This a great historical romance novel!

I love both of the main characters. Jonah and Madeline are both very well developed. I enjoyed seeing how they interacted with each other. It was fun finding out about their past relationship.

I was definitely caught up in the plot for this book. There was a wonderful mystery is trying to find Mrs. Smith’s granddaughter. There were a number of surprising twists that were discovered. When we got to the final uncovering I had a few points that caught me totally by surprise.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

Kathleen Y'Barbo's My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas, piqued my interest for several reasons. The gorgeous blue garment was the first thing I noticed even before reading the title—such a cool, calming color. The second reason was Texas, mentioned in the title. Texas is a state that I have high regard for and miss. I wasn't born in Texas, but I spent most of my childhood there, and I still miss it.

Y’barbo’s book is chock-full of suspense, mystery and secrecy, creating a spellbinding, page-turning journey. There’s a Pinkerton agent forced to allow an investigative reporter, the companion to his client, to go with him. Before being able to unravel the mystery for the client, Mrs. Smith, the agent, Jonah Cahill, and the reporter, Madeline LaTour, face multiple challenges.

Bible verses intersperse the story as this intrepid group trusts God for encouragement and protection as they search for the truth.

I’m always enthralled by history, especially that of Texas. There were numerous fascinating elements of the history of Galveston, along with interesting facts Y’Barbo included at the end of the book.

A word of caution, however: some portions of the book’s subject matter could be triggering for victims of crime.

I received this book from NetGalley. However, my review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own.

Third star added for Jonah, Madeline, and the gorgeous cover.

Honestly, though, it was predictable to me as to who the granddaughter was in the mystery, and there were so many things going on toward the end that the story got really messy and unfocused, as well as being wildly unlikely. The two main characters were likable and vibrant, but the other characters were more or less unpredictable shadows (perhaps thanks to the shorter length, but content editing would help with that) and the love story between Jonah and Madeline was more or less off-screen, since they already had history together.

Words like "that guy" and scenes of "going on a date" were just two instances of many spoken terms that REALLY dragged me out of the 1880s setting.

The setting in Galveston was well described and fairly easy to imagine. However, it did bug me that the author said in her note she'd changed the date on a nunnery opening up in town, since it only affected the story in one scene and that in a minor way...like....WHY??

On to the next book in the series!

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a free reading copy. No positive view was required.

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. I loved the facts that she included in the back of the book. It’s obvious that the author researched the time period and location of the book setting. I’ll definitely be reading more by this author.

My Heart Belongs in Galveston Texas by Kathleen Y’Barbo is an exciting read with land and water adventures. This story is full of mystery and the enjoyable who-done-it suspense. This story involves a Pinkerton Detective, a News Journalist, and buried treasure. These two are put on an investigation case together and they have to work out past hurts as they face the case together. I really enjoyed this storyline and I felt the writer did a great job keeping it interesting and flowing well to the last page.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

***Also posted on Amazon, B&N, and CBD

Can they work together to find the truth?

I have really been enjoying the My Heart Belongs In... series from Barbour and have been eagerly awaiting when my state will eventually make its appearance.

Kathleen Y'Barbo is a fairly new author to me, I've only read one of her previous books, but I really find myself enjoying her blend of historical romance and mystery/adventure. My Heart Belongs In Galveston, Texas: Madeline's Search had plenty of both. It kept me intrigued, turning those pages, and thinking about the story in between. I actually picked up the book in the late morning and had it finished late that night, which is pretty good for me lately.

If you are looking for a sweet historical romance with healthy dash of decades old mystery and set in a fascinating location you really should check out Kathleen Y'Barbo's book My Heart Belongs In Galveston, Texas: Madeline's Search which is a great addition to this series. Oh, and don't forget to check out the author's note at the end, there is some really interesting stuff in there for history buffs like me...

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

I am so glad the publisher gave me this book to review. I simply love Galveston. When my aunt lived there I went every year. The intrigue of the pirates treasure hidden on the island and the house I could just picture what their view was, because I know where the pirates’ house, or what is left of it, is located. You will not be disappointed if you like historical fiction and like a story full off secrets and intrigue. I put this on Amazon, and Goodreads

My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas
By Kathleen Y'Barbo
This book starts out a little confusing but as you read you will discover why.
Pinkerton agent Jonah Cahill is called upon to help an elderly widow, Mrs. Smith, to find her long-lost granddaughter.
Madeline Latour is working as Mrs. Smiths assistant. Madeline is also a reporter and she is sniffing out a pirates treasure while working for Mrs. Smith.
When Madeline and Jonah meet to aide Mrs. Smith they realize that this investigation is not going to be easy.
This book was a fun story however it was not my favorite. The beginning was a bit challenging and parts of the story were hard to believe.

This was a story totally worth reading. This is my first book from Kathleen Y'Barbo and I'm happy to have found another great author!
Mrs.Smith has hired Jonah, a pinkerton detective, and Madeline, and investigative reporter, to help her search her long lost grandaughter. Little she knows that Jonah and Madeleine have met each other before, when they ended up breaking each others heart.
It's an adventurous journey, full of mystery, suspense, sweet romance and even humor. A pair of competitive sleuths, missing girl and a pirate's treasure!
The characters are funny, witty, and endearing! I really enjoyed reading this book. The writing style and I never felt the book sagged.
I also loved that there's a true story told in this book and that the author explains at the end what is fictional and what's not.
Looking forward to reading more from Kathleen Y'Barbo in the future!
I received a copy from Barbour Publishing via Netgalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

I have really been enjoying "My Heart Belongs" series. Each book is written by a different author. This one by Kathleen Y'Barbo takes you to Galveston, Texas and involves a handsome Pinkerton agent and an investigative reporter. A search for a missing granddaughter and hidden pirate treasure involves danger and romance. This is a good read and I am looking forward to more in the My Heart Belongs series.

I received this book from Barbour Books through NetGalley and all opinions expressed are my own.

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Barbour Books

Christian , Romance

Pub Date 01 Jul 2018

I am reviewing a copy of My Heart Belongs to Galveston, Texas through Barbour Books and Netgalley:

Jonah Cahill is a Pinkerton Agent who is hired by a mysterious widow to find her granddaughter. The girl is rumored to be living in Galveston Texas. Despite the fact that Jonah would prefer to travel alone, Mrs Smith insists on going with him to help find her Granddaughter. Madeline Latour is an investigative reporter who has been working for Mrs Smith as her assistant for several months and she refuses to let anyone even a Pinkerton Agent to ruin the story of a lifetime for her! As the investigation gets more intense and more dangerous Jonah and Madeline Latour form a truce, an uneasy truce.

Could there be a bigger story behind the missing girl? A story that could change everything?

I give My Heart Belongs to Galveston Texas, five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

My heart belongs to Galveston, Texas is part of a series called “My Heart Belongs”. It can be read as a stand alone, I had no trouble understanding the story even though I haven’t read any of the 9 before (and one is still to be released).

I daresay I fell a bit in love with Galveston. The descriptions are lovely, especially the parts about the beach. But don’t be fooled, this is a very fast paced story with lots of mysteries. Of course that can be expected when one of the protagonists is a Pinkerton agent named Jason Cahill, who finds himslf investigating a case in his home town. Mrs. Smith is looking for her grandchild, lost in a hurricane some years ago. He gets unwanted assistance from Mrs. Smith’s journalist, the lovely Madeline Latour, to whom he was engaged a year ago. There might still be tension. Lots of tension.

The mystery was well executed with some misdirection, but I felt that in the end it was a bit rushed, all the explanations in a few pages were a bit too crowded, especially since every character written about in the book were together in the same room.

What I loved the most is the writing style. It was quite humorous actually, and you just have to keep reading. The characters are also quite fun, especially the bickering between Jason and Madeleine. All in all quite entertaining.

This e-copy was given to me by Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I've made it a goal to read every one of these type of series, trying to do better than I had with the Love Finds You... books. Reading this gets me caught up on the series to date, but man, did I have to slog through this one!

I had a hard time connecting with Jonah and Maddy. Their previous relationship was mentioned only briefly, and I didn't have a clear understanding as to what caused their break up in the first place. The mystery was front and center here, but there were so many different mysteries going on that I found it hard to keep up with them all! Eventually, they work their way back to each other, but I had a hard time investing in them as a couple.

The faith theme was very non-existent to me, though mentions were made of faith upon occasion. I did enjoy the historical setting of Galveston and seeing what the area might have been like in that era, which saved the book from a 1 star rating. I think this might be my only time of reading this author.

Pinkerton Agent Jonah Cahill is hired by Mrs. Smith to find her granddaughter, Tre'sor, which is complicated by the fact that Mrs. Smith has never met Tre'sor. Tre'sor was separated from her family years ago during a storm at sea, and Mrs. Smith is convinced that she will be found in Galveston.



Meanwhile Mrs. Smith also hires Madeline Latour to write her memoirs. Madeline is convinced that Mrs. Smith also has a connection to another story that she is working on as well, about the pirate Lafitte. Madeline and Jonah were engaged at one time, but Madeline chose her career over marriage, and now he doesn't trust her.



I like that Jonah grew up in Galveston, digging for treasure with his friends on his family land that is said to have also been home to Lafitte. When Jonah notices new holes appearing on his family's property he fears for his mother and sister's safety. Jonah is a great detective, he is dedicated to his job.



Jonah and Madeline reluctantly start working together, and rekindle their friendship. I liked their interaction and how their dialog changed throughout the story. Madeline is intelligent and has great investigative instinct.



Full of adventure and mystery, with great situational humor, surprises, and plenty of witty dialog. A fantastic adventure, highly enjoyable 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 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."

It took me a bit to get through My Heart Belongs in Galveston, Texas. I thought the beginning was slow and didn't capture my interest as much as I hoped. But as I kept reading, it got better. The book is about a search for a girl who went missing twenty years ago. I did like the descriptions of the characters and the settings; there is lots of detail.

Wonderful story. Thank you to NetGalley And the publishers. Cant wait for the next in this series.

A continuation of the My Hear Belongs series brings together a formerly engaged couple to work together and solve their cases. God brings them back together for a reason and they must fall back in love with each other and work through their differences to solve their cases. Kathleen Y'Barbo puts emotion and suspense into her stories and love that God intends for her couple. This story shows that its never to late to forgive or to find love.

Jonah Cahill has come back to his home town on assignment for the Pinkertons. He runs into his former finance out side of his late grandfather's house. Still mad about their past situation he keeps his feelings to himself. Madeline is just as effected as he is but also keeps it hidden. The cases each is working on happen to be connected but they don't know it. Returning to his family home he again meets up with Madeline who is working under cover for an elderly lady to get information about her story. The family home has its own investigation to keep him busy as well along with another agent who's security for a visiting dignitary. Madeline and Jonah are brought together when their mutual employer asks them to work together. They follow the clues to a neighboring island where an attempt is made on Madeline's life. They take refuge in a rundown boarding house. Looking for the treasure brings them closer together. Jonah takes precautions to protect her. Jake and Madeline attend the ball of a neighbor looking for clues. Wanting a reprieve from the ball they go to look at the stars only to be ambushed by a reporter and a torn dress. Madeline and Jonah are written about in the paper. Madeline looses the key that was given to her by her father. The shooter comes to confess and she insists on meeting her new relatives. They decide separately that they can't live with out each other and renew their engagement. They discuss the case but can't prove anything. A dinner party is planned by their employer. they are surprised by their families. Jonah has figured out where the missing treasure is. An arrest is made on who was looking for treasure at Jonah's home. The treasure is revealed. A new family is made along with a proposal. A wedding is held in New Orleans. A new adventure awaits them when they find a piece of paper is found that involves Madeline's key.

This series shows how these characters can fix their problems and find love when they least expect it when God is involved. I enjoyed reading these stories and look forward to reading more.

A Pinkerton investigation into a missing person case over two decades old is the clever backdrop of this often quarrelsome second-chance romance. Familial devotion, secrets, and hidden dangers with the added intrigue of rumored pirate treasure create an engaging storyline for these genuine characters.

Madeline Latour is a driven investigative reporter. She is relentless in her pursuit of the next big story and occasionally misguided in her methods. Despite her failure to look before leaping, I certainly admire Madeline’s enthusiasm and determination.

Jonah Cahill is a dedicated Pinkerton agent and devoted to caring for his mother and sister. As a tall, dark, and handsome mister steady, he possesses some of my favorite hero characteristics. Jonah is reliable, safe, and a man of integrity.

Y’Barbo has included several memorable secondary characters such as the quirky Mrs. Smith, Jonah’s spunky sister, and Madeline’s mysterious father. The attraction and buried affection between the two main characters had me cheering them on to forgiveness and a future. I recommend this story!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions expressed are my own.

Mrs.Smith hires a Pinkerton to find her granddaughter who now resides in Galveston, Texas. She and some of her staff will accompany him. He see’s Madeline, a private investigator, who will be writing the memoir’s. Romance and a trust that had been broken a summer before, for them. The setting is 1880 of the disappearance of an infant daughter. The author has done a great job of research to that time period. The flavor of that time, the mystery and maybe a romance again, made this is an interesting book to enjoy. Given ARC by Net Galley and Barbaur for my voluntary review and my honest opinion

My Heart Belongs series is such a great series and this newest one set in Galveston, Texas does not disappoint. What a fun book. With a stowaway cat, a surly maid, the heroine knocking over tea cakes, falling out of trees, and witty dialogue, the author has infused humor all throughout this story! There's a mystery to be solved and Madeline and Jonah, formerly engaged but now estranged, are now hired to solve it as a team. Can they forget what has gone before and concentrate on the task at hand? The characters are strong and evocative. Madeline--intelligent, witty, curious. Jonah--handsome, gallant, obstinate. The supporting characters are colorful and riveting and add so much to the story. The writing style flows smoothly and the descriptive imagery is such that the reader can almost smell the roses in the garden, hear the gulls screech and hear the clip-clop of the horses. Secrets to discover and lots of pieces to fit together and of course, the wonder of whether or not Madeline and Jonah's romance will be rekindled keep the pages turning. I can't wait to read more from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.