Review: The Heart's Pursuit

The Heart's Pursuit
By Robin Lee Hatcher
Zondervan, 2014


Summary

A jilted bride desperate to save her family from ruin. A bounty hunter seeking vengeance for a ravaged past. An arduous trek toward justice---or redemption.

Silver Matlock and Jared Newman know traveling together is a bad idea. Bad for Silver's already tarnished reputation in her small Colorado town. Bad for bounty hunter Jared's secret, single-minded mission for revenge. But Silver is determined to track down the rogue who left her at the altar and stole the last remnant of her father's fortune. And Jared's in a hurry to hunt down the murderer who destroyed his family---even if Silver is too distractingly beautiful for comfort.

The pair takes off over mountain and desert, past bleak homesteads and raw mining towns, hot on the trail of the two villains who took what wasn't theirs to take. Soon supplies dwindle, secrets emerge, and suspicion leave Silver and Jared at odds when they need each other most. To confront an enemy deadlier than desert rattlesnakes and rocky cliffs, Silver and Jared must learn to forgive and trust and face the question they haven't dared voice: What happens next?


My thoughts

I always enjoy Robin Lee Hatcher's writing because she infuses her interesting storylines with character depth, attention to detail, and spiritual insights - and The Heart's Pursuit is no different. Set in 1873, this story beautifully captures the flavor of the Old West as Jared and Silver travel across the countryside and small towns in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada. Robin has a gift when it comes to settings and her vivid descriptions conjured up images from TV westerns that I watched growing up.

Silver and Jared are very appealing lead characters, and they both have baggage from the past to work through. Both are out for revenge against people who have taken something from them, yet they bring out the best in each other. In a scene where Silver prays about their situation, Jared reflects:  "Something about the way she prayed brought light to a place inside Jared's chest that had been shut up in darkness for many years."

Jared was raised in the comfort of a loving family, but lives with a bitterness born out of tragedy. Silver is impetuous and headstrong - in Jared's words, "she was both fragile and tough, determined and uncertain, innocent and wise." I'm not sure how realistic the idea of the beautiful Silver traveling with bounty hunter Jared is, but it made for great storytelling. While I don't think I could have done this, I can certainly identify with Silver's sense of responsibility and desire to save her parents' family business.

Robin also brings in secondary characters that I'd like to see more of - Tom and Whitney Hanover, Jared's friends that he had helped in the past; Miss Corinne and her Rainbow Saloon; and Dean, a young orphan boy. And I enjoyed the slowly unfolding spiritual journey of Jared and Silver, as well as their sweet romance.

As with all good westerns, there's an evil villain. This one seems to enjoy killing and his crimes are gruesome - but this is not a dark story. The Heart's Pursuit is a light and entertaining story, one that fans of historical romance - especially with western settings - will enjoy.

The Heart's Pursuit can be purchased online at Amazon, CBD, DeeperShopping, and B&N.

Robin Lee Hatcher

Best-selling novelist Robin Lee Hatcher is known for her heart-warming and emotionally charged stories of faith, courage, and love. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, two RT Career Achievement Awards, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over sixty novels.

Meet Robin online at robinleehatcher.com, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.