Tuesday, January 17, 2023

HEARTS OF STEEL by Elizabeth Camden, Reviewed by Paula Shreckhise #ReleaseDay

Ms. Camden has penned wonderful stories of the Gilded Age in American History and this one is no exception. She taken a prominent person in the past and adds fictional characters to personalize the story of corruption in the 1800s.

We have met Liam Blackstone in previous books and learned his background as an impoverished boy after being kidnapped from a wealthy family. Now we see how he struggles to become a part of this legacy of steel magnates.

Confronting the unscrupulous Charles Morse with whom he shares a seat on the board of U.S. Steel, Liam meets Maggie who is trying to collect a debt. Maggie is a self-made business woman who owns an ice cream factory. Together they take on a mogul who has everyone from police to politicians in his pocket.

The author imparts many interesting bits of history into the story. The scenes of harvesting and transporting ice and the making of ice cream captured my interest. She fleshes out the personalities of Liam and Maggie and doesn’t smooth the way for an easy life or a care free courtship. She sheds light on a very hot summer in New York City and how a supposed ice shortage impacted all walks of life. I like the way she showed how the business owners of Gadsen Street banded together as friends rather than competitors.

A fantastic addition to the Blackstone Legacy series. Recommended for fans of Historical Christian Fiction.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House on behalf of the author. I was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*
5 stars and underlying faith thread.

BackCover Blurb:
His steel empire has catapulted him to the top of the world, but loving her could cost him everything.

Maggie Molinaro survived a hardscrabble childhood in the downtrodden streets of Manhattan to become a successful businesswoman. After a decade of sacrifice, she now owns a celebrated ice cream company. But when she offends a corrupt banker, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to destroy her life's work.

Liam Blackstone is a charismatic steel magnate committed to overhauling factory conditions for the steelworkers of America. Standing in his way is the same villain determined to ruin Maggie. What begins as a practical alliance to defeat a common enemy soon evolves into a romance between two wounded people determined to beat the odds.

A spiraling circle of treachery grows increasingly dangerous as Liam and Maggie risk their lives and fortunes for the good of the city. It will require all their wit and ingenuity to protect everything--and everyone--they hold dear.

Bethany House Publishing, January 2023
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