Tuesday, August 19, 2008

His Shadowed Heart by Hazel Statham--Book Review



An enjoyable, romantic read is what you'll find in Hazel Statham's His Shadowed Heart.

The Earl of Waverly might never love again. After the death of his wife, he believes his heart irreparably damaged. Entering into a marriage of convenience to young Caroline Northam, the Earl settles in to a life with his daughter and new bride. Little does he know the affect Caroline will have on him.

But their new-found happiness is jeopardized by strange happenings and heinous acts attributed to the ghost of his first wife. Will their love be strong enough to survive?

This is the first Regency romance I've read, though I am a huge fan of historical fiction and historical romance novels. The story opens with the Earl of Waverly's (Richard's) sister, Lady Victoria Stanton, trying to bully her younger brother into remarrying, even if just for his daughter's sake. The entertaining exchange sets the mood for the remainder of their conversations, which I found almost as enjoyable as the tense moments between the earl and his cousin, Gerald Dent. The author goes to great extents to create Richard and it shows in every emotion and movement he feels and performs.

The rich details draw the reader right into the time period and through Statham's eloquent prose the reader discovers how much meaning can be found in a brief glance, a caress, a tender kiss to an upheld hand.

I only wish I had not discovered the identity of the perpetrator earlier than when it was openly revealed. Perhaps if one or two clues had not been dropped in previous chapters I might have been more surprised. This did not, however, take anything away from the delightful ending--which I believe is perfect.

His Shadowed Heart by Hazel Statham should be on every historical romance lovers wish list.


Title: His Shadowed Heart
Author: Hazel Statham
Publisher: Wings ePress, Inc.
ISBN: 978-1-59088-756-8
U.S. Price: $16.95

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