What do you think?
Rate this book
Hearts Unbound
A spirited young woman and a respected, handsome doctor find love on the plains in this sweeping historical Western romance by “an author to watch” (RT Book Reviews).
Beautiful, hardworking Pia Alegria toils day and night helping her emigrant parents run a boarding house in Boise, Idaho. When a sheepherder breaks into her room one night with ill intentions, her father insists the headstrong, yet shaken, girl seek a physician’s care.
Doctor Wilson has practiced medicine in Boise for two years, has an excellent reputation, and is well respected by the community, but he has his own tragic background. A true Southern gentleman from a wealthy Alabama family, Bart was married, but was unable to save his wife and child during a very difficult childbirth. He fled the pain, isolating himself in Idaho from any woman who might seek his company.
But as Pia recuperates under Dr. Wilson’s gentle care, she notices he’s more than a caregiver. And he can’t help but notice that his stunning patient might just make a perfect country doctor’s wife...
Beautiful, hardworking Pia Alegria toils day and night helping her emigrant parents run a boarding house in Boise, Idaho. When a sheepherder breaks into her room one night with ill intentions, her father insists the headstrong, yet shaken, girl seek a physician’s care.
Doctor Wilson has practiced medicine in Boise for two years, has an excellent reputation, and is well respected by the community, but he has his own tragic background. A true Southern gentleman from a wealthy Alabama family, Bart was married, but was unable to save his wife and child during a very difficult childbirth. He fled the pain, isolating himself in Idaho from any woman who might seek his company.
But as Pia recuperates under Dr. Wilson’s gentle care, she notices he’s more than a caregiver. And he can’t help but notice that his stunning patient might just make a perfect country doctor’s wife...
- GenresRomance
368 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 30, 2013
5 people are currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Sara Luck
9 books13 followersSara Luck has lived the life that other novelists write about. A retired school teacher, Sara taught in Alaska, 200 miles above the Arctic Circle. She has traveled to every state in the United States and has watched Bowhead Whales breaching in the Chukchi Sea, cavorting Dahl Sheep in the Brooks Range, leaping cutthroat trout on Oregon's McKenzie River, roaming grizzly bear and mountain lions in the Absorka Range in Wyoming, and dolphins at play from her beach home at Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Married to NY Times Best Selling novelist, Robert Vaughan, Sara has for over 30 years been Robert's research assistant, editor, librarian, sounding board, and story consultant.
The genesis of Susanna's Choice came from one of those research projects. Sara discovered The Journals of Alfred Doten – 1849-1903, a remarkably detailed account of life in Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nevada, during the heyday of silver mining in such mines as the Comstock Lode, Consolidated Virginia, Belcher, and Ophir. When Robert didn't get as excited about the story prospects of this find as Sara did, he told her to write the book herself. She did just that, and Susanna's Choice is her debut effort, but she promises there will be many more to come.
Married to NY Times Best Selling novelist, Robert Vaughan, Sara has for over 30 years been Robert's research assistant, editor, librarian, sounding board, and story consultant.
The genesis of Susanna's Choice came from one of those research projects. Sara discovered The Journals of Alfred Doten – 1849-1903, a remarkably detailed account of life in Virginia City and Gold Hill, Nevada, during the heyday of silver mining in such mines as the Comstock Lode, Consolidated Virginia, Belcher, and Ophir. When Robert didn't get as excited about the story prospects of this find as Sara did, he told her to write the book herself. She did just that, and Susanna's Choice is her debut effort, but she promises there will be many more to come.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 9, 2013
An intriguing historical romance that will captivate you! Taken from my review at RomanceJunkies.com:
Pia Caranza, a Basque beauty, has spent her whole life in Guernica, with her mother, Zurine, and her older sister, Elixabete. The local priest, Father Ignacio, is intent on having the children learn English. Since Pia excels in this endeavor, he has her teaching the young children in the area. She has not seen her father in thirteen years. That was when he and their next door neighbor left for America to make their fortune. Now he has sent for them to come to Idaho, where he has a herd of sheep and is part owner of a boardinghouse. Pia hates leaving the only home she has ever known, especially since her travels take her to the drudgery of scrubbing floors and sleeping in the basement with her sister.
Bart Wilson, a physician in Boise, works alongside his father, although they do not often get along. He has become a friend to the Basque community, tending to them when others will not. Bart also has a reputation of being a hard drinking, ladies’ man. He is not sure if he even wants to be a doctor, but he goes out of his way to treat people, regardless of their nationality or their ability to pay. When Pia arrives in Boise, all it takes is one look and he is smitten.
Knowing that Pia is off limits since their culture demands that a Basque marry a Basque, Bart struggles to keep his hands to himself. But after she helps him with a patient, he hires her to come to work as a nurse for him and his father. Their close proximity only strengthens their love for each other. But then her father arranges a marriage for her with one of his partner’s sons. Will she choose to follow the tradition of the Basques and obey her father’s wishes, or will she choose love?
After the Spanish fire on an American ship, many in the town target the Basques, mistaking them for Spaniards. Will Bart be able to keep the woman he loves safe?
HEARTS UNBOUND, the latest book by author Sara Luck, is an enticing historical romance. The adjustments that Pia and her family had to make as they traveled to a foreign country, with its different ways and language, were very realistic. The secondary characters added additional depth to the story and I hope to read some of their stories, especially Marko’s, who was Pia’s betrothed in this story. The combination of well-drawn characters, historical authenticity, vivid imagery, cultural differences, bigotry, tender romance and true love is sure to keep readers glued to the pages of this wonderful story. HEARTS UNBOUND is one of the reasons I am such a fan of Ms. Luck’s work. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of your own.
Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
Pia Caranza, a Basque beauty, has spent her whole life in Guernica, with her mother, Zurine, and her older sister, Elixabete. The local priest, Father Ignacio, is intent on having the children learn English. Since Pia excels in this endeavor, he has her teaching the young children in the area. She has not seen her father in thirteen years. That was when he and their next door neighbor left for America to make their fortune. Now he has sent for them to come to Idaho, where he has a herd of sheep and is part owner of a boardinghouse. Pia hates leaving the only home she has ever known, especially since her travels take her to the drudgery of scrubbing floors and sleeping in the basement with her sister.
Bart Wilson, a physician in Boise, works alongside his father, although they do not often get along. He has become a friend to the Basque community, tending to them when others will not. Bart also has a reputation of being a hard drinking, ladies’ man. He is not sure if he even wants to be a doctor, but he goes out of his way to treat people, regardless of their nationality or their ability to pay. When Pia arrives in Boise, all it takes is one look and he is smitten.
Knowing that Pia is off limits since their culture demands that a Basque marry a Basque, Bart struggles to keep his hands to himself. But after she helps him with a patient, he hires her to come to work as a nurse for him and his father. Their close proximity only strengthens their love for each other. But then her father arranges a marriage for her with one of his partner’s sons. Will she choose to follow the tradition of the Basques and obey her father’s wishes, or will she choose love?
After the Spanish fire on an American ship, many in the town target the Basques, mistaking them for Spaniards. Will Bart be able to keep the woman he loves safe?
HEARTS UNBOUND, the latest book by author Sara Luck, is an enticing historical romance. The adjustments that Pia and her family had to make as they traveled to a foreign country, with its different ways and language, were very realistic. The secondary characters added additional depth to the story and I hope to read some of their stories, especially Marko’s, who was Pia’s betrothed in this story. The combination of well-drawn characters, historical authenticity, vivid imagery, cultural differences, bigotry, tender romance and true love is sure to keep readers glued to the pages of this wonderful story. HEARTS UNBOUND is one of the reasons I am such a fan of Ms. Luck’s work. Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of your own.
Dottie, RomanceJunkies.com
October 2, 2013
She's everything a good woman should be: tiny, compliant, innocent, exotic, great in bed AND a virgin. Does as she's told, speaks only when spoken to and is just intelligent enough to hold a cute conversation. The guy is of course an asshole who sleeps around and never apologizes for being a jerk yet she loves him anyway. The story had potential but the protagonists made me sort of ill. Same for the picture on the cover.
February 6, 2017
This was the first book that I read from this author. I really enjoyed the story. It was fast paced and kept my interest! Great love story filled with history! Bart and Pia's relationship was built on trust and loyalty. They listened to their heart's instead of conforming to what other's wanted for them. Both character's were strong willed and determined to prove that sometimes love just comes along when you least expect it to!
August 31, 2013
I see books like this in every store that I go to and I finally decided to try one. Well, I have never read anything like it before and I will probably never read it again, but it was a very nice light read.
Want to read
February 26, 2013Kyaaaaaaa.... Paul Marron!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews