A Matter of Heart by Tracie Peterson

★★★★★
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Texas born and raised Jessica Atherton is a wealthy young woman whose heart was broken when the man she intended to marry wedded another. But her world is upended when two new men come into her life, and both manage to stir her heart.

Harrison Gable is a successful young lawyer with ambitions that match Jessica's dreams. His warm, attentive manner and thoughtful gifts make her feel special.

Austin Todd, a former Secret Service agent, enjoys working now as a Texas Ranger cattle inspector. But after learning of forged gold certificates and missing printing plates, he's drawn back into the world of intrigue and agrees to help solve the case. Jessica is drawn to his kind nature and the unspoken pain she sees in his eyes. 

If Jessica follows her heart, where will it lead?

Tracie Peterson’s A Matter of Heart is definitely a story full of heart, as the fairly spoiled Jessica Atherton confronts her self-centered ways. Determined to change her ways and perhaps find love, Jessica experiences great character development over the course of the novel and I loved watching it. (I would imagine readers of the Lone Star Brides, more familiar with her starting character, would be even more astonished with her growth, knowing the character she was previously.) Add a love triangle to the spiritual growth and this story is both entertaining and inspirational. Fans of Tracie Peterson’s historical romance will definitely enjoy this one.

However, I need to note that with the Lone Star Brides, it is best to start at the beginning with A Sensible Arrangement. I have not read the previous two novels in the series, so I didn’t have all the information that would have helped me understand the backstory of some of the characters and the central conflict. While I still completely enjoyed A Matter of Heart and look forward to reading the other two novels in the series, I would definitely recommend readers to experience these books in order.

Thanks to Bethany House, I received a copy of A Matter of Heart 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.