The Heart's Choice by Tracie Peterson; Kimberley Woodhouse

The Heart's Choice
by Tracie Peterson;
Kimberley Woodhouse

ISBN-13: 9780764238970
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Bethany House
Released: May 1, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
After witnessing a wrongful conviction as a young girl, Rebecca McCutcheon--the first female court reporter in Montana--hopes to someday be a lawyer and defend the innocent. During a murder trial, some of the evidence indicates the accused is innocent, but the man's lawyer doesn't bring it up in his defense. When Rebecca tells her thoughts to the judge, he rebukes her, saying they need to remain impartial and not influence the case.

But the handsome new Carnegie librarian supports her efforts to determine the truth. Librarian Mark Andrews's father sent him off to college hoping he would someday take over the business side of the family ranch. Mark refuses, sure that his older sister and her new husband can run the ranch fine without him. Little does he know that the new husband only wants to make a quick profit off his family and is a threat to everyone he cares for.


My Review:
The Heart's Choice is a Christian romance set in 1904 in Montana. The main characters were engaging, complex, and reacted realistically to events. This was not a detective novel: Rebecca had a good eye for bringing up things that would cast doubt in the case, but she didn't really try to prove who the real murderer was--though she suspected. The judge, a good man who was also a friend and mentor, felt that they needed to remain impartial, so anything she did to help the defendant potentially threatened her job. Historical details about the time (especially the legal system and the library) were woven into the story, providing a distinct feel of the time and place. Rebecca and Mark quickly became friends through shared interests and spending time together. They supported each other through difficult events and came to care for each other. They were a good match and worked well together.

Rebecca had been to church occasionally, but her boss's wife was appalled to learn she didn't have a personal relationship with Christ. A good chunk of the story was about Rebecca coming to a saving faith in Christ after reading the Bible and asking questions. Mark was a Christian and helped answer Rebecca's questions about faith. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this enjoyable story.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.