Since her assault, Miss Annette Chetwynd has been plagued by nightmares and worries about an arranged marriage. But she yearns to find her anonymous rescuer. Unfortunately, her health and intellect prevent it. Both repel suitors and cause Annette to doubt God’s existence, at least until He answers her prayers in an unusual way… godly wife by his side. After a failed attempt to obtain one, he engages in a clandestine meeting with the bewitching young woman who keeps crossing his path. But she is so unsettling.
Destined for disappointments, Peter and Annette both endure disgraceful situations. Will Peter’s faith sustain him through overwhelming setbacks? Can Annette overcome her doubts? Or will their starving hearts yield to the machinations of a mad man?
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I thoroughly enjoyed Starving Hearts. I found the lead characters to be compelling and engaging. I enjoyed the author’s ability to balance the duality of reserve common to the Regency era with the hero and heroine’s determination not to let the rules of society direct the course of their lives. Both Annette & Peter experience very deep losses that make you wonder how a person could manage to keep on going. I found Peter to be especially likeable. He was a very godly man who showed no weakness in the face of unspeakable evil and never let dire circumstances unravel his strong faith in God.
I especially enjoyed the villain, Slike. He is a terrible wretch that was fun to dislike as the story built to a surprising climax as the author did manage to build a bit of sympathy for this character which I wasn’t expecting. I did find Captain Bledsoe’s “pirate” dialect to be a bit off-putting and cliche, especially since before he’d been forced into life at sea he was a proficient pianist and music tutor.
Mendenhall did an excellent job portraying historical details of the Regency era as well, something I can be quite harsh on if not done well. I felt immersed in Regency England from the believable dialogue, to the balls and the constant reminder of the rigid social etiquette of the era.
Starving Hearts wrestles with some disturbing issues that may upset some readers including detailed yet historically accurate depictions of the slave trade including life on the slave ship Terona. As a historical romance author myself, I applaud the author for addressing these issues. In fact, the way the hero is affected by life on the Terona is so real, my heart ached for the abolitionist preacher who learns that his family’s wealth and his inheritance has been built on the backs of slaves.
Spiritual Takeaway: While some of the subject matter and scenes depicted in Starving Hearts can be dark at times, overall, I found the book to be uplifting as evil is punished and good vindicated. The author doesn’t shy away from testing the faith and strength of her characters. I think trusting in God even when situations seem impossible to overcome is the key spiritual lesson that Annette and Peter learn throughout the story. Peter frequently reminds Annette of Romans 8:28 “All things work together for good for those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.”
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to leave a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Can they make a difference in a world of darkness?
I’m not exactly sure how to reign in my rather scattered thoughts about Starving Hearts. While the story didn’t exactly capture my attention I did think that the the author’s take on the horrible Triangular Trade, slavery, was both interesting and compassionate.
And while the heroine’s constant vacillating about standing up to her mother or being a doormat, was quite annoying, I found her commitment to the abolition of slavery to be commendable and her desire to grow her faith to be inspiring. And sometimes I wanted to tell the hero he was being stupid but on the other hand his desire to be a pastor tending his flock was admirable.
The story had a good suspense thread with a truly despicable villain who was easy to despise. If you are into historical romance with an early Regency flavor, some danger and suspense, and a strong faith message, Janine Mendenhall’s book might be right up your alley.
(I received a copy of this book from the author. All opinions are entirely my own.)
While other reviewers didn’t care for this book, I loved it. An attempted assault, a second son who answers the call of God on his life and an educated young woman, I. A time when women were to be accomplished but marry well. Twists and turns I didn’t see coming kept me interested. Book 2 comes out in September…