Review
Chiara di Paradini comes to late 18th century Venice on a quest. She is searching for her father, who threw she and her family out on the street. Chiara wishes to avenge this wrong to her family, but first she needs to make enough coin to live on. Born a gypsy child with the sight, Chiara sells fortunes at a party and attracts the attention of wealthy Luca Zeani. Due to a misunderstanding, Chiara is sold to Luca as his slave. Unfortunately, Luca bears an uncanny resemblance to the beast that attacked her younger sister, breaking her sanity. However, Chiara is puzzled to find his heart is not evil when she looks inside with her gift. Luca, in turn, is mystified why the lovely Chiara seems to be alternately afraid and trusting of him. Dark forces work to tear the couple apart as they struggle with their growing love for each other. The Shadowed Heart is a moving and curious tale. It is interesting to see how Ms. Beaumont has smoothly woven the psychic characteristics of her heroine into the story. I was concerned about the location and time period Ms. Beaumont chose for this book. I know next to nothing about Venice and certainly had no desire to know anything about it. However, Ms. Beaumont depicted the time and places so well that my interest was caught and maintained. I even learned a little about the customs of the family houses of Venice. The reader will empathize with Chiara as her mind and psychic abilities fight over their conflicting perceptions about Luca. And Luca will melt the heart of anyone with his earnest desire to make Chiara trust in him. Over all, I was surprised and pleased by this story, and enjoyed it far more than I had expected to The Shadowed Heart reveals both the light and dark hidden within the heart of man, and moved the reader to contemplate the state of their own heart and soul. Nina Beaumont is clearly at the top of her game, with engaging characters and interesting twists to old plot situations. With its psychic turn, The Shadowed Heart reveals the ingenuity and deftness of plot and writing that Nina Beaumont deserves credit and congratulations for. Well done, Ms. Beaumont, for such a wonderful and new creation! Gloria Lower --
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