Item: A Troubled Heart
Author: Gina

A Troubled Heart by Tricia McGill | #BookReview #Excerpt #Giveaway ($10 Gift Card) #AuthorGuestPost #HitoricalRomance #AuthorTriciaMcGill @GoddessFish

A book blog tour from Goddess Fish Promotions.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Marianne & Judy at Goddess Fish for providing me with the information for this tour.

Quick Summary:

A Troubled Heart is a captivating and emotional historical fiction novel about two lonely souls who find each other in a harsh and unforgiving world. It is a well-written and well-researched book that offers a glimpse into the history and culture of Australia and Tasmania in the 19th century. This book will appeal to fans of romance, drama, and adventure. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a touch of romance.

Book Details

A Troubled Heart by Tricia McGill
Published by BWL Publishing on January 1, 2024
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: eBook, Paperback
Pages: 200

Unsure of his real past or name, Finn O’Connor thinks he was born in Ireland and taken from his mother as a baby by a gypsy woman. As a toddler, an English woman then took him to London. About ten he fled to join a gang of boys who survived by their wits on the streets. Five years later, he was arrested for a minor crime and transported to The Colony of New South Wales for a 10-year term. In 1846 as transporting of criminals neared an end in NSW, he was moved to the infamous penitentiary at Port Arthur in Van Diemen’s Land.

On the day Finn received his papers of freedom an accidental meeting brought him into contact with 20-year-old Esther Blythe. Born in Surrey, England, genteel Esther is kind and caring. As a 4-year-old her parents brought her to Van Diemen’s Land where her Papa, a doctor, took on the task of providing medical aid to the prisoners at the Port Arthur penitentiary and its surrounding area. Sadly, both parents were killed in an accident, leaving Esther with no option but to work as a governess/nursemaid.

For reasons that even she did not comprehend, Esther took ex-convict Finn under her wing when they met outside the penitentiary hospital. Could be she saw a fellow lonely soul who simply wanted someone to have faith in him. Life seems to take a turn for perhaps the better from then on, but will these two lonely people overcome many obstacles to find the happiness they seek together as they face an uncertain future.

Source: Goddess Fish Promotions

Content: The book does contain some violence, abuse, and mature content, which might not be suitable for some audiences.

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Excerpt from A Troubled Heart

The next day Finn walked out of the hospital with the proof that he was a free man tucked firmly into his trouser pocket. As luck would have it the injury had turned out to be not broken, but something to do with the shoulder joint having to be pushed back into its rightful position. The doctor who did this told him he had dislocated it when he fell. After the pain from that subsided, he was told to rest it as much as possible. So, no more fighting for some time, was the order given him.

It appeared that when his name came before the Commissariat’s office, they realised that his ten-year sentence ended a month or so back and therefore he was deemed free to go wherever he wanted. Just one thing held him back, he had not one penny to his name and possessed just the rags that he stood up in. A young nurse had found him a shirt somewhere to replace the one the doc cut about, but it was not a lot better than the old one.

There was the bundle he carried that contained his mug and plate, a worn hairbrush he’d taken from a man who died, and a picture Finn collected somewhere along the way of a place in Ireland called Kilmallock that he kept, as it looked like a nice place to live.

As he pondered what to do next, a soft mutter of annoyance came from behind him and he turned in time to see a woman take a tumble. Landing in a heap at the foot of the steps, her skirts flew about, showing a glimpse of one perfectly shaped ankle. Seldom did females of good breeding travel about alone in these parts so he looked about to see if her carriage driver was here to assist her. A small cart stood not far away, but there was no one else in sight so he went to kneel at her side, asking, “Are you all right miss?”

With a small toss of the head, she looked up at him from the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen. Hair as black as night was pulled back into some sort of roll behind her head beneath the bonnet that she hastily straightened. At a guess he thought perhaps she was about twenty years of age. Not used to being this close to a woman in some time he stood hurriedly and offered a hand, feeling like the idiot he knew she must think him, while he sent up a small prayer of thanks that at least the hand was cleaner than it had been yesterday.

Excerpt provided by the author/publisher for use in this post.

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Purchase Links for A Troubled Heart

A Troubled Heart

Amazon Kindle Edition
McGill, Tricia (Author)
English (Publication Language)
200 Pages - 01/01/2024 (Publication Date) - BWL Publishing Inc. (Publisher)

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My Thoughts on A Troubled Heart

What if you had no idea who you were, where you came from, or what your future held? That’s the dilemma faced by Finn O’Connor, a protagonist of A Troubled Heart by Tricia McGill, a historical fiction novel set in the 19th century.

Tricia McGill is an award-winning Australian author who has written over 40 books, mostly in the romance and historical fiction genres. A Troubled Heart is her latest novel, inspired by her research on the convict history of Australia and Tasmania. The book explores the harsh realities and challenges the transported convicts face and the social and cultural differences between the British settlers and the native inhabitants.”

The book follows the life of Finn O’Connor, a young man who was born in Ireland and taken away by a gypsy woman, then raised by an English woman in London. After joining a gang of street urchins, he was caught stealing and sentenced to 10 years of transportation to the colony of New South Wales. There, he endured brutal conditions and punishments until he was transferred to the notorious Port Arthur penitentiary in Van Diemen’s Land.

On the day of his release, he met Esther Blythe, a kind and gentle woman who worked as a governess and nursemaid for a wealthy family. Despite their different backgrounds and social statuses, they felt a connection and decided to help each other start a new life. However, their journey was difficult, as they faced many obstacles, dangers, and secrets.”

The character development of Finn and Esther portrays them as complex and realistic. They have flaws, doubts, fears, and hopes and grow and change throughout the story. They also have a strong chemistry and a believable romance despite their differences. Another strength of the book is the theme of identity, which is central to the plot and the characters. Finn struggles to discover who he is, where he belongs, and what he wants from life. Esther also questions her role and purpose in society and whether she can overcome the stigma of being associated with a convict.

The book also explores themes like freedom, justice, loyalty, and love. The book’s writing style is engaging and descriptive, creating a vivid picture of the period’s settings and atmosphere. The author uses historical details and references to add authenticity and credibility to the story.

<i>The book does contain some violence, abuse, and mature content, which might not be suitable for some audiences.</i>

I received a copy of the book for the tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

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I love my Amazon Kindle Unlimited Subscription. So many books, so little time!

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About Tricia McGill

Tricia McGill, an Award-winning author, spent her early days in Highbury, London, England, and moved to Australia many years ago, settling near Melbourne.

The youngest in a large, loving family she was never lonely or alone. Surrounded by avid readers, who encouraged her to read from an early age, is it any wonder she became a writer.

Although her published works cross sub-genres, romance is always at their heart.

Tricia’s love of animals has always shown up in her books. Tricia devotes as much time and money as she can spare to supporting worldwide conservation groups and is passionate about supporting those who do all they can to preserve our wildlife for future generations.

She also volunteers for a local community group that helps disabled adults and children to connect to the internet with provided computer equipment. When people ask what she does in her spare time, she is heard to ask, “Spare time, what is that?”

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