A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz

Review: I get so excited when I receive a Laura Frantz book in the mail. Her name alone evokes high expectations for an excellent story, characters I'm going to fall in love with, and beautiful writing that makes me sigh in envy. I expect a book that will go on my 'favourite' shelf and one that I will undoubtedly read again. 

I have yet to be handed a book by Laura Frantz that does not meet my high expectations and that includes "A Bound Heart". This lovely novel starts out on a wild Scottish Isle with a bonny lass and a brae laird.... do I have your interest yet? Haha....who doesn't love a wistful Scottish romance with all the highland/lowland drama and amazing accents?

"Speaking" of which, the accents and unique Scottish traditions, mannerisms, and word-choices are so wonderfully done in this book. I swear I was speaking with a bit of an accent after I finished reading this. It made "A Bound Heart" feel all the more authentic. 

Oddly enough, I'd like to encourage the reader to enjoy this beautiful romance without reading the back cover. It gives away a shocking amount of the plot, and I was grateful I didn't look at it until I was part way through the novel...but the choice is yours. 

For myself, I prefer to have such a good read left unspoiled.... so I will simply say that Lark and her brae Laird are meant to be together.... but their romance does not seem meant to be. Circumstances and life make it nearly impossible for them to be together, and the grace that they continue to live their lives under is wonderful as they trust God and move forward. This story feels so incredibly authentic - it is easy to forget your are reading a novel.... it feels so real. 

I'm afraid this review is making this novel sound dull. It definitely is not. Their are villains and a gripping plot that include pirates, smugglers, betrayal along with unspeakable loyalty, and much much more. You will have trouble putting down this book - it is certainly an exciting read.

Thank-you to Graf Martin Communications and to Baker Publishing House for a complimentary copy of this lovely book. 

Back Cover (SPOILER ALERT):

Though Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall grew up on the same castle grounds, Magnus is now laird of the great house and the Isle of Kerrera. Lark is just the keeper of his bees--and the woman who could provide an elixir to help his ailing wife conceive and bear him an heir. But when his wife dies suddenly, Magnus and Lark find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of accusations, expelled from their beloved island, and sold as indentured servants across the Atlantic. Can they make a new beginning in this New World? Or will their hopes be dashed against the rocky coastline of the Virginia colony?

Laura Frantz's prose sparkles with authenticity as she digs into her own family history to share this breathless tale of love, exile, and courage in colonial America.