REVIEW: A Heart’s Disguise by Colleen Coble

Part one of this serialized series starts off right after the Civil War in America has ended, when so many families have been left to pick up the pieces of their tattered lives. Sarah has endured the loss of those she has loved and is hopeful for a promising future.

A Heart’s Disguise by Colleen Coble
Series: A Journey of the Heart
Category: Historical Western
Publisher: Thomas Nelson (Available March 3, 2015)
ISBN: 9780529103413
Rated 3.5 out of 5
Format: read digital ARC for print release

I’m particularly fond of novels set after the Civil War in America, versus during the war, because the people are ready to begin again. A HEART’S DISGUISE dangles the possibilities of such a future, if the characters choose the right path. Nothing is ever simple after war.

Sarah Montgomery has taken care of her younger brother since her mother died giving birth to him. Eight years later, Sarah is watching her father’s health steadily decline and the doctor predicts he won’t last the year.

It’s her father’s dying wish that Sarah marry Ben Croftner. Sarah doesn’t love Ben but she doesn’t want to disappoint her family. Her heart is still tied to Rand, her childhood sweetheart who was killed in the war. Ben’s wealth will ensure that Sarah will never want for anything and it will make her father happy to see Sarah and her eight-year-old brother settled after so much sorrow.

But Rand’s youngest brother puts the seeds of doubt into Sarah’s mind. What if Rand isn’t really dead?

I enjoyed this short adventure and was sad when it ended before the characters settled their future. I’m on the fence about serialized novels because of their open-ended concept, but I must admit, I tried this book because it was serialized and very short. That’s how I like to try new-to-me authors, even if I don’t get the full story. I appreciate that the excerpt for the next part, A HEART’S OBSESSION, was included at the end of this book, because I was left hanging and that excerpt helped make it less of a cliffhanger. This book is a good way to get a quick historical fix.

As a side note, A HEART’S DISGUISE was previously published within a larger book. I’m not sure if I like the way this story has been divided up in such small sections, but I think I’ll have a better feel for that after I read the next part. I really like the story so far, so I’m hopeful.

A HEART’S DISGUISE is a promising beginning to a historical adventure. I’m looking forward to A HEART’S OBSESSION, book two of the serialized series A JOURNEY OF THE HEART, scheduled to release on April 7, 2015. For those new to author Colleen Coble’s books, her style is engaging and makes me anxious to read more.

Reviewed by Dorine, courtesy of Romance Junkies. ARC provided by NetGalley.

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