A Heart Restored

Peacock Hill Romance #1

by Elizabeth Maddrey

Opposites attract when a house flipper looking for a fresh start butts heads with a local handyman. The dilapidated mansion isn't the only thing in need of TLC.

Deidre McIntyre didn’t exactly purchase the gorgeous old home in the Shenandoah Mountains on a whim. The building had seen better days, but she had the skills—and the time—to fix it up. And maybe it would provide the fresh start she was looking for.

Local handyman Jeremiah Crawford has a soft spot for Peacock Hill. The pixie-like Deidre isn’t at all what he expects when he swings by to meet the new owner, but he’s happy to hang around and enjoy the view.

When Deidre’s ex-boyfriend, a popular TV house flipper, shows up demanding a piece of the action, Jeremiah must decide if Deidre—and Peacock Hill—are worth fighting for.

Buy A Heart Restored to begin construction today. This heartwarming first installation of the Peacock Hill Romance series takes readers to a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia. At Peacock Hill, new friends gather to restore a Gilded Age mansion, discover their passion, and fall in love in a brand-new series of contemporary Christian romances by Elizabeth Maddrey.

Don't miss out on the complete Peacock Hill series!

1. A Heart Restored 2. A Heart Reclaimed 3. A Heart Realigned 4. A Heart Redirected 5. A Heart Rearranged 6. A Heart Reconsidered (A Heart Restored was previously published in the Love at First Laugh box set in March 2017. That box set is no longer available, but if you read the whole set, you've already read this one.) And read more realistic Christian romance by Elizabeth Maddrey, too! 1. Hope Ranch, an ongoing series, begins with Hope for Christmas 2. Grant Us Grace, a completed 5-book series that starts with Wisdom to Know 3. Taste of Romance, a completed 5-book series that begins with A Splash of Substance 4. Operation Romance, a completed 4-novella series that begins with Operation Mistletoe 5. The Baxter Family Bakery, a completed 4-book series that begins with Loaves & Wishes 6. The Remnants Series, a complete trilogy that begins with Faith Departed

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Christian Fiction, Ebooks, Chick Lit, Christian Romance, Christian

151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 9, 2018

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Elizabeth Maddrey is a semi-reformed computer geek and homeschooling mother of two who lives in the suburbs of Washington D.C. When she isn’t writing, Elizabeth is a voracious consumer of books. She loves to write about Christians who struggle through their lives, dealing with sin and receiving God’s grace on their way to their own romantic happily ever after.

Reviews

[Kara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I admit, I think my favorite part of this book was all the hilarious mistakes poor Deidre made while texting! A couple of them made me giggle out loud. Which just endeared her to me. And to Jeremiah! :D I confess to knowing absolutely nothing about restoring a house, but the descriptions of what Peacock Hill looked like, before and after, made me wish it were an actual place to visit. Plus, I just really loved that the story takes place in my home state, which meant I recognized places mentioned. This is fun little romance between two people who were not prepared to find each other. For all the shortness of the story, I could totally buy into their chemistry and simply enjoyed the journey of them coming together. Very cute!

[Beth | Faithfully Bookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this story as part of the Love at First Laugh novella collection. If you enjoy home improvement shows like the Rehab Addict, you'll love this sweet romance. I love the small town Blue Ridge mountains setting and down to earth characters.

[Cayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like this, I highly recommend Swing Lowe, by Erynn Mangum.

[Mandi Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one! A great start to a series.

[Paula Shreckhise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Victorian houses and I love fixer-upper stories. So this was just my cup of tea. Cute story of Diedre and Jeremiah who at first are attracted, then try to talk themselves out of a new relationship. But as they work together, they find they have much in common: A love for old houses and they are both handy with a hammer.
There are many light moments. The botched texts were absolutely hilarious. There was spiritual growth by both characters. I loved that Diedre wasn’t afraid to ask Jeremiah for a ride to Church. Their families added a lot to the story with their support and the funny way Dad looked out for his daughter. Jeremiah’s buddies were spot on. Everything about this story was very natural. I enjoyed it immensely. Some things sneak up on you such as the name of Jeremiah’s business: BULLFROG HOME SERVICES . LoL
Can’t wait to read the rest of the series.
*I won this book from Kav Rees at BestReads blog. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.*

[Kav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet and fun and sassy. I love the way the cover so aptly reflects the story inside. Deidre is smart and capable and reno savvy. Jeremiah's the very smitten local handyman. They are both adorably bumbling when it comes to romance which kept me grinning all the way through. Great quips and touches of humour throughout. (Deidre's inept texting is hilarious!) But even with that lighthearted vibe, Maddrey has provided openings for some profound faith discussions as well. A thought provoking and amusing escape read.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

Sweet, clean, and easy to read, this was not a bad novella. I liked the message of trusting in God, and both MCs were genuinely nice people. The drama wasn't too bad and didn't drag on forever. Yay! I have a feeling this series will be my go-to when I'm in between full length boks.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Heart Restored by Elizabeth Maddrey is a wonderful Christian romance. It is the first book in the Peacock Hill Romance series and I cannot wait for the rest of the books.
Elizabeth Maddrey always writes charming stories that are grounded in God. A Heart Restored explores relationship with God. Sometimes life intervenes and we push God away. "She and God hadn't been on speaking terms." It is hard to trust God when life seems to be falling apart but He always has our best interests at heart.
Relationships work best when we communicate and are honest - with others, with God and with ourselves. We need to be sure to listen too. "You'll hear God more clearly if you're working on your relationship with Him." That means praying, listening and going to church where we can meet with a body of believers that will help in our journey. Relationship with God is not about being a Sunday Christian but about including Him in every aspect of our lives.
God's plans are always the best plans and we would be wise to line our will up with His. "I want to do what You want me to do." We grow best when we are in the will of God. "This seems to be where God has me planted. I choose to bloom." We always have the choice to follow God or not. God is a gentleman He will not force us to do anything. The choice is always ours.
There are the themes of renovation and restoration. The renovating of an old house mirrors the work God does in our lives. We cannot ignore our history, it is part of who we are. We incorporate what we have learnt into our lives. Likewise we incorporate a house's best historical features into its renovations.
As always, Elizabeth Maddrey has drawn delightful, warm and amusing characters. I was particularly entertained by the predictive texts one character seemed to send.
An absolutely wonderful story. I recommend grabbing a copy, settling into a cosy chair and losing yourself in A Heart Restored. You will be glad that you did.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story. Loved it because I live in the area and have been to the towns. I love the less than typical female lead and the genuine hometown male lead. Looking forward to book two.

[Angie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 🌟

Alright, so I am going to just start off by saying that the biggest problem with this book was that it was too short.
I don't usually read novellas because I feel like they are too rushed, and I always want a full-length novel by the end. I felt the same way with this one.

I did enjoy the story. It was really sweet, it just felt a little rushed.
I almost spit out my coffee at least two times while reading because I was laughing so hard. Deidre's text mishaps were so relatable as anyone who messages me knows my phone is never my friend ( although I still prefer text over phone call)😝
I thought the faith elements were so refreshing and not shied-away from which is great. It is good to see strong Christian men in books having spiritual conversations.. I will definitely be picking up more from this series. I hope it just continues where it left off.

[Misty's Book Space · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first pick from my Kindle jar that I created for this year to help me read more from the kindle books that I own. Luckily my first pick was a short one so it was a quick read. I say this every time I read a novella but these tend to be hit or miss for me because most of the time I'm left feeling like we didn't get enough. That wasn't the case for this book though. Everything worked really well and I never felt like we didn't get enough back story. It does end on a cliffhanger though which is pretty frustrating. I also have to say I wasn't expecting this to be a Christian Romance. I typically don't read Christian books because usually the religious side of things feels like it's being shoved down your throat and I can't stand that. This was a little heavy handed with the religious aspect but in the end it didn't really bother me all that much and I really want to continue this series. 

[whatsalliereading · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 it probably could have been a 5 if it were longer and had more time building the characters and the plot 😍 Probably my only downside bc this was great and I can’t wait to read book 2!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lol moments

4.5 stars... Only giving 4.5 because of grammatical errors in the book, but I really enjoyed this story. I hope to read more of this series in the near future.

The text messages made me laugh out loud, seriously!! We've all had auto correct problems, lol! This is a quick and great read. It went along with the devotional I read today about praying about the will of God for your life. Highly recommend!!

[Phyllis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Heart Restored is the beginning of a new series by Elizabeth Maddrey.  Moving her stories from the D.C. area to a small town in Virginia, she continues to tackle subjects that are relevant and to inspire a closer relationship with God.

This book is light-hearted and has some funny moments.  The texting cracks me up, probably because I have the same problem Deidre does with texting.  It is so bad, she makes this comment:

"Please, if we're any kind of friends, don't make me text."

I like the fact that Jeremiah is not bothered at all about the fact that Deidre does renovations and is the owner of the company he had considered applying to.

Did we know that was a girl?"

Jeremiah shook his head.  Not that it mattered. It didn't. His mom could swing a hammer about as well as his dad. But it had been a shock to discover the owner of his dream job looked a lot like a famous cartoon fairy.

"but using your brain, doing what you think is right and makes sense, doesn't preclude relying on God. It's not an either-or proposition. I don't think God asks us to sit on our hands and wait for a divine nudge before we get dressed in the morning."

"I know, but the idea's the same. If your intent is to do what God wants for you, if that's what you're praying for and earnestly seeking, then you start on the path that makes sense and listen. God's pretty good about making it clear when you need to turn."

Each book in the series stands by itself with a clear beginning and ending, though they do all build on each other, sharing characters from the other books.  I suggest you start right in on this new series so you are ready for the next book when it comes out.

This review was originally posted on Among the Reads

I am grateful to Elizabeth Maddrey for giving me a copy of this book. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adult contemporary Christian Romance. I was first introduced to Elizabeth Maddrey through the Acadia Valley multi-author series. I enjoyed her character writing then so I had been looking forward to reading more. This is the first in a series set at a Gilded Age restoration Project in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Deidre buys the dated estate, determined to restore it to its original glory. She has the knowledge to do it herself, after taking over her father's construction company. But Jeremiah the local handyman wants to help. Instead of competing, the two find each other competent and knowledgeable and figure out they make a good team. I enjoyed the setting, which was close enough to home that I could recognize some of the towns and landmarks. I also appreciated that it was a quick read, enjoyed seeing the relationship develop, and meeting some of the characters who will be starring in future books.

[Lisa (Two Bookish Brits) · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re looking for a cute and fun read then this one will do the job.

It was short and to the point and exactly what I needed when I decided on my next read.

Deidre and Jeremiah were super adorable and I enjoyed reading their story.

Deidre is looking for a place away from her usual life, she’s looking for peace and quiet after an ex screwed her over.

Jeremiah is still hurting from his last breakup thinking she was the one so he has thrown himself into his business.

Neither of them expect the instant connection when they meet each other and from them on it’s so cute watching it grow.

I’m not religious so I didn’t enjoy that too much but other than that I liked it.

First read from this author but I’ll be looking in to some more.

[Renate Deutsche Oma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I first read this inspirational romance as part of the Love at First Laugh boxed set. Elizabeth Maddrey is a talented author who weaves relatable characters, twist and turn plot with intriguing conflicts and a believable resolution. With a son, who works construction and flips houses with his wife; I can relate with Deidre and Jeremiah and first impressions are not always accurate. The author does a remarkable job of incorporating an intriguing behind the scenes TV house show. Nice descriptive details of small time live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of SW Virginia. Who wouldn't like to live in a Glided Age Mansion.

[Cindy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Elizabet Maddrey. I loved it. Diedre bought this old home to restore. She needed to get away from her ex boyfriend and tv house flipper. The found this gem the lovely setting in lovely town in the Shenandoah mountains of Virginia.
Jerimiah is a local boy, handyman. He had his sights on Peacock Hill too but for the future. These two meet and well, we shall see what happens. God needs to work on both hearts. They need to learn to trust and see if broken hearts can be mended.
There are twist and turns in the story. I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Looking forward to starting the next book in the Peacock Hill stories. Read, enjoy, blessings.

[Gail Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deidre McIntyre needs a change after dealing with a manipulative ex-boyfriend. When she purchases the Peacock Hill house, her friends and family wonder what she's up to.

When Jeremiah Crawford learns the Peacock Hill house has a new owner, he offers his services. When he learns about Deidre's family, he realizes the girl doesn't need any help.

I enjoyed the banter and the comedy between Deidre and Jeremiah. Experiencing the restoration was enjoyable and interesting. The romance was sweet. Maddrey's characters were original and believable. Can't wait to read the next story in this series.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think we need more stories about women renovators! I grew up with a mom and sisters that did a lot of the house projects and as a property manager, I love seeing women in these businesses. This was such a cute story. I totally forgot it was a novella and my only complaint was that I wished it was longer. I will look forward to the longer second book, if I understood correctly, should be full length.
So, if you like remodeling stories, this was a cute one.

[Rose Grabowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

We follow Deidre and Jeremiah in this Blue Ridge Mountain setting. She has purchased a local landmark to renovate- doing much of the work herself. He is a local handyman who wanted to buy the property but at least wants the opportunity to work on it. Her ex wants to film an episode of his house flipper show there against her wishes. They begin a relationship. Her skill in renovation was admirable and her lack of skill in texting was hilarious.

[Kelly Lewy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Christian book for all to read!

Heart restored is a charming love story. The book opens with Deidre who bought a mansion to restore.
She meets Jeremiah who wanted to buy the mansion himself. I loved the whole story and can't wait to continue
reading the story about Duncan and Anna.

I recommend this to every romance reader who love a good Christian book.

I rated it a 5 star because it deserved it. Story line kept you reading to see what happens next.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diedre and Jeremiah’s story is truly amazing. The author will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next with these two. You will feel God working throughout this whole book. I had the honor to review this book for a honest review. I would give this book a higher rating than a five star review if I could.

[Andrea Byers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deidre has just purchased an older home and is looking forward to reviving it. Jeremiah had wanted to buy it, but hadn’t been able to yet. We meet some people from Deidre’s life, including her sister and brother, as well as a couple of Jeremiah’s friends. Easy story to read and likeable characters and some humor (ie texting). Looking forward to what lies ahead in this series.

[Judith Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peacock Palace?

This story was well written with a nice balance of spiritual discipline woven into a very interesting story line. The characters were believable and well written. I enjoyed the ending, even though I don't know whether or not any young man would go to those lengths to get his lady.

[D'anah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great fun

Ok, the bad guy leaves a yuk taste in your mouth, he is such a sleeze. Apart from that, enjoyed every minute of the story. Want to read the rest too.
What i liked best, was the text error messages. Thank you. They made me laugh on a day when i desperately needed it. Yes, read it. Is fun. I love books where the characters do not have the 'run-of-the-mill' occupations.

[Joyce Marion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to the series

This is the first book I've read by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love the story line of renovating an historic home.
Deidre purchases the mansion to restore. Everyone is surprised that a tiny female can work like she does.

So enjoyed how she looked to God to guide her in all the changes in her life.

[Rhondia Cannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most important to me is that this is a clean romance with clear inspirational themes. Deidre has an outside-of-the-box occupation. She’s physically strong but spiritually stymied and emotionally hurting. Still, she perseveres and regroups. Providentially she meets Jeremiah and their story begins. Really enjoyed this uplifting tale.

[Jacquelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

'A Heart Restored' was enthralling. The captivating plot was filled with spirituality, moving on from a bad breakup, hope, snippets of levity, and new beginnings. Deidre and Jeremiah, the protagonists, were soul mates and gushed with chemistry. I especially liked Deidre because she worked in construction and crushed it. Overall, I liked the mesmerizing narrative.