Fall Reads: Starving Hearts by Janine Mendenhall

Heritage Beacon; 290 pages; Buy Link; Blog Tour

Participating in blog tours gives me the opportunity to read titles by new authors. Well, that just happens to be the case with Starving Hearts written by Janine Mendenhall and published by Heritage Beacon Fiction (an imprint of Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas). Originally, I wasn't going to sign up to review the title as the cover art didn't appeal  to me. Note: The mansion on cover reminds me the one from Downton Abbey (which I've never taken the time to watch). Later, I gave it some thought and decided to give the novel a try anyway.

Typically, I prefer my romance reads to be set in the 1800s; however, this title is set in England in the late 1700s. It centers on two characters -Miss Annette Chetwynd and Mr. Peter Adsley.

Annette is worried about her mother trying to set up an arranged marriage. She would love to find someone to rescue her from her life, but she is still haunted from being assaulted.

Peter is becoming a pastor and is on the lookout for a wife, which is where Annette comes into the pictures. However, they are both haunted by their pasts, which might jeopardize any sort of future they could have together.

Final Thoughts: Though I do like Jane Austen's titles, I'm not a big fan of Regency novels. Despite my dislike for the genre, I thought I would break away from my comfort zone and give the novel a try. 

The main plot is intriguing for the most part, however, there are few romantic cliches that show up here and there, but none of them stopped be from enjoying the novel. Both the main characters, Annette and Peter, are well-written, though I never really connected with neither one.

While I don't read very many titles set in this era, I did noticed several historical inaccuracies throughout the 290-page novel. None of the errors bothered me too much, but diehard Regency fans might have a problem with them. 

For a Christian romance, there are some vulgar dialogue that might upset some readers; though, once again, it didn't bother me one bit.

Overall, Starving Hearts is a decent debut for a new author. While it's not the greatest romance novel ever written, I did enjoy reading it, despite it's obvious flaws.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher for my honest review and they are 100% my own opinions. I received no compensation for this review and I am not required to give a positive review. I am also not associated with the publisher or author in any way.



About the Author: Janine Mendenhall teaches teens English, of all things! Sometimes she sleeps, but most nights she reads, writes, or watches movies like Pride and Prejudice and claims she's researching her next book. Splickety Love and Splickety Prime have published her flash fiction. She and her husband, Tom, live in North Carolina where they and their two golden retrievers help gratify the needs of their five children and two cats.

For more information about the author, please visit her website at: www.janinemendenhall.com

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