Shelley Shepard Gray begins a new, Postbellum Texas series with “The Loyal Heart,” a lovely tale of love, secrets and retribution.
Miranda Markham’s husband, Phillip, died in a Yankee POW camp and now she is being treated as a pariah in her hometown of Galveston, Texas. Rumors are swirling that her husband was a traitor, and that the boardinghouse she has opened is not the purist of enterprises. She is also receiving threats to leave her home.
But one day Robert Truax, a lieutenant who served with her husband and was part of a pact to “watch out for each other” after the war, shows up at her door, ready to help Miranda reclaim her reputation and the sanctity of her home.
“The Loyal Heart” tells a story of secrets and battling the past, and that things aren’t always as they seem. Characters, especially Miranda, must learn to overcome betrayal and learn to trust and forgive.
The book also does a great job reminding us that God will not forsake us, He knows the end of the story, and retribution is His alone.
Shepard Gray does a great job with her characters — offering delightful characters like Miranda and Robert, his fellow officers, and her servants, as well as creating some not-so-nice characters that you’ll love to dislike.
I’m looking forward to reading “An Uncommon Protector,” due out in February.
Five stars out of five.
Zondervan provided this complimentary copy for my honest, unbiased review.
“The Loyal Heart” (A Lone Star Hero’s Love Story series, #1) by Shelley Shepard Gray