Sarah Eden is one of my very favorite authors and I have been anxiously awaiting her new novel, The Heart of a Vicar. It is Harry's story in the Jonquil saga and as an added perk, we get to see all of our favorite Jonquil brothers in this novel!
Harry has always thought he'd be a vicar and his family even nicknamed him Holy Harry at a young age. But the calling isn't all he expected and he worries constantly that he is falling short. When the only woman he's ever loved, Sarah Sarvol, returns to the neighborhood, Harry is reminded even more forcefully of what he had once imagined his life to be and how different it has turned out. He goes on a journey of self-discovery and with it comes the renewed hope of love. Can he find himself in time to win Sarah's heart once more?
This was a contemplative book about expectations and realities. Harry has been expected to be a vicar, but the reality is that he might not be suited to the position. Sarah expected to find love, but the reality is her heart was broken and she's not sure it ever mended. I really liked Sarah's feisty personality and ached with her at all she goes through both in her family and with Harry. She is so well-drawn with just enough vulnerability mixed in with her confidence to make her relatable. Harry was a little harder for me. He is so completely unsure and insecure, at times I felt uncomfortable with how weak he seemed. I've thought a lot about why that was, since I am more of an introvert and insecure in some situations. Perhaps I was relating to him on a subconscious level and that's what made me uncomfortable? I don't know. Regardless, he does have a believable growth arc and I was rooting for him and Sarah to find happiness in the end. I think one of the best parts of the book was the secondary stories of Philip and Sorrel as well as Layton and Caroline and how seamlessly the author blends the family sorrows and joys all together into a beautiful, realistic tale. As always, this one will go on my rainy day shelf as part of our beloved Jonquil family.
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Here's the back copy:
Young love is all too fleeting, as Harold Jonquil painfully discovered years ago when Sarah Sarvol, the niece of a neighboring landowner, captured his heart. After an idyllic few weeks in the throes of blossoming love, reality intervened. They could have no future. Following their disastrous parting, Harold attempted to push aside thoughts of love and regret, but Sarah has never left his heart. Now, years later, he has achieved his lifelong aspiration of becoming the local vicar. However, the role proves more difficult than he imagined. He feels hollow and uninspired—until the most important person in his past returns, challenging him as no one ever has.
When Sarah’s ailing uncle summons her back to the family estate in England, there is only one person from her past she is reluctant to see again: Harold Jonquil, the only man who has ever claimed her heart. But when she comes face-to-face with her former beau, she hardly recognizes the aloof and dull man before her. She is determined to help Harold rediscover the passion he once felt toward his chosen profession. Soon, despite their exasperation with each other, they cannot deny the stirring of feelings long buried—but is it too late for second chances?
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