Customer Reviews

Awaken My Heart (Avon Inspire)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

DiAnn Mills' "Awaken My Heart" is a story of love between enemies in the territory of early 1800s Texas. Marianne Phillips is a white woman whose father thinks of her as nothing but an opportunity to gain wealth when he marries her off to a rich older man. Armando is the leader of a group of Mexicans who refuse to leave their homes even though their land is a conquest of Mr. Phillips' to graze his cattle. Armando and Marianne meet initially by chance, then have an opportunity to get to know each other's hearts when Marianne is kidnapped by one of Armando's men.

Although this is not my favorite DiAnn Mills work, it is an enjoyable read. The best part of the book is where Marianne, a Protestant, shares with Armando, a Catholic, that he does not need a priest to have a relationship with God. Armando's initiation of that relationship brought a tear to my eye.

I've read many books written by Diann Mills, and this story is my favorite. It's definitely the most romantic book, in my opinion, that she has ever penned. Life in 1800s Texas was portrayed in such a way that I got a strong sense of the culture during those hard times. Marianne had some difficult choices to make and she had to choose wisely. Several gritty and edgy topics arose in this adventurous tale and I applaud the author for her excellent portrayal of the destructiveness of domestic violence, alcoholism, and greed. Her clear portrayal of true faith is also to be commended. The author contrasted traditional religion with a relationship the believer has with the Living God, and the hope and true peace such faith produces.

Armando was the ultimate hero. He was strong, yet compassionate, dedicated, yet torn because of his past. The author's description of him made me think of Antonio Banderas. Zorro here I come! Ah, what a tale of love! It was so passionate and felt so real it swept me off my feet. I loved every yummy kiss and the emotion I experienced as the hero and heroine dealt with all of the things separating them, along with all of the things drawing them together. Fabulous romance. Great historical fiction. This story gets my highest rating. It's a real page turner! The Avon Inspire line has some of the best, most inspirational and romantic historical fiction I've read to date!

Armando. He's a man of great courage and passion, but a reluctant leader. He's a hero who draws admiration from men and women, but walks restlessly through life, not sure where his happiness will be found. Not sure it will be found.

Marianne. She's a bold woman, full of life. In many ways like her father, yet still waiting for his approval.

When Marianne is brought to Armando as a captive of his people, he regrets the decision that was made. He respects her, is surprised by her, and grows to love her. But she could never love him. Or could she?

What will become of Marianne? Will she be happy in an arranged marriage to Don Lorenzo Sanchez, a respected older Spaniard?

Wrestling with the truth of her feelings, she's drawn to Armando, her captor. He releases her, but she dreams of him, longs for him. How could she fall in love with her father's enemy?

DiAnn Mills captures our hearts with this romantic adventure.

AWAKEN MY HEART is one of the most romantic books ever written. No wonder DiAnn calls it her Zorro book. However, is Armando Garcia a villain or hero? I'll never tell. You have to read the book to find out.

Does Marianne Wharton see right through Armando's mask...er... um I mean through his tough man, villainous facade? And if so, what does she find? A friend or a foe?

And, you've heard the expression... If mama ain't happy, nobody's happy. Well, in AWAKEN MY HEART's case the saying goes...If Marianne's daddy ain't happy, nobody's happy. Why? hehe Yeah right.... as if I'd tell. Buy the book and find out.

Can Marianne tame Armando's wild spirit like she tamed her beloved stallion? Does she even want to? Can two total strangers from completely different worlds unite for the sake of a rebel's cause? If so, at what price?

Got ya wondering about, AWAKEN MY HEART? I hope so. Because this is one beautiful story that's filled with passion, tragedy, life, victory, defeat, and love. One you don't want to miss. Excellent story!

Fabulous job, DiAnn! Keep up the awesome work!

I love this book so much! This is greatest historical novel yet. The time period and the characters are wonderful. It was well written and I felt as if I was the main charater and I was doing,seeing and smellin everythin she was! Everyone should read this book!!!

I've read several of DiAnn Mills' historical novels. She hooks you on the first page of this novel and shocks you with her amazing ending. The characters are honest and conflicted.

This was a great romance story that also read like an exciting adventure.
Plus it had a gorgeous Mexican hero,that are so very seldom featured in *clean*
(ie.non-sexually explicit) romances.

It was a great romantic story with good character development and a delight to read.

Truly enjoyed this read, for many reasons. IMO, one of Mills' best. The characters were well developed and REALISTIC, which unfortunately is becoming hard to find. The story was indeed enchanting, and the fact that the book is relatively short made it a perfect vacation read.
I like the fact that Marianne's prayer life, and other 'inspirational' opportunities throughout the story were truly substantail. Sometimes "inspirational fiction" or "inspirational romance" goes little further that a clean romance that happened to be authored by a believer.
But Mills presents situations through her writing that can really make me consider my own heart, or my call to leadership of others'.
I also appreciate the way she sensitively, but clearly handles the facts of the gospel and the need for a true confession & surrender of the heart directly before the throne of Jesus; but, at the same time did NOT invalidate the true salvation and faith of the characters that were Catholic.

I know Mills herself reads these reviews, and I hope she is already working on a sequel! This story NATURALLY calls for one since 1) we want to know what happens to the two babies, (and to Don Lorenzo), and
2) the time period following this story is so monumental in TX history.

1803 in the colony of Tejas (Texas), eighteen years old Marianne Phillips learns from her ailing mother that her martinet father Weston plans to marry her to cattle baron Lorenzo Sanchez de la Diaz. She loathes the idea of wedding someone older than her father, but her mom points out the other choice is the Phillips Hacienda foreman, mean spirited Clay Wharton. If she could select she would pick the handsome stranger she met while riding her protective noble horse Diablo.

Weston warns mestizos rebel leader Armando Garcia that he better move his impoverished people out of La Flor Valley as he plans to expand his holdings there regardless of what happens to these peasants. To save their livelihood, the mestizos abduct Marianne, who learns her dream lover is Armando, who objected to the kidnapping. As they fall in love, Armando arranges to free Marianne whose heart is in the right place as she supports the mestizos' claim and not that of her father. However, caught in the middle, Marianne realizes the conflict is about to explode in blood as her father has brought dangerous allies from his home state of Virginia to sweep the peasants off the land.

AWAKEN MY HEART is a terrific early nineteenth century Texas Colonial romance starring two caring protagonists who in many ways seem like a North American Romeo and Juliet. The story line is fast-paced and loaded with action. The key cast are fully developed especially the stars and her avarice father. Although Clay is more a caricature of a villain, Diann Mills provides a delightful historical that brings to vivid life a time and place that rarely if ever has served as the background.

Harriet Klausner