Customer Reviews

Patchwork Hearts

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

 

 

If this book has been recommended to you because you have enjoyed books by Earlene Fowler, Jean Hager, and/or Sandra Dallas, forget this one. I found the characters and the plot to be very predictable, and the style reminded me more of what one might find in a Harlequin romance. Very disappointing.

Ms. Sterling has combined a memorable cast of characters and an engaging plotline, for an incredible, can't-set-it-down novel from page one until its satisfying finish. While I am not normally a fan of romance, Ms. Sterling has convinced me, with Patchwork Hearts, that I must give the genre another shot. Lucy, Trace, and the colorful secondary characters, as well as the well-paced story, make Patchwork Hearts a must-read. Don't take my word for it, though -- run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore, and find out for yourself. I look forward to many, many more books from this wonderful new author!

Patchwork Hearts is a delightful romance, told with such skill, compassion, and humor it is difficult to believe that this is Ms Sterling's debut novel. Packed with enough period detail to satisfy any history buff, Patchwork Hearts is set in post-civil war Texas and tells the story of Trace Abernathy, a former Yankee soldier searching for a fresh start, and Lucy O'Connor, a young woman determined not to have to rely on any man. Aside from the rich sense of place, what sets this novel apart is the wonderful cast of secondary characters, who are fully realized. The teasing, loving banter between Trace and Josh, a ten year old former slave, is especially touching. And in Lucy's best friend, Twila, we see the kind of life that Lucy is determined not to have to live. But the heart of the story is the rich romance betwen Trace and Lucy who, in finding each other, find themselves. I look forward with great anticipation to Ms Sterling's next offering!

Gotta go with what the reader in Wilmington said. Too predictable, too slow, too blaa. Next time I'll read the reviews first. Aren't there any good books anymore?

I found the love story of Trace and Lucy very sweet. The main characters had good, strong pioneer qualities. Twila,Uncle Nate, Josh, Rye and Theresa were perfect in their supporting roles. I am also certain that surly people like Mr. Pollard and others who followed his lead were around after the Civil War. It was a time when wounds both physical and emotional were raw. However,I had several complaints about the book. In one area, Ms. Sterling did not do her homework. On page 45, she has Mrs. Sorenson buying quilts to send to Sweden to be sold in a shop there, because quilts are not available there. Apparently, Ms. Sterling has never seen the book 'Old Swedish Quilts' which documents and chronicles Swedish quilt making in the last two centuries. Among the special treasures are Swedish wedding quilts. I also was somewhat offended at the character of Mrs. Sorenson. She is made out to be rather greedy and unpleasant and being of Swedish heritage, I found the descriptions of her offensive. Her dialog is written more to the cadence of German and nowhere is the singsong Swedish dialect mentioned. Once again, a good read, but would hope for better research next time.

...stitched flawlessly with the artistic hand of author, Cynthia Sterling. PATCHWORK HEARTS is pure delight. The characters of Lucy and Trace leap off the page in this first novel, full of heart and soul. Lucy's longing for her late mother, coupled with her almost obsessive desire to be an independent woman, wrenches our heart. Even though the reader might want to shake her and tell her to wake up and accept this wonderful man who longs to take care of her, we understand completely why she resists him. The hero, Trace, is believable, too, in his reluctance to fall in love with another strong woman after tragedy takes away his wife. Lucy and Trace are made for each other, and when they finally overcome their obstacles, it leaves readers satisfied and hungry for more from this talented new author.

As an avid romance reader, and a quilter myself, I couldn't put Cynthia Sterling's Patchwork Hearts down. Lucy and Trace are characters who march straight to a reader's heart and pull on all the strings. The way Cynthia wove the quilting aspect into the intricate folds of the story and made it an integral part of the tale was beautifully done. Bravo Cynthia Sterling. I'll be standing in line for anything this author writes!!!!

From the moment Lucy O'Connor appeared on the pages of PATCHWORK HEARTS, I knew I would adore her. Headstrong and determined--to an endearing fault, at times--Lucy grabs hold of you and threads you right into the fabric of this delightful tale. Trace Abernathy brings scandal, richness, and a wonderful cast of secondary characters into the story. A woman would be hard-pressed not to fall in love with him. The fabulous bits of history and the friendships, hatreds, and secondary romances in PATCHWORK HEARTS add wonderful texture to the compelling love story. These are real people living through a real period in American history. You will care about them from page one. Cynthia Sterling's talent for weaving a fast-paced, exciting plot and showing us that people have always been...well...human, makes this book a definite keeper. Here's my advice. Unplug the phone, roll up in your favorite quilt, and lose yourself in the artfully woven tale that is PATCHWORK HEARTS. Trust me, it won't be hard. Cynthia Sterling's debut novel was a satisfying one-night read for me. She sold me--I'm a fan.

In 1866, vet and widower Trace Abernathy, still wearing what is left of his Union outfit, leaves Virginia. He travels to Texas where he plans to work the cattle ranch deeded to him by deceased Hiram Fischer. At the local store near his ranch, Trace meets the owner Nate O'Connor and his beautiful niece Lucy. Though mutually attracted from that initial moment, Lucy's goal is to never be beholden to a male as her mother was to her abusive stepfather.

As Trace and Lucy become acquainted with each other, they fall in love. However, she refuses to marry a damn Yankee, especially a traitor to his home state. Then there is the problem of the the Buckboard Bandit, who wants the South to rise and start fighting again. He has targeted the carpetbagger Trace as a prime victim. To be contented, Trace must overcome the distrust of the townsfolk. To be safe, he must stop the Buckboard Bandit's antics. To be ecstatic, he must convince his beloved Lucy that they belong together.

PATCHWORK HEARTS is a brilliant Reconstruction Era romance that makes it impossible to believe that this novel is Cynthia Sterling's debut. The story line is loaded with historica trivia, especially with the Texans' reactions and motivations to having a Yankee in their midst. The lead protagonists are a charming couple who will garner fan interest. However, it is the in-depth look at the support cast that turns this impressive novel into a sterling reading experience for fans of historical romances.

Harriet Klausner