3 Stars - I'll Take It!

I was biting my nails for weeks as I waited for the review of my first romance novel. The reason for my trepidation is because I'm naturally at home writing horror. One of these days, I'll have to examine why I'm so comfortable penning descriptions of ax blades being embedded in someone's head and splitting it like a melon.

But my brain is not wired to be stuck in one genre. I have never read a romance book, although I have seen hundreds of romance movies. That, and the fact that I've been married and divorced 3 times, gave me the confidence to write this book.

So you can imagine my jubilance when I received a 3-Star review for my first attempt! Some of the seasoned readers and authors may say, eh...that's no big deal, it's still not 5-Stars...but it's not a 1-Star review, which is what I was dreading. Now that I didn't get that rating, I can pack away my guillotine.

Here is the full review from Goodreads reviewer Ashley Nestler.

Ashley Nestler, MSW, is a multi-genre author, poet, and mental health expert. She is also an educator in writing and publishing and specializes in romance, science fiction, and horror. Ashley can often be found holed up in her room, reading horror romances unapologetically.

Synopsis: A homeless man is brought into the E.R. in a coma from being nearly beaten to death. Dr. Katherine Lehmann, a brilliant surgeon, works tirelessly to save his life. Weeks later, when he opens his eyes, a fire is started in her heart that was killed during a bitter divorce. Now she must figure out how to introduce her new love to high society, but she must first get past her bigoted father, hanging Judge Daniel Lehmann.

A Homeless Heart is a romance novel by eclectic author Jerrimiah Stonecastle. Having read Stonecastle's horror work before, I wasn't sure what to expect when trying out the romantic side of his art; however, I was pleasantly surprised by his pleasurable dialogue and his strong female heroine.

Dr. Katherine Lehmann is a talented surgeon who saves the life of a severely injured man with whom she falls in love. Following a bad divorce, Dr. Lehmann's heart was closed off, but she reopens herself to love in the weeks following the surgery when the man finally opens his eyes. I found this storyline to be classic, but with a twist, and I enjoyed Stonecastle's take on class differences and prejudice when it comes to matters of the heart.

My only quip with A Homeless Heart was that the writing seemed choppy at times, and I found myself having to push through in some areas. However, I enjoyed the unique yet classic storyline and the way that Stonecastle developed his characters and urged them to grow with one another as the story continued.

If you are a romance fanatic, then you are going to adore A Homeless Heart. It provides the reader with all of the classic elements of romance while presenting a dominant heroine who you can't help but root for. This romance novel and its characters are not to be missed!