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 but the keeper of his bees and the woman he is hoping will provide a tincture that might 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, … accusations, expelled from their beloved island, and sold as indentured servants across the Atlantic. Yet even when all hope seems dashed against the rocky coastline of the Virginia colony, it may be that in this New World the two of them could make a new beginning–together.
Laura Frantz’s prose sparkles with authenticity and deep feeling as she digs into her own family history to share this breathless tale of love, exile, and courage in Colonial America.
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A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz captured my attention instantly with its setting, the foreign words, the underhanded activities, and the subtle attraction between Magnus and Lark. Descriptive imagery brought the places and characters to life in my mind. As the story unfolded, several issues began to play out: slavery, smuggling, adoption, a personal relationship with God. These matters added a pleasing depth to the story and induced character development. The action and romantic tension carried the story along until sometime after they landed in Virginia. At that point, the momentum and my interest waned a bit. However, Laura Frantz writes beautifully and the satisfying ending more than made up for the slowing pace.
Overall, I liked A Bound Heart by Laura Frantz even though it wasn’t quite what I expected. It has a permanent home on my bookshelf and I’ll read it again. I recommend it as a faith-filled love story to fans of historical romances.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Be prepared to be swept away from the Isle of Kerrera to the new land of Virginia to the humidity of Montego Bay. This book paints a picture with its attention to detail and words that leap from the pages into your heart. The hardships of becoming an indentured in a strange land with some cruel taskmasters is heartbreaking and leaves you drained from the emotional roller coaster ride. The faith that Magnus and Lark hold onto during this despairing time is so inspirational and touches emotional depths of your soul. It starts out slowly and builds in tempo and momentum like an orchestra and leaves you flying through the pages for the outcome. This will go on my best reads list for 2019.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher/author. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.
Laura Frantz is truly a master of vivid descriptions of beautiful landscapes and sea/skyscapes as she lyrically composes the lives and times of her historical characters. A Bound Heart is set in Scotland. While Ms. Frantz is such a romantic writer, she could probably make Antarctica sound like a vacation spot, I had to wonder if I would like the island of Kerrera any more than Isla did.
Smugglers, fighting against unjust taxes, a corrupt court, an ocean voyage of horrors, several love triangles; all make for a very tightly woven story. Frantz’s characters are full of life, passion, and pride in their heritage. When these freedoms are removed, what will remain behind?
It was very interesting to learn about the Scots’ way of life in the 1750s. I must admit, I had a hard time with a love triangle involving a married person. While no wrong actions occurred, I would have preferred to see one party or the other take steps to put physical distance between them. The glossary was a huge help, as was the context in which Frantz used the unfamiliar words. A few wonderful quotes:
On the horrid ship: “Lord, all I have is Ye. Make that enough.”
“Fear had a terrible taste.”
This is a good book, but it will not be my favorite Frantz book. To each his own. Anxiously awaiting the next Frantz novel.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions expressed here are solely my own and no positive review was required.
A Bound Heart was an intense, deeply moving, and beautiful story to read. I loved the way the book spanned many locations, including Scotland, a sea voyage, Virginia, and Jamaica.
The novel started off slowly, but not in a bad way. The relationships and workings of the residents of the Isle of Kerrera were clearly described and made me feel as if I was experiencing life in Scotland along with them.
The connection that Lark and the Laird, Magnus, had on the island was an innocent friendship that had grown with them since infancy. I loved learning more about their friendship as children and how the Laird ended up married to anyone other than Lark. It was fascinating to finally find out how Magnus really felt and watch their beautiful romance bloom.
The sea voyage that carried Lark and Magnus away from the sham of a trial and the troubles that fell upon them in Scotland was absolutely fascinating, as was reading about Colonial life in Virginia.
Lark and Magnus were characters that I couldn’t help but love. Their kind hearts toward others, including slaves and orphans, and their desire to live as they believed that God wanted them to, endeared them to me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Another beautiful novel by master storyteller Laura Frantz. The author paints pictures with words; more than once I could see and feel the beautiful landscapes from Scotland to Virginia. I even got a little ‘sea sick’ on their voyage to America. Magnus and Lark were wonderful characters and I was completely transported into their beautiful, tragic, redemptive world for a few short hours.. wishing for more time with them. Historical fiction fans will cherish this story. I received an advanced readers copy from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a review. All opinions are my own .
#AboundHeart#NetGalley
What an amazing book! I found myself so engrossed in the story that I pretty much neglected everything else. A Bound Heart is the kind of historical tale that avid readers would love to see acted out on screen – as long as it remained true to the written story. Honestly, this book would make an epic movie filled with lush scenery and a star-crossed narrative that extends from the rugged shores of Scotland across the Atlantic to the New World.
I loved this story of two childhood friends who grew up together on a Scottish island, separated as adults by their stations in life. Despite her soft heart for Magnus, Lark knew her place and endeavored to serve both him and his wife well. Magnus too was circumspect in his dealings with Lark. At the death of Magnus’ wife, Lark found herself accused of her murder and Magnus’ attempt to defend her sent them both to prison and then to Virginia as indentured servants, a situation that could have ended in death for either or both of them.
It was inspiring to read how time and time again, what may have seemed to be coincidence could only have been Divine intervention that showed each of them favor. To say more would reveal more than I would like. Just be assured that if you love Christian historical fiction, you DO NOT want to miss A Bound Heart.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
A Bound Heart is another fabulous read by Laura Frantz. I enjoyed Magnus and Lark’s story. The rich and vivid historical details kept me intrigued. I loved how the author envisioned how the journey across the Atlantic and Colonial Virginia.
I am giving A Bound Heart a well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy to read historical fiction set during Colonial America. It is such a beautiful and well written story.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
With rich imagery and deep characterization, Ms. Frantz coerces, nay, yanks, readers into the compelling and heart wrenching tale of a Scottish lass and laird from the Isle of Kerrera.
I must say, I was very much surprised with the depth that this story held. I was able to relate so much with Lark’s realistic struggles and truly admired her faith throughout this book. I was not expecting to walk away from this book strengthened, encouraged, and challenged in my faith, but that is exactly what occurred.
I have seen some say that the language of the Scots was difficult to grasp, but I found that it merely added yet another layer of depth to the tale, and it definitely assisted in pulling me into the world of these wonderful Scots. I absolutely love all things Scottish, so it was no surprise that I adored that part of the story. I thought that the descriptions of Scotland, as well as Virginia, were so clear and I was able to see it all with a very clear eye.
As I said above, the characters were characterized so well and I honestly felt like they were real people. Throughout the book I kept thinking of them as though they were real and then I was like “Oh wait, they don’t actually exist!”
This was the first book by Laura Frantz that I have read, and it this is anything like any of her others, I will definitely be reading more! In my experience it is rare to find fiction this deep and wholesome and I loved every moment of reading A Bound Heart; I didn’t want it to end.
Overall, A Bound Heart gets 5/5 stars. Ms. Frantz, thank you for this wonderful book!
**I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts in my review are my own.*
If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I so would! It is excellent! Laura Frantz has such a great talent for writing! Her book swept me away to Scotland and to Virginia with rich detail! Her characters are absolutely lovable! The laird stole my heart! I know this is a book that I will read again and again! It is absolutely wonderful! I loved the Scots glossary. This is definitely a new favorite!
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Laura Frantz has once again plunged me into a story I did not want to work my way out of. Her lyrical style of writing keeps you wanting more. She sweeps you off your feet and allows you to fall in love with her characters quickly. You will be invested in this book, with great reason. I thought the faith content was well written and it demonstrates that God’s Word was just as relevant in 1752 as it is now. There were also people in 1752 who did not believe. Thank you, Laura, for another beautiful piece of our beloved history.
Well, I tried to read it slowly…to savor it. I just cannot slow down my brain when reading such a great historical read.
The book has the perfect amount of everything! Love, faith, family and written in such beautiful prose so rarely found. Once a heart is given, it is bound to that individual and the heart works its way through the difficulties. I so appreciated how romance was shown in this book, and the importance of faith to Lark was really what pushed it to five stars for me. No butterflies, tingling skin, or electric touches- a deeper love…a love of faith and home. I simply couldn’t give any less to a book whose characters stole my heart and took me on such adventures with them. My only complaint was one frequently given to great stories, it was too short! I wasn’t in the least ready for the ending when it came.
It’s another beautifully written story by a terrific storyteller that obviously came from her heart, into the words on each page, words written with such care. Just simply said, the story is beautifully done!
I received this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
4.5 stars
“Ye were my choice.”
Lark MacDougal has lived a life of few choices. Mistress of the grand Kerrerra Castle’s stillroom on a tiny Scottish isle, her once grand heritage has kept her comfortable and warm on the castle grounds, while her heart still dreams of days gone by when life was not bound by such strict societal expectations. Her childhood friend, Magnus MacLeish is now her baird, and though quite kind, he has maintained the honorable demeanor of a married man, whose wife suffers from a barren womb and increasing melancholy. When circumstances go terribly awry, Lark is falsely accused, leaving Magnus no other choice but to toss aside convention and place himself in a most precarious position; having to leave Scotland for the New World, bound by a contract of indenture, was the last thing either of them ever wanted to do.
Can love survive continents, contracts and misconceptions? “A Bound Heart” is proof that it can; “God be praised”!
I both purchased a copy, and received a copy of this book from the publisher. The opinions stated above are entirely my own!
I am a huge, huge Laura Frantz fan, so I am having a hard time writing this review. I don’t feel like this book lived up to all of her other books. The beginning dragged a lot for me. I was confused on which guy was supposed to be the main character, Magnus or Rory. I didn’t feel like Lark had a real connection with either one of them.
Once they boarded the ship to go to America, the pace picked up a bit and I found myself more interested in the characters, but I still did not feel that connection between Lark and Magnus. Rory was a main character at the beginning of the book, but then he drops off. We are told where he went, but it was like his character just dropped off the face of the earth.
I still love books by Laura Frantz and I will always read her, but this book did not live up to all of her other ones, in my opinion. If you are new to this author, I recommend reading another one first.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
In this historical novel, Ms. Frantz takes us to Scotland where we meet Magnus and Lark. Lark is the beekeeper and over the stillroom (mixes herbs etc.). Magnus is the laird of the island where they are living. This is during turbulent times in Scotland. After Magnus’s wife suddenly dies, her family blames Lark. Eventually, their paths lead to Colonial America. This is a romantic story. This book was fascinating to read especially the historical places and the time period that the book took place during. Ms. Frantz does not disappoint in her latest release! This book will take you to another time and place and you will be wanting to continue to read more and more. I highly recommend this book! You will not be disappointed!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.
Please, may I give this book 10 stars? For it truly deserves every one of those. How can I craft a review worthy of the words written on these pages? I feel woefully inadequate to the task and yet somehow I must.
‘What was left of her sheltered world—that sacred, inviolate haven made up of Magnus and Kerrera, croft and castle—lay in irretrievable ruins.’
Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall grew up together on the same castle grounds on the Scottish isle, but Magnus is now laird and Lark is the keeper of his bees and the one who keeps the stillroom. And she is the one who can provide a remedy for his ailing wife to conceive a bairn after many miscarriages. Then that wife dies suddenly and Lark is arrested, then Magnus, though for a different reason. They find themselves caught up in a maelstrom of uncertainly, sold as indentured servants in the New World and Jamaica. Will all their hopes for a new life be dashed against the rocks of the new place they have sailed to? Will God intervene?
Laura Frantz once again takes her readers on a journey that is full of grace, beauty and the mercies of God. Her prose is magnificent and readers are instantly transported to the time and place in which her story is set. Her descriptions of locale, wardrobe and food are indeed feasts for the imagination. Truly, she plops us right down into the very core of her story and the world around us ceases to exist as long as we are reading. There we stay until book’s end. And for a time to come, even.
There is something so incredibly precious about settling down and sinking into a Laura Frantz novel that is just soul-nourishing. The feelings her novels evoke are not to be missed. All her books have a permanent place on my keeper shelf, destined to be read again and again.
Frantz takes us on an epic, heart-wrenching journey from Scotland to the colonies in Virginia and to the sugar plantations of Jamaica in the mid 1700s. Details are her specialty and these two characters lay their hearts on the pages and will remain with me for many a month. Lark, with her plants and bees, her tender heart and strong faith, always looking to God for His will for her life. Magnus, a noble man, truly loyal to Christ and a true heart for Lark and God.
This one is masterful and extraordinary, full of Frantz’s heart and made my own heart swell more than once. I purely loved everything about it and highly recommend it.
* My thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All opinions stated here are entirely my own.