Today’s book review features
A Haven for her Heart by Susan Anne Mason.
Book Blurb
Homeless after being released from a women’s reformatory in 1939 Toronto, Olivia Rosetti is taken in by an angel of mercy, Ruth Bennington. The two discover they share a painful past and together decide to open a maternity home for troubled women.
Despite the success of the home, Olivia is haunted by her inhumane treatment at the reformatory and the way her newborn son was taken from her. She feels undeserving of love–until she meets businessman Darius Reed. Although his attention makes her heart soar, he can never learn of her past.
Greek widower Darius Reed is determined to protect his daughter from the prejudice that killed her mother. He’ll ensure her future by marrying a woman from a respected Toronto family. But when Darius meets Olivia, he’s immediately drawn to her beauty and compassion.
Can love prove stronger than prejudice and past mistakes? Or will Olivia’s secrets destroy any chance at a future together?
From Goodreads
Author Information
Susan writes both contemporary and historical Inspirational romances. She describes her writing style as “Romance sprinkled with faith” and loves themes of forgiveness and redemption!
She is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and a former member of the Romance Writers of America. M
Susan lives near Toronto in Ontario, Canada with her husband and two adult children. She loves chocolate and wine and isn’t partial to snow even though she’s Canadian!
Danielle’s Review
A Haven for Her Heart is book one in Susan Anne Mason’s newest series, Redemption’s Light. Olivia Rosetti opens a maternity home after her release from a women’s reformatory in 1939 in Ontario, Canada. Darius Reed aims to close the home on behalf of his boss until meeting Olivia throws everything he was sure of into chaos.
First of all, you need to read this book.
Secondly, don’t read this book if you’re a woman who has faced a traumatic birth or adoption story and are not ready to read about characters facing similar situations. The author does a wonderful service explaining this before the story begins and as someone who has faced a traumatic birth, albeit with a supportive family, loving husband, healthy children, and good doctors around me, I was grateful for the warning.
Thirdly, if you have not faced such a trauma, please read this book. Why am I insistent on that point? Because the message of this book is so very important. Even though, as I said, I had the best care, the love of family and friends, and a positive outcome for myself and my baby, I came through a medically traumatic birth situation. The main character in the story did not the benefits I did, but she turned her story into a way to help other women.
Sometimes numbers, statistics, and memes can only reach so far in telling the facts of a situation like maternal health and mental health. When that situation is played out in a story, it becomes real because it allows us to identify with the characters, to feel with them. The author facilitated this well by bringing in a handful of characters from many different walks of life to cross Olivia and Darius’ paths, and thus our own.
Because of my own trauma story, I was hesitant to read A Haven for her Heart, but I knew I had to read it as soon as I saw the main character was of Italian heritage (like me). I’m so glad I did, too. And while the story takes place at the beginning of WWII, stigmas showed in the story are as strong as ever today, so I truly hope stories like this will continue to bring awareness to the change needed in maternal care.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.
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Your review is outstanding. I loved this book so much!!!
Thank you Nicole! ❤ It was such a good story!