The place I belong is in front of my kindle, reading this little gem.
Overall: ★★★★★ (5 Stars)
There aren't many authors who can pull me into the
story and have me reading the whole way through without a pause. Now that I am
a content editor, it is even less likely. Nancy Herkness is one of the few who
can still entrance me in her story, putting my questions aside and losing
myself to her world.
The Place I Belong is a title that instantly
grabbed me. It spoke to me of a women who was trying to find the one place she
could really call her home. It reminded me of what I wanted in my life, what
many people want in their lives. Somewhere to just put down all our baggage and
be. Pulling on my heartstrings the whole
way, this book actually had me in tears towards the end. I loved this book, I thought it was complex,
well written, detailed, and incredibly accurate.
The
editorial description reads as follows:
“Nancy Herkness invites readers back to
Sanctuary, West Virginia, in Book 3 of the award-winning Whisper Horse series.
Fleeing professional scandal and a broken engagement, veterinarian
Hannah Linden abandons Chicago for the mountain town of Sanctuary, West
Virginia, hoping to put her troubles with men and the media behind her.
But when she
encounters world-famous chef Adam Bosch, she finds herself increasingly drawn
to the charming but darkly complex man and his troubled teenage son,
Matt. Adam, a recovering alcoholic, fears he can never be a worthy father
to the surly, distant boy he has just come to know, and enlists Hannah’s help
in his struggle to connect with his son.
Hoping to coax Matt
out of his shell, Hannah introduces the boy to an ailing brown pony who has the
power to change his view of the world. But can the determined little whisper
horse prove to Hannah, Adam, and Matt that they were meant to be a family?”
Originality: ★★★★★
I’ve read
a lot of stories about millionaires, single dads, women on the run from their
past, but Nancy takes common themes and weaves them together into a beautiful
plot that. That plus the idea of a whisper house (or pony), and I was
completely hooked. Her original story telling, and the way she twisted these ideas
into her own, that is what makes them so original for me. That is what keeps me
coming back to her stories. She takes familiar ideas and does them in such a
way that I had never even considered it. It’s like reimaging a family classic,
like grilled cheese, and turning it into a gourmet meal with the finest cheeses
and the best ingredients.
Character Development/Plot: ★★★★★
I feel
very strongly that Nancy’s best quality is her Character and Plot development.
They are two different aspects of writing, but without both equally well written
and balanced, a book is missing that essential piece. I did ask myself a few questions
about the believability of circumstances. Especially regarding Adam’s life, but
it was not so gaping that I couldn’t go with it. Once I suspended just a little
bit of disbelief it all came together. As soon as I could relax and let the
story take me where it wanted to go, I was wowed by the level of depth it had.
She thought of everything, tying up all the loose ends and providing one of the
best stories I have read in a very long time. Hallmark needs to hire this women
to write screenplays, because those are movies I would watch!
Appearance and Editing:★★★★★
While I
haven’t seen the cover, the writing is well done. Edited strongly and precise.
I’m a professional editor, albeit of content, but I couldn’t find anything that
needed copyediting.
The Romance/The Sex: ★★★★★
Every. Single.
Aspect. Is. Perfect.
I love
the tension, the amount of buildup. It is completely believable. It’s not at
all like two people are thrown together and forced to want one another (I have
read that, not fun). This has the natural development that you yearn for in a
piece. It leaves you rooting for the two of them, hoping that Hannah and Adam
will work through everything, and be the ones that can bring peace to each other.
The sex
is steamy, but romantic, that perfect little bit of sweet on the tongue with a full-bodied
flavor.
Overall Value:
While I
don’t know what the release price of the novel is going to be, at over 300
pages I would expect to (and be more than willing to) pay 9.99 for such a
complete work. This woman is destined to grow her readership and fandom, especially
with such dedicated works. I hope to purchase a print copy when it becomes available!
Veronica Hardy is a professional editor and author who enjoys
writing reviews in her spare time, for fun. She is not compensated by authors,
publishers or online retail markets for her opinions. If you are interested in
a book review or editing services please email her at
Veronica.R.Hardy@gmail.com.
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