Heart of the Lonely Exile by BJ Hoff

Evan Whittaker did not anticipate that one trip to Ireland would change his life forever. An unexpected immigration to America with Nora Kavanagh and her son certainly was not on his list of expectations. As he and Nora each struggle to find their places in this new land, Evan finds himself drawn to Nora. However, the handsome Irish policeman, Michael Burke, intends to keep his promise to Morgan Fitzgerald to marry Nora. Nora's childhood friendship with Michael is strong and her young love for Morgan Fitzgerald still abides deep in her heart. Meanwhile, the growing affection she feels for Evan is unexpected, but not unwelcome. The conflict in her heart escalates with the news of tragedy in Ireland. Nora must let go of the past to reach her future, but is she willing to?

I enjoyed reading Heart of the Lonely Exile. Many of the characters from the previous book returned and Annie Delaney was a delightful new addition to the cast of characters. I found the tone of this book to be lighter than the first even though it still deals with multiple tragedies. There is so much more to the plot of this book than I can cover here, but the the twists, turns, and characters create a poignant read. This book is a keeper that I will definitely read again!

Heart of the Lonely Exile is the second book in the Emerald Ballad Series by BJ Hoff. This book could certainly stand alone, but I recommend reading, Song of the Silent Harp, the first book in the series prior to reading this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."