A Bound Heart

An incredible epic tale from a master storyteller!

I have heard of Laura Frantz's gift as a historical romance author but this is my first book by the celebrated and beloved author. She has certainly found herself another avid fan. I know whose backlist of titles I'll be reading through in 2019. If you love well-written historical romance full of adventure and heart-gripping characters, you will thoroughly enjoy this book.

Magnus, our Scottish laird, and Lark, the stillroom (kind of like apothecary and herb garden combined) mistress and beekeeper, take the reader back to 1752 Scotland in the midst of ongoing struggle and turmoil between England and Scotland. Magnus is a steadfast, kind, generous and proud leader of the MacLeish, whose show more loyalty lies wholly with God, his country, and his people. Though admired by his colleagues and people, personal tragedy follows Magnus. Lark whose name means "open hearted, brimming with life and spirit" is true to her namesake and is beloved by all. Due to tragic circumstances upon tragic circumstances, Magnus and Lark find themselves as indentured servants bound for the new colonies - Magnus to Jamaica and Lark to Virginia. Through all the heartbreaks and heartaches, their faithfulness to their Lord and Savior and to each other endures. Even in the midst of unjust justice system and cruelty of slavery, Magnus and Lark find ways to show God's goodness to those they encounter; their desire and action to see God glorified are admirable and completely applicable to all of us today.

My heart is full and completely satisfied after reading this book. I can't wait to delve into Laura Frantz's other books as I impatiently wait for her next novel.

I was given a copy of the book by Revell/Baker Publishing Group via Interviews and Reviews. I was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own. show less

A Bound Heart is another stunning, captivating story from Laura Frantz, and at this point, having read most of her books, I expect nothing less.

The plot centers on the friendship between Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall. Though they have been friends since childhood, Scottish societal expectations limit their interactions, as well as the possibility of romance growing between them. Tragedy strikes, and scandal soon follows to disrupt life as they know it, sending them to begin again in the New World.

A Bound Heart is a sweeping tale with lush historical descriptions, strong characterizations, and faith and danger aplenty. There is a lot to keep Magnus and Lark apart, and while reading, I turned pages anxious for reunion and hope, yet show more never sure what would happen next. Their story kept me completely engaged, and I loved it. Highly, highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. show less

Laura Frantz is an excellent writer, so I was more than pleased to see that I would be reading one of her newest releases. "

Early Colonial Virginia (and other colonies as well, I imagine!) was kind of a dumping ground for convicts/indentured servants. (I believe Australia and other British holdings were also utilized this way too in its colonial days.) If you had criminals, you didn't want them causing trouble in your home country, so they were simply shipped out.

In this story, "A Bound Heart", you'll see that a Scottish lass is accused and convicted of a crime she did not commit. Her master came to her defense in court and is denounced as a kilt-wearing Jacobite." The court declares him a convict and reduces him to the status of a show more common criminal.

It's an interesting story, but I can't say that it's a favorite. The Scottish language is hard for me to grasp. But I know many other readers will embrace this book. show less

Laura Frantz is truly a master of vivid descriptions of beautiful landscapes and sea/skyscapes as she lyrically composes the lives and times of her historical characters. A Bound Heart is set in Scotland. While Ms. Frantz is such a romantic writer, she could probably make Antarctica sound like a vacation spot, I had to wonder if I would like the island of Kerrera any more than Isla did.
Smugglers, fighting against unjust taxes, a corrupt court, an ocean voyage of horrors, several love triangles; all make for a very tightly woven story. Frantz’s characters are full of life, passion, and pride in their heritage. When these freedoms are removed, what will remain behind?
It was very interesting to learn about the Scots’ way of life in show more the 1750s. I must admit, I had a hard time with a love triangle involving a married person. While no wrong actions occurred, I would have preferred to see one party or the other take steps to put physical distance between them. The glossary was a huge help, as was the context in which Frantz used the unfamiliar words. A few wonderful quotes:
On the horrid ship: “Lord, all I have is Ye. Make that enough.”
“Fear had a terrible taste.”
This is a good book, but it will not be my favorite Frantz book. To each his own. Anxiously awaiting the next Frantz novel.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All opinions expressed here are solely my own and no positive review was required. show less

2.5 stars. This review is also available on my blog, Read Till Dawn.

I have fairly mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, it's a fluffy escapist romance novel half set in Scotland, one of my favorite countries, and highlights an immigration perspective (Scottish prisoners exiled to America) that I hadn't yet had the pleasure to explore.

But then on the other hand it's quite cheesy, and character actions are fairly unrealistic and/or overly convenient to the plot at times. Plus the descriptions of Scotland are beautiful but don't really ring true to my own experiences living in a small Scottish town (though I'm sure a university town would have different vibes from an island). And–most painfully to read–Magnus falls into a fairly show more awful "white savior" role as the manager of a slave plantation.

Obviously all of these crimes are not equal. I list them more in the order of occurrence, because I became more and more frustrated with the story as it progressed. By the time Magnus was getting the slave plantation in order, I wasn't invested enough to be as horrified as I otherwise would have been.

I hate to sound so negative, because I actually did pass a few peaceful hours reading the book. I was rooting for the main characters to get together already, and I genuinely liked the new angle on the familiar immigration story that Frantz took, even if she didn't stick the landing every single time. I also really loved a later storyline where Lark sort of adopts an orphaned baby on the ship over, because it's a super sweet (if ocasionally over-milked) storyline.

But, setting aside the gasp-inducing slave plantation storyline which was problematic for obvious reasons, the parts that I found most disappointing were the Scottish depictions. For one thing, it was really obvious to my ear that Frantz is an American. I can't point to any wording in particular, but there's just a certain pattern of speech that was missing from the dialogue as well as the narration. I was also a bit sad to see Edinburgh so completely written off as "a big ugly city," because in my experience it's one of the nicest cities on the planet. I do realize that it was a different time and Lark is a very different person from myself, though, so I can just about let that one go.

The other major authenticity issue I have with the book has to do with alcohol. Namely, both of the main characters seem to feel like drinking might not be a very moral thing to do. Now I'm not sure exactly what time period this is supposed to be set in, and it is true that there was a fairly brief period in time when temperance had some supporters in Scotland, but Frantz did not get across just what a massive part of Scottish culture drinking really is. It's practically a national pastime around here. I seriously doubt that two random Scottish people, almost completely isolated from any society but that of a bunch of rural islanders in an alcohol-fueled society, would feel any compunction to avoid it in any way. I suspect it's more Frantz superimposing her own moral compass onto her characters, which is fine I guess but just pulls away a bit from the authenticity.

Anyway, all in all it's a pretty mixed bag. There were aspects I loved and others I . . . well, didn't, If you've read my review and still want to read it, go for it and let me know in the comments so we can compare notes. Otherwise, I think you can pretty safely skip A Bound Heart and continue on your way.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. show less

I always enjoy a good historical fiction read. Throughout this novel, the writer brought to mind how very little we probably appreciate what our ancestors went through when they came both willingly and unwillingly to a soon-to-be-born nation. One of the most enjoyable elements of this story is how the writer's own passion for her family history came through strongly in the characters of the book and in the telling of their story. Sometimes, even with the inclusion of the key, it was hard to understand the dialogue. However, the writer definitely paints great word pictures not only of the people who make up the story, but also the places and happenings that occurred. While reading, I found myself silently cheering for and booing show more respective characters. At the same time, I could empathize with their courage and determination to forge on no matter what the circumstances. The characters' sense of morality came through as well. Throughout the story, their one constant in the midst of adversity is their faith. I particularly appreciated that this faith was not a cure all, nor did it mean the road would be easy. Rather, if they kept their faith first and foremost, and always pointed themselves in that direction, things would get better. The story does a good job of illustrating that while things may not always work out the way we want, sometimes they work out in ways that we can't imagine. show less

A Bound Heart
By Laura Frantz

Scotland and its history is not something I am familiar with. I recently found out through DNA testing that a large part of my ancestors are from there! Lark McDougall and Magnus McLeish were raised together as children, on equal footing as nobility. Lark’s father lost his title through false accusations. Lark and her grandmother were left in desperate poverty.
Lark had the job of maintaining the gardens and bees, also formulating herbal remedies for the castle. She loved her doing it and being in touch with nature. Magnus becomes Laird of Kerrera Island. He is a loving and kind ruler that truly cares about the people. Both have always been in love with each other but due to Larks’ family scandal, never show more married. Magnus married a whimpering, selfish, sickly woman whom desires to produce an heir. When his wife dies suddenly, Lark is accused. Magnus attempts to protect her and they both end up on prison. As their punishment they are sent to Virginia and Jamaica as indentured servants! Talk about bad going to worse!
The story is fast paced and exciting, with lots of surprises. I enjoyed this book on many levels. Ms. Frantz’s picturesque description of the island painted breathtaking pictures in my mind. I almost felt the wind blowing in my hair and I could smell the sea! I saw Lark’s and Granny’s poverty, seeing the desolation of their small home. There were times I found myself standing there looking around and observing.
The author’s remarkable accounts of the prison and slave ship were incredible! It is hard to fathom that thousands of people really experienced such horrid conditions and treatment! They were ripped from their families and homes, probably never to see them again. How frightening to face an appalling voyage and if you survived only to find yourself in a severely abusive living situation to where there was no escape!
What shone even brighter in all of this tragedy was Lark and Magnus’s solid faith in God and reliance upon Him. Their desire to follow Him no matter what the situation or cost was inspiring! They trusted the Lord explicitly. What a great read! show less