Review: Hearts Made Whole

Book Review: Hearts Made Whole, by Jody Hedlund, 5 stars

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After her father's death, Caroline Taylor has grown confident running the Windmill Point Lighthouse. But in 1865 Michigan, women aren't supposed to have such roles, so it's only a matter of time before the lighthouse inspector appoints a new keeper--even though Caroline has nowhere else to go and no other job available to her.
Ryan Chambers is a Civil War veteran still haunted by the horrors of battle. He's secured the position of lighthouse keeper mostly for the isolation--the chance to hide from his past is appealing. He's not expecting the current keeper to be a feisty and beautiful woman who's angry with him for taking her job and for his inability to properly run the light. When his failings endanger others, he and Caroline realize he's in no shape to run the lighthouse, but he's unwilling to let anyone close enough to help. Caroline feels drawn to this wounded soul, but with both of them relying on that single position, can they look past their loss to a future filled with hope...and possibly love?

Genre: historical romance

Publication date: May 2016

Mature content: no

Review: Hearts Made Whole is book two in the Beacons of Hope series by Jody Hedlund. I loved book one (Love Unexpected) and I loved this one even more. It's a powerful and gripping story that you will have a hard time putting down. Even if it's a bit on the longish side, the characters are so compelling and there are so many twists in the plot that you will actually be sad to see it end. I found a lot of similarities with book one and we get to meet Ryan Chambers again, this time as the main character.

Hearts Made Whole is a book about second chances, about handling losses and trusting that God always has a plan, that even if you can't see it He's with you always.


There's a happy ending but to get there both Caroline and Ryan need to grow, to liberate themselves from the demons of their past (especially Ryan) and to make peace with themselves and with God. It's a bit heavier on the romance and the physical attraction between the main characters than book one, but it's still a clean, Christian romance. It's beautiful, edifying and wholesome, and it makes a great holidays read too.

Totally recommended!



Happy readings,

the book worm, book blog




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