A Heart Adrift: A Novel
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- Create Date：2022-01-05 13:21:29
- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Laura Frantz
- ISBN：B09B2MFJD5
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Reviews
Paty
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I have no adequate words to compliment this beautiful book。 A masterpiece， as all of these author’s books always seem to me。 The way she writes is so lyrical and enchanting， and her vocabulary and historical details are so ample and well researched that I truly felt as if I’m in Virginia， during the colonial era， in 1771， when a war with France seemed imminent。Esmée Shaw， a talented Chocolatier in York， has always wondered what could’ve been， ten years ago， if she hadn’t rejected Captain’s Henri I have no adequate words to compliment this beautiful book。 A masterpiece， as all of these author’s books always seem to me。 The way she writes is so lyrical and enchanting， and her vocabulary and historical details are so ample and well researched that I truly felt as if I’m in Virginia， during the colonial era， in 1771， when a war with France seemed imminent。Esmée Shaw， a talented Chocolatier in York， has always wondered what could’ve been， ten years ago， if she hadn’t rejected Captain’s Henri Lenox marriage proposal because she didn’t want to end like her deceased mother， with a husband that spent more time at the sea than at home。 She never saw Henri again after that。 And a decade later， her heart is still adrift， has never found a home like it did with Henri。 Even though she fills her life with purpose， working at the Chocolate Shop her mother left her， and helping in the almhouse， where the destitute live。 So， when she encounters Captain Lenox， when he returns to port after so many years of absence， she tries to hide her feelings and feign indifference。 She hasn’t forgiven him， and she can’t risk having her heart broken again。 But， after more -maybe not so fortuitous- encounters， even she cannot deny the desires of her own heart。 But is it too late for a second chance？ Can she stand to see him walk away to the sea again？Captain Henri Lenox hasn’t forgotten Esmée either， but when they meet again， he finds she’s not the same joyful woman he loved。 She has erected high walls， and he feels guilty for being the reason。 But what’s the meaning of their constant accidental encounters， in York and Williamsburg？ Will she ever forgive him？ Can they be friends at least？ His heart is wary of the coming and goings of the sea and longs for a stable life with a loving wife by his side， living in his very own Indigo Island， where he’s finishing the last touches for the lighthouse。 But his heart only beats for Esmée， always has， and just when a spark of hope ignites between them， he receives a dangerous mission that could mean everything for the war efforts against France。 Will he have to give up his dream for duty to his country？As I said， I can’t praise this book highly enough。 The plot was intricate and complex， full of emotion and drama。 It felt so realistic because of the many historical details surrounding the characters， the scenery， the customs of colonial America， the deepness of the characters development and feelings。 I fell in love with Esmée and Henri。 Esmée is a very strong and independent woman， with a heart of gold that aches with the less fortunate’s suffering and pain， and not only she feels their pain but does what she can to better their lives。 She’s not one to be swayed by society expectation， as her sister Eliza， who is another genuine character totally opposed to Esmée， uniquely portrayed。 I admired the loyalty between the two， even if their ways of seeing things differed abysmally。 Henri is a wonderful hero。 I loved his gentleness， in spite of having lived a rough life and many adventures at the sea。 His integrity and honesty， he was a godly man， but not in an unrealistic way， but totally relatable。 He was charming。 His love for Esmée was a sight to behold， their romance the kind that can overcome time and space。 My heart ached for all the obstacles that came their way until they could be happily united。 I also liked the secondary characters: Eliza， Quinn， Lucy， the captain’s crew， etc。Ms。 Frantz weaves a magnificent story， a delight to read。 There were moments that were slower paced， especially at the beginning， but I found that every part of the story was equally enjoyable， be it a sweet moment， a tragic one， an ordinary one， because of the way it was narrated from the main characters point of view。 I felt so close to them， to their struggles and feelings， that I got immersed in the story as if I was transported almost four centuries ago。 It’s the perfect escape because of the hold the characters have on you， that you need to see them through until their happily ever after。 I especially loved the detailed scenes at the chocolate shop （it gave me such cravings that I just had to satisfy） and at the Island and the lighthouse。 Everything was so vividly described！This is definitely another winner for this author。 As always， I find myself wishing I didn’t have to wait so long for a new book of hers to come out， but there’s no doubt the wait is definitely worth it！Highly recommended to Historical Romance lovers！ A book that will captivate you and enchant you！I received a complimentary copy from the Publisher but wasn’t required to post a positive review。 This is my honest and unbiased opinion。 。。。more
April
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Laura Frantz is my go-to author for colonial historical fiction。 Her newest novel， A Heart Adrift was the perfect book to travel with over the holidays。Esmee Shaw is a chocolatier， trying very hard to mend a broken heart。 Her broken heart however has been with her for 10 years， the last time she saw Captain Henri Lennox。 Captain Lennox is back in Virginia and war with France is on the horizon。 The captain is trying to restore the lighthouse and decide if he wants to continue living at sea when t Laura Frantz is my go-to author for colonial historical fiction。 Her newest novel， A Heart Adrift was the perfect book to travel with over the holidays。Esmee Shaw is a chocolatier， trying very hard to mend a broken heart。 Her broken heart however has been with her for 10 years， the last time she saw Captain Henri Lennox。 Captain Lennox is back in Virginia and war with France is on the horizon。 The captain is trying to restore the lighthouse and decide if he wants to continue living at sea when the government tasks Lennox with a secret mission。 Esmee and Henri keep crossing paths and begin to realize they both still care deeply for one another。 Can they move beyond their past？ Will the threat of war keep them apart？This story weaves many historical details into the telling and kept me engaged the entire time I was reading it。 I loved seeing Esmee and Henri journey together in this story as the world around them changed drastically。 Laura Frantz is a very talented story teller and I look forward to each book she writes。 Her use of the English language， especially as appropriate to the time she is writing in always amazes me and leads to me learning new words。 I cannot wait for the book that was teased at the end of this one。Thank you to NetGalley， Laura Frantz， and Revell for the copy of this book in exchange for a review。mall opinions and z pressed here are entirely my own， 。。。more
Barb
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A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz is a novel set around the time of the French and Indian War。 Esmée Shaw is a chocolatier who has a shop in York， Virginia。 Ten years previously she had a love affair with Captain Henri Lennox and was hoping to be married。 Captain Lennox chose a love affair with the sea instead of her。 Esmée is resigned to a life alone until the Captain returns to port。 He desires to finish building a lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay， a waterway that can be dangerous to shipping。 Wi A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz is a novel set around the time of the French and Indian War。 Esmée Shaw is a chocolatier who has a shop in York， Virginia。 Ten years previously she had a love affair with Captain Henri Lennox and was hoping to be married。 Captain Lennox chose a love affair with the sea instead of her。 Esmée is resigned to a life alone until the Captain returns to port。 He desires to finish building a lighthouse in the Chesapeake Bay， a waterway that can be dangerous to shipping。 With the two of them together again in the York area， the love that they shared seems to blossom again。I love the way Ms。 Frantz writes her historical novels。 They cleverly combine interesting characters with the history of the period。 Picturing these events is easy when reading Ms。 Frantz’s’ books。 That’s my idea of a great read…being able to place oneself in the very place and time that I am reading about。 I recommend her novels to those interested in historical romances。I was gifted a print copy of this book by Barbour Publishing and was not required to give a review。You can find this review on my blog at https://wp。me/p2pjIt-E3。 Reviews of other books can be found at http://imhookedonbooks。wordpress。com。 。。。more
Claudia
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Set in the Virginia Colony in the 1750s， A Heart Adrift tells the love story of Captain Henri Lennox and chocolatier Esmée Shaw。 This is no simple love story as the novel delves into the themes of the value of human life， the worth of all no matter the station of life， and the importance of a life well-lived。 Themes our culture would do well to consider。 As always Frantz's research is evident， placing readers securely in the time and place alongside memorable characters。 Her writing evokes deep Set in the Virginia Colony in the 1750s， A Heart Adrift tells the love story of Captain Henri Lennox and chocolatier Esmée Shaw。 This is no simple love story as the novel delves into the themes of the value of human life， the worth of all no matter the station of life， and the importance of a life well-lived。 Themes our culture would do well to consider。 As always Frantz's research is evident， placing readers securely in the time and place alongside memorable characters。 Her writing evokes deep empathy and compassion。 She has inspired me to want to once again visit Colonial Williamsburg and Yorktown once this pandemic is under greater control。 For now， I will sit down with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book。 I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of A Heart Adrift from Revell via NetGalley without obligation。 All opinions expressed here are my own。 。。。more
Joanne
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When Laura Frantz writes a book you sit up and take notice because you know it is going to be a great read。 A Heart Adrift is no different。 The characters are rich and refreshing。 Laura's words flow like the chocolate her character creates。 I love reading Laura Frantz books because she writes about faith， family， and love while preserving historical facts。 A Heart Adrift speaks of love lost and lives lost， but it speaks of hope， faith， and friendship。 This is definitely a must read book。I would When Laura Frantz writes a book you sit up and take notice because you know it is going to be a great read。 A Heart Adrift is no different。 The characters are rich and refreshing。 Laura's words flow like the chocolate her character creates。 I love reading Laura Frantz books because she writes about faith， family， and love while preserving historical facts。 A Heart Adrift speaks of love lost and lives lost， but it speaks of hope， faith， and friendship。 This is definitely a must read book。I would like to thank Revell Books for the advanced reader copy。 The views expressed are solely my own。 。。。more
Grace Johnson
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HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO THIS BEAUTY！！！ Review to come， y'all！ HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO THIS BEAUTY！！！ Review to come， y'all！ 。。。more
J Lewis
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19th April 1749Dearest Esmée， Four Years。 We have not spoken nor seen each other， yet you still seem nearer to me than the sea I sail upon。 For all I know you have chosen another who， I am certain， is not a mariner。 No matter our past， I choose to remember the good， for there was much of it in hindsight， if not the misspent words between us at the last…-Laura Franz， A Heart AdriftAlways intertwined around early American history， Franz pens another stunning romance full of love， drama， and the in 19th April 1749Dearest Esmée， Four Years。 We have not spoken nor seen each other， yet you still seem nearer to me than the sea I sail upon。 For all I know you have chosen another who， I am certain， is not a mariner。 No matter our past， I choose to remember the good， for there was much of it in hindsight， if not the misspent words between us at the last…-Laura Franz， A Heart AdriftAlways intertwined around early American history， Franz pens another stunning romance full of love， drama， and the intricacies of war。 She is so accurate with the details of speech， the happenings of the time period （The French and Indian War）， and the people that went along with it。 In A Heart Adrift， you see the characters come alive。 You live the struggles they endured and hope and believe alongside them。 The story is beautiful and shows the reader that the love between a man and a woman can be requited too and redemption achieved。 。。。more
Joy
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A Heart Adrift By Laura Frantz – Five StarsI haven’t read a Laura Frantz book for a while so I was more than thrilled with the chance to read A Heart Adrift。 The amazing book cover drew me in from the beginning。 Isn’t it just stunning？ And now for the story。 Set in 1755 colonial York， Va。， Chocolatier Esmée Shaw runs her mom’s Chocolate shop。 I love her character because she has such a caring personality， always willing to help those in need。 And always thinking of her old fame Henri and wonde A Heart Adrift By Laura Frantz – Five StarsI haven’t read a Laura Frantz book for a while so I was more than thrilled with the chance to read A Heart Adrift。 The amazing book cover drew me in from the beginning。 Isn’t it just stunning？ And now for the story。 Set in 1755 colonial York， Va。， Chocolatier Esmée Shaw runs her mom’s Chocolate shop。 I love her character because she has such a caring personality， always willing to help those in need。 And always thinking of her old fame Henri and wonder if she will ever see him again。 Will the war， the distance and the years keep the two apart forever？ Esmée is just the sweetest。 I enjoyed getting to know her so much， and oh my， all that Chocolate！ I could literally smell the chocolate as I read this book。 Henri had to grow on me somewhat， but I found that the two are just perfect together。 The attention to vivid details takes this book to a different level。 Author Laura Frantz does a fantastic job of research as well as creating wonderful characters and writing a story her readers will not soon forget。 I can’t seem to get Esmée and Henri off my mind。 I am sure I will be reading this one again in the near future。 I think anyone who enjoys a good clean historical fiction with elements of faith running through will love this book。 A Hearts Adrift by Laura Frantz deserves Five Stars from me。 This book was provided courtesy of Revell through Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion。 。。。more
Shannon Kraus
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Esmee Shaw a strong and independent woman is the owner of a chocolate shop in Yorktown。 Captain Henri Lennox has the sea in his veins and breaks Esmee’s heart to answer the call of the ocean。 But he returns， with the French and Indian War not far behind him。 He also returns to find the woman that he once loved very different than when he left her 10 years earlier。 They both must choose what is most important to them and decide what they are willing to sacrifice even if it means giving up what th Esmee Shaw a strong and independent woman is the owner of a chocolate shop in Yorktown。 Captain Henri Lennox has the sea in his veins and breaks Esmee’s heart to answer the call of the ocean。 But he returns， with the French and Indian War not far behind him。 He also returns to find the woman that he once loved very different than when he left her 10 years earlier。 They both must choose what is most important to them and decide what they are willing to sacrifice even if it means giving up what they both hold most dear- each other。 I have read all of Laura Frantz’s books with “The Lacemaker” and “Tidewater Bride” being my favorites。 However， “A Heart Adrift” has joined that list of favorites！ Once I began reading this book， I couldn’t put it down。 I grew up in Tidewater Virginia， a stone’s throw from the Chesapeake Bay， and was a student at The College of William and Mary， so that connection made this book all the more entrancing。 Ms。 Frantz writes with such depth and detail， that I could picture myself at the harbor in Yorktown or walking down Duke of Gloucester Street in Williamsburg right alongside Esmee。 The historical accuracy along with the fictional aspects blend perfectly into a book of pure delight。 The characters have deep emotion and don’t appear as superficial。 There was one minor character that became a major part of the book， towards the end， that I was not expecting！ The mystery， intrigue， romance， and adventure found throughout the book was thrilling to watch unfold！ Thank you to NetGalley and Revell Publishing for the ARC of this book。 All opinions within this review are my own。 。。。more
Jennifer K
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One of the many reasons that I was excited to read this book is because I love lighthouses。 But it turned out that his story was even better than I could have imagined。 First of all， I greatly enjoyed the characters especially the sea captain and the chocolatier。 Their romance was wonderfully captivating。 The other characters certainly added to the complete picture of the novel。 I found the historical details very interesting and I loved the way the facts complimented the story。 As a bonus， read One of the many reasons that I was excited to read this book is because I love lighthouses。 But it turned out that his story was even better than I could have imagined。 First of all， I greatly enjoyed the characters especially the sea captain and the chocolatier。 Their romance was wonderfully captivating。 The other characters certainly added to the complete picture of the novel。 I found the historical details very interesting and I loved the way the facts complimented the story。 As a bonus， reading about the types of chocolate was fun。 The storyline also contained some suspense which was another reason that I turned the pages so fast。 This engaging story was filled with lessons about navigating the storms of life which were very comforting。 Basically， I’m hoping that Frantz will write a sequel because I want to read more about these characters on this island and surrounding areas。 I was given a copy of this book。 All opinions are mine。 。。。more
Jeanette Fallon
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Tuesday， January 4， 2022A Heart AdriftI love Williamsburg and the Yorktown area。 I have been wanting to visit there again to explore the rich history that it shares with you。 I can not thank Laura Frantz enough to give me a taste of what it would be like if I was there in the 1700s。 I am quite impressed with the research that was required to write this glorious story of Henri and Esmee'。 I'm from Michigan and we do have lighthouses along with the shores of the Great Lakes。 Esmee' desire and Tuesday， January 4， 2022A Heart AdriftI love Williamsburg and the Yorktown area。 I have been wanting to visit there again to explore the rich history that it shares with you。 I can not thank Laura Frantz enough to give me a taste of what it would be like if I was there in the 1700s。 I am quite impressed with the research that was required to write this glorious story of Henri and Esmee'。 I'm from Michigan and we do have lighthouses along with the shores of the Great Lakes。 Esmee' desire and eagerness to work the lighthouse was a surprise to me as well as others in the storyline。 She wasn't raised to do such a task。 She knew that she wanted to do more than carry on her mother's ambition。 Esmee' "Heart" was adrift until she found what it desired。 A great book that kept me up until the late hours this week。 I received this book from Revell Reads to review。#AHeartAdrift 。。。more
Amy
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A Heart Adrift will keep you swooning from the first page to the last with Henri， the hunky piratical hero， and Esmee， the beautiful but lonely confectioner and dreamer。 This book is full of twists and turns that will keep you engaged and guessing。I love the setting – the Virginia coast during the French and Indian War – as this time period is quite unique！ I enjoyed learning more about what was happening during the Colonies at this time。 A Heart Adrift is a ‘smart’ book: it’s certainly fun and A Heart Adrift will keep you swooning from the first page to the last with Henri， the hunky piratical hero， and Esmee， the beautiful but lonely confectioner and dreamer。 This book is full of twists and turns that will keep you engaged and guessing。I love the setting – the Virginia coast during the French and Indian War – as this time period is quite unique！ I enjoyed learning more about what was happening during the Colonies at this time。 A Heart Adrift is a ‘smart’ book: it’s certainly fun and enjoyable， but the vocabulary is true to the period and and the text is well written and complex。 It’s clear that much thought， research， and work went into the writing of this book！ I think readers could even benefit from a vocabulary list at the front of the book to help everyone understand the period words。The spiritual content meshed well with the action of the story。 I appreciate the depth of the lessons and the natural way that they’re shared。If all of that wasn’t enough， Esmee makes chocolate！ How can you go wrong with a book featuring so much delicious chocolate？ I’m pretty sure you can’t – and I loved this historical look at our enjoyment of this food。A Heart Adrift is a sweet and exciting historical romance。 You’ll definitely want to check this one out！I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Mary Kay
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Laura Frantz’s A HEART ADRIFT just released in the midst of winter storms。 Though the winds shook our windows and rain battered our roof， I spent the day relaxing into a warm Virginia breeze and Esmée Shaw’s life in colonial， coastal Virginia。 And like the kite in the opening scene， I was tugged constantly onward from the first page。As a single woman in colonial Virginia， Esmée Shaw’s options are limited， and even ten years after her love left her behind for the sea， her heart hasn’t healed and Laura Frantz’s A HEART ADRIFT just released in the midst of winter storms。 Though the winds shook our windows and rain battered our roof， I spent the day relaxing into a warm Virginia breeze and Esmée Shaw’s life in colonial， coastal Virginia。 And like the kite in the opening scene， I was tugged constantly onward from the first page。As a single woman in colonial Virginia， Esmée Shaw’s options are limited， and even ten years after her love left her behind for the sea， her heart hasn’t healed and she desperately wants to do something meaningful with her life。 Until she figures that out， she takes comfort burying herself in the work of Shaw’s Chocolate shop。 But when she hears talk of Captain Henri Lennox’s possible return after years at sea， her heart， mind， and spirit are aflutter。 Frantz’s characters are as clear and real as my next-door neighbors。 She gives succinct yet strong hints of their desires， values， etc， such as when Esmée’s father observes， “You were in love once。” Frantz reveals how this seemingly mild observation impacts Esmée: “His low words rolled across the empty shop like a rogue wave， swamping and nearly upending her。”Frantz creates varied and interesting situations for her characters to display their struggles， feelings， secrets … And while colonial era standards limit choices for women， a rich interior life that Frantz shares with readers provides a wide landscape to learn about them。 An example is when a customer specifically asks for Esmée to wait on her rather than “the help。” “The widow was fond of reminding Esmée she was not among York’s founding families but an outsider， an easterner。 Still Esmée tried to be cordial。”Another example when Esmée and her father discuss the possible war and secret meetings he has with the governor。 Esmée questions and probes but cannot find out how Capt。 Lennox is involved。 “The coach lurched to a stop…。 Feeling like a kettle left too long at the fire， Esmée gathered her hat and gloves…。Would she ever have answers？”Esmée Shaw is a noble character with nary a bad word to say about anyone as she straddles the classes in colonial Virginia， This highlights another of Frantz’s skills。 I appreciate how she imbues characters from all classes， politics， races with dignity。 ‘Tis a rare skill that accurately shows how some characters are looked down upon and treated meanly in a particular era， yet infuses them with the dignity and value they have in God’s eyes。 Frantz always accomplishes this subtly， such that it doesn’t even register。 It slips between the lines of text like a gentle wave rolling over the sand， barely visible until I stop， look back， and analyze。 When you read this story， observe the behavior of girls from the almshouse， a rejected suitor， a “black jack，” and of course those Esmée loves。Readers can rely on Frantz to create an historic story world that is so accurate and vivid in detail that it comes alive。 One thing I especially admire: Frantz excels at creating a plot anchored in the colonial setting that reveals exactly how precarious life in that era was。 Readers could easily view dangers through a 21st century veil of risk mitigated by a governmental or cultural safety net， through expectations we have in a constitutional democracy。 But life in Colonialxxxcap？ times had no such reliable buffers。 Frantz displays great skill in showing that her characters live on a razor’s edge。 “Just shy of his sixteenth birthday， he’d been working late in his father’s dockyard when a press- gang overtook him， the certificate of exemption he carried in his pocket of no consequence … the gang pummeled him ，，， tore up his paper， then took him aboard the HMS Victory。 Fueled by fury as well as ambition， he’d worked his way up from cabin boy to midshipman to officer till he’d used the Royal Navy to gain his own vessel and his own captaincy。”Everything about this tale of love lost， love gained， self-sacrifice， faith， and heroism fits together like an intricate jig-saw puzzle。 It flows rich and lustrous like the smooth， aromatic chocolate Esmée works on her marble chocolate stone。 I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy historical and inspirational romantic fiction。 （Thank you to Baker Publishing Group for a copy of the book。 I was not required to write a positive review in return。） 。。。more
Roberta
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Laura Frantz never fails to weave a great tale。 Here she tells of two people and second chances。 Two people who made choices a decade ago they have never failed to regret。 While the story is set during the time of the French and Indian War， there are no Indians。 Instead we are drawn into the towns of York and Williamsburg in coastal Virginia and the part the sea played not only in the war， but also the lives of those living near it and heeding its call。 A young couple fell in love ten years ago Laura Frantz never fails to weave a great tale。 Here she tells of two people and second chances。 Two people who made choices a decade ago they have never failed to regret。 While the story is set during the time of the French and Indian War， there are no Indians。 Instead we are drawn into the towns of York and Williamsburg in coastal Virginia and the part the sea played not only in the war， but also the lives of those living near it and heeding its call。 A young couple fell in love ten years ago but he as a young naval officer， felt drawn to life at sea and she， the daughter of a naval officer， understood all too well how that affected family。 She wanted a more safe and secure family life。 Time， maturity and tragedy teaches them that sometimes we don’t always get what we want the way we want it and God has something else in mind。 。。。more
Sarah
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Thank you to the publisher for an ARC to review！Rating （on a scale of 1 to 5， 5 being excellent）Quality of writing: 5Pace: 5Plot development: 5Characters: 5Enjoyability: 5Ease of Reading: 5Overall rating: 5 out of 5
Jennifer Davids
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From the beautiful cover to the extremely satisfying last chapter， A Heart Adrift is a sigh-worthy novel。 Laura Frantz’s tale of second chance love amidst the backdrop of Colonial America is as sweet and satisfying as the delights concocted by her chocolatier heroine， Esmee。 Her skill at weaving romantic tension is equal to her ability to weave spiritual threads into her books。 Were I a person who underlined text in my books， I would have a good portion of this novel highlighted。 Thank you for a From the beautiful cover to the extremely satisfying last chapter， A Heart Adrift is a sigh-worthy novel。 Laura Frantz’s tale of second chance love amidst the backdrop of Colonial America is as sweet and satisfying as the delights concocted by her chocolatier heroine， Esmee。 Her skill at weaving romantic tension is equal to her ability to weave spiritual threads into her books。 Were I a person who underlined text in my books， I would have a good portion of this novel highlighted。 Thank you for another delicious tale， Laura！ 。。。more
Kailey
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I loved this book！ My only complaint is that it should come with a warning that you will need to keep chocolate on hand while reading！ I loved that way this was written。 It unfolded like a movie in my head。 I think that this was a nice take on Colonial America！ I would definitely recommend this book！I received a complimentary copy from the publisher。 I was not required to write a positive review。 All opinions expressed are mine alone。
Rebecca Embry
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Oh my heaven！ Another delightful read， and one that has now become my very favorite from Laura。 *sigh* oh my goodness it was so good！！ Full review to come！
Lisa Johnson
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Title: A Heart AdriftAuthor: Laura FrantzPages: 394 （ARC）Year: 2022Publisher: RevellMy rating is 4 out of 5 stars。Henri Lennox is a captain in colonial Virginia， serving King George in 1755 during the French and Indian War。 He has been at sea for ten years and has decided he wants to settle down on land。 He has a reputation as a pirate to some but to others he has been operating as a privateer。 He has held Esmee Shaw in his heart since their broken romance ended ten years ago never marrying。 He Title: A Heart AdriftAuthor: Laura FrantzPages: 394 （ARC）Year: 2022Publisher: RevellMy rating is 4 out of 5 stars。Henri Lennox is a captain in colonial Virginia， serving King George in 1755 during the French and Indian War。 He has been at sea for ten years and has decided he wants to settle down on land。 He has a reputation as a pirate to some but to others he has been operating as a privateer。 He has held Esmee Shaw in his heart since their broken romance ended ten years ago never marrying。 He has returned home to Indigo Island where he plans to complete a project of building a lighthouse， a project he and Esmee though up together and wanted to see fulfilled together。 Now he will complete the project on his own。 He has a chance meeting with Esmee， and his old feelings are rekindled but what is he to do about the situation， if anything？Esmee Shaw has worked in the family’s chocolate shop and given of her time and resources to the local almshouse。 Both of these endeavors were her mother’s passion。 Esmee took over these positions when her mother died。 They aren’t passions of Esmee’s but she just sort of drifted into them。 She has heard the rumors that Henri has returned， and the townspeople of York are wondering if their romance will resume。 Esmee was so deeply hurt when Henri chose a career at sea over remaining on land with her that she has not been open to other suitors。 Upon hearing the lighthouse has been completed， she decides to make a drastic change in her life and do something that interests her。Both of the main characters seem to be floating along with the current of life and not making any waves。 They are both strong in their faith， which is the only thing that has allowed them to keep going after their devastating break up。 Now that they have met a few times， will they touch their toes in the water of love once again， or will they run away from the waves as they crash on the shore， leaving them safe but alone？ Laura Frantz once again has shown her ability to capture the time about which she writes。 I was there in 1755， seeing the events through the characters’ eyes and hearts。Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility。 。。。more
Joanne | wellreadcoffeeaddict
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What a book to start the new year off with。 I believe this is my second time reading a Laura Frantz novel （the first was A Bound Heart which I also enjoyed）， and I'm not sure why I never picked up her other books。 I adored this maritime， atmospheric story of second chances。 The way Laura paints the settings with her words， I feel as though I'm walking through the streets of Colonial America arm-in-arm with Esmee。 Seriously， her writing is simply superb， a la Julie Klassen style， but in 1755 Virg What a book to start the new year off with。 I believe this is my second time reading a Laura Frantz novel （the first was A Bound Heart which I also enjoyed）， and I'm not sure why I never picked up her other books。 I adored this maritime， atmospheric story of second chances。 The way Laura paints the settings with her words， I feel as though I'm walking through the streets of Colonial America arm-in-arm with Esmee。 Seriously， her writing is simply superb， a la Julie Klassen style， but in 1755 Virginia not Regency era England。 Even if you don't enjoy historical fiction in the Christian fiction realm， you'll still love this one for the heart behind it。 It takes skill to craft a historical setting， get it right， realistic， and transport the readers straight into that time period without us knowing what's going on。 And Ms。 Frantz certainly has that skill！One other thing I have to point out， is how cleverly Laura writes Henri's POV。 There's a term used in movie production called gaze， either male or female; if the movie is filmed in female gaze， things a female would notice and care about are highlighted， and vice versa。 We get that same effect with Henri and Esmee （but I noticed it more with Henri）。 He stayed true to his character in word， deed， AND thought。 I also loved that when Henri goes off to sea again， we only get Esmee's POV， leaving us readers in the dark as to his welfare just as Esmee is anxiously waiting for word。This book takes on two tropes I don't generally appreciate - love triangles and second changes - and I still walked away giving it 5 stars。 The biggest selling point for me， I must admit， was Henri。 Mature， self-assured， and steady， Henri is my favourite kind of hero。Laura has a way of sweeping readers in and leaving you wanting more of her beloved characters。 By the end I didn't want to turn the last page and put the book down！ I wanted to savour their story for longer！ A Heart Adrift is exquisite is every way， and a book I highly recommend！ And now I am craving chocolate。 I received a copy of A Heart Adrift from the publisher for review。 All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own。 A positive review was not required。 。。。more
Winnie
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“How did one let go of the past and risk love again？”I’m always delighted when Laura Frantz writes a new book。 She is one of my favorite writers of historical fiction， and how could I resist this book when the heroine owns a chocolate shop？ Set in Virginia in 1755， Esme Shaw and Henri Lennox meet again after a failed love affair ten years before。 Esme is courageous， compassionate， and wondering if she made a mistake by turning down Henri’s proposal all those years ago。 Henri is a brave， heroic s “How did one let go of the past and risk love again？”I’m always delighted when Laura Frantz writes a new book。 She is one of my favorite writers of historical fiction， and how could I resist this book when the heroine owns a chocolate shop？ Set in Virginia in 1755， Esme Shaw and Henri Lennox meet again after a failed love affair ten years before。 Esme is courageous， compassionate， and wondering if she made a mistake by turning down Henri’s proposal all those years ago。 Henri is a brave， heroic sea captain who has made a name for himself but has not given up his love of the sea。Frantz’s writing flows beautifully and flawlessly and immediately caught me up in the story。 Her careful attention to historical detail and colorful， realistic， emotionally layered characters add authenticity and depth to the tale。 Packed with adventure， suspense， romance， and threads of forgiveness， hope， and faith， this novel of second chances has earned a spot on my keeper shelf。 I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers through LibraryThing。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Becky Lewis
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After reading A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz， how can I be so disloyal to Esmée and Henri as to start another book？ I read this novel as slowly as I could， savoring every poetic turn of phrase and lyrical word picture！ A Heart Adrift has left my heart undone！！ Replete with romance， intrigue， faith， and history， Laura Frantz has created another enduring masterpiece。 The evils of slavery， both for those captured and those who fought it are presented。 Trust in God and constant reliance on His Word After reading A Heart Adrift by Laura Frantz， how can I be so disloyal to Esmée and Henri as to start another book？ I read this novel as slowly as I could， savoring every poetic turn of phrase and lyrical word picture！ A Heart Adrift has left my heart undone！！ Replete with romance， intrigue， faith， and history， Laura Frantz has created another enduring masterpiece。 The evils of slavery， both for those captured and those who fought it are presented。 Trust in God and constant reliance on His Word and communion with Him permeate the lives of both Esmée and Henri， even through harrowing times。 Set against the capriciousness of the sea and early colonial politics （1745-1755） mixed with the delicious smells of a chocolatier’s shop and difficult family dynamics， this is one historical romance that will bring the early colonial struggles to vivid life。 I received a copy of the book from the author and Revell through NetGalley。 I also bought myself and a loved one a paperback copy to treasure。 Notable Quotables:“He chose the sea—his captaincy and ship—over me。” “And I could not conscience being left behind on shore。”“And then， much like a courtship， as wooing as a siren’s song， the sea had finally won him over。”Her fervent prayers went the way of her hopes and became floating wreckage。 “How can you possibly provide all these items， Miss Shaw？” “I shan’t provide them，” Esmée said with a confident smile， pocketing the paper。 “The Almighty shall。”“…the island suddenly felt a tad hollow， as did his cottage。 To say nothing of his heart。”“’Tis never amiss to hope 。 。 。 dream。”“I don’t believe in accidents， nor coincidences， but rather divine instances，”…”Especially in matters of the heart。”“As for myself， I am in the prime of senility。”Points is smiles and laughter The only certainty about life was its uncertainty。 Only God stayed steadfast。 Only the Almighty could walk her through life’s many changes。 And when she felt overwhelmed， like now， she simply had to look back to see how faithful God had been， did she not？ The heartaches and closed doors of the past had made the present more beloved。“Those for whom God has mercy in store He first brings into a wilderness。” 。。。more
Victoria
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I hadn't even finished the Prologue and I was already hooked and fully invested in Henri and Esmee。 The story is a bit slow when compared to some of her others， especially the first half， but there's this delightful underlying tension throughout the book which keeps you on edge and reading。 The book is rich in detail and history and I always love learning about new professions I haven't read about before， in this case chocolatiering （is that a word？）。 I really enjoyed the growth of Esmee's chara I hadn't even finished the Prologue and I was already hooked and fully invested in Henri and Esmee。 The story is a bit slow when compared to some of her others， especially the first half， but there's this delightful underlying tension throughout the book which keeps you on edge and reading。 The book is rich in detail and history and I always love learning about new professions I haven't read about before， in this case chocolatiering （is that a word？）。 I really enjoyed the growth of Esmee's character， how she went from being complaisant to boldly stepping out and seizing the life she wants。 I wish a greater percentage of the story was from Henri's perspective but I enjoyed what was there。 He's a captain。 On a big ship。 He's strong， tough and sweet。 Of course I loved him！ Normally， I'm not a big fan of second chance romances because they're always written with so much anger， arguments and emotions。 But Laura Frantz took a different track and instead wrote an achingly sweet romance with more sadness than anger。 And that romantic tension until the first kiss is so worth it！I was gifted a copy of this book but all views and opinions expressed are wholly my own。 。。。more
Jaime Jo Wright
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Laura Frantz rises once again to prove herself the mistress of early American story。 I thoroughly enjoyed this colonist/maritime tale and its unique island setting along with the inclusion of chocolates！ It is a beautiful story。 Readers who enjoy the 18th century as a backdrop will devour this novel。 4 ⭐️’s for Deliciously Good。
Stacey Ulferts
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Laura Frantz's spellbinding way with words is on glorious display in A Heart Adrift。 This captivating second chance love story of a chocolatier and a privateer is heart-achingly beautiful。 Full of historical background amidst the Tidewater setting of colonial Virginia， I was completely enthralled from the first page。 I highly recommend this book and I think it deserves to be the start of a series。 I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions are my own。 Laura Frantz's spellbinding way with words is on glorious display in A Heart Adrift。 This captivating second chance love story of a chocolatier and a privateer is heart-achingly beautiful。 Full of historical background amidst the Tidewater setting of colonial Virginia， I was completely enthralled from the first page。 I highly recommend this book and I think it deserves to be the start of a series。 I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions are my own。 。。。more
Mimi
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What an utterly satisfying story！ Laura Frantz drew me into the mid-1700s with every word written。 It's incredible to me how well an author's use of the dialect makes such a vast difference in how a story comes across。 I can't express how huge this was for me and I need more。Esmée has taken over her mother's work as a chocolatier and taking care of those in need at the almshouse。 You could tell that while it wasn't her dream， she was satisfied with what she was doing with her life。 There was thi What an utterly satisfying story！ Laura Frantz drew me into the mid-1700s with every word written。 It's incredible to me how well an author's use of the dialect makes such a vast difference in how a story comes across。 I can't express how huge this was for me and I need more。Esmée has taken over her mother's work as a chocolatier and taking care of those in need at the almshouse。 You could tell that while it wasn't her dream， she was satisfied with what she was doing with her life。 There was this inerrant goodness and kindness about her that didn't seem to be forced， and I appreciated it。 Oftentimes authors will write these types of women to an extreme where they're unbelievable， but not Esmée。 She was very "real"。 I also just loved her fortitude！Then there's Henri （which will henceforth always sound French）。 He's a man's man in all of the right ways。 He's not perfect， but he doesn't do anything by half。 He's all in and that's what his life has been since his parting with Esmée。 He's captained his ship。 His return stirs her world and the excitement of it all rises from there。I loved the setting of Williamsburg and York。 Having been to Williamsburg numerous times， it was certainly brought to life in this 1755 time and now I want to go back hoping to "feel" the history of this story。 I loved the idea of Esmée keeping the lighthouse！ I loved how that came about！Of course， I can't neglect the faith of the characters。 It was such an important part of this story， especially in the hard times。 The parallel of the characters living through the pox and what we're living through， trying to find things to be joyful about an hopefully about can be daunting， but God sees us through。 The Scripture that's brought up resonated with me in each moment！Another fantastic read by this author！*I'm on the launch team and was sent the book for review。 This is my personal opinion。 。。。more
Alissa Peppo （bookstagrambyalissamorgan）
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Laura Frantz has the unparalleled ability to combine history， romance， and faith to create stunning masterpieces of the written word， and she has once again delivered a magnificent story with A Heart Adrift。 Laura has deep insight into the human spirit and Christian faith， and her characters always overcome trials by the grace of God and with strong spiritual lessons learned along the way。 It is what makes her work so undoubtedly encouraging to those who enjoy inspirational fiction。 Laura Frantz Laura Frantz has the unparalleled ability to combine history， romance， and faith to create stunning masterpieces of the written word， and she has once again delivered a magnificent story with A Heart Adrift。 Laura has deep insight into the human spirit and Christian faith， and her characters always overcome trials by the grace of God and with strong spiritual lessons learned along the way。 It is what makes her work so undoubtedly encouraging to those who enjoy inspirational fiction。 Laura Frantz excels in using imagery to set a scene， and A Heart Adrift was no exception。 I could smell the richness of the cocoa in the chocolate shop。 I could see the fall foliage and hustle and bustle of Williamsburg as if I were right in the middle of it all。 And the island……ah， the island。 I could hear the waves， smell the salt in the air， and see the sea unfolding before me from the windy lighthouse tower。 Laura painted each scene with such lyrical descriptions that I felt like I was standing right next to Esmee to experience it all。 Best of all， A Heart Adrift features a second chance relationship with a strong heroine， dreamy hero， and romantic chemistry that could make a reader weak in the knees！ With a wonderful cast of side characters that make the story all the more exciting， Esmee and Henri journey from being estranged lovers to having their own happily ever after with plenty of adventure in between。 I simply cannot give this book any higher esteem， and words do not adequately describe how it captivated me。 Do not miss this breathtaking adventure with romance， faith， suspense… and a bit of chocolate。I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher for review purposes。 My thoughts are my own。 I truly adored it！ 。。。more
Susan
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Laura Frantz has long been a favorite author of mine and I am always content to get lost in her newest book。 Readers will find her newest book， A Heart Adrift， as delightful as the concoctions created by chocolatier Esmee Shaw。 Loved this story of two sisters。 One who longs for a quiet life and a second chance at love， while the other is at the center of Williamsburg society during the French and Indian War。 I was captivated by the atmospheric settings of Williamsburg， York and Indigo Island- an Laura Frantz has long been a favorite author of mine and I am always content to get lost in her newest book。 Readers will find her newest book， A Heart Adrift， as delightful as the concoctions created by chocolatier Esmee Shaw。 Loved this story of two sisters。 One who longs for a quiet life and a second chance at love， while the other is at the center of Williamsburg society during the French and Indian War。 I was captivated by the atmospheric settings of Williamsburg， York and Indigo Island- and the stunning cover will definitely reel in new readers。The author's prose is absolutely beautiful， allowing the reader to fully escape into the world of colonial America。 Tucked within an intoxicating blend of history and romance is a sweet faith message that I have come to expect as the backbone of one of Laura Frantz' novels。I received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher through Netgalley。 I was not required to write a review。 All opinions expressed are my own。 。。。more
Heather Wood
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Laura Frantz writes slices of life in colonial America。 A Heart Adrift was very consistent with her other works and had more obviously Christian characters than， for instance， An Uncommon Woman。 The main characters truly found the foundation for their lives， their hope and trust， in the pages of Scripture and their genuine relationships with God。I don't identify character arcs as clear in her books as other authors'， but there were many surprises along the way in the journey these characters wer Laura Frantz writes slices of life in colonial America。 A Heart Adrift was very consistent with her other works and had more obviously Christian characters than， for instance， An Uncommon Woman。 The main characters truly found the foundation for their lives， their hope and trust， in the pages of Scripture and their genuine relationships with God。I don't identify character arcs as clear in her books as other authors'， but there were many surprises along the way in the journey these characters were on。 Although there were highs and lows in the historic times， there was nothing gruesome or graphic displayed on the page and no females dealing with abusive men （I WILL mention this in every book review 😂）。 Laura doesn't hide the difficult parts of history， but she still writes a setting you want to visit。I also have to add that she writes MEN， and that's what makes her romances so good。 They're hardworking and mature， and some of them even communicate。I enjoyed this book， the characters， the setting， and the history。 I was honored to receive a copy from the publisher and JustRead Tours， although I was not required to review the book and all opinions are my own。 。。。more
Candy Holbrook
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Another beautifully written historical novel from Laura Frantz that transports the reader to Colonial Williamsburg and its neighboring communities。
Reference
google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=A Heart Adrift: A Novel
hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=A Heart Adrift: A Novel&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft