The story was nice, but kind of a typical “cookie cutter” romance type story. The setting was interesting and sounded beautiful, certainly sounded like a place I’d love to visit. The setting, the Adirondack Great Camps did and do exist, as did the Pinkerton Agents. The Pinkertons were known for having foiled an assassination plan against president elect Abraham Lincoln, too bad they didn’t foil the later plan. They tracked other well-known criminals and outlaws such as Jesse James, the Wild Bunch (which included Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid).

I liked Lily, the leading lady, she was quite assertive and I could see how she survived living as an agent doing some very difficult tasks. It was hard reading about the leading man, Owen’s loss of his wife.

There was some tension with some characters, which kind of helped the story along.

As I said, it was a nice story, nothing too exciting, nothing too dull, kept my interest, because I really liked the setting. I realize I am coming a little late to the party, because this is a second book in a series, so maybe I’ll play “flashback” and read the first one. I’m hoping it’s a bit more about her agent days, maybe a bit more exciting and not such a typical romance.

I received this book as a gift last year, with no obligation attached. Opinion given is my own.

3.5 stars

I love Pinkerton stories, so when I saw this one I knew I had to read it. While I didn't love it, I did think it was a nice story. I wish there would have been a bit more about the Pinkerton aspect, but that was probably in the first book (which I haven't read).

I liked the setting and characters. I thought the romance was good. I could understand the hero's reaction to something that happened - without knowing the backstory, it would appear shocking.

All in all, a nice one-time read.

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Overall, this was a sweet story. Lily wants to change her lifestyle from that of a Pinkerton detective—and her desire gets a new meaning when her paths cross with Owen, the widowed and broken owner of a mountain retreat. In essence, this was a romance with some plot woven through. I found Lily’s backstory intriguing and Owen’s journey to move forward believable. I really enjoyed the whole rebuilding of the camp, and, in essence, rebuilding of lives.

It didn’t strike me as a very deep Christian book. There were a lot of mentions of God’s hand in nature (at the same time, one reference to Mother Nature), and a few prayers for direction, but mainly only when a character was over their head in a problem.

The romance overall was sweet and not rushed. The kisses were semi-detailed. There were a few mentions of suspicion for impure lifestyle, but nothing was out-and-out said, and it was just suspicions/accusations.

A few things I didn’t care for: several uses of “heck” and similar words. Taking God’s Name in vain twice. Mention of Mother Nature. Lily talking to a grave/dead person, asking for advice.

So in essence, it’s a book for romance lovers (which you all know isn’t me ;) ), but still enjoyable!

*I received this book from Celebrate Lit and happily provided my honest review*

The Heart of an Agent was simply a delightful read about a young woman who formerly had an unusual career, that of a Pinkerton agent. Lily just wants to start a new life and be herself, no more going undercover and masquerading around as someone she is not. As this takes place in the 1890’s there was not a lot of job opportunities for women that did not have to do with sewing, cooking, or teaching school. However, an opportunity arises for Lily to become partners with widowed Owen Murphy to help him get his Great Camp back up and running and prosperous again.

The setting is in the Adirondack Mountains and I have never heard of these Great Camps before so that was an interesting location and bit of historical information I did not know about. I have not yet had the opportunity to visit the Adirondack Mountains, but the author’s vivid descriptions of them make me want to go and hopefully find a Great Camp, if they still exist anymore, and stay for a little while.

This story really touches on letting grief run its normal course and not holding on to things of the past longer than we should. It is neither healthy, helpful, nor do I believe our dear loved ones would want us to become a shell of what we once were. And we can oftentimes put them on higher pedestals then they ought to be, thus not allowing any room for new love to come in. This was a sweet and slow developing romance of letting go and learning the joy of loving again.

I received a copy of this book for free. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

This book was ok but not my favorite. I liked how she stood up for herself and did not Owen hold her back. I had not read the others in the series. I will do that and then read it again. I have the heart of an entreprenuer. i enjoyed that part of her creative personality. I would recommend it as a good read for vacation.

“The Heart of an Agent” is one of those books that makes one wish for a kinder, gentler world than the one we now live in. Of course if you actually think about it, the world probably wasn’t quite as kind and gentle as it seemed or there would have been no need for the Pinkertons. Nevertheless, Tracey J. Lyons paints a gorgeous picture of life at a Great Camp in the Adirondacks during the late 1800s that made me wish I could visit.

Although the series is entitled The Adirondack Pinkertons, this particular novel does not involve an actual case but features Lily Handland, a former Pinkerton agent who hopes to settle in one place and make a new and safer life for herself. Opportunities for a different job are either scarce or do not suit Lily’s skills but when she learns that the camp owned by grieving widower Owen Murphy needs someone to help get it back in operation, Lily quickly decides it is the job for her. Of course it might take some work to convince Owen of that fact.

I loved every minute of this heart-warming story about the determined and spunky former agent and the resistant and stubborn Owen. It was also fun to read more about Elsie and William as well as John. It is a beautiful tale of changed lives and renewed hope that is of course peppered with a few secrets, misunderstandings, and roadblocks to happy-ever-after. A subtle theme of faith is woven throughout the story.

“The Heart of an Agent” was the perfect follow-up to “A Changed Agent”. I eagerly look forward to the next book in this series.

Former Pinkerton Agent Lily Handland is ready for retirement and a more settled life, she jumps at the chance to leave behind her hectic life, and invest in Great Camp a beautiful escape that is about to be foreclosed on. Great Camp is a place in the Adirondack Mountains where city folk go to enjoy the great outdoors and a simpler pace of life.



The Murphy Camp was thriving until 2 years ago when Owen Murphy lost his wife, losing himself in grief. Lily falls in love with the camp, and offers Owen a partnership where they will work together to restore the camp, Owen reluctantly agrees after urging from his banker.



Lily is excited about her new life, and sets right to work cleaning and making a list of repairs, responding to years of mail. Lily has no experience running a business, but she is organized, determined, and enthusiastic. Lily has a secret from her past that she wants to stay hidden, because she doesn't know if Owen would understand.



The Caddiebacks welcome Lily, they have faithfully worked at the camp, and are supportive of Lily's ideas to revive the place. I loved Mrs. Caddieback's cheer and strong faith.



I loved it when Owen started to come out of his self-imposed isolation and get excited about the camp again. He is very handy, and able to help make many of the repairs himself. He is a kind, capable, and hardworking man, and he becomes more likable as he shows his true colors. I like how he wants to get to know Lily better, and is himself abe to be more and more open with her.



Great dialog helps to grow their relationship, I like how Lily's faith helps Owen to re-examine his own. Quick start, great pace, and Mrs. Caddieback is just the most adorable lady ever. Highly enjoyable read with great characters, filled with hope.







Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

This was my first read by this author but it definitely won't be my last.
This is the second book in the The Adirondack Pinkertons series and while I haven't read the first book, and I definitely need to the book was self explanatory in mentioning past events to catch readers such as myself up so I could understand past events in the first book.
Lily Handland is no longer a Pinkerton agent, she has left that lifestyle behind and now dreams of a quiet respectable life. When she arrives in town and the town's banker suggests she invest in a failing Great Camp in the Adirondacks she jumps at the chance. There is one problem though, that would be the grump that owns it, Owen Murphy. He is a grief filled widower that mourns the death of his young beloved bride,Rebecca. The camp had been their dream together and now that she's gone he sees no reason to keep the camp open and he has mounting debt. Right now he just doesn't care and if the place has fallen into disrepair it just isn't a concern to him. When Lily breezes into his boarding house and life it' like a ray of sunshine has come along. She friends his housekeeper and she pushes for Lily to stay. No longer is Own shut away in his office as he inspects the property with Lily and thy decide what changes and repairs to make so the place can reopen. I loved the description of the Adirondacks, they really sound so peaceful and relaxing there. I think we could all use a little of that. What a great interaction Lily and Owen had it was so great to see her bring him out of his shell as he found love again. Only one problem remains, Owen doesn't know about Lily's past as a Pinkerton agent. Will this budding love be spoiled if he finds out about her past?
Pub Date 07 Nov 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Waterfall Press for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This novel captivated me from the first chapter...and did not let go until the final page. I loved this story....I'm certain you will too!

This is the second book in a series but can be read as a standalone.
Lily Handland is a former Pinkerton agent who is looking for a new start and a place to call home. She has had a hard life, so she jumps at the chance to invest in a run-down camp in the Adirondack mountains. Little does she know what she has gotten herself into... Owen Murphy is still grieving his wife's death after two years and has let his camp go to the point where he no longer has customers. Lily comes to help at just the right time. Can they overcome grief and the past in order to build up their relationship and the camp? Will they find love and happiness?
I liked this book overall. It was nice to read a sweet story because I had just read several intense books and needed a break. Even though this is labeled as a Christian book, I didn't think God was mentioned much, and I also thought it was wrong for one of the characters to take God's name in vain twice at the end of the book. That being said, I really liked Mrs. Cuddieback's character, and I thought the story was good. The ending was satisfying, and the book was clean as well. I recommend it for those who like historical romance.
I received a review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This historical romance was a story of a lady Pinkerton ready to settle down and her new partner has no inclination to help her. I enjoyed this story about a strong lady, her toughness, her kindness and how she deals with hard situations. Love, faith, secrets and a little romance.. I liked it and I think you would like it too! I was gifted a copy and my review is voluntary.

The scenes that were painted in this book were beautiful, I was taken to the area around the lodge and the scent of the nature around the characters. I loved when the two characters (Lily and Owen) met, it was well done and exciting.
I would love to know how I have missed this series for so long. I know it isn’t that old but it is certainly worth reading each book in the series. I felt as though you could read this as a stand alone ( I did, not having prior knowledge of the series) and it is a testament to the series. It is a thoughtful story of two strong characters that may have pasts to over come but they see that love really is worth it.

The story is surrounded with historical facts that make it become a visual literary gem. I loved learning about the camps that housed people and was a welcome treat for guests. I could see the beautiful landscape that surrounded the camp and the welcoming smells of fresh bread cooling on the table.

Lily is a wonderful character with a strong sense of what she wants. She can be stubborn at times but her courage is evident in everything she does. She is ready to retire as a Pinkerton agent. I think she finally felt free to live her life. I loved how she took on a challenge that seemed impossible. She decides to invest in the Murphy Great Camp. To say that it needed some work was an understatement. It sure needed some TLC and Lily is ready to dive in with so many ideas.

Owen has been grieving the death of his wife and forgotten about the camp. It hardly has visitors and it screams for help with its dull curtains and neglected grounds. I really enjoyed the banter between Owen and Lily as they come to an agreement . Now that they are business partners, can the camp be restored and bring a profit? Owen has his hands full with Lily and her neverending ideas. I loved how their relationship grew slowly. Can Owen open his heart again and allow himself to love another woman?

What I most loved about the story was the secret that Lily has kept from Owen. She hasn’t told him about her past and has been warned that secrets can hurt and destroy trust. I was on edge reading the story just waiting for Lily’s secret to be found out. Every page I turned I felt her secret start to put distance between her and Owen. The tension was high and I thought the author did an amazing job of keeping readers on their toes, waiting for Owen to find out the truth.

The book is a wonderful trip back in time where you could visit the local mercantile and find just about anything you needed. The town was small and quaint and filled with people who helped each other out. I loved how the author demonstrates with beautiful writing how secrets get found out and the hurt and pain they cause. Will Owen be able to forgive Lily? Can he let go of his past and forgive himself for an accident he feels guilty of? Don’t miss this wonderful story of two people looking to belong and wanting to find happiness.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion .

Thoughts:

THE HEART OF AN AGENT (The Adirondack Pinkertons) by Tracey J. Lyons takes us from grief to opportunity in a tale where romance springs up in a desolate place when we least expect it!

Lily Handland has paid a debt to society in one of the most unusual ways, but she is ready to plant a home in Heartston. Beauty surrounds her, as do the Great Camps of the Adirondacks.

The problem is that inside this finding a home tale, we’ll take detours along the way.

Lily does have savings, but she is a lady without a family. The only way to make her dream a reality is for her to start a business, but for women during 1892, it is not an easy way to go. However, a criminal past is behind her, but the present brings a new set of problems.

Exactly, how did she come into her savings? Many will want to know.

Her career, somewhat forced upon her, was an honorable path, at the time, but her involvement with these criminal elements may be a hindrance to a new respectable future. In different places and at many times, while inside situations not at all proper for a woman, Lily gave her all to make it an opportunity. She’s come this far, and it is the last step to forging a future.

Holding a breath, she enters the bank.

Meanwhile, Owen Murphy has given up on life and his business. He let things grow into a rotting institution that is being tended by an older married couple, keeping it barely alive as if waiting for him to come back to life. Although, once his wife Rebecca died, he could not get back to living but only to dreading every day.

Once Mrs. Cuddieback announces they have an unexpected guest, he is determined to keep clear and hide in his office as he does daily. Owen’s guilt and pain is his full-time job at least until someone barges into his office with the banker following her, almost as an afterthought.

Between their visit, this news, and an ultimatum, things will change whether he wants it to or not. Anger, guilt, grief, loss of control, and pain may make this Owen’s last stand!

***This opinion is my own.***

Preview:

In THE HEART OF AN AGENT (The Adirondack Pinkertons) by Tracey J. Lyons, secrets are difficult to hide and guilt steals life!

Owen Murphy hides away as his heart lays bare. Day blends into night untouched by a calendar and his circle of friendship shrinks.

Meanwhile, Lily Handland feels hopeful for the first time since her mother’s death. She leaves the famed Pinkerton Detectives to find her own way. Yes, she comes from criminal intent to capture of the perpetrators, but this career was not her choice.

It is time for her to find a home, make a family, and uncover a new life. With faith, plans, and savings, she looks for the right business to see to her finances properly. Heartston is a town that has everything she needs, and the beauty of the Adirondacks keeps her focus to the heavens.

Once these two lives collide through a business deal, everything is about to go haywire as trust is broken and friend becomes foe!

Wonderful book. Click for full review. https://wp.me/p2XHfw-qR

This author was new to me, but I enjoyed her historical novel. As I read the backstory smoothly woven in, I wondered if there was another book that came before this one since it included so much information about the past. You do not have to read the first book in the series to appreciate this one. Her smooth writing style and just the proper amount of details carries the reader along on a refreshing journey. We experience the lovely Adirondack setting (which I didn’t even know was in New York), and the prose makes it easy to picture in our mind. This story gives a fine glimpse into life in that time and place. The characters seem realistic and their struggles genuine. The premise is interesting too, with a former female Pinkerton agent trying to start a new life.

The Heart of an Agent is the sequel to A Changed Agent, which centred on the romance of Pinkerton agent Will Benton and schoolteacher Elsie Mitchell. Lily Handland was a minor character, Will’s Pinkerton partner. Now Lily has left the Pinkertons and wants to settle down in Heartston. Start a fresh life.

But Lily needs a job, and she’s not cut out to sew seams or serve in a boarding house restaurant. The banker suggests she consider investing in a local Great Camp, owned by widower Owen Murphy. The camp used to bustle with day visitors and vacationing guests, but it has fallen into ruin since the death of the perfect Rebecca Murphy.

The setting of one of the Great Camps of the Adirondacks was fascinating. I’ve heard of the Adirondack chair (hasn’t everyone?). I may even have read a previous book set in an upper class camp in upstate New York. But that was just the setting. In The Heart of an Agent, the Great Camp is almost a character as the repair and resurrection of the Great Camp reflects Owen’s personal journey of healing and finding love again.

The one anticlimax was when Owen found out Lily’s big secret. It felt to me like he overreacted—possibly because we’d known her big secret almost from page one (that she was an ex-Pinkerton agent, and worked under cover as a saloon girl). It might have seemed fitting if he’d thought she was a gently raised choir girl, but she’d already told him parts of her past.

No matter. The conflict was short-lived, and we were able to get back to the main event, the romance. The Heart of an Agent was a classic Golden Age romance that achieved the difficult task of bringing a widower out of his slump, and focusing almost more on the characters and setting than the romance. It was all the better for that slow build.

Recommended for fans of Christian historical romance with a Golden Age setting, from authors such as Jen Turano and Karen Witemeyer. Thanks to NetGalley and Waterfall Press for providing a free ebook for review.

First off I love the cover, second when I requested it I didn’t realize it was book two, that being said...I was definitely caught by the first few paragraphs...seriously I was drawn in and didn't feel lost in the least bit( I do really want to read the first one now though)
I loved it and can’t wait to read more by this author

I received a review copy from the author, all opinions are my own

Tracy J. Lyons takes readers back to the Adirondacks in her second installment of her Adirondak Pinkertons series. Though I have not read Lyons's first book in the series, I was still able to understand and enjoy The Heart of an Agent. The story was more than a bit predictable, and has been told countless times before. The interesting setting in the Adirondack Mountains of the 1890s, though, brought an interesting uniqueness, however. The traditional "get a failing business up and running again" storyline-- while predictable-- is also always reliably satisfying. The climax of the story is a bit frustrating in that the reader knows what will eventually happen, and is simply waiting for the characters to come to their senses. Overall, I enjoyed the novel and managed to learn a bit of history, too!

The Heart of an Agent

The author did a really good job of bringing the characters to life and the scenery. My first book by Tracey J. Lyons and definitely will not be my last. Loved her writing. Some of the names in the book were so unusual, that was really awesome. Owen is a widower and owns Murphy Camp but it is not doing good due to his grieving for the last couple of years, Lily decided no longer to be a Pinkerton Agent and wants something to invest in, she chooses to be a partner with Owen at Murphy Camp. A fast reading book with great characters and some funny scenes. I received this book through NetGalley.