Young love is all too fleeting, as Harold Jonquil painfully discovered years ago when Sarah Sarvol, the niece of a neighboring landowner, captured his heart. After an idyllic few weeks in the throes of blossoming love, reality intervened. They could have no future. Following their disastrous parting, Harold attempted to push aside thoughts of love and regret, but Sarah has never left his heart. … heart. Now, years later, he has achieved his lifelong aspiration of becoming the local vicar. However, the role proves more difficult than he imagined. He feels hollow and uninspired—until the most important person in his past returns, challenging him as no one ever has.
When Sarah’s ailing uncle summons her back to the family estate in England, there is only one person from her past she is reluctant to see again: Harold Jonquil, the only man who has ever claimed her heart. But when she comes face-to-face with her former beau, she hardly recognizes the aloof and dull man before her. She is determined to help Harold rediscover the passion he once felt toward his chosen profession. Soon, despite their exasperation with each other, they cannot deny the stirring of feelings long buried—but is it too late for second chances?
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Another Jonquil. [insert happy face here] This is a favorite series of mine and I just have to say it’s about time Harold got his own book!
As always, Mater is delightful. I loved that she finally gets after her oldest boy’s for giving some of the younger ones such a hard time. Coming from a large family myself, I completely relate to the sarcasm and teasing and playful banter that occurs between siblings, but I also know how easy it is to take things too seriously and think you are not being harmlessly teased, but relentlessly mocked. Anyway, I loved seeding Mater and her character more in this book.
I have long suspected that Harold was largely misunderstood by his other brothers. (I suspect the same is true for Charlie but I’m hopeful he gets his own book soon.) Harold’s inner thoughts were somewhat exasperating to me—who cares how a vicar *ought* to be? If you are sincere to yourself, can you still be a good vicar? But I ultimately ended up really enjoying the journey he ends up taking to figure out the answer to that very question. It was a good one. Also, his method of keeping himself physically fit is pretty awesome and I kind of loved it! Very unconventional and very cool. And one more thing: his relationship with his housekeeper is the very best. I could have enjoyed more of the conversations between the two of them.
I adore Sarah. I mean, who wouldn’t? First I admired her for not coming to her horrible uncle. I am so glad she kept trying, kept pushing to be treated more fairly. Second, I love her relationship with Scott. Third, you have to admire how she goes about being friendly with Harold even though they didn’t end their previous “relationship” on good terms. And finally, I like that she’s just a little bit sassy American while trying to be respectful to the British Gentry. I just really like her.
There are a lot of holes with Scott. I’m curious if maybe he’ll get his own book or become a principle character in another book. He kind of gets shafted by Harold—in the best possible way—and I’d love to see things work out better for him.
Phillip and Sorrel are wonderful as ever and—confession—I full on cried with their piece of the story in this book. Beautiful beautiful beautiful!! Very well played, Sarah M. Eden.
(Side notes: What’s up with Layton? It seems he is perhaps not as healed as we thought he was. Maybe I’m forgetting something or maybe I’m not being understanding, but his reaction seems a bit more dramatic than I’d expect from a man who has done a lot of healing from his past. His little Caroline just broke my heart and I thought Sarah and Harold helped her so perfectly. Also, did anyone else feel like the little insert about Stanley and Marjie was weird?? Need details!)
AUDIOBOOK REVIEW : Read by Luone Ingram. Good reading. Very good reading. She’s got the American and very proper British accents, as well as courser British accents from the various working class members of society that make a presence in this book. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to her and would love to listen to more of her readings.
I have not read the other Jonquil Brothers books. But after reading this one, I certainly will be! This reads as a stand-alone novel very well but I really want to get to know this family more.
Harold was doing all the things (duties) a Vicar should do or at least what he believed a Vicar should do. It was exhausting for him. I did not think Sarah was harsh with him when she returned from America and challenged him on that belief. Because of their history, I think she was the only one who could challenge him. She saw the real Harold from the past and the Harold he was pretending to be. I thought Sorrel was correct when she referred to Harold as “Adrift” in her descriptions of all the brothers. Harold does not see that his brothers respect him, they only laugh at ‘Holy Harry.’ One of my favorite parts of this story is when Harold and Sarah are really talking to each other after she finds him climbing. He quotes his father and she corrects him by saying; “Act well your part,’ Harold, not ‘Act well a part.’ or ‘a part as defined by others.’ I think your father meant to convey that whichever part you as a unique individual chose to take upon you, you should do it in the best way you can…” It really made him think. Think about what Sorrel said, what his mother said and what he and Sarah had discussed. His struggle was so real, I felt all his emotions.
As a reader, I loved all the little details about the family and other characters, I felt all the things they felt. I grinned from ear to ear sometimes and wept others. This book is filled with very real emotion and complicated relationships. It is also filled with very real examples heartache but mostly it is filled with love.
* I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher via NetGalley. A review was not required. The opinion expressed is entirely my own.
4.5 Stars
THE HEART OF THE VICAR is a story highly anticipated from fans of the series, but can be read on its own as well. It’s a story of second chances with a hero who is still trying to fit the role life has given him while also following his heart, and the woman who won his heart and is trying to find her own place. Their story is sweet, full of family and heart, and romantic to the end.
How I adore these characters from the Jonquil family, and Harold and Sarah specifically who are the main focus of this story. Harold is very reserved and full of self-doubt that stems from his childhood, but is such a good man with his own quirks and dreams. Sarah comes back at the perfect time to prod and push him to be better. She’s forward, lovely, and full of sunshine even amidst difficult circumstances. I loved seeing how they both bloomed and came into their own, as well as how their friendship is renewed and romance grows between them. There are some emotional parts, especially in regards to Sarah when she pours her heart out to Mater and with Sorrel. I have a soft spot for Sorrel and Philip as their story is still one of my favorites from the series. I love seeing these brothers together with all their banter, and I particularly loved the part when they do some rescuing together during one part of the story. The ending was beautiful.
In the end, was it what I wished for? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this story! Sweet romance readers will find favorite characters and a sweet romance full of heart. Definitely recommended! I’m eagerly anticipating the next book in the series with Charlie.
Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, which did not require a positive review nor affect my review in any way.
Another beautiful experience with the Jonquil’s. I love the depth of these characters and the inclusions of previous characters that I have grown to love. There is definitely more to Harold than meets the eye and this book is almost the sequel that Drops of Gold needed with pieces of that story continued here. I loved to see the continuation of Philip and Sorrel’s story here as well. I laughed, I cried. I am definitely going to have to read this story and the rest again and again.
If you love clean reads, then check this one out. I’m excited to share with you my thoughts on Sarah M. Eden’s latest Regency romance. She always does a great job of writing a clean and wholesome romance that really plays on the reader’s heart.
I adore the Jonquil family and I’m so glad that when Eden created this family, she decided to make it very large so that I could read about all of the wonderful Jonquil children and their happy ever afters. Harry has long been in the shadows as I’ve read through these novels so his story was a delight to read. The great thing about these books is that they can be read in any order. You’ll meet different members of the family and find out why I love the Jonquils so much!
I really enjoyed this book! Great characters. I have fallen in love with the Jonquil family. They are so great! Clean. No sex, gore/violence or langage.
I adore the Jonquil brothers! I cannot get enough of them and want them to keep coming even after getting through books for each brother. I am pretty sure I have 8 book boyfriends and they are all named Jonquil or honorary Jonquil.
I am one of the unfortunate that pre-ordered on Amazon and they were slow sending the book out. It would have been a bitter disappointment except that when the book came out, it came up on NetGalley so I grabbed a copy there so I could read it before my book actually arrives. It was torture to wait any longer to get my Jonquil fix. If you’d walked into my house last night you would have found me in a variety of emotions through the evening from sad to joy and in-between. About 3:00 this morning you’d have found me in tears. Shortly after that you’d have found me laughing again. By 4:00 am you’d have found me sighing happily and turning out the light. I then spent my 2 1/2 hours of sleep dreaming about Jonquils. I didn’t intend to stay up all night reading but I just couldn’t make myself stop. Totally worth it. I have now also listened to the audio version and loved that too. And yes, I did cry again.
There is nothing better than when the brothers get together and we get to revisit their fun personalities along with their wives and children. Caroline is a favorite of mine and she is in this book quite a bit so that made me happy. I love the brothers as the Jonquil Freers of Prisoners and adore hearing about their childhood antics. And I love how much influence their father has had on each of them even after he died so young. And blessed be Mater. I adore her too.
So I can’t do any spoilers but I will say that my emotions were all over the place with this story. I loved learning to know Harold as more than pious Holy Harry. I loved getting more about what was happening in the other brother’s lives too. I loved Sarah and how she was determined to make a happy life despite what came before her. And that knowing what he could be, she wasn’t afraid to challenge Harold to be more than he was. Much of the book wasn’t what I would call a fun read because it dealt a lot with difficulties in life but there was enough sweet and fun in it to not get bogged down in the struggles.
The only thing I don’t like is that now I have to wait again to get Charming’s story.
Sex: mild kisses
Language: no
Violence: no
Praise from the Clean Romance Team:u2060
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“Oh my heart! I have a new favorite Jonquil brother!”u2060
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“Holy Harry is one of my favorite of the Jonquil brothers, and to watch him find himself was wondrous!”u2060
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Holy Harry finally gets his own book. Okay, so first I have to admit that I have been reading the Jonquil books out of order. But they are still amazing! And so far I have liked all of the ones that I have read. The Heart of a Vicar is the 6th book in Sarah M Eden’s Jonquil Brothers series. Harry is the second youngest brother and he is struggling to find himself and be a man that his father could be proud of. This was an awesome addition to the series.
Harry is a Vicar, he knows that he must be proper and above reprofe. But he feels such a divide between himself and those around him. However he knows that if he wants to be a good Vicar, he must never show those around him his true self. I didn’t like who Harry was when he was shutting himself in but I adored his “true” self. He was kind and he truly did care for the people under his care, he just didn’t know how to show it. He was young and struggling, he felt as if his brothers just made fun of him so he couldn’t talk to them so he struggled alone and uncertain.
Sarah was awesome, she was strong but she was also kind. She didn’t let others push her around, but she was also vulnerable. I loved how she was able to help Harry be himself. She was different from those around her because she didn’t let society define her. Sarah was a lot of fun but she was also trying to find her place. Harry was once her safe person and place, but he broke her heart years ago. Will Sarah be able to let Harry back into her life and she find a way to be herself?
Harry and Sarah really balanced each other. They thought the world of each other, but they didn’t know how to express their feelings. They were trying to figure out who they were as people. It was super fun to read about them together. As always I loved seeing the other Jonquil brothers, the family interactions are the best.
The Heart of a Vicar is a lovely book and I would definitely recommend it! The Heart of a Vicar is a clean historical romance.
Young love is all too fleeting, as Harold Jonquil painfully discovered years ago when Sarah Sarvol, the niece of a neighbouring landowner, captured his heart. After an idyllic few weeks in the throes of blossoming love, reality intervened. They could have no future & there was a disastrous parting. Now, years later, he has achieved his lifelong aspiration of becoming the local vicar. When Sarah’s ailing uncle summons her back to the family estate in England, there is only one person from her past she is reluctant to see again: Harold Jonquil, the only man who has ever claimed her heart. But when she comes face-to-face with her former beau, she hardly recognizes the aloof and dull man before her.
This is the sixth book in the series, it could be read on its own but to fully appreciate it I’d recommend reading in order as the series is so very good. Harold Jonquil is the second youngest of seven brothers. A lovely second chance romance that had me engrossed from cover to cover. Very well written, as are all the author’s books, it flowed effortlessly, the characters had plenty of depth & were likeable.
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
This is a second-chance romance with another member of the Jonquil family. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and, as always, look forward to the next book in this series with updates on all of the family members we have come to love.
Harold Jonquil is the second youngest of seven brothers. Since a young age, everyone determined that he was destined to be a vicar. But Harold is a man of masks. He feels uncomfortable and unsure of himself in his role in life. He’s always worried that he’s not living up to his idea of what he should be. He doesn’t know how to organically connect with people, so he hides behind scripture or preconceived notions of how he should behave. As a result he finds himself disappointing people or being a source of ridule when he intereacts socially. Plus he’s exhausted by always pretending to be someone he is not.
Unexpectedly his closest childhood friend and crush returns to the neighborhood. She calls him out on how he has changed, that he is not the man that she thought he would become. She challenges him in a ridiculous and amusing way and as a result, we get to meet more and more of the real Harold. He begins to realize that he doesn’t need to hide behind masks and scripture to fulfill a role, that he can fill the role simply by being himself. By being the man he used to be and by being happy and comfortable in his own skin.
The romance between Sarah and Harold was very sweet. They had a falling out years ago and both their hearts were broken. They were then seperated for several years when Sarah left for America with her mother and brother. In this book, they find their way gradually back to one another. I was really invested in their story.
I loved this book so much. I wasn’t really sure what direction this book was going to take when I began reading and I didn’t feel endeared to Harold at all, but as the book progressed we got some insights on where his insecurities were coming from and he really grew on me. Honestly the whole of the family did.
I started reading The Heart of a Vicar without being familiar with any of the previous books from the series. Each book of this series can serve as a stand alone. I was not confused in the least, meeting all the many members of this family without any prior knowledge of them from the previous books. Anything that I needed to know for my understanding of this book was explained in the text.
I will definitely be going back to read the other books in this series. I loved this one so much, that I really want to read the individual stories of the other brothers. I will also be looking forward to reading the next book in the series when it comes out.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romance or historical fiction. Such a great and well written book. This is a clean romance.
Many thanks to Covenant Communications and NetGalley who shared a copy of this book with me for reviewing purposes. This is my honest review.
It has been an immense pleasure to follow the inspirational Jonquil family over the years as they evolve and grow together. I feel like a member of the family! As always, the witty bantering made me laugh, while the heart-wrenching emotion brought me to tears. Thank goodness there are seven brothers, so our journey together isn’t over yet!
I have read every book written by Sarah M. Eden and I have loved them all but this book just made my heart happy. It may have been the bits of Holy Harry in her other books in this series that made reading his story so enjoyable. Do yourself a favor and read Sarah M Eden’s books; you won’t be disappointed!
Beautifully written. I loved this HEA for Harry, and it is always such a treat to hear what is going on in the lives of the other Jonquil brothers. One story line in particular was cathartic and sweet, and brought me to tears of happiness.
Another sweet, charming, fun and heartwarming romance from Sarah M. Eden.
I love her stories, and especially ehr characters, which are deep and complex, but can also be lighthearted as well. Sarah M. Eden has an exquisite sense of humor that always transpires in her stories. I also love that each of the Jonquil family members has their own story and it’s always charming to revisit some of my favorite characters, which are practically all of them. A unique and diverse family in every sense, that’s for sure!
Harold and Sarah were once fleetingly and ferevently in love when they were young and naive. But they later realized their love couldn’t be. After a painful parting, none of them will be able to forget each other.
Many years later Harold (called Holly Harry in previous stories) fulfills his dream of becoming the local vicar, but he never expected the role to be as difficult as it seems now. He feels lonely and uninspired, until Sarah arrives in town, summoned by her ailing uncle in England, and his life turns upside down. Sarah feared meeting Harold again, but when he does, she never expects to find this cold and dull man, the shell of the man she fell in love with. She can’t help but feel the need to challenge him and try to bring ack the passionate and sweet man he used to be. Can their newfound relationship stand a second chance?
I totally loved this. I laughed, swooned and cried! Harry and Sarah’s reaquaintance was the best. Not easy at first, many grudges to overcome, but as it grew deeper, it proved they were made for each other because they really brought the best out of each other. I loved Sarah’s patience with him, and the romance was just so sweet. I loved that the plot never dragged, their interactions made it all so engaging, including the all the now secondary characters of this endearing family.
I definitely recommend it. It could be read as a standalone, but I definitely recommend you to get to know the Jonquils in order. So much richer! This is a must read!!
Eden is one of my favorite authors and her English set historicals are always auto-buys for me. The Heart of a Vicar is original and compelling with strong, intriguing, and wonderfully flawed characters, that grow and redeem themselves. I always feel like the world is a better place when I finish one of Sarah M Eden’s books.
I so looked forward to this book. It’s been a long time coming. Eden’s writing style has changed over the years she has settled into a style that I like. It is a deep feeling book with lots of hard situations and nothing comes out perfect, but this book was so great. I was so happy with the way everything wrapped up. I just love a happily ever after and this delivered. Harry and Sarah were good for each other and it was so awesome to read their story. I am so glad we got to know Harry, we only see who his brothers see in the other books. One day when all of these are done I am going to read this entire saga all the way threw and it will be awesome. Happy this is in there. Now we just need Charlies story and maybe the parents.
This author writes such wonderful characters, beautiful love stories, and the best happy endings. I enjoyed reading this story and love every continuation of the Jonquil story. I also really appreciate how every book you read that brings in her previous book characters gives you another glimpse, a different view into their well written characters. The story is deep and sweet, it’s clean and thoroughly enjoyable! I loved it and highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of the book. All opinions are my own and are expressed voluntarily.
4.5 Stars
This is my first book in Sarah M. Eden’s Jonquil Brother’s series and while the story stands completely on its own, I did want to know more about everyone else I met in The Heart of a Vicar.
Harold (Holy Harry to his brothers) Jonquil was born to be a vicar but he no longer finds any joy in his occupation. Instead of a calling, it has become a chore. As readers take the journey of discovering Harry’s passions and joys, they will be encouraged and entertained. Even more so when Sarah Sarval, Harry’s first (and only) love, returns to London and issues a challenge.
Eden delivers a story of faith, family, love, and finding the life that makes a heart content. With touches of humor and a bit of adventure thrown in for good measure, there’s a lot to love about this book.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.