A STOLEN HEART
Cimarron Creek Trilogy #1
by
AMANDA CABOT
Genre: Historical Romance / Christian
Publisher: Revell / Baker Publishing Group
Date of Publication: March, 2017
Number of Pages: 352
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“Endearing characters, a tender love story, and intriguing mystery all work together to make Amanda Cabot’s A Stolen Heart a compelling and enjoyable read.”—Margaret Brownley, author of Left at the Altar
Bestselling author Amanda Cabot takes readers back in time to the 1880s Texas Hill Country in her new historical romance novel, A Stolen Heart. This is the first book in a brand-new series packed with tension, mystery, and a tender love story that readers won’t soon forget.
Cimarron Creek seemed like an idyllic Texas town. But as soon as former schoolteacher Lydia Crawford stepped onto its dusty streets, she noticed a deep-seated resentment of Northerners—like her.
That won’t get Lydia down, though. She looks forward to the day when she reunites with her fiancé—until she discovers her fiancé has disappeared without a trace and has left behind a pregnant wife. The handsome Cimarron Creek sheriff urges Lydia to trust him, but she is having a hard time trusting anyone in a town where secrets and suspense prevail.
Cabot weaves an elegant tale of pure love amidst heartache. With an absorbing plot and engaging characters, A Stolen Heart is a springtime showstopper fit for every historical romance reader.
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“Whatever you do, don’t waste your chance at happiness.”
A Stolen Heart is an absolute delight. The characters are dynamic, and the plot has the right balance between mystery and romance. While the overall story is fairly lighthearted, A Stolen Heart does include a hefty dose of prejudice and its inevitable and unfortunate effect on everyone involved. Lydia Crawford is an outsider because she’s from the North (the Civil War is just too recent), and Opal Ellis is looked down upon because she works in a saloon, married a northerner who has mysteriously disappeared, and is pregnant. While small-town residents can be welcoming, curious, and friendly, they can also be known for their unforgiving gossipmongering, relentless judgment, rampant jealousies, and fickleness. And Cimarron Creek, Texas, is no exception.
What I love most about A Stolen Heart is that the author, Amanda Cabot, doesn’t overload the story with the standard mystery and romance clichés. Of course, the tried and true clichés are there, but Cabot wields them sparingly and beautifully. The mystery aspect is well constructed, and the romance between Lydia and the town’s sheriff and lawyer, Travis Whitfield, is sweet without becoming too sappy. The pace becomes quite brisk in the last few chapters, leaving the reader heartbroken, aghast, outraged, and hungry for more.
While all the characters are well developed, I have to admit that Abe Whitfield (Travis’s father) is one of my favorites. Yes, he’s cantankerous and full of bad attitude and prejudice, but his development as a character is wonderful to behold.
A Stolen Heart is fast paced and exciting, and the sweet shop Lydia opens will have the reader hankering for some fudge and chocolate creams throughout the entire book.
Mystery, romance, and chocolate: a decadent combination!
Enter the Giveaway below for a chance to win some fabulously sweet prizes.
Amanda Cabot is the bestselling author of At Bluebonnet Lake, In Firefly Valley, and On Lone Star Trail, as well as the Texas Dreams series, the Westward Winds series, and Christmas Roses. Her books have been finalists for the ACFW Carol Awards and the Booksellers’ Best. She lives in Wyoming.
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CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:
| 3/21 | Excerpt 1 | Hall Ways Blog |
| 3/22 | Review | Chapter Break Book Blog |
| 3/23 | Author Interview 1 | Books and Broomsticks |
| 3/24 | Review | Reading By Moonlight |
| 3/25 | Scrapbook Page | Syd Savvy |
| 3/26 | promo | Kara The Redhead |
| 3/27 | Review | Margie’s Must Reads |
| 3/28 | Excerpt 2 | Forgotten Winds |
| 3/29 | Author Interview 2 | The Page Unbound |
| 3/30 | Review | My Book Fix Blog |
| 3/31 | Guest Post | StoreyBook Reviews |
| 4/1 | Review | CGB Blog Tours |
| 4/2 | promo | A Novel Reality |
| 4/3 | Character Interview | It’s a Jenn World |
| 4/4 | Review | Missus Gonzo |
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Another WONDERFUL review! You always make it so easy for readers to figure out if they want to read a book or not. This book sounds like a great choice!
Thank you! It’s fun to read/review great books!