The Heart of a Vicar by Sarah M. Eden ~ Review

Lucie's Review:

Harold Jonquil has thrown himself into pursuing a career as a vicar, it was what was expected of him, but once he achieves his goal he finds it and himself lacking. But then a face from the past returns, she challenges him to reclaim his fire.

Sarah Sarvol returns to visit her ailing uncle, who is bitter and has become more reclusive in progressing years. Sarah ends up bearing the brunt of her uncle's bitterness. She is hesitant to see Harrold again, and is shocked to see the uninspired dullness that he has fallen into.

Is it too late to give love a second chance?

A multi-layered read, that follows multiple characters, with a lot going on simultaneously. Firstly, this is a stand alone read, though the sixth in a series--though there are a few appearances by previous main characters. There always a lot going on, as well as strongly developed characters that kept me reading.

Sarah is a cheerful young woman who makes the best of a tough situation, she genuinely cares about people and challenges them to be their best selves. She is very insightful, and knows how to express things in the right way to get people to take notice but not be offended.

Harold feels very overwhelmed by his responsibilities as a vicar, he isn't inspired to encourage and comfort his congregation, and feels like they expect perfection from him. But with Sarah he can finally be himself, and she sees that he is still the man she fell in love with many summers ago.

The book also follows, Phillip and Scott, who are Harold and Sarah's brothers, as they assume their responsibilities as heads of their estates.

Overall, an engaging read, with many compelling characters. This is a story of family, as well as personal growth and letting go of presupposed expectations. An enjoyable rekindled romance read, with a strong heroine, intricate relationships, and the importance of family. Great humor also adds laughter to this well-rounded read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a part of the Proper Romance collection, and is not considered Christian Fiction, though it is considered clean.