He asked if he could die on her porch…but instead he brought hope for new life.Once a wistful romantic, Opal Martin now simply aspires to scrub the remnants of the War Between the States from her tattered life. But when a nearly drowned soldier appears and asks if he can die on her porch, she must guard against the sudden revival of her heart’s hope for love. Haunted by the war, Tristan Stuart … love.
Haunted by the war, Tristan Stuart just wants to escape the pain. But when he wakes up at a house that looks too much like home with a woman determined to mend him, he may discover a new life worth fighting for. In order to save the last of what Opal holds dear, will he become the man she needs or let the troubled waters carry him away?
Fans of In His Eyes will also enjoy seeing Ella and Westley again in Opal’s story.
Don’t miss these other titles from Bestselling Christian Historical author Stephenia H. McGee
Ironwood Plantation Family Saga
The Whistle Walk
Heir of Hope
Missing Mercy
The Liberator Series
Leveraging Lincoln
Losing Lincoln
Labeling Lincoln
Stand Alone Titles
In His Eyes
Eternity Between Us
Novellas
The Heart of Home
Her Place in Time
more
Tristan and Opal have an unusual beginning to their love story but one that was meant to be. This book shows the hardships of war and how the south had to try to rebuild their lives. It also shows the northern carpet baggers and the dangers that lied with them. I enjoyed this book.
The Heart of Home will hold you spellbound from the moment you begin the journey with Tristan and Opal until the very end! Stephenia McGee has outdone herself with this novel, she has given readers a book that is well-written, filled it with superb cast of characters, delightful dialogue and a strong plot that bring this read together perfectly! Her characters come to life as you find yourself drawn into their story. The scenes are so strikingly detailed it paints an incredible backdrop that makes you feel like you are one with the story.
I just finished this novella, The Heart of Home, from Timeless Love: Romantic Stories that Span the Ages and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I love stories about the Civil War and how strong people had to be to survive that war.
In this novella, Opal Martin lives on the Riverbend plantation with her widowed mother when she discovers a soldier passed out on their front porch. Tristan Stuart thought he was at death’s door when he saw home, or what he thought was home. Making it to the porch, he passed out where Opal found him. She and her mother nursed him back to health and he stuck around to help them out for a bit.
Tristan and Opal find an attraction for each other, but they both don’t seem to want to acknowledge it. Tristan, because of his sins during the war and Opal, because of the fairytale stories she’s been reading that make this relationship sound more like a friendship and she is confused.
What will come of this attraction for each other? Will they express their feelings for one another or let love get away? Now that the war is over, can Tristan forgive himself for what he perceives to be his sins of the past? Check this out for yourself. Fans of clean, Christian historical romances will love this novella. Enjoy!
I was given an ARC of this novella separate from the book Timeless Love: Romantic Stories that Span the Ages for an honest review. The opinions stated are purely my own.
It was wonderful to visit the south once again, and see Ella and Westley. I loved them in In His Eyes. Don’t worry if you haven’t read it, The Heart of Home is a standalone, but you will want to read In His Eyes.
Being a novella this was a quick read, but that doesn’t mean it was not a wonderful, full story. To “see” some of what happened after the Civil War is wrenching. So many trials and heartbreaks. Yet the characters in this story were determined to survive. They were written with such strength and passion that I fell in love with them. And her descriptions of the plantation and the area around it are fabulous.
Author Stephenia Mcgee does her research with her period piece stories. So many facts are woven into the fiction that you will learn new things while enjoying a wonderful story.
If you enjoy historical fiction with some clean romance you must read The Heart of Home.
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
If you love a good clean Christian historical romance then you have found it. The Heart of Home is part of a series but a stand alone. Previous characters are brought in but you don’t have to have read the previous books. The story begins at the end of the Civil War and the carpet baggers are out. Tristan is wounded and a confederate soldier. Opal finds him on their porch and nurses him back to health. Opal and her mother are all that’s left of their family and their plantation has been ransacked. Its a struggle to get food on the table and her mother decides to sell to one of the dreaded carpet baggers. Not a good decision.
Misty Beller will keep your interest, enough action to keep you turning the pages, romance, characters are easy to relate to and a good plot. I’ve read the other books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them. I received this book from the author as part of her review team. No expectations on my review. I recommend anything by Misty M. Beller if you like sweet historical romance. Heart of The Home is well written and I do think you will love this book
Set shortly after the end of the war, this book shows a daughter and her mother trying to survive after their lifestyle crumbles. I think a lot of us can agree that slavery is wrong, but few of us think about the families who had to fight for survival afterward. They weren’t as rich as they thought they were, and Opal Martin represents many Southern belles who had to pick up the pieces and move forward.
McGee did a great job of showing compassionate Confederate characters without excusing the institution of slavery. Tristan and Opal are merely presented as individuals who are trying to overcome the ravages of war.
Within this struggle, you have a bit of romance as two individuals dealing with the aftermath in different ways cross paths in an unexpected way. Tristan just wants to die and get away from it all. Opal’s fighting the idea of leaving it all behind. Within this struggle is a bit of romance as the get to know each other a little better. While I found the romance to be a bit fast-paced, the novella in now way excuses it. McGee shares in a note the delightful inspiration to Opal and Tristan’s romance, and while I don’t won’t to spoil it, I will say it made me appreciate the story that much more.
(This review was originally posted on my blog at http://justjenniferpurcell.com/2019/04/12/just-read-civil-war-books/)
The Heart of Home is set in the south post Civil War as Opal and her mama attempt to carry on in their mansion with no servants following her papa’s death. Opal is a well-written protagonist as is Tristan, a former Confederate soldier, who asks to be allowed to die on their porch! Sometimes a seed of love is all it takes to grow something mighty! Opal celebrates the new Yankee holiday, Thanksgiving, in a surprising manner! I enjoyed The Heart of Home and recommend it to others. I received an advance e-book of The Heart of Home from the author. This is my honest opinion.
Although The Heart of Home is a novella and a fairly quick read, it is packed with feeling and heart. Take a post-Civil War backdrop, throw in some Southern belles, a wounded and broken soldier, a run-down plantation, and an oily carpetbagger, and there’s intrigue brewing at Riverbend! Stephenia H. McGee has obviously done much research on the life and times of the Civil War era. She is also talented at creating vivid, engaging characters that come to life on the page.
I enjoyed the sweet messages of forgiveness and hope that shine through this story. This novella can be read as a stand-alone, although characters from a previous book make appearances in this one. I recommend this to those who enjoy clean, sweet historical fiction. I purchased this as part of a novella collection called Timeless Love: Romantic Stories That Span the Ages.