A gripping story with a wonderful background. That being said, some characters were not expatiated on well enough, and although the story began in a wonderful, beautifully-paced way with some elements of intrigue and mystery, as the story progressed, the plot became very predictable. Some points and backstories from the beginning, like Olivia's parents and friend from the Reformatory, were not well explained or reflected upon through the rest of the story as well. All in all, A HAVEN FOR A HEART, has the potential to be a great read.

A Haven for Her Heart by Susan Anne Mason takes a dark look at the world of pregnancy during World War II. The story is definitely different. I have heard of the dark side of the past where pregnant women were sent to relatives out in the country or away from town, but I have never heard of the mistreatment of them in prison. This was distasteful. Yes, some of them made bad decisions. I totally agree with that, but the punishment for this was wrong. It is still a woman carrying a real life baby, and for that reason, they should both be valued and treasured. Too bad even in today's culture we have still not learned this concept. Overall, I loved seeing Olivia as she tried to make amends for the hurt that has been caused to her by losing her son without any choice of her own. Darius was a wonderful hero who stood up for what he believed, and for that reason, I actually enjoyed him as a hero. Mason does a wonderful job at crafting strong heroes who may not have the best job, but they always come out looking like a hero in front to the women, and I really liked this concept. Mason does a terrific job at inviting American readers into the world of Canada. I have never been to Canada, but she always bring Canada home to the readers. I'm delightful to see the story take place in unfamiliar settings. Overall, A Haven for Her Heart by Susan Anne Mason is a delightful story of fear and learning to move on from the hurtful past. I recommend this story to fans of historical fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of A Haven for Her Heart by Susan Anne Mason from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.

A Haven for Her Heart is a delightful beginning to the new Redemption's Light series. Set in Toronto, Ontario, Canada during the 1900's, this novel describes the plight of the unwed mother. Shockingly these women could be sent to jail , which seems like a miscarriage of justice considering it takes two to make a baby. Thankfully the creation of maternity homes gave hope and help where there previously was none.

The characters face persecution and prejudice, because of circumstance as well as nationality. Many of these women believe they do not deserve happiness because of their indiscretion, but come to realize the importance of embracing God's forgiveness as well as forgiving themselves. In Mason's signature style of romance sprinkled with faith, this story is a reminder to extend grace instead of finding fault, and forgiveness instead of judgement.

A Haven for Her Heart will be available for purchase from your local or online book retailer October 13, 2020.

Thank you Bethany House and Net Galley for the free copy of this book. The opinions expressed here are my own.

A Haven for Her Heart
by Susan Anne Mason
Bethany House
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Bethany House Publishers
Christian
Pub Date 13 Oct 2020 | Archive Date 31 Oct 2020

Excellent read! I like books that are from Bethany House and this one is no exception. Great storyline and character development. Thanks to Bethan House and NetGalley for the ARC. I will recommend it to our patrons.

4 star

'Forgiveness, preached so easily from the tongue of the prison chaplain, sat hard on her unwilling spirit.'

Susan Anne Mason tackles a difficult subject with this book, based on true events when women were deemed incorrigible and thrown into prison for mistakes made. It really touched my heart, so much so that I bought a book written by one woman who endured the harshness of the punishments. This book is profound. Grittier than Mason's previous novels, she gives us not only a good read, but something to think about in more ways than one. Redemption, grace and forgiveness play a large part here and is something we all should strive to keep active in our lives.

Olivia's situation was heartrending and one that is difficult to read at times, but it touched my heart from the very start. The story shows us how far God will go to help His children when they feel there is no help at all left for them. Highly recommended.

*My thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion here is my own.

A HAVEN FOR HER HEART by SUSAN ANNE MASON takes place in Toronto in 1939. It is desperately sad to see how unwed mothers were treated in those days, excepting for those like Ruth Bennington who was fortunate in having a family member take her in and a husband who loved her in spite of her past. Olivia Rosetti, however, was treated as a criminal and went through horrific experiences at the Mercer facility.
Both women are at the end of their tether when Ruth comes across a very ill Olivia lying on a church pew. Their friendship and the maternity home they open and run together give them a new lease on life.
Darius Reed is conflicted in many ways. How far will he go for his unscrupulous boss and to give his daughter a better life? How far will he go in renouncing his Greek heritage in order that his daughter should fit in as a Canadian?
It is a beautifully told story which is both heartwarming and heart wrenching - where we see the worst and sometimes the best of humanity. We see the choices people make, especially where money and prestige are concerned. We also see examples of unconditional love and support and of great courage in adversity. We see the judgmental attitude of those who heap shame and guilt on others instead of encouraging and forgiving them.
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling the read for you.
I recommend A Haven For Her Heart for anyone who enjoys inspirational historical romance.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

Very original, but not my favorite. Plot felt predictable and was paced strangely-- sometimes going very quickly and others taking a long time. Divisions within chapters felt misplaced at times. That being said, the characters were likable enough and writing was fine. Found it hard to get invested in them individually though it's a touching and personal idea/story overall.

Olivia's fiance has gone to war, and she's pregnant from one night of passion before he was deployed. Her father has her arrested, her baby is taken away from her and after she's released from the reformatory, she finds herself ill with no place to go, and in need of a friend. Ruth Bennett finds Olivia sitting in the back of the church and takes her home. After Olivia is given time to recover from her illness, she seeks to help others who are in a similar situation. Ruth has been seeking a purpose for her life and with Olivia's idea of a maternity home, Ruth feels she's found her niche.

Darius Reed works for a developer who wants the Bennett house to build a skyscraper and rent out office spaces. Darius has been set with the task of convincing Ruth to sell. When he is unsuccessful, his boss is not above fighting dirty. During Darius' visits to the home, he becomes attracted to Olivia, in spite of himself. He is almost affianced to the daughter of a client and knows he should not really spend so much time in her company.

Susan Anne Mason has written a heart-warming, heart-wrenching, and completely stirring novel that is engaging and compelling from the opening lines to the very end. This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and total redemption.

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.