A Worthy Heart

In the second installment of Mason’s Courage to Dream series, Maggie and Gabe Montgomery leave Ireland to visit their older brother Ryland and his family in New York. The expectation is that their sojourn will be brief, but Maggie is in no hurry to return to their hometown, Cork, where everyone seems to know her business. Adam O’Leary, Ryland’s black sheep brother-in-law, returns from prison hoping to redeem his reputation and make amends with his family. Though Adam fails to meet his father’s expectations, he quickly garners Maggie’s attention. Gabe is similarly besotted with Aurora Hastings, a young woman who is more interested in becoming a nurse than seeking the fortuitous marriage her father has in mind for her. The romantic couplings become apparent early on, but Mason keeps the story interesting by interjecting a few jilted suitors, some parental disapproval and deceit, and an outbreak of typhoid fever. Adam’s struggle with forgiveness, which includes forgiving himself, creates some thought-provoking content within this thoroughly pleasant historical romance. Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary Agency (Jan.)