What the Heart Knows

by Kathleen Eagle

A woman knows better than to give her heart easily ... But when you're in love, what the heart knows is the most important thing of all.

Helen Ketterling is good at keeping secrets --- and the most precious one of all is her son. Years ago, Helen had left the Bad River Sioux Reservation --- the passionate nights she had spent in the arms of Reese Blue Sky were never meant to last. She had never told him about their child, she wasn't about to tie him down just when he needed his freedom most.

Reese is astonished that his first love has returned to Bad River. But while desire he feels for her hasn't abated, he senses that she's holding something back. Although Reese is a man with secrets of his own, this proud man seeks the truth. And in this place where cherished traditions clash with a modern world, he's hoping to believe once again in what the heart knows.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Native American, Contemporary, Suspense, Second Chance, Basketball

376 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1999

About the author

Kathleen Eagle published her first book, a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award winner, with Silhouette Books in 1984. Since then she has published more than 40 books, including historical and contemporary, series and single title, earning her nearly every award in the industry. Her books have consistently appeared on regional and national bestseller lists, including the USA Today list and the New York Times extended bestseller list.

Born in Virginia and raised "on the road" as an Air Force brat, Ms Eagle earned degrees from Mount Holyoke College and Northern State University. She taught at Standing Rock High School in North Dakota for 17 years.

Eagle's work is often singled out by book reviewers for its exceptional quality and appeal. THE NIGHT REMEMBERS was a Chicago Tribune Notable Book. SUNRISE SONG, THE NIGHT REMEMBERS, THE LAST TRUE COWBOY, and WHAT THE HEART KNOWS made the Library Journal "Five Best Romances of the Year" list. BookPage listed WHAT THE HEART KNOWS among its "Top Six Romance Picks" for 1999. THE LAST GOOD MAN was a finalist for the 2000 Minnesota Book Award for Popular Fiction--the only Romance so honored thus far. YOU NEVER CAN TELL was named to RWA's "Top Ten Favorite Books of the Year" list. She is an RWA RITA award winner.

Kathleen Eagle lives in Minnesota with her husband, who is Lakota Sioux. The Eagles have three children and three grandchildren.

Reviews

[Ana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a nice read and I really liked the fact how the issue of race and there relations between Native Americans and white people was explored. But the characters were just a little too one-dimensional for me and some of their actions did not make sense. Still, I appreciate how fast I flew through the book.

[Cc · Rating 4 out of 5]

May be triggers and spoilers.

3.5 stars

So, while I am very aware of all the "Indian Child Welfare Acts" through out this nations shameful history of "helping and assimilating" Native Nations children (I am 1/2 Cherokee, on my dads side and know the fear my grandmother and grandmothers before her had, the 1978 law was particularly egregious bc of its innocuous language that allowed many to be abused both sexually, physically and emotionally. Not enabling many of them to grow into productive citizens of this nation, America, but rather become fearful, ashamed and very, very, very vengeful second class citizens. May the very God these Senators called their God be just as loving to them as they were to us.) I am not convinced this heroine had good cause to hide this mans child from him, so that's a strike against. But....a very good thing in this book was its highlighting the governments gaslighting reservations into taking contracts with companies that took over the gaming side to "educate" the reservation but were little more than lobbyist who put a lot of money (and foreign money, at that) into public servants, snort, pockets. Thus ensuring the only people that profited were the ones who already had money and were looking to cheat the newly minted Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988. And boy howdy, did they ever. It's not as bleak nowadays, finally Native Americans went law school and guess what? They pretty smart, lol. But there is always cheating and scamming when large sums of money are at stake and the people to whom that money was meant to help can still go hungry. Long way to go to complete transparency.

Ok, my rant is over. The book was well written and I enjoyed it but it kind of bit off a lot to try and fit into the plot so it kind of fell flat. No way to really get around the heavy stuff without really writing a tome. If you go into without all my baggage you may really enjoy it, though.

[Marianne]

Such beautiful stories about loving family, working through webs of deceit and finding forgiveness and wisdom

[Lover of Romance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helen, has come to Bad River on a job, she has been sent by her boss to find out important information and she is earnest in discovering the truth behind a old man's death, the father to the man she once abandoned, who is the father to her child. Helen, at first never imagined that she would encounter Reese so much, or that the passion they once held for each other would be rekindled as powerful as fireworks. Reese, is shocked when he comes across Helen Ketterling, the one woman who hurt him more than any other, even though he is younger than her, the feelings he had for her were genuine and real. Now she is back in his life, at a time where he has just lost his father, and becoming more involved in family affairs, but then there is a secret that he will soon discover to be shocking and surreal, and when a danger surfaces to threaten everyone he loves, he will discover the true power of love...What The Heart Knows is a single title by Kathleen Eagle, I think though I had high expectations from this book, and I found myself pretty disappointed throughout the whole novel. I have read a few books by Kathleen Eagle, and I think there has only been one or two that I ended up satisfied with. What The Heart Knows started out ok, and I was hoping it would just get better, but the flow was uneven and static at times. The story line was the best part of the book, but I just felt from beginning to end I had to force myself to get through it, I almost gave up on it, but I stuck with it, hoping it would get better however I only ended up in a spirit of frustration and how I seemed to get lost at times, and I felt like there could have more substance to the characters. I hope the next book I read from this author is much better.

[Christa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this second chance romance between Helen and Reese. Helen and Reese and a relationship that ended when he pursued an NBA career. Helen left her job as a teacher on the reservation. Now they are both back on the reservation and soon embroiled in an investigation into his father's death. They will have to decide whether they can bridge the secrets held by each of them in order to have a future together while trying to stay safe from danger.

I liked both Helen and Reese, and wanted them to overcome the past and be together. I thought the book had a nice balance of romance and suspense, and plenty of action. Kathleen Eagle's books are always a solid read for me, and I'm glad that I tried this one.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

After I read Promise Canyon by Robyn Carr, in which I liked her writing about Native Americans and also her writing about horses, I wanted to re-read some Kathleen Eagle. She also writes of both.

I remembered a turn of phrase/expression in her writing about singing someone on their final journey after death and wanted to find the expression. I'm not sure if it's in this one and I remembered it incorrectly or if it's in Ride a Painted Pony, which I am currently re-reading. I'll see if the expression is as I am recalling.

Kathleen Eagle's language use is different, more roundabout. I wonder why that is. This is not a criticism, just an observation.

Her books stand alone, so a reader can start anywhere if you want to read one.

[Sheri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I supposed I'd give this book 3.5 stars. I really liked the likable parts more like 4 stars. It was just a bit too long, too wordy. I've liked some of her other books better. The basic family story in here, though, I loved. I do take issue with any woman who keeps her child a secret from the father. Especially a man like Reese. I'd accept it if he were a junkie or something similar, but her reasoning didn't sell me.

[Nancy H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent story about Native Americans in South Dakota and what the casino business has been like for them, but in addition it is a mystery and a romance and so much more. It is an intriguing story that will keep the reader turning the pages quickly, but also enjoying the gentle wisdom that occurs throughout the story.

[Kristen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a slow yet interesting read. I felt this kind of love story is over done, or at least not done differently. I get so frustrated with characters when their choices could have been avoid with honest communication, instead they avoid what will eventually bite them in the butt later.

[Meaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

very average.

[Ejchri · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enjoyable read - shows the background setting of how the casinos on Indigenous/Native areas alters opportunities for reservation residents

A bit closer to a thriller genre than many of Kathleen Eagle’s other novels. An elderly member of the reservation community gets struck and killed by a hit and run driver on a rural road at night. His elder son, a retired pro basketball player, comes to attend the funeral and to sort through his late father’s paperwork but also discovers that his father had been actively concerned about suspected problems with the gaming casino there.

[Smo · Rating 1 out of 5]

The FMC is unlikeable and selfish.

[Louie Haltom · Rating 2 out of 5]

to many unanswered questons

[HJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of an anti-climactic ending, but not bad.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. I like this author.