Review: Hero of My Heart
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 9, 2013
This is a wonderful read of redemption, love, and exciting action, both in and out of the bedroom. The driving force of Hero of My Heart is the struggle both characters feel within themselves and each other.When Alasdair Thornham, Marquess of Datchworth, sees a drugged woman being sold in a tavern, his chivalrous nature sprung out amidst his half-awake state. He bought Mary, but acted like a guardian. And once he learns Mary is a proper miss, he does the honorable and marries to save her reputation. Mary, on the other hand, quickly finds herself without another option, and choose to take the "devil" up on this bargain, embarking the two of them on a grand journey of adventure and love.What really sold me to the story was Alasdair's honor and integrity that one would not have expected from a lord and someone addicted to opium. His intentions and actions towards Mary are very honorable, and he tries to save her from himself. Knowing his own depraved state but lacking the ability to change, Alasdair draws sympathy from the readers and from Mary. Mary initially distrusted this lord, who had willingly agreed to marry her (that is so uncommon a behavior, and says wonderful things about Alasdair) and repeatedly taken up the knight in shining armor role. Despite this, she recognizes the tortured soul in Alasdair, and stays with him to help him, stop his addiction and to love himself.At face value, both characters seem to be preoccupied with their own agendas. Mary with getting to London - without Alasdair - and Alasdair with saving Mary as a way to redeem his soul. Deep down, Mary needed Alasdair's support and protection, and he needed Mary's healing nature.My only problem with this is how the opium addiction seemed to have just vanished, which doesn't seem very true. Though, all in all, this was a great read of two very flawed characters finding love in each other, with the suspense aspect taken care of nicely, leaving the final touch to the characters. I will definitely be on the lookout for Megan Frampton's next historical.*I received an ARC from the publisher via Netgalley.