Review: "Prize of My Heart" by Lisa Norato

Review by Rachelle Rea for Inspiring Daring

Rich in Historical Detail, This Is a Romance that Delivers

An unsolved mystery separates ex-privateersman Captain Brogan Talvis from his lost son--his only living relation, his only family. Shortly before her tragic demise, his wife abandoned their infant to strangers, refusing to reveal the child's whereabouts. Now, three years later, Brogan has discovered the boy at the home of a shipbuilder's daughter, Lorena Huntley.

Lorena guards a dark secret about her young charge. She finds herself falling for the heroic captain who has come to claim his newly built ship, unaware his motive for wooing her is to befriend the boy he plans on reclaiming as his own--until the day another's evil deceit leaves her helplessly shipbound, heading toward England.

As the perfect opportunity to reclaim his son unfolds, Brogan is haunted by thoughts of Lorena in her dire circumstance, and he is forced to make a heartrending choice between his child and the woman who has begun to capture his heart. But only his unselfish sacrifice can win him the greatest prize of all--love.

What I Loved

The history. The immediate draw of the characters. The what-if questions that bombarded after my first reading of the back cover copy.

Brogan is quite a character, all-man, but Lorena matches him. The banter between the two was a lot of fun to read and brought many a smile to my face. Plus I'm an absolute die-hard fan of having young children in the forefront of novels -- they make things so much fun! Brogan's son is no exception. A dear darling, he captured my heart before his father did.

What I Didn't Like As Much

I liked how this book fulfilled some expectations, while dashing others. For one thing, the book went nowhere that I thought it would. A long voyage? Not really. But what did bring the characters out to sea was entirely unexpected. So while I grappled for a moment with wanting what I had thought I would find between the pages, in the end, the way the author brought loose threads (and secrets!) together proved satisfying and entertaining.

Why I Recommend This Book

This book was crafted by a talented author with a love for language and detail. Prize of My Heart truly put me in the time and place and that's what makes me love historical fiction, so for those who love the genre like I do, check this one out!

About the Author

A life-long New Englander, Lisa Norato lives in a historic village with homes and churches dating as far back as the eighteenth century. She balances writing with a career as a legal assistant specializing in corporate law.

Lisa is also the author of the contemporary romantic comedy, I Only Want to Be With You, which received favorable reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Booklist, and the time-travel romance, Where Eagles Fly, which, before being published, won the prestigious Maggie Award.

When not writing, she enjoys precious time with family and her dog, cooking, reading and television, especially British comedy and historical dramas.

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