Customer Reviews

Longings of the Heart (Sydney Cove Series #2)

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

 

 

Issues in this book, while presented in a historical setting, are things that people deal with today and apply to contemporary families. Things such as infertility, guilt, misplaced anger, jealousy, fear, and issues related to trust. The author applies just enough pressure and angst into the lives of her characters to keep you reading until you close the book. Her emotional scenes are moving and her conflict is realistic. I loved the marital tension, especially the romantic parts in the beginning. John is a dreamy husband, yet he is all man. I did get mad at him a few times, but c'est la vie.

The setting was also well done. I sweated right along with the characters and itched when they were bit by those stinking bugs, too. Overall I adored this story, and in particular I enjoyed how the story ended. I almost felt like giving a standing ovation to those brave souls. That scene was soooo well done. Then I got a sneak peek at the content in the third book and the conflict presented and I was like....WHAT!!! Now I have to read it and find out how John deals with the mess he finds himself in. Just when you think all is well down under...sigh. If only these characters didn't seem so real to me, then maybe it wouldn't BUG me so much that they find themselves in another seemingly impossible situation that only God can help them out of!

Hannah and John have settled down and gotten married in their new home in Australia. Now down with their prison sentences, they are ready to move on and start a new life and family together. However starting a family just isn't happening for the two of them. Hannah is worried that it's her fault, and that what happened in the past is coming back to haunt her. She knows she has to tell John but is scared as to what will happen. Then her secret gets out and is being used to blackmail the couple. Will they be able to survive this or is life as convicts starting to look easier than life as newlyweds?

Australian history has always been fascinating to me. It just is amazing that the country was colonized to be a place for prisoners. It's an amazing history and in my opinion, more interesting that the US! This book however focuses more on John and Hannah's relationship than on the Australian history. It was fun reading about how they were adapting to being newlywed's and having to adapt to each other. Being in the environment they were in, made life stressful so having to add a new marriage on top of that would have added more fuel to fire! I found Hannah's reaction to being an adoptive mother very surprising for a Christian novel. Normally everyone is all about hugs and being 100% loving from the beginning. However, I found her response to Thomas to be more realistic especially with what she had been going through. I enjoyed the story very much. As in the first book in the series, it's an engaging tale with memorable characters in a unique setting. The only thing that bugged me about the story was John getting angry with Hannah about what had happened to her. I can understand his being mad about her keeping it a secret from him. She should have told this to him after they got married so he could understand her feelings. What I didn't like was that he acted like she had committed a terrible sin for what happened to her in the past. It wasn't her fault and I wanted to smack him for even thinking about blaming her! I got so frustrated with him to the point that I was actually glad to read how guilty and distressed he was for not being there to protect Hannah in her time of need. Luckily he soon regained my approval later on in the book. The ending of the book was quite satisfying. People got what they deserved and the book did not have a cliched "everyone forgives" ending. I quite prefer what happened because it rings more true than the aforementioned ending. I was thinking, what would be totally awesome is if somehow this series and the Queensland Chronicles series was connected. I would have to go back and check on the dates between the two series but it'd be fun to have a cameo of someone from the Queensland series pop up in this set. I've always enjoyed Bonnie's books and this one was no different. I'll be eagerly looking forward to the next book in the series!

Bonnie Leon transports us to a time to when prisoners were being deported from Britain to Australia. Longings of the Heart, the second in Leon's Sydney Cove series, picks up the story of John Bradshaw and his new wife, Hannah. Having survived the harsh conditions aboard a prisoner ship, they embark on their new marriage with full hearts and high hopes--but not without shadows of the past clouding their future.

Hannah's kept a secret from her new husband, one that rears its ugly head in this book. Plagued by guilt over her past sin, she's convinced she'll never bear John a child. Their failed attempts to start a family threaten to drive a wedge between them emotionally while the challenges of building a sheep ranch in dangerous territory test them physically.

The book begins slowly and is a sweet gentle story punctuated with four major turning points that increase the suspense and draw the reader in deeper. I felt for Hannah as she struggled to forgive herself and a friend and for John as he endeavored to stand by his wife despite the risks to his ranch and his reputation. Both are likable characters, as are the numerous secondary characters. The faith element is handled well and plays a significant role in the outcome of the story.

I enjoyed reading a historical set in a location I rarely encounter and thought Leon did a nice job of bringing Australia and the era of prisoner deportation to life. I'd not read the first book in the series, and I found myself wanting to read that story to find out about life aboard the prisoner ship and how this fine couple got together. I anticipate the third book in the series because I'm eager to see how John and Hannah make peace with the past and find out what the future holds for their family.

I had thoroughly enjoyed reading the first book, and ended up buying this one. This book was a good read, just as the first. I know that there were a couple of reviews about how upset they were with how the main male lead reacted to hearing about female lead's past that took place in book one. When I read it, I was waiting for this horrible moment, as everyone else had said, but instead, I could understand why he reacted the way that he did, and remembering the time period in which this was taking place, this happened more often than people know. That was their thought process back then. I was happy to see that he thought it over, and felt badly for his quick temper, and ended up apologizing for it later. You could tell from reading that section of the book, just how much he loves his wife, no matter what happened to her, and you continue to see his love as the book comes to an end. The characters are faced with this new maid that comes to live with their former employers and immediately, you could tell that there was something not quite right with her, and I jumped to a conclusion and I was wrong, surprisingly so. As this new woman started to cause problems with the main characters, the love of the husband made me like him even more. He did everything he felt that he could to protect his wife, and family from the threats that this woman was suggesting. It was also nice to get a little more light shed into the other characters of the story, instead of focusing solely on the main two. I loved how it ended! The message at the end of the book was nice, and a little obvious, but I'm still glad that it ended the way that it did.
There was only one part of the book that seemed rather quick. The main characters end up taking in a young boy who became orphaned and the boy immediately takes to the male lead, but is having a rather difficult time connecting with her. It's believable and the moments between them, the tensions and converstaions are great, but then one day after she tells him that she was sorry and that she loves him, the next morning, everything was great! It was a little shocking to go from hate to love almost within a night, but I also understand that there are word limits, and it could be that the kid didn't want to get too close to her. Whatever the reason, this book is still a great read, and I'm looking forward to the next book in the series!

I have enjoyed this second book of the Sydney Cove Series except for one thing. (IMO) I don't believe that John's reaction to Hannah's "sin" was....well, believable. Since the beginning of the story he has been portrayed as a kind loving Christian soul who was totally in love with Hannah. I don't think he would have reacted the way he did. His reaction made me feel like he didn't really love her at all. Where was his compassion for the agony she endured at the hands of "that creton" that calls himself a judge. John's compassion came a bit too late for me. I think his instant reaction should have been anger - not at Hannah - but at the man that raped her.

Also, I felt that Hannah had NOTHING to be ashamed of. She was kept in the bowels of a ship. Her conditions couldn't have been worse. I think that any woman would pray to not give birth in those conditions but all through this book we were made to feel like this was a horrible sin. I beg to differ. (IMO)

That being said, I did enjoy every other aspect of this book. It was well written and the conversations flowed nicely and were natural. I will continue reading the last of the series to find out what further calamities will befall John and Hannah....and now Thomas.

I enjoy Bonnie's style of writing and will most likely read her other books.

Bonnie Leon is one of my favorite authors. Each series holds a charm of its own, but Longings of the Heart is some of Bonnie's best work. She knows how to record history with a heart. She draws the reader into the character's world and establishes a relationship that the reader wants to keep forever.
Good stuff, Bonnie.

Longings of the Heart is a book about the consequences that follow when Hannah Bradshaw decides to withhold a truth about her past from her husband, John. Her decision to lie to him by omission creates ripples that affect many lives. A friendship is sundered, a marriage threatened, and a man violates his principles--all as a result of Hannah's decision.

Bonnie Leon has written a compelling story that draws the reader deeper and deeper as the consequences continue to unfold. Using the fascinating backdrop of early-day Australia, Leon brings her all-too-human characters to vibrant life on the page.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

I've just finished reading Longings of The Heart, by Bonnie Leon, and was delighted with this sequel to To Love Anew. Once again, I was transported to the outback of Australia in a way that only Bonnie can do. Longings is a bit different from Bonnie's other books. It lacks much of the exciting conflict that carries through most of her writing, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. While Hannah and John's story was a bit slower and quieter than the first book, I found it to be compelling and believable. Together they faced many situations we face in our time including issues of forgiveness, trust, and love. The characters are honest, transparent and I easily identified with each of them. This book is steady, calm, and full of believable faith moments. I was disappointed to reach the end of it. I didn't say I was disappointed in the end, I loved the ending. I was disappointed to have finished it. Longings of The Heart is a great book to curl up with on a rainy weekend. Well written!