A Heart Revealed

5 stars does NOT do this novel justice. And I am completely unbiased in that statement.So few books stir me to feel hemmed in by our rating system and make me wish to burst from that bubble and rate a book the way I REALLY want to rate it. Like with “A Heart Revealed” a story worthy of way more than 5 stars. But it deserves every single one of those glowing yellows.I am a diehard Lessman fan, but none of her novels have been able to knock A Passion Most Pure (her debut novel) from the covete [...]

Julie Lessman.Not that I know how she does it, but every time Julie Lessman writes a book, the last book I read of hers gets bumped to "my-second-all-time-favorite-book." I read in a blog interview a while back about how she'd initially made up the character of Emma Malloy just to fill a role until the moment she wrote Emma meeting Sean O'Connor over dinner at the O'Connor household. And I tell you--I don't know if it's just because I've been training my brain for so long to think like a writer [...]

Scratch what I wrote in my review of A Hope Undaunted; I can and I will pick a favourite O’Connor book, and it’s this one. Sweet mother of pearl, it was just wonderful. I was completely swept away from page one, and thoroughly enjoyed myself until the end.All previous little nitpicky things from the other books magically had no appearance here (except for the earlobe nipping - there seems to be no doing without that). No passionate kissing between the H/h at random/innoportune/inapropriate m [...]

I always know what to expect from a Julie Lessman novel, and believe me, this lady never disappoints! I don't know how she does it but every one of her characters become so dear to me I feel as though they all live right next door! In fact, reading a Lessman novel is like coming home after a long journey. We all know how families can be, right? Loving, refreshing, soothing, yet so honest and raw and let's face it, filled with drama. Emma is a heroine who's made mistakes but who has been terribly [...]

It was good. I like Emma, but I would like to see a little more wit or something. I really liked her as a person. It was hard for me to relate to her. I had a hard time understanding her thinking process. I actually liked Charity in this book, I think for the first time. I liked how it told there story more. You didn't hear much about Faith and Elizabeth, but still saw them interact. That was nice, but I admit although I liked that touch, I often skimmed or even skipped it. I did feel like the s [...]

Clear your calendar before you begin this book. Put the dog in a kennel, send the kids to their grandparents and make sure you have a lot of frozen dinners on hand. You don't want anything distracting you from reading! College student? No worries, attending every class is over-rated. Besides it's weeks before final exams. So put those textbooks down and keep them closed until you finish A Heart Revealed. Have to work for a living? It's flu season, call in sick. You'll definitely be feeling fever [...]

Drama, Drama, Drama in Julie Lessman's A Heart RevealedAre you surprised by the title of this post? Well you won't be since you now know that this is a review of Julie Lessman's latest novel, A Heart Revealed. If you are at all familiar with this series you know that drama is the key to each of these stories. If you're like me the more drama, the better and it comes in spades in this book.Continuing the O'Connor saga is the story of Emma Malloy and Sean, the eldest O'Connor sibling. Each has a p [...]

I am grateful to have received a review copy of a novel that is written by an author who's passionate about her relationship with Jesus and others she loves. Not only does Julie have a zest and love for life but Julie’s passion for her Savior radiates throughout this book and not in a preachy way, but an honest and enlightening way. Julie’s newest novel shows that what we have in our hearts is revealed through our actions, thoughts and words. Just like Julie’s characters this often takes u [...]

Sean O'Connor wants only one thing--to spend all his days in the bliss of bachelorhood. When he takes a job working with his little sister's best friend, Emma Malloy, he does the one thing he never meant to do. . . he falls in love her with her. There's only one problem . . e's already married. Emma Malloy escaped the hands of her abusive husband eleven years ago when she fled from Dublin to Boston. Still, she intends to keep the vows she made to her estranged husband and God. But nothing prepar [...]

First posted on my blog, Legacy of a Writer.Need a book that is chockfull of passion—not only in romance, but also for the Lord? Julie Lessman is an author I highly recommend to give you just that! I thought I’d found my favorite by Julie when I read A Hope Undaunted, but I was wrong. A Heart Revealed is the best one I’ve read by Mrs. Lessman to date. Wowza!! Sean and Emma’s story was so amazing, complicating, unique, romantic, and special…I can’t help but still be wrapped up in the [...]

A Heart Revealed is the second book in the Winds of Change series, but really the fifth book in the Daughters of Boston series continuing the saga of the O'Connor children and this one is the first one about a son, Sean O'Connor and a character that is practically an adopted daughter in Emma Fray. I love Julie Lessman, both the author and the person that I know and this book had the one issue of being published right after my daughter was born. First there is the publishing date, and then my cop [...]

Ask anyone, and they will tell you that I'm one of Julie Lessman's most devoted readers ( and that's not an exaggeration) and loved every one of her books. So why didn't I give A Heart Revealed 5 stars? Probably because I just didn’t get to see Sean And Emma as I'd hoped,and instead we got a look at the other couples a bit more than usual. The story picks up where A Hope Undaunted left off. Katie and Luke have finally been married, and the next one up on the marital chopping block is sweet-tem [...]

A HEART REVEALED, book two in the Winds of Change series, was like a carnival full of emotional roller coasters. While the heights were breathtaking, some of the twists were more jarring than entertaining.Emma Malloy had spent ten years trying to put the violent and tragic events of her past behind her. With friends like the O’Connor’s, she has thrived in Boston, pushing the events that happened in Dublin to the recesses of her mind. What she didn’t plan for was her deepening feelings for [...]

Oh, the romance that I found as I opened this lovely book. Be still my heart. This book holds such beautiful characters all weaving them into a place of renewed peace. Emma Malloy is one of those unforgettable characters. She is that woman with a past that holds regret. She wants love, but with her past it will be difficult for her to ever trust again. She is such a sweet spirit and a woman of virtue. Although her character went through such heartache in 1919, it is a pain we can relate to today [...]

Wow! Julie Lessman has hit another home run with this second installment to The Winds of Change series! We first meet the O'Connor family in Julie's Daughters of Boston series, which you'll want to read first, before reading The Winds of Change series. All of Julie's books are meant to be read in order, as each story builds from the others - a gripping family saga that will keep you wanting more and more! Each book filled with passion, drama, and a heart for God that makes it next to impossible [...]

Emma Malloy escaped her abusive husband 11 years ago. She now has made a new life for herself. She is the head of her best friends department store, works long hours and has a generous loving heart.Sean O'Connor is a confirmed bachelor. When he loses his job in the middle of a depression Charity, Sean's sister, offers him a job as co-manager at the store she owns.Even though Emma has known Sean for years she has recently seen a side of him that causes her to be nervous working near him. Sean has [...]

This book was very different from what I had anticipated. It's part of a series, and I'm not really sure that it can be read as a standalone novel. There were a lot of characters to keep straight right from the very beginning. It was a struggle to keep up with all of the different couples and become invested in all of them at the same time. I had thought the book would focus on Emma and Sean, but there was just as much time and pages devoted to the other two couples as well. I'm sure this contri [...]

Catching up with the O'Connor clan is always a treat! Lessman's family saga continues in A Heart Revealed - a sweet story of grace and godliness, as well as the struggle to accept and act in both. Hearts are certainly revealed in several marriages and friendships throughout this story, and Lessman's sensitivity makes the result ultimately uplifting.Reading through this book is like reading through plenty of case studies for various personality theories. The pages are rich in each character's per [...]

I am still fairly new to Julie Lessman’s books. Having missed her entire Daughter’s of Boston series, I didn’t start reading her books until the first book in the Winds of Change series, A Hope Undaunted. A Heart Revealed is the second book in the series and after enjoying A Hope Undaunted, I was really looking forward to this book. I have slightly mixed feelings about this one. On one hand, this book was a little slow to me. I don’t mean slow as in boring, don’t misunderstand. It’s [...]

1.) Reasons you chose this bookI read the first one in the series, A Hope Undaunted (my review) and absolutely loved the main character and her story. Agreeing to read/review this one when contacted by the publishing company was a no-brainer!2.) Reasons you liked or disliked this bookI absolutely loved this story. This genre, which I call my gentle reads (instead of inspirational fiction) just keeps getting better as the authors understand that the way to a reader's heart is not to pummel them w [...]

Emma thought she had found true love when she married Rory Malloy. Emma was sadly mistaken. Rory was both physically and verbally abusive to Emma. Emma has a disfigurement on the side of her face from the result of one of Rory’s many violent moments. Luckily for Emma, Rory took an interest in someone else and left Emma. Charity is Emma’s friend. She knows that Emma needs help in the shop, so she tells her that she has someone in mind, her brother, Sean. As much as Emma needs help, she is uns [...]

The Winds of Change series is the continuation of the Daughters of Boston series. It is highly recommended that readers begin with A Passion Most Pure. My review can be read here. Finally we find out what the eldest O’Connor brother has been up to. Up until now, we’ve only caught glimpses of Sean’s life through his sisters’ eyes, and all we know is that he’s a self-proclaimed bachelor. Well, that’s all about to change. Enter Emma Malloy, Sean’s sister Charity’s best friend. She� [...]

Oh! I loved this book so much! I absolutely loved Emma's story and didn't find any part of it predictable. I always loved her character and my heart felt complete when she finally married Sean. Like the rest of Julie's books, this one also held many biblical lessons. The fact that Emma had suffered the way she did would cause any normal human being to turn from God and hold Him accountable. But what I loved so much about this story is the strength Emma had. A single quote from this book made me [...]

Julie Lessman has been hit hard by people who think she is too edgy. I disagree because her books are realistic and never cross the line. Emma is a sweet and lovely heroine. Sean could be exasperating at times but I found it interesting that he never really contemplated infidelity even though he was not a Christian. It shows that he respected Emma and had a morality that even for that time might have wavered. This book is one of the most morally upholding books I have read in awhile. It is also [...]

I have found that the tag Line "Passion with a Purpose" does not touch the surface of the Love, Dedication and sincere realism, that takes her books beyond the shelf, but into the lives of her readers. Not just for a day, but her work hit a special place in your heart and will stay long after you place the book on the shelf - only to be read again. I give Julie Lessman and her works in Christian Literature a 5 Star rating. Her books will make you beg for another.

I had to buy myself a copy of this one on Kindle, because I wanted to read it so badly and only by the light of an electronic reader would suffice in the nursery See the Kindle copy, for my review.

Book 2 of 3

*This review is from my blog and originally published in 2011*Okay. Let me take just one moment to reflect on this book. *Reflecting* Okay. That’s better. WOW. I don’t even know where to begin. There is so much to say about this novel. Let me start off by saying if you’ve never read a Julie Lessman novel, stop what you are doing right now, and grab a copy. You won’t be sorry. The first novel I read by her was last September, entitled A Hope Undaunted, book 1 in this Winds Of Change serie [...]

A refreshing story about the love of God and the love of two people struggling with their pasts.I thought this was a good story, and the bits of prayer and calling on scripture were just enough to not make it feel like a bible lesson. Lessman did a good job of evoking the human part of this story.Set during the Great Depression-era, Emma Malloy, a battered wife from Dublin, is living in Boston being loved by the family of the O' Connor's. She has lived there for 11 years and has a best friend in [...]

I couldn't put this novel down. It really gets to your in so many ways; spiritually, emotionally, physically. Be prepared. Lessman delivers and she means it with every word! I loved it so much I was so sad to have it be finished. I devoured this book with all my being, and had me hanging on every chapter to find out what happened next. You are with Emma and Sean, but then you are stuck on Charity and Mitch and Katie and Luke, and boom, you have a story that is so real you almost feel like you li [...]