Book Review: Sound of the Heart
Media Type: Print Book
Title: Sound of the Heart
Author: Genevieve Graham
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Pages: Paperback; 336
Release Date: May 1, 2102
Source: Publisher / Author
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Genre: Historical Romance
HDB Rating: 4 Keys to My Heart
Recommended to: Readers who love historical romance, and to be immersed in the land it is set in.
Add it on: Goodreads / Shelfari / Amazon / B&N
From Genevieve Graham, author of Under the Same Sky, comes a sweeping romantic historical novel of one man’s strange gift and dangerous battles…
Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold. Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies. There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.
Sound of the Heart further deepens my slow journey into this genre, and I have to say that I am so glad that Genevieve Graham offered me the opportunity for a review! This was a book that I truly enjoyed. From the sweeping highlands of Scotland, to the dark and dank streets of London, Graham is an expert at explaining the setting just right. I was transported each place that I followed Dougal and settled right in to read his story. Descriptive writing abounds in this story.
If that isn’t enough for you, I have to say that Dougal now reigns as one of my all time favorite male characters. It isn’t just his sexy Scottish accent (although that is definitely a plus), but his whole entire person. Dougal is sweet, caring, fiery, and tough as nails when he needs to be. Throughout the story I saw multiple times where he had the option to sit at the sidelines or intervene during a problem. This is a character who always chose to be the hero. That makes him a hero in my heart.
However it isn’t just Dougal who steals the show in Graham’s book. Sound of the Heart has an amazing cast of characters, and each time a new one comes into play they fit seamlessly into the overall story. There isn’t too much I can say here without giving a very important portion of the story away, but I can talk about Glenna. She is a spitfire! I love a female character who can hold her own, and Glenna definitely fits that bill. The chemistry between her and Dougal is, well, steamy. Let’s just say that if you love some romance in your books, you’re definitely going to get it here.
This story is the whole package. From the beginning I was immersed in Dougal’s struggle to keep the part of him that was being torn away. I loved the descriptive scenes. I fell under the spell of his heart of gold demeanor. Then by the time I reached the end I felt like it had come much too soon. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the first book in this series, but I can say that I am going to pick up Under the Same Sky as soon as I can. If you haven’t either, but have this book in your TBR, don’t fret. It reads amazingly as a standalone.
Final verdict? If you love historical fiction and historical romance, pick up a copy of Sound of the Heart and prepare to be swept off your feet.
FTC Disclosure: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion.
