What do you think?
Rate this book
A Journey Of The Heart
A young adult searches for her identity and where she came from after being pushed by events, forcing her to question everything she thought she knew about herself, her life, and mom. A stranger, a best friend, and an unexpected ally help her find direction in her life, solve a mystery she didn't know was a mystery, and fill a hole in her heart she didn't know was there until it was filled.
Twenty-three-year-old Lundyn Bell has graduated from college, returned to her grandparents' farm to search for direction and next steps in her life. As she begins to question more about her life, she learns she has questions she didn't even know she had until someone else asked them for her. When her mother passed away years ago, she thought it was an accident and never questioned it. However, her grandparents had always thought it was intentional and was linked to a past they feared talking about, a past Lundyn was not aware of. As that past comes to light, Lundyn learns her mom may have also been caught up in some shady and dark things while she was alive and had somehow managed to shield Lundyn from while they struggled in the city trying to make ends meet.
As Lundyn tries to make sense of the past colliding with the present, she learns where she came from and secrets she may not have wanted to know but could shape her future.
Twenty-three-year-old Lundyn Bell has graduated from college, returned to her grandparents' farm to search for direction and next steps in her life. As she begins to question more about her life, she learns she has questions she didn't even know she had until someone else asked them for her. When her mother passed away years ago, she thought it was an accident and never questioned it. However, her grandparents had always thought it was intentional and was linked to a past they feared talking about, a past Lundyn was not aware of. As that past comes to light, Lundyn learns her mom may have also been caught up in some shady and dark things while she was alive and had somehow managed to shield Lundyn from while they struggled in the city trying to make ends meet.
As Lundyn tries to make sense of the past colliding with the present, she learns where she came from and secrets she may not have wanted to know but could shape her future.
422 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 4, 2023
1 person is currently reading
3 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
April 7, 2024
Cozy mysteries are my genre, so you know I never pass up a good cozy. Unfortunately, while marketed as such, this book had a few too many curse words in it to officially be a cozy mystery. The general consensus among cozy afficianados - and I'm in a club devoted to them - is that curse words push you into something else: soft-boiled, crossover, etc. But, luckily, I'm also a fan of most kinds of mysteries, so I still really enjoyed this one.
If you're a thriller fan, which I am just not exclusively, this might not be the book for you. Though, I really encourage thriller fans to give this book a go! Try cozies or slow-burns, you might like them! At 500-plus pages, this story definitely takes its time getting to where it's going.
I enjoyed the relationship Lundyn had with her grandparents and her best friend, immensely. The small town feel of the book was great and well done. I always look for that authenticity, having grown up in one. Sally Jo was absolutely adorable, and I look forward to learning more about her in the second book in the series. I think we'd all love to have a best friend like her! The twists and turns in this book were surprising and dealt with some pretty serious topics.
While some aspects disqualified the book from being a traditional cozy, the slow-burn pace and small-town feel did make it inch its way back into feeling like a cozy. Lundyn and Sally Jo felt a lot like your traditional cozy heroines, running around town trying to find whodunnit and why. The case was a little unusual in terms of your usual cozy formula, but I won't get into that because I don't like spoilers.
The detailed descriptions of both people and place brought everything to life in bright white light. Even with that, there were definitely surprises right up until the end. So, if you can handle a slow burn, it'll be worth the wait.
Content Warnings: Parent Loss, Drug Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Car Accidents, Hospitals, Medical Trauma, Domestic Abuse, Violence, Stalking, Harrassment
If you're a thriller fan, which I am just not exclusively, this might not be the book for you. Though, I really encourage thriller fans to give this book a go! Try cozies or slow-burns, you might like them! At 500-plus pages, this story definitely takes its time getting to where it's going.
I enjoyed the relationship Lundyn had with her grandparents and her best friend, immensely. The small town feel of the book was great and well done. I always look for that authenticity, having grown up in one. Sally Jo was absolutely adorable, and I look forward to learning more about her in the second book in the series. I think we'd all love to have a best friend like her! The twists and turns in this book were surprising and dealt with some pretty serious topics.
While some aspects disqualified the book from being a traditional cozy, the slow-burn pace and small-town feel did make it inch its way back into feeling like a cozy. Lundyn and Sally Jo felt a lot like your traditional cozy heroines, running around town trying to find whodunnit and why. The case was a little unusual in terms of your usual cozy formula, but I won't get into that because I don't like spoilers.
The detailed descriptions of both people and place brought everything to life in bright white light. Even with that, there were definitely surprises right up until the end. So, if you can handle a slow burn, it'll be worth the wait.
Content Warnings: Parent Loss, Drug Abuse, Alcohol Abuse, Car Accidents, Hospitals, Medical Trauma, Domestic Abuse, Violence, Stalking, Harrassment
April 5, 2024
When I first saw this book, the cover artwork and the Blurb spiked my interest.
In this story, we follow Lundyn, a young woman having returned from College to live with her grandparents again.
She always thought her Mum died in an accident, but after a few strange things happening around her, her suspicion is raised, and she starts to question everything she has ever been told.
I saw that someone described this as a cosy mystery, and I honestly think that is a perfect description.
Lundyn is a remarkable character who is both inquisitive and determined to uncover the truth. While her best friend Sally Jo offers some comedy at time, she is always there to fight in her friend's corner.
I think every woman needs a friend like Sally Jo, she is brilliant.
The story is a medium-pace to me, even given its lengthy size. I didn't feel it was slow as it pulled you into the story, and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep the pace going.
Will Lundyn find out what happened to her Mum? Will she ever find out more about her father and heritage? You'll have to read it to find out more!
It is a lovely, cosy book that is perfect to snuggle to by the fire with a blanket, hot chocolate, and snacks!
Highly recommend!
In this story, we follow Lundyn, a young woman having returned from College to live with her grandparents again.
She always thought her Mum died in an accident, but after a few strange things happening around her, her suspicion is raised, and she starts to question everything she has ever been told.
I saw that someone described this as a cosy mystery, and I honestly think that is a perfect description.
Lundyn is a remarkable character who is both inquisitive and determined to uncover the truth. While her best friend Sally Jo offers some comedy at time, she is always there to fight in her friend's corner.
I think every woman needs a friend like Sally Jo, she is brilliant.
The story is a medium-pace to me, even given its lengthy size. I didn't feel it was slow as it pulled you into the story, and there were plenty of twists and turns to keep the pace going.
Will Lundyn find out what happened to her Mum? Will she ever find out more about her father and heritage? You'll have to read it to find out more!
It is a lovely, cosy book that is perfect to snuggle to by the fire with a blanket, hot chocolate, and snacks!
Highly recommend!
August 8, 2024
Lundyn, a recent college graduate, has moved back home to figure out her next step in life. She has her grandparents, her aunt, and her best friend SallyJo. Her mom died when she was younger, an accident she always thought. But then a strange "friend" of her Papa's keeps showing up. And her cheating ex-boyfriend won't leave her alone. Then there is the ever mysterious Braxton. Lundyn doesn't know what's going on, but she's determined to find out.
This book was introduced to me as a cozy mystery. Cozies are one of my new favorite genres so I jumped at the chance to read it. I'm not sure cozy mystery is the right genre. While we all have different definitions of what is or isn't cozy, this book was too high stakes and dealt with too heavy of topics (cw stalking, drug use, parental loss at a young age), for me to consider it cozy.
The relationships in the book were sweet. I loved the playful relationship between Lundyn and her aunt Betsey. And at over 500 pages, you get plenty of chances to see these relationships.
There were twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, but the slower pace might not be for readers of thrillers or suspense. If you are in the mood for a mystery with lots of family drama, somewhere between a cozy mystery and a thriller check it out.
This book was introduced to me as a cozy mystery. Cozies are one of my new favorite genres so I jumped at the chance to read it. I'm not sure cozy mystery is the right genre. While we all have different definitions of what is or isn't cozy, this book was too high stakes and dealt with too heavy of topics (cw stalking, drug use, parental loss at a young age), for me to consider it cozy.
The relationships in the book were sweet. I loved the playful relationship between Lundyn and her aunt Betsey. And at over 500 pages, you get plenty of chances to see these relationships.
There were twists and turns to keep the reader guessing, but the slower pace might not be for readers of thrillers or suspense. If you are in the mood for a mystery with lots of family drama, somewhere between a cozy mystery and a thriller check it out.
April 2, 2024
This engaging book is about family and the secrets they keep. What I thought was going to be a coming of age story turned out to also be a mystery which added to its appeal. Lundyn has returned to her grandparent’s house after college graduation. She is helping out in their businesses and trying to figure out her next steps. When she discovers something about her mother who died years ago she starts to question everything she believed to be true. The more questions she asks about the past the more confused she becomes. Did she know her mother at all? As a mysterious man starts spending time with her grandfather she wonders what other secrets are being kept from her? Unraveling the past leads to danger in the present. Will Lundyn uncover the truth before it is too late? The book was over 500 pages but it was well written and I flew through it. The relationships between the characters felt realistic and were enjoyable to read and left me wanting more.
Thanks to the author and Love Book tours for providing a copy for my honest review.
Thanks to the author and Love Book tours for providing a copy for my honest review.
April 4, 2024
📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
✨️ A Journey of the Heart, Brenda Benning ✨️
📌 Disclaimer: This book was given to me as an ARC. This was in a printed format.
I don't know what I originally expected from this book but it really gripped me! The book is written in the third person. I loved Sally, I think she shined as a strong female protagonist with some pretty amazing gifts!
I think this book definitely draws on the importance of friendship and supporting each-other. For a gift like Sally's, it would be easy to be thrown away or judged as being crazy but honestly I loved reading her story and getting to know the characters. Yes it is the second novel but I didn't struggle with following the storyline which was very much appreciated.
Sally is a perfect example of needing to trust yourself and your own feelings, intuition, whatever you want to call it. It is a novel of believing and being believed, and I'd recommend it to anyone that loves a mystery with just a touch of supernatural. I'd also say 18+ for the content the book covers!
✨️ A Journey of the Heart, Brenda Benning ✨️
📌 Disclaimer: This book was given to me as an ARC. This was in a printed format.
I don't know what I originally expected from this book but it really gripped me! The book is written in the third person. I loved Sally, I think she shined as a strong female protagonist with some pretty amazing gifts!
I think this book definitely draws on the importance of friendship and supporting each-other. For a gift like Sally's, it would be easy to be thrown away or judged as being crazy but honestly I loved reading her story and getting to know the characters. Yes it is the second novel but I didn't struggle with following the storyline which was very much appreciated.
Sally is a perfect example of needing to trust yourself and your own feelings, intuition, whatever you want to call it. It is a novel of believing and being believed, and I'd recommend it to anyone that loves a mystery with just a touch of supernatural. I'd also say 18+ for the content the book covers!
April 2, 2024
I really enjoyed this book it was well written with a compelling story line and well developed characters that i found to be believable and relatable. I really liked Sally Jo and Lundyn and found myself really caring about their journey throughout the book.
The plot follows Lundyn, who lives with her grandparents after her mum passed away when she was a little girl. She has never been that bothered about her birth father and doesn't even really speak about him, that is until she notices that her grandparents are acting strange and she becomes desperate to know why. Alongside Sally Jo her best friend, she starts to look in to things and finds that the past and her mothers death is more mysterious than she would have ever thought.
The mysteries were good and the twists kept me guessing, especially the end, I really didn't see that coming. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last.
The plot follows Lundyn, who lives with her grandparents after her mum passed away when she was a little girl. She has never been that bothered about her birth father and doesn't even really speak about him, that is until she notices that her grandparents are acting strange and she becomes desperate to know why. Alongside Sally Jo her best friend, she starts to look in to things and finds that the past and her mothers death is more mysterious than she would have ever thought.
The mysteries were good and the twists kept me guessing, especially the end, I really didn't see that coming. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last.
April 4, 2024
A cast of exceptionally well developed characters takes you on Lundyn’s journey as she delves into family secrets that change everything she thought she knew. She discovers that there is a lot of mystery surrounding her mother‘s death. With the help and support of her best friend Sally Joe, Lundyn sets out on a journey of discovery. The action in this book flows at a leisurely pace, which gives you time to really get to know the characters and story. The reader finds out things right along with Lundyn, so you are iengaged all the way through. This is a long book but I was so engrossed in the story that I didn’t really notice as the book flew by. It’s a very smooth read with plausible and believable characters. Lundyn’s story is very well written and it feels like you get to learn every detail intimately and live it alongside her. I am very much looking forward to reading the next book to see how the story continues.
April 8, 2024
A journey of the heart by Brenda Benning.
A young adult searches for her identity and where she came from after being pushed by events, forcing her to question everything she thought she knew about herself, her life, and mom. A stranger, a best friend, and an unexpected ally help her find direction in her life, solve a mystery she didn't know was a mystery, and fill a hole in her heart she didn't know was there until it was filled.
The cover drew me to this book. It was different. It was slow burn/cosy mystery. I did enjoy this book. I loved Sally Jo. How she spoke and how she was. I loved how Braxton and Sally Jo were with Lundryn. I loved Gran and how she was. I really didn't like Mitchell. He was determined. This was twisty and surprising. I really didn't expect that. I did love the ending. I am looking forward to the next book. 5*.
A young adult searches for her identity and where she came from after being pushed by events, forcing her to question everything she thought she knew about herself, her life, and mom. A stranger, a best friend, and an unexpected ally help her find direction in her life, solve a mystery she didn't know was a mystery, and fill a hole in her heart she didn't know was there until it was filled.
The cover drew me to this book. It was different. It was slow burn/cosy mystery. I did enjoy this book. I loved Sally Jo. How she spoke and how she was. I loved how Braxton and Sally Jo were with Lundryn. I loved Gran and how she was. I really didn't like Mitchell. He was determined. This was twisty and surprising. I really didn't expect that. I did love the ending. I am looking forward to the next book. 5*.
April 9, 2024
Well, what to say... being a crime/thriller girl, I really enjoyed this. It's more like a cosy mystery, but it keeps you wanting to read more.
I really did feel for Lundyn. Losing a parent is never easy, especially at a younger age as well. This did have a good pace. It does build, but we are able to learn more about the characters, their relationships with each other, their day to day lives in the small town they live in. Overall, the character development throughout this was done so well!
This did have some twists and does deal with some subjects/topics that might make others uncomfortable.I think because I read a lot of thrillers/crime I seen a few of the twist coming but that didn't matter as it is such a good read. If you are looking for a cozy mystery that keeps you wanting to read more this is the book for you
I really did feel for Lundyn. Losing a parent is never easy, especially at a younger age as well. This did have a good pace. It does build, but we are able to learn more about the characters, their relationships with each other, their day to day lives in the small town they live in. Overall, the character development throughout this was done so well!
This did have some twists and does deal with some subjects/topics that might make others uncomfortable.I think because I read a lot of thrillers/crime I seen a few of the twist coming but that didn't matter as it is such a good read. If you are looking for a cozy mystery that keeps you wanting to read more this is the book for you
April 4, 2024
Great read! Mysterious hints are dropped fairly quickly. There are a few hints in the way things are said or done here and there. The whole thing unravels rather slowly, timeline-wise, although it felt realistic. It’s spread out in a way that keeps you curious but doesn’t give it all up at once. Because the timeline is spread out, I feel like you get a better sense of the characters day-to-day and get to know them really well. Especially the friendship between Sally Jo and Lundyn. I’m excited to read book 2 and see what adventure Sally Jo finds herself in.
April 9, 2024
Amazing read. The cover and what I thought the book was turned left quickly in a good way. The book is more of the mystery of Sally Jo’s life and what she thought she knew. It’s a slow mystery with I hints being dropped throughout the book. I find some of these relationships to be very interesting and as a person who doesn't trust many so now my flags are up. I can’t wait to drive into book two. The book had many ups and downs and these help the story read smoothly.
October 26, 2024
Title: A Journey Of The Heart
Series: n/a
Author: Brenda Benning
Genre:
Publication Date:
Publishing Co.: Fulton Books
Length: 527 pages/ 33 chapters
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️ / 🌶️
Trigger Warnings:
*Substance Abuse (alcohol/drugs)
*Domestic Violence
*Death
Tropes:
*** Check back soon for a full review***
Series: n/a
Author: Brenda Benning
Genre:
Publication Date:
Publishing Co.: Fulton Books
Length: 527 pages/ 33 chapters
Rating: 4.5 ⭐️ / 🌶️
Trigger Warnings:
*Substance Abuse (alcohol/drugs)
*Domestic Violence
*Death
Tropes:
*** Check back soon for a full review***
April 2, 2024
I loved this book, I couldn't stop reading and I needed to find out about Lundyn's family past. This was so fast paced that it was something that I couldn't put down and found reasons to avoid doing other things so that I could pick this back up. I loved how Brenda Benning developed the characters and that she had you learning things at the same pace as Lundyn and nothing was given away in scenes which she was not in. I can not wait to read A Journey of the Mind to see what Sara Jo gets up to.
April 3, 2024
First of all, let me just remind you all that I usually go into books blind - I almost never read the blurb - especially on tour books. I tend to judge a book by its cover and dive straight in there.
So this cover really doesn't give too much away and I really wasn't too sure what to expect from this - and let me just say that it has blown me away!
When Lundyn returns to her grandparents house after finishing uni, she's in desperate need of some direction in life.
After her mother died unexpectedly when she was younger and her father isn't really around, Lundyn has relied on the support kf her grandparents and best friend Sally-Jo and rhis is where she finds herself again now.
Lundyn is keen to discover what really happened to her mum but when strange things start happening and her grandparents seem to be avoiding questions and being secretive - she is determined to uncover the truth.
This was such a lovely surprise to find that this was a super exciting and twisty mystery. My favourite genre!
I totally related to Lundyn as I have 2 children returning from uni with no clear direction in life - and so it seemed natural for Lundyn to get stuck into investigating the past events and also to be returning to the comfort of her previous friendships.
I loved Sally-Jo who was just the best friend anyone could hope for.
She, along with Lance and the others, were there to help and support her through all the discovers and to really get to the bottom of things.
I love the idea that Lundyn surrounded herself with people like this - it's so true that you can choose your friends but not your family.
This was full of surprises, twists and shocks and I never saw the ending coming at all.
I'm so pleased that I already have book 2 to start straight away....watch out for my review coming soon....
So this cover really doesn't give too much away and I really wasn't too sure what to expect from this - and let me just say that it has blown me away!
When Lundyn returns to her grandparents house after finishing uni, she's in desperate need of some direction in life.
After her mother died unexpectedly when she was younger and her father isn't really around, Lundyn has relied on the support kf her grandparents and best friend Sally-Jo and rhis is where she finds herself again now.
Lundyn is keen to discover what really happened to her mum but when strange things start happening and her grandparents seem to be avoiding questions and being secretive - she is determined to uncover the truth.
This was such a lovely surprise to find that this was a super exciting and twisty mystery. My favourite genre!
I totally related to Lundyn as I have 2 children returning from uni with no clear direction in life - and so it seemed natural for Lundyn to get stuck into investigating the past events and also to be returning to the comfort of her previous friendships.
I loved Sally-Jo who was just the best friend anyone could hope for.
She, along with Lance and the others, were there to help and support her through all the discovers and to really get to the bottom of things.
I love the idea that Lundyn surrounded herself with people like this - it's so true that you can choose your friends but not your family.
This was full of surprises, twists and shocks and I never saw the ending coming at all.
I'm so pleased that I already have book 2 to start straight away....watch out for my review coming soon....
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews