I loved Brentwood's Ward and was eager to read another book by the same author. The Captive Heart (2016, Shiloh Run Press) by Michelle Griep is a standalone Christian historical romance, which begins in 1770 London, but moves to the fictitious town of Newcastle, South Carolina for most of the book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.Īugust 2017 update - The author says that this book was inspired by Beauty and the Beast. This was a fascinating story that I loved from start to finish. Add to that the interesting balance that Samuel worked to keep between the world of the white settlers and the Cherokee people. There was great tension between these two, a rugged setting, and plenty of danger from both nature and human threats. There was a marriage of convenience that they both entered into, yet it was so much more. I loved the way they interacted with each other. The struggles that they both endured made for very deep characters, with a lot of layers that made them who they were. The characters were so well written! I truly felt for both Eleanor and Samuel. For readers who have enjoyed the novels of Lori Benton, Laura Frantz, and Beth White, The Captive Heart has that same epic feel that these authors capture in their stories. It has definitely earned its place as one of the best historical novels that I have read this year. Wow, oh wow! The Captive Heart has jumped up to one of the top spots in my favorites list. Romance: Clean, although married no on-page intimacy Overall, I thought this was a great read and one I'd recommend to all my romance loving friends! There is only one thing I didn't like, but its more of a personal preference a certain character dies and I didn't think it was necessary, but I'm not really a fan of characters dying anyway. I thought it was well written, good pace that kept my attention and wanting to continue reading to see what would happen next. I liked that it wasn't insta-love, their relationship felt very natural and progressed at a believable pace. I also really liked Samuel, thought he was a complex character, but has a very caring side. She adapts pretty well to frontier life (at least waaay better than I would have), but tends to be a little hard on herself. Eleanor was a strong character and easy to like. I really enjoyed the time period (1770s) and setting. The synopsis really grabbed me on this one and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I got sucked into Eleanor's story. Guys, I've found a new author to follow! Yay! I really enjoyed this one, great step back into 1770 America.

The captive heart by michelle griep