV instead of Issac’s or vice versa. This only happened a few times, but my fingers itched to type “***.” I received a pre-publication copy of the book, so it’s possible the later editions fixed this problem. I liked that I got both sides, just sometimes, I was jarred by bouncing between them.
NOTE: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I liked it enough that I bought the ebook too.
I give this book 4 hearts because it gave me a toothy, accurate-feeling historical romance where the heroine doesn’t languish on the sidelines.
Book Info:
More than a century has passed since the Salem witch trials, and the Puritan village in Massachusetts is the wealthiest town in America, where a new breed of men have built a new kind of aristocracy.
He is a damaged man looking for a reason to go on living.
Captain Isaac McCallister has returned from the grave, after five harrowing years of slavery in Algiers. His resurrection has rattled Salem, particularly the family of his dead step-brother, three women living in genteel poverty on his estate. And from the moment he sets eyes on Eleanor Hampton, Isaac sees a path out of the darkness, back to the land of the living.
She is an independent woman looking for the courage to love.
Eleanor Hampton is a gifted artist and, by the standards of little Salem, an obstinate eccentric. Her life is the struggle to become a painter and to safeguard her mother and sister. As for romance, it’s brought only calamity, and Eleanor has long resolved to do without.
But from her first sparring match with Isaac McCallister, Eleanor knows she’s found a man more than her match in pride and determination. All Salem is astonished when Eleanor accepts his swift offer of marriage. And as her passion for her enigmatic husband consumes her, Eleanor will need that determination, as well as courage, to face down the threat out of Isaac’s past.
Heart’s Blood is a story of the resilience of the human spirit, and the power of love to heal the darkest wounds.
Universal Reader link: https://books2read.com/u/meXKaR
Here’s a teaser from the book…
AUTHOR: Alice Von Kannon
TITLE: Heart’s Blood
GENRE: Historical Romance, Family Saga
RELEASE DATE: April 22, 2020
PUBLISHER: MCP Books
ISBN/ASIN: B087KX5B7J
OUR RATING: ♥♥♥♥
REVIEWED BY: V.B. “Can Do Indie Author”
Reviewer Bio: VB is an indie author who writes romance and Sci Fi and voraciously reads anything (with some limits). When she’s not reading and writing, she’s working a day job to pay for her truck habit and puttering around her house.
Sounds intriguing! So, what are other people saying about Heart’s Blood?
“Intimacy versus desire is explored in depth in HEART’S BLOOD, a sprawling historical romance by Alice Von Kannon, as Isaac and Eleanor learn to fully love each other, not only in body but also in soul.” — Indie Reader
“HEA ♥️ Addictive ♥️ Couldn’t put it down ♥️ Issac is my new book boyfriend ♥️ Can be read as a stand-alone because there will be a book 2 ♥️ I loved the intense romance between these two, it was incredible ♥️ I’m still smiling about it ♥️ I highly recommend ♥️” — JP, Goodreads
“I love a relationship where two people heal, bloom and grow together and this story had that! They were crazy about each other and it made me so happy. I definitely recommend this for romance lovers.” — Jennifer, Goodreads
“How I love this story! Issac is such a scarred man, as he has survived hell. Eleanor comes into his life and he is smitten. Much goes on in this book. The characters are so interesting. You will find yourself aching for their pain, and cheering their joy. I want more of this author.” — Marianne Denning, Goodreads
“I really enjoyed this book. It has adventure, romance, betrayal. The characters were three-dimensional and real. I really felt their pain and suffering. I didn’t feel as though it was a slow-burn but more of a slow realization. I think they fell in love at first sight, however, it took time to actually realize it. Is that the same? LOL…This is the first book I’ve read by this author and will not be my last.” — Joanna E. Lopez, Goodreads
“This was a beautiful story rich in detail and wonderfully written with characters you couldn’t help but love. Isaac spent years captive in a harsh environment, suffering untold horrors beyond imagining, to come home again and try and regain some semblance of the life he once had. He’s barely home a day when his stepbrother’s daughter propositions him in the most interesting of ways. She is delightful and stubborn, headstrong and he can’t seem to take his eyes off the enchanting woman. This is a story of love and healing, with a little intrigue and suspense. I could honestly not put it down!” — Erin Remen, Goodreads
Looks fantastic! We’ll be sure to get a copy of this Regency romance! Thanks for reading our latest book review on ILRB! ♥ Have a great week, everyone!
Originally published at http://iloveromanceblog.wordpress.com on May 23, 2023.
