A Heart's Home

A Journey of the Heart #6

by Colleen Coble

This Christmas, a tragic loss at Fort Laramie ushers in hope and healing.When a young mother dies after giving birth at Fort Laramie, Emmie Croftner is shaken by the death of her dear friend--and reminded of the dangers of childbirth. She won't be able to hide her own pregnancy much longer. She's dreading the day that Isaac Liddle, the handsome soldier she adores, discovers her secret.Then the young infant's father offers a solution: Emmie should marry him so the child can have a family.With the Sioux Wars threatening soldier and civilian alike, a ready-made family could be the answer to Emmie's prayers for safety. But at what cost to her heart--and Isaac's?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical, Romance, Fiction, Christian, Historical Romance

Audio CD

First published August 4, 1999

About the author

USAToday bestselling author Colleen Coble lives with her husband, Dave, in Arizona. She is the author of dozens of novels including the Rock Harbor Series, the Aloha Reef Series, the Mercy Falls Series, the Hope Beach Series, the Lonestar Series and two Women of Faith fiction selections, Alaska Twilight and Midnight Sea. She has more than 6 million books in print.

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ah, these descriptions! When everyone has known about Emmie's pregnancy since book three...oh, well, just read the series and not the descriptions.

It was worrisome indeed to read about Isaac's venture for reinforcements and near freezing!

I loved the epilogue and especially the sweet ending Morning Song gets.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a rather underwhelming end to this series. There was actually a lot of drama in this installment for such a short book. However, the characters weren't engaging and I didn't feel any connection to them. It was like watching pieces moving around a game board. I did not like the situation with Jake and the way he and Isaac seemed to feel like they had the right to decide Emmie's fate without consulting her at all. I never really got a feel for Isaac and Emmie's relationship beyond, you're single, I'm single. Let's get married! Sure we barely know each other, but eh, who cares? Details. The whole promise to Amelia and Jake actually taking it seriously was rather bizarre and hard to take seriously. There were also so many pregnancies and babies/toddlers in this one that I lost count. I mean I know these ladies wouldn't have had modern birth control, but honestly. They're in the middle of a war zone. I'm not sure it's prudent or historically accurate to have them pregnant all the time. With all that went on, we still never got to see Emmie tell Isaac her big secret. We really didn't get to see them interact much at all. This book is worth reading if you've been following the series, because it wraps everything up. But it wasn't the best of the series.


*I received an ARC of this title from LitFuse in exchange for an honest review.


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[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this whole mini series! Were there improvements that could have been made? Sure. But for such a short series I think it was well done. I enjoyed how the stories developed throughout each book… the characters were heartwarming and the dangers of living in a fort out west in Indian territory kept the books exciting. I am so glad I decided to give this series a try.

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great series- really enjoyed them all, though I felt like this final book was stuffed full of much drama and some weak wrap ups of a few ongoing storylines.

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fitting conclusion to this series of novellas.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read all six books in this novella series, I feel that A Heart’s Home is a good and fitting finale to the ongoing story of the lives of Rand, Sarah, Jacob, Amelia, Isaac, and Emmie. There are heartbreaking moments in this book and quite a few emotional highs and lows. But, I enjoyed this story from start to finish and liked the way everything worked out by the end of the novella.

I definitely recommend reading the entire series in order or the reader will be left with some questions, or just perhaps a sense that they are not as connected to the characters as they could be. I felt like I went on quite a journey with these characters from novellas one through six. It was an interesting peek back into history.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

You can read this review on my blog at:
https://brittreadsfiction.wordpress.c...

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okay ending to the series. I thought it was a little boring how much Emmie's unlawful marriage to Monroe was referenced and how often she was going to tell Isaac the truth, but she never did...at least that we're permitted to see. The constant threat of wondering if Jessica is going to tell him, but then Emmie just keeps waiting...I thought it was going to go another way.

It was very sad that Amelia died, but I found it odd how everyone just thought the promise Emmie made that if Amelia died in childbirth she'd marry Jacob should still be honored...when she died weeks later from pneumonia! What if she had married already?

[Allie Kilduff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually really liked the way this series ended, so sweet how it all fell together but I'm even happier it's over.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it seemed as though there were some missing pieces in this book, I did feel that everything wrapped up well. Overall, the series was an enjoyable read.

[Emily Boyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a fan of a close friend dying and leaving behind a husband with a new born baby🤦🏼‍♀️😂 overall it was a good series. Not something I expected Colleen Coble to write because it wasn’t a mystery.

[Randy Tramp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tragic loss at Fort Phil Kearny.
The Sioux wars threaten the fort.
Emmie's vow threatens her happiness with Isacc.

What a story. What a series. I've found a new favorite author. Tension from page one. I felt the pains, the disappointments, and the joys. Life was tough in the old west and now I have a little more of an idea of how much. Wonderful story and ending to this series. I'll miss the characters.

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: This is the sixth book in the Journey of the Hearts series -- a serialization release of two previously published, out of print books. The books were released monthly from March to August. You definitely need to read the first five in order for A Heart's Home to make any sense.

An action-packed conclusion to this six book continuing series. Almost too rushed for my liking though. It feels like something was lost in the need to edit down the original two books in order to make them into novella length installments. I think that would be my one criticism with Journey of the Hearts -- the pacing was sometimes off so some books were action packed while others were calmer, scene and setting and character development kind of reads. This isn't a problem if you're reading them one after the other, but it left me wanting a time or two as I read them upon release each month.

Not sure that I'm a fan of this kind of publishing endeavour. I would rather the original books be republished in their entirety. Failing that, I think it would have made a lot more sense to release them as ebooks first -- and closer together -- like one a week and then at the conclusion, release a bound volume in paperback format. But that's just my personal opinion.

The other issue I have with this marketing format is that it significantly increases the cost to the consumer. Each book is $8.00 (in Canada) so that's $48 for the whole series -- double the cost of buying two standard sized books. And keep in mind, you're spending $8.00 for an incomplete story so you really have to commit to buying all six books.

All in all, an intriguing publishing initiative and an interesting glimpse into Colleen Coble's literary beginnings.

My thanks to the publisher and Litfuse Publicity Group for providing me with a review copy of this book.

[Hallie (Hallie Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review is also posted on Book by Book.

The sixth and final installment of Colleen Coble’s A Journey of the Heart, A Heart’s Home offers a satisfying conclusion to the dramatic yet heartwarming series. In this novella, the future of the romance between Emmie and Isaac remains uncertain amidst the difficulties of life at the fort. Between their promises to keep and duties to perform, the challenges quickly mount between the two. This final bit of unexpected drama for the series’ beloved characters provides an entertaining, albeit slightly predictable, ending and I think fans of the series will enjoy it. Readers who have journeyed through the entire series will not want to miss A Heart’s Home.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of A Heart’s Home and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Reet Champion]

Well I opened my big mouth and did it. Derp. After stating I would read anything by Colleen Coble I picked up a title by said author and fell asleep at about the halfway point. This little incident prompted me to call it quits and move on to my next book (which then kept me up well into the night/morning). I could be wrong. A Heart’s Home may have gotten interesting as the story progressed but I just didn’t feel it was worth the endurance. (Yes I’m a lazy slob.) Durned if I know. So if you are Colleen Coble fan I wouldn’t be put off by this review. Give it a go, you might like it.

DISCLAIMER: In accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising” we would like to note that we received an electronic copy of “A Heart’s Home” provided by the publishers, Thomas Nelson, through Netgalley.com in exchange for our honest review.

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[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the sixth and final book in this series, and although I wanted to find out the ending, I didn’t want to leave these dear folks. While reading this last edition, my heart was in my throat, so much sadness, and yet there is much to look forward to, with God’s help.
This is when we find out if Emmie will honor her friends wishes, and if all including Isaac will survive both the Indians and the harsh Wyoming weather. So many babies are on their way here, and with such conditions, and the solution for saving or not letting the Indians get them, made me cringe.
Pick up this entire series; you will not be disappointed, except that it ends.
I received this book through Litfuse Publicity book tours, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Shannah Mauney · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect ending to a fantastic series. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading this series. Colleen Coble is a masterful story teller. She paints a beautifully vivid picture of life in the Wyoming Territory in the mid 1800's. This book is no exception. Like all of Colleen's books, the ending warmed my heart. Everything panned out, just like I knew it would. Read my full review: http://faithlovebooks.blogspot.com/20...

[Adelle Semrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did I miss something or did she never tells him the truth about her past "marriage?" I mean, I'm sure she told him, we just don't get to see it after it seemed like such a big deal. Sort of a plot hole for me.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Final book in the series - each book was only about 100 pages. This had more drama than the others so I found I didn't want to put it down. Jacob's loss of Amelia was tragic. He wants to hold Emmie to her promise she made to Amelia if she died she would marry Jacob and raise the baby. But Isaac has already proposed and a wedding date is set. Which man will she end up with? The Indians attack the soldiers and it is a massacre. Reinforcements come from Fort Laramie. Rand, Jacob and Isaac all live through all the Indian raids. Morning Star is a blessing to Jacob. Epilogue was good to read - how the author laid out what happened in the lives of the main characters. They all end up leaving Fort Phil Kearney because of a treaty with the Indians. Babies are born to everyone!! Life would have been so hard during this time period as a soldier's wife. Living conditions were less than desirable but the women held their own with all the challenges that they faced. Made me thankful for my home and the security that I feel.

[Danielle Turko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emmie is on top of the world. While Isaac doesn't know her secret yet, he's assured her that nothing can keep him from loving her. With a wedding date on the horizon, she is planning on telling him right away so there will be no secrets between them when Amelia suddenly die and Jacob demands she keep her promise and marry him instead, so that his daughter will have a mother. She knows Amelia wouldn't want her to forego her wedding to Isaac, but she also believes in honouring her promise. Did she and Isaac finally admit their true feelings for each other to not end up together after all?
I thought this was a pretty good ending to the series, and I'm assuming is factual but I don't know much about American history from the 1800's The epilogue was a little weird, it was like one second something was happening then its the epilogue and it's 2 years later. A nice first series for any author to claim, although it's far from her typical style

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This final installment of the "Journey of the Heart" series was a very enjoyable read. I am interested in our country's great growth during the time frame of this story. I loved one of the secondary stories - that of the friendship of a soldier and a Sioux during a war. Peace reigned in the midst of war. Lovely. I rooted for Emmie and Isaac as their story unfolded. Thank you, Colleen Coble, for a fun read.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Running out of steam on this series. Some premises in this installment were fairly ridiculous. If you were married and your good friend is sweet on someone else, do you have them make a promise regarding another man? All the tell/not tell secrets I mean I know they're part of the story but when you know someone else is just itching to put you in a bad light do you dare give them any arsenal?

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect ending to a fantastic series. I enjoyed this series so much that I finished the last three books all in the same day. It helps that they're under 100 pages each. If you're looking for something short but good to read I highly recommend the A Journey of the Heart series. I will definitely be reading more of Colleen Coble's books in the future.

[Alicia Lowery · Rating 3 out of 5]

The publisher should’ve bound books 1-3 together. And let books 4-6 be a book 2. Carrying around all these tiny books is cumbersome. This is the main reason for the rating.

This story was more a romance than a suspense—like this author is more known for. It was a good story overall, just poorly bound.

[Ashley Nikole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I probably shouldn't have jumped into a series on the 6th book, and maybe that's why I felt no connection to the characters or plot...but novella's have always given me a bit of a hard time, so...maybe that's why? Ah well...

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved each of these mini sections to this series. I love the way the author so lovingly twists her characters lives into realistic issues! Great read Colleen Coble! I'll for sure be reading more by this author.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best series I’ve ever read.

[Erica Locke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing series

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the entire series.. a very cozy read (each book)

[Melmo2610 · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite book of the set. It had several exciting moments and a lovely conclusion. Good set of stories.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. What a lovely ending to a six book series. The incredible obstacles these characters faced with their unwavering faith.