Queen of Hearts [Kindle Edition]

K. Dawn Byrd (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Daphne Dean is proud to be serving her country stateside during WWII as a reporter and an Office of Strategic Services operative. When the photograph she takes of the crowd at a murder scene places her on the mob's hit list, she's forced into hiding in a vacant mental asylum in the middle of nowhere with terrifying secrets of its own.

Daphne believed herself to still be in love with her ex-fiancée, Kenneth, until she spends several days locked away in the asylum with Vito, the mob boss' son. Can she put the terrifying events that occurred there behind her and allow herself to pursue a relationship with Vito? Or, will she return to Kenneth who has turned his back on his country by becoming a draft dodger and a black market racketeer? One thing's for sure, it won't matter if she can't escape the mental institution alive.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 383 KB
• Print Length: 171 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc (March 30, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003EV5T3K
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #388,904 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

More About the Author

K. Dawn Byrd is an author of inspirational romance. She holds a masters degree in professional counseling from Liberty University that she believes gives her better insight into the minds, feelings and emotions of individuals, which helps her to better understand her characters and develop them more fully. Queen of Hearts, a WWII romantic suspense released April 1, 2010 and Killing Time, a contemporary romantic suspense released August 1, 2010 both with Desert Breeze Publishing. Her first young adult romance, Mistaken Identity, released on June 15, 2011. This Time for Keeps, a contemporary romance released in October 2011.

2012 Releases: K. Dawn is pleased to announce that she's signed yet another contract in the young adult genre, this time for a romance-mystery series. The first Zoe Mack mystery will release on January 1 with others to follow in June and December. You can follow her progress as she writes Zoe Mack at www.zoe-mack.blogspot.com. In April, Shattered Identity, the sequel to Mistaken Identity, will release.

K. Dawn Byrd is an avid blogger and gives away several books per week on her blog at www.kdawnbyrd.blogspot.com, most of which are signed by the authors. To learn more about K. Dawn, you can vist her website at www.kdawnbyrd.com.

When not reading or writing, K. Dawn Byrd enjoys spending time with her husband of 16 years, walking their dogs beside a gorgeous lake near her home, and plotting the next story waiting to be told.

When asked why she writes, she says, "For the simple joy of putting words on the page!"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars There is a reason it is a best seller, May 13, 2010

By 

Tiffany A. Harkleroad "Tiffanys Bookshelf" (Kittanning PA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Queen of Hearts (Kindle Edition)

Queen of Hearts
By K. Dawn Byrd

Daphne Dean is a news reporter and photographer in New York during World War II. Her boss has convinced her to join up with the Office of Strategic Services, a precursor to the CIA, to help with secret wartime intelligence activities. Fiercely patriotic, Daphne is eager to serve her country, but has no idea the danger in which she is being placed, not only in the OSS, but in her job as well. When she is assigned a murder scene to photograph, she quickly gets tangled up with the mafia. It seems nothing, and no one, in her life is what or who they seem, and Daphne struggles to know who to trust. The story takes a dramatic turn when Daphne enters hiding in a troubling location with Vito, the most mysterious and handsome man she has ever met. But can Daphne trust Vito? And can Daphne trust her own heart?

This best seller by K. Dawn Byrd grew from her 2009 National Novel Writers Month commitment. I am flabbergasted that such an amazing book was written in 30 days, because K. Dawn does not take a single short cut. Her characters are well developed, her plot well developed and fast moving, and her setting descriptions so vivid you can hear, see, and smell them.

I loved the fact that the protagonist is a strong, woman of faith. Strong women were not exactly common in during this time setting, but they did exist, so to hear about one is very satisfying. There are many instances where she fights conventional female stereotypes, and avoids pitfalls that women are prey to during that time in history, and her strength is commendable. I love Daphne's character, because she shows that one can be feminine, and emotional, and a woman of extreme faith, and still be a strong woman.

I am also pleased to see such variety in the male characters of the book. The characters of Kenneth and Vito are so different, not only from each other, but from what you expect them to be. I love when, as a reader, I am surprised to find out who the good guys are and are not. K. Dawn does an excellent job of keeping the story full of interesting twists and turns.

This book had me hooked, I read it in about thirteen hours, and it only took me that long because I had to get some sleep in the middle of it, since I started reading it at night. The story moved so swiftly, I just did not want to stop. I became emotionally invested in these characters. I wanted to know what happened to Daphne, and I wanted to learn if my gut instincts were correct about whom the good guys were or were not. The story made me happy, and at times made me shiver, but it never ever let me down.

The story is a romance, but completely chaste, with emphasis on faith, so it would be a suitable book for a young adult reader. There are some themes that can be a little darker, because the setting for the latter part of the book is an old mental institution, and there are lots of ties to the mafia and black market, but any violence or darkness is minimal, not gratuitous, and absolutely necessary for the storyline. Because the action scenes are so well developed, and the story so suspenseful, the book appeals to males; because there is a romantic element, the book appeals to females. In short, I would recommend this book to anyone, and everyone, who enjoys a good mystery, suspense, romance, or World War II book. And that pretty much covers everyone. Which is why this is a best seller.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Guessing until the end!, April 21, 2010

By 

Shawna Williams "Shawna K. Williams" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Queen of Hearts (Kindle Edition)

What a great read! K. Dawn Byrd has crafted a story that blends romance, suspence,and history into an entertaining experience called, Queen of Hearts. The story begins with ambitious reporter, Daphne Dean, deciding to add a little more adventure to her life by joining the O.S.S. during WWII. She's suddenly thrust into a situation she's ill-prepared for, and isn't sure who to trust. There's her ex-boyfriend, Kenneth, who still holds her heart. By all reason she should trust him since she's known him her whole life, but war has brought out a different side to him that makes Daphne leery. Then there's the new guy, mysterious Vito, with shady family connections and secrets he's unwilling to divulge, yet something about him engenders trust. Should Daphne give it?

As the situation escalates, Daphne finds herself in hiding in an abandoned mental hospital. Both men insist they want to protect her, but is that really the case?

Is it terrible that I really want to find this institution to explore? Seriously, K. Dawn's description was so vivid and intriguing that this fictional setting is now listed in my top ten places I "must see" before I die. (Not sure how that's going to work out.) The whole story was great, but the last part was a major page turner, that kept me guessing until the very end. And I loved the growth of the characters shown in the book's conclusion. Most satisfying indeed. K. Dawn Byrd is a masterful suspense writer, and I look forward to her next title, Killing Time, in August, 2010.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Queen of Hearts - Awesome book, May 9, 2010

By 

Book Enthusiast - See all my reviews

This review is from: Queen of Hearts (Kindle Edition)

Queen of Hearts, written by K. Dawn Byrd, is full of mystery, suspense, surprise, romance with a flirt of intimacy, murder, and a character that reminds us of the power of prayer. It is as well written as any best seller currently available. You will be on edge, as relationships unfold and the truth from the past surfaces. I look forward to future works of K. Dawn Byrd.