Hearts of Steel
by Elizabeth Camden
Pub Date 17 Jan 2023
Bethany House,Bethany House Publishers
Christian| Historical Fiction| Romance



Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley sent me a copy of Hearts of Steel to review:


His steel empire has catapulted him to the top of the world, but loving her could cost him everything.He's been catapulted to the top of the world by his steel empire, but loving her may cost him everything.




Molinaro grew up in the downtrodden streets of Manhattan but became a successful entrepreneur. After ten years of sacrifice, she owns a celebrated ice cream company. But when she offends a corrupt banker, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to destroy her life's work. In the process, she unwittingly sets off a series of calamities that threaten to destroy her life's work.



Blackstone is a charismatic steel magnate dedicated to improving factory conditions. Maggie's enemy is the same villain who's out to ruin her. What begins as a practical alliance to defeat a common enemy soon evolves into a romance between two wounded people determined to beat the odds. In the beginning, it's just a practical alliance to beat a common enemy, but it soon turns romantic between two wounded people.



As Liam and Maggie risk their lives and fortunes for the city, a spiraling circle of treachery grows more dangerous. To protect everything they love, they'll need all their wits and ingenuity.


I give Hearts of Steel five out of five stars!

The heroine’s occupation is very original! I enjoyed learning about ice cream making in the 1890s. She’s a competent, intelligent, courageous businesswoman. I liked how determined and capable she was.

The hero suffers from a medical condition that I found interesting as I haven’t seen it very often in fiction. He’s a hothead who acts before he thinks, at times. Flawed but trying. So one theme would be caution and decorum.

I noticed a pattern in this novel of the author telling us something before the following scenes or dialogue showed those elements to us. This order issue was jarring.

Throughout the romance, I wanted to feel more chemistry. His referring to the heroine as gamine (boyish) jarred me from there being much attraction. At times I felt a little lost, as if I’d missed more to Liam’s story in an earlier volume in the series.

I liked that they teamed up to solve the story’s problem. He freely shared his resources, which is noble.

There were some technique issues that bumped me from the story—like having the same chapter hookouts three chapters in a row. Redundancies (of concepts/themes/sentiments) and overused words. I did end up skimming and skipping scenes.

Finally! The long awaited finale of this lovely serious. I've been pining for Liam's story since book one and it did not disappoint! Full of twists and turns, humor and tears, this book kept me on the edge of my seat the whole way through. Maggie was such a likable and relatable character and the perfect match for Liam. It's hard to choose a favorite of Camden's beautiful novels, but this one might be up there on my list! Highly recommend this series.

Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden is the third book in The Blackstone Legacy series. I haven’t read the previous books in the series, however, that didn’t dent my reading experience at all.

Hearts of Steel is a brilliantly researched, entertaining romance story involving two wounded but strong individuals who are willing to put their everything at stake to fight against a corrupt mogul and bring justice to the weak and powerless.

The initial encounter between Maggie and Liam is riddled with mistrust and miscommunication. Coming from a dirt-poor background, Maggie is a thrifty woman whereas Liam belongs to a rich family. There is a clash in their ways of thinking as well as habits which drives them apart initially. But circumstances bring them closer and force them to see each other in a new light.

I loved both Liam and Maggie. They are tenacious and compassionate individuals. None of them give up when faced with adversities which made them a perfect pair.

Though Liam was born into an aristocratic family, he was kidnapped and brought up in a poor and cruel home. The author poignantly shows how Liam keeps struggling with his inner nature versus how he is supposed to behave as the scion of a wealthy family.

Maggie’s story is equally heart-wrenching but she doesn’t waste time in wallowing in pity. She creates her own destiny.

The story of how these two people connected and fell in love made this a worthwhile read. Heartily recommended.

Many thanks to the publisher for a complimentary digital copy of the book. This doesn't affect my opinion on the book.

I really enjoyed this book. I felt like I entered into a different world and travelled back in time in NYC. The story was gripping and the characters were so well developed. I recommend it!

Maggie has learned her business is at risk, Liam is facing the same person trying to cause his business to fail. As Maggie and Liam are drawn together to try to fix their problem they will risk their lives and fortunes for the good of the city. Interesting to see how they help others and work together when they are from such different worlds.

Hearts of Steel is the third book in the Blackstone Legacy series by Elizabeth Camden. It can be read as a stand-alone novel. Maggie Molinaro runs a successful ice cream business, but when she angers a corrupt banker, her entire economic livelihood is at stake. She finds an unlikely ally in Liam Blackstone, who is on a mission to take down the banker for his wrongdoing against steelworkers. Will Maggie and Liam find a way to save Maggie's business? Camden has done it again blending historical fiction and romance in this endearing novel.

Hearts of Steel is the third book in the Blackstone Legacy series by Elizabeth Camden. It's full of action, romance, history and great characters. I found it to be engaging and a wonderful way spend a relaxing evening!
Each book can be read as a standalone novel though I do recommend reading the whole series if you have the chance.

4.5 Stars!


I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required, and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Bethany House Publishing and Ms. Camden for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I’ve been a fan of Elizabeth Camden’s books for several years now, and Hearts of Steel was everything I’ve come to love and expect. From seemingly unbeatable villains to sympathetic heroes and head-strong heroines, Elizabeth’s Camden’s novels are a must read for me.
Hearts of Steel was the perfect ending to The Blackstone Legacy trilogy. I love that Liam finally gets his happy ending! I’ve enjoyed watching him grow and change since book 1 and he really blooms in Hearts of Steel. From the crotchety steel worker and protestor in Carved in Stone to a gentleman worth of the Blackstone name, Liam will steal your heart with all he’s overcome. Here in Hearts of Steel, he fights not only a medical battle, but goes head to head with a power hungry villain set on taking him down.
One of my favorite parts of Elizabeth’s books is the intricacies of the historical research, taking real events and real people and using them to tell a fictional story. While some tweaking is involved, she holds well to the historical accuracy of a time period, and I always learn so much from her books.
Hearts of Steel will take you back to a time when powerful men will do anything to wield their desires over the common man, even if that proves detrimental and sometimes deadly. Watch Maggie and Liam go up against these powerful men, risking everything for the cause of what’s right. I love how the author writes the characters into such tight corners, it really does feel like all is lost.
I was surprised by Maggie’s backstory dump at the beginning of the book, but in the end, I realized it was a good way to cover a lot of needed information in a short space. Maggie, due to past events, never wants to be poor again, which drives everything that happens in the story thereafter.
There is a beautiful faith message about sacrifice and about standing up for what’s right. I loved this entire series and highly recommend it to all lovers of historical fiction.

I really wanted to love this book, as I greatly enjoyed the first two in the series. And I’ve been anticipating Liam’s story so much! But I didn’t love it like I’d hoped. There were several things I did like about it, but I’m just not into revenge stories, and that’s what this often seemed to be.
I usually enjoy Ms. Camden’s books, though not all of them have been my favorites. I love how she seems to find the uncommon aspects of history to highlight through her novels. I had never heard of Charles Morse or his Ice Trust, so I found those things very interesting. I also really liked Maggie and her neighbors on Gadsen St. Liam was a little harder for me to like. He was so focused on being right and squashing anyone in his way. Which certainly fit his character, but I found him less likable as the story went on, until somewhere close to the end, when he finally turned it around. But it was a long couple hundred pages to get there.
I did enjoy the relationship between Liam and Maggie, the bantering, the sweetness, the straightforwardness. There wasn’t much of the common “misunderstanding” trope, something I really appreciated. Their happy ending was definitely satisfying, after everything they had been through.

Overall, I would recommend this book if you’ve read the others in the series and want to see how the series concludes. It might be a bit confusing, if read out of order.
*My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book! I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise, and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved Hearts of Steel! This final book of the Blackstone Legacy trilogy has multi-layered characters and historical details woven into a totally captivating story. We first meet sixteen-year-old Maggie Malinaro in 1890, but her story quickly progresses to the year 1902, as the Gilded Age gives way to the Progressive Era. Maggie sees her successful ice cream business threatened by one conniving man and her only hope may be Liam Blackstone. They are both intriguing characters, but Charles Morse is the ultimate villain, and the truly disturbing fact is that he really existed! In her historical note, author Elizabeth Camden explains that Morse designed "a network of extortion, bribery, and threats" to drive competitors out of business and create his ice trust. Remember, ice was a much-needed commodity in the early 1900s and Morse's monopoly was devastating! As they work together, Maggie and Liam experience a powerful connection that cries for a happy ending but there are so many obstacles in their way. Can work-obsessed, overachieving Maggie ever allow a man into her world? Will hot-tempered, impulsive Liam ever consider himself worthy of being Theodore Blackstone's son?

This book presents a vivid glimpse of the differences between the working class and the upper class in the early 1900s, but it also chronicles the personal struggles of both Maggie and Liam. There are fears and failures to overcome but hope and faith is ever present. I especially loved their spiritual growth, and I highly recommend Hearts of Steel to all who enjoy historical Christian romance.

I received a complimentary copy from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

always enjoy reading Sarah Sundin's novels. They are such well-written, and authentic historical fiction. Once again, I came away amazed with the knowledge I gained and the information I learned.

WW2 never ceases to fascinate me, and this novel again (like Sundin does so often) showcases an aspect of the war that I knew next to nothing about.

The characters were intriguing. I especially enjoyed Henrik, and the lengths he went to for a cause he believed in.

if you love historical fiction, I recommend this novel. If you enjoy reading WW2 era stories, then you need to consider this a must read!

Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

I devoured this book. Three am, totally there. Bedtime reading turned into a nighttime marathon reading for two nights in a row. It is really difficult to get me to approve a five star rating and Hearts of Steel gets it from me. It was a great continuation of Carved in Stone that I was fond of and Written on the Wind that carried me away. The entire trilogy was filled with long hours of my not being able to put it down as I had to turn that next page. I've already convinced two local libraries to add the book to their collection as I started with a Netgalley eARC and finished with a Libby library loan. I ended up buying the first two in the series before I finished reading them, and this one is obviously on my to buy list. This book is completely worth it, the entire series is a story that I wish I could continue in the lives of these characters.

My life and perspective has changed in the last few years due to observation and experience. I really feel so much more connected to understanding these characters and caring about history and people's ability to learn from it all than I think I would have before now. This is a book, a trilogy, full of strong capable women who stand on their own two feet and the men they find to stand near and with them. Worth every minute.

Hearts of Steel, the third installment from The Blackstone Legacy series by Elizabeth Camden. It is my favorite I have read by this author. Five stars.

Elizabeth Camden has a wonderful ability to create characters and situations unlike any others I have read. This particular book is no exception, and I really enjoyed the chance to read Liam’s love story.

Of course, it is also Maggie’s story, and it’s complex all the way around. I confess that my head was spinning at times with the ins and outs of small businesses, large steel corporations, and the intricacies of the city of New York in the 1890s. But Camden does a good job in explaining things without it seeming overwhelming or jarring me out of the narrative; I felt like I was learning how industry worked right alongside Liam and Maggie as they tried to unravel the difficulties surrounding them.

One of the overarching themes of this novel is the influence of family, for good and for bad. Both of the main characters had things in their past that they could not control; they were victims of the choices of others. It motivated them to be different, and challenged them to trust others. While not an easy read, it is an important one as it caused me to consider how my desire to not repeat the past sometimes ironically makes me more liable to do so.

I really enjoyed this final installment of the Blackstone family saga and the chance to revisit some other characters. Because I had read the previous two books, I felt this was a richer conclusion to the series, though I would have been able to understand this story on its own if I were new to the story world. I highly recommend it to fans of historical fiction, especially those with a love of New York, immigrant, or industrial history, both from a wealthy and a more common perspective.

I received a review copy of this book from the author and publisher but was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are both honest and my own.

This is my first book that I have read from Elizabeth Camden but it won't be the last. This book is part of the Blackstone Legacy series but it can be read by itself and you won't feel like you have missed anything.

Maggie is a scrappy little girl who boosts herself into a business woman at the head of her family ice cream business. Her backstory pulled me in from the very beginning and I found myself rooting for her during every obstacle she faced from the evil Ice Trust who almost cripples her business.

Liam Blackstone is an unlucky-in-love man who prefers working hand in hand with steel workers to the life of a rich man. As a man of means, he comes face to face with a terrible man who has also made himself the enemy of Maggie. Together they form an alliance to take on a foe that is larger than themselves and this become an inspiring tale where you are rooting for the underdogs the entire time.

Ms. Camden does a brilliant job of weaving history, family, romance and overcoming the odds into a captivating story that you just can't put down. I will definitely be picking up the other books in this series.

Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden is a wonderful conclusion to the author’s “Blackstone Legacy” trilogy. From the first book, I rooted for Liam. He exemplified a David and Goliath storyline—a rags to riches character with a temper to match his rough childhood. I wanted him to succeed, but more than anything, I wanted Liam Blackstone to find purpose and fulfillment. The money was not enough; he needed a reason beyond representing steelworkers. Elizabeth Camden turned him from an imagined character into someone more real with Hearts of Steel, and I loved her for it. Typically, I am not a historical fiction person. I can always count on Elizabeth Camden to remind me I should read the genre more often.

Liam and Maggie are quite the pair. Both are opinionated and stubborn. Liam is eager to throw his money at Maggie’s problems, but Maggie is too prideful to accept his help. As the book continues, Liam and Maggie join forces against a common foe—a foe readers meet in the first book, but whose heinous activities no one fully understands until Hearts of Steel. This individual serves as a catalyst of sorts. A catalyst that triggers Maggie and Liam’s coming together and discovering who they are meant to be. Not only as a couple but also as individuals. They lean on friends, family, and colleagues throughout the novel, and it is so much fun seeing previous characters back again.

Hearts of Steel by Elizabeth Camden is everything I hoped for in the trilogy’s conclusion and more. I read this book—as well as its prequels—while I was bedridden after a surgery. Elizabeth Camden’s characters were the company I didn’t know I needed.

*Note: I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. All views expressed are my own.

Hearts of Steel grabbed my attention from the get go. Set during the Gilded Age in Manhattan this story felt unique and fresh as it weaves the tale of courage, love and the spirit it takes to fight against injustice, with real historical events influencing the plot of the story. The characters are dynamic and rich.

I especially enjoyed seeing a strong heroine in Maggie Molinaro the owner of an Ice Cream Company. She loves her work and what she and her Uncle have built together. Liam Blackstone is a wealthy man who comes from a working class background. Together he and Maggie work to stop what seems like an unmovable mountain in the form of a corrupt businessman. I felt like Maggie and Liam had great chemistry and I would say a slow burn romance. They truly became a team, better with one another at each others side working together.

If you enjoy a book that has the “underdog” coming out on top theme, fight for justice and a light Christian thread then this book is for you.

I have always loved Camden's ability to craft a historical novel. That aspect of this book fascinated me and truthfully, it was what kept me reading when I wanted to put the book down so many times. This book is Catholic, and all the statements of faith made by characters are in relation to a works-based salvation. The biblical truth of Christ crucified and Titus 3:4-7 is completely absent in this book. While I can still read and enjoy a book while disagreeing with the doctrines I am reading, this aspect would pop up at entirely all-too-convenient time and somewhat flippantly sometimes. It was disingenuous to the characters.

Speaking of characters, they did not grow at all throughout the book. They were stuck in a cycle of fighting over a pride issue - money - and whenever one would finally feel remorse or regret over their actions, they are told they are 'trying to do the right thing, and that is enough' in God's eyes. Liam was so hot-or-cold that I could never see what Maggie saw in him. He also spent the entire book in search of vengeance without ever letting go that.

I did love the history, and truly the author knows how to do her research. This book really takes you into the setting and place it's written in. It is also a clean read.

This is the third book in the series, but I think could easily be a stand alone read. This one is Liam's story - it's finally time to learn more about him and see where his character is headed.

And it's also Maggie's story - we learn about her early years in poverty working hard with her Uncle Dino and Aunt Julie to start an ice cream business. And just as she's succeeding and getting comfortable, there is a huge ice shortage one summer that threatens to ruin her. In the same time, Liam is still trying to fight for his board position on the steel board and finds out it's one of his collegues threatening Maggie's business, and many more.

The history is laid out wonderfully, the characters are so finely crafted and the storylines are amazing.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a digital, temporary ARC in return for my review.