An Awakened Heart by Jody Hedlund
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a free novella published to point the reader to Jody Hedlund’s novel “With You Always.” It’s a promotional book, a tease to buy the novel. It’s good to understand that before reading, so the reader isn’t disappointed by the ending. It doesn’t end so much as it just stops. The reader can assume that the story will pick up again in the novel.
This story is an eye-opening look into the tenements of New York during the mid-1800s. The poverty, the squalor, the desperation, and degradation. A stark look into a time of change and growth for a country absorbing more people than it would handle. But God placed people in the midst who cared and who worked to make a difference.
Worth reading, whether you continue on to read the novel or not.
Published by Pegg Thomas
Pegg Thomas lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula with Michael, her husband of *mumble* years. She creates American stories with real history and fictional characters inspired by her ancestors who immigrated here in the mid-1600s.
Pegg won the 2019 FHL Readers’ Choice Award for novellas, was a double-finalist for the 2019 ACFW Carol Award for novellas, and a finalist for the 2019 ACFW Editor of the Year. She was a finalist in the 2021 FHL Readers’ Choice Award for novellas. Pegg won the 2022 Selah Award for historical romance and placed 2nd with her second entry. She was also a finalist for the 2023 Selah Award and placed 2nd for the 2024 Selah Award. Pegg spent 3 ½ years as the managing editor of Smitten Historical Romance.
When not writing or editing, Pegg can be found in her garden, her kitchen, or sitting at one of her spinning wheels creating yarn to turn into her signature wool shawls.
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