PROTECTING HER HEART (Proper Romance), by Nancy Campbell Allen, Shadow Mountain, Jan. 2, 2024, Paperback, $16.99 (young adult/ new adult/ adult fiction)
A female doctor joins forces with a police investigator to solve a murder in Protecting Her Heart, a Victorian Proper Romance novel by Nancy Campbell Allen.
London, 1887
When newly graduated medical doctor Charlotte Duvall receives word that her father has died, she immediately leaves America and returns home to see to her family’s estate. Among her father’s possessions is a box of her late mother’s letters, which feels like a balm to Charlotte’s grief-stricken heart. But the letters contain some inconsistencies that suggest there was more to her mother’s death than Charlotte had been told. She turns to the one man she trusts more than anyone–her treasured friend and director of London’s police force, John Ellis.
John Ellis has harbored feelings for Charlotte ever since he first met her. Tucked into his heart are thoughts of her sharp mind, quick wit, and remarkable beauty. Though he has not yet found the courage to share his feelings with the young doctor, he is eager to help her in her hour of need.
Investigating the details of a death was not how Charlotte imagined she would find love, but as she and John work to unravel a dark web of secrets and lies, she finds herself relying on him more and more–and opening her heart to him in the process.
As the danger draws ever closer, John vows to do everything in his power to protect Charlotte from harm. But he fears protecting her heart might come at the cost of breaking his own. —Synopsis provided by Shadow Mountain
Protecting Her Heart is the third book in Nancy Campbell Allen’s Matchmaker’s series. The Matchmaker’s Lonely Heart came out in 2021 and To Capture His Heart in 2022. Though the three books feature the same characters, you could technically read Protecting Her Heart without reading the first two books. But I wouldn’t recommend it. You’ll will miss out on some of the finer nuances and there’ll be some spoilers if you go back and read the other books in the series.
Protecting Her Heart is told from the alternating points of view of Charlotte and John. And while both characters are enjoyable, Charlotte’s is more compelling simply because she bucks traditional Victorian gender roles. Charlotte is smart and driven. She’s passionate about her craft and a warm character overall. John is strong and protective. His family expects him to make an advantageous match, and Charlotte’s chosen profession excludes her.
As with all the books in the Proper Romance line, you go into Protecting Her Heart with a pretty clear idea of how the romance turns out. This book is all about the journey. And it’s a nice journey.
Protecting Her Heart is a “chaste” romance that celebrates two minds coming together. It’s an easy read that’s lovely to escape into. Author Nancy Campbell Allen’s writing is clear and comfortable. There are moments of violence and descriptions of death, but it is still suitable for fans of young adult, new adult, and adult fiction.
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