Bess McBride Category:  Romance Publisher: The Wild Rose Press ISBN-10:  1601540914 Pages: 160 Copyright: June 2007 A gentle contemporary/fantasy romance set in modern day and late Victorian era Tacoma, Washington Aggie has done what no mental health therapist should do. She’s fallen in love with her mysterious client, Bill. Aggie has recently purchased an old Victorian house on a hillside overlooking Commencement Bay in Tacoma, Washington; where she finds an old photograph of a Victorian era couple and a love letter written in 1885. The letter speaks of another love that can never be—that of Louise, the daughter of a wealthy English family, and her Irish lover, William. Heartbroken, Aggie soon begins to dream of the forbidden love between Louise and William, but in her dreams, William’s face mirrors that of her beloved, Bill. Bill is in love with Aggie, and he can’t figure out how to get close to her. If only he hadn’t entered her professional doors as a client. How is he going to fix this?

The Long and The Short of It Blogspot
Love of My Heart is a beautiful, romantic story with a mild supernatural bent. The two main human love interests are Aggie, a therapist who is attracted to her client and is torn between her needs as a woman and her profession's Code of Ethics, and Bill, who has secrets that he won't let out in therapy not the least of which is his own attraction to Aggie.

The secondary supernatural romantic plot centers on past lovers, Louise and William. Louise lived in the house that Aggie now owns and is instrumental in getting Aggie to listen to her heart by drawing Aggie into her dreams to re-live Louise's romance with William way back in the 1800's.

Due to the style of how the paragraphs of this book are presented, it was a bit jarring at times when it came to POV shifts or time shifts. If you can anticipate this style, then you will find it easier to enjoy the nuances of this romance story.

The author has a good handle on how it was to be a woman living at home back then; where daddy's word was law. Love was not enough to withstand the strictures of a prejudicial society and I was very frustrated and angry on Louise's behalf. Yet, I felt satisfied with the strengths she showed when she exercised the only options she was capable of for those times.

I found William O'Brien's love for Louise to be quite poignant and continued to be amazed at his steadfastness as I read the letters he wrote to Louise and in time, his old landlady. Best of all, was his yummy Irish brogue. I could well understand Louise's being attracted to a man with a sexy accent.

The best part of this story is that true love endures. The author gives the reader a HEA that ties up all the loose ends, even the supernatural. Interestingly enough, she wrote the course of Louise's and William's romance in a way that could mirror real life; decisions we make along the way affect our future in surprising ways.

I enjoyed reading about how a man and a woman from two diverse families, influenced and manipulated by the ghosts of the past, find love in the future. Ms. McBride has an incredible turn of mind.

My Book Cravings
Love of My Heart by Bess McBride
Print ISBN 1-60154-091-4
Paranormal Sensual Romance
The Wild Rose Press
Ebook
Rating: 4

Aggie is a therapist with a problem. She’s committed the most egregious ethical sin. She’s fallen for a client. A handsome, funny, intelligent, caring, mysterious client named Bill.

Louise lives in the 1800’s and is in love with an Irish man named William who her rich father thinks is totally unacceptable and has forbidden her to see. The lovers are parted and though William tries, he doesn’t hear from Louise and thinks she no longer wants to see him. Therefore, he leaves town and goes off to Boston to go to college and law school so he might fight for immigrant rights.

How does Louise know all this? Because she’s been dreaming of Louise and her life. And the more she dreams the more curious she gets until finally she has to know.

Meanwhile her neighbor has a grandson she’s trying to introduce Aggie to, but he keeps canceling on her though he’s talked to her on the phone several times. Aggie likes what she’s heard from him even through his supposed cold and she’s looking forward to meeting him.

The four people’s lives converge in a most interesting way and I really did enjoy the story. I railed against Louise’s parents control over her and the racism of the time. I felt for Aggie and her predicament especially after she dreams of making love to Bill. What I found jarring was some point of view shifts that occurred rather abruptly and for only short times. I felt the author could have done a better job indicating the shift and used them more judiciously.

That said, I found the writing to be good and solid with that one exception. The story is a nice twist on things I’ve read in the past and I enjoyed the ending. I look forward to this author’s growth as a writer and will be watching for more of her books.

Shara