Maggie Blackbird

Today, I’m hosting award-winning author Tricia McGill’s latest release A Troubled Heart, a historical romance. Be sure to read my review. And don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway.

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Title: A Troubled Heart
Series: N/A
Author: Tricia McGill
Genre: Historical Romance
Length: 200 pages
Publication Date: January 1, 2024

Blurb: 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. 

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By the time all of them had washed some of the soot and dust from their hands and faces using a very small piece of soap that one of the troopers found during his rummaging through the remains of the kitchen, the wagon returned. Esther was drying her hands on her skirt edge, when she saw that the farmer’s wife had come too, producing plates for the roast mutton, fresh baked bread, and also mugs.

“Where will you go?” she asked of Esther and Finn as they ate. “We are always in need of helpers at the farm, so you would be more than welcome to join us.”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” Esther said. “I think I would like to go back to Hobart. We lived there for a while before my Papa took the position down here, and I enjoyed my time there.” In truth, Esther had no idea what she wished to do, but her plans certainly had not included toiling long hours for a farmer and his wife.

“And where has Nelly gone?” The woman looked about as if expecting the cook to pop up from somewhere.

“Oh, she went back with the Magistrate.” Esther waved her hand. She was not about to go into more details with this woman who she felt sure was in a hurry to find out all the facts so she could then spread the word to the locals.

“And Mister and Missus Franklin? Lovely lady, not that I knew her well—only met her once or twice.” A glint lit her eyes as she asked this.

Esther knew not what to answer to that, so said nothing but carried on eating. Obviously sensing that she must find out all the facts at a later day the woman jumped up saying, “Well, lots to do so I’d best get back. I’ll send old Briggs back for the plates and mugs.”

“Thank you again for your wonderful gifts. The food was most welcome.” Esther stood and waved as the wagon trundled off.

The troopers took the used dishes to wash them at the well, and then went back to searching amongst the debris of the house for a while before lying down beneath the nearby tree that remained unscathed, where they both dozed off. Finn offered his comb to Esther so that she could tidy her hair. He then gave all the horses a share of grain and ensured they had water enough for all four and then came to sit beside Esther. “Perhaps you should also try to rest for a while, it has been a trying time for certain.”

“I fear I cannot. I keep reliving the sight in my head of the master lying there covered in his blood, Finn. What possessed her to kill him, I wonder?”

“That we will never know, Esther. Tell me, do you really intend to go to Hobart once this is all sorted out?”

Esther shrugged as she looked across the surrounding paddocks. “I will wait and see. I feel as if I am in a bad dream. One of those where you wander about in search of something but are not sure what. A certainty is that I do not wish to stay anywhere around here. I keep thinking of Becky and wondering how the child is faring.”

“We will learn once the Magistrate makes his decision.” Finn lay back, hands beneath his head. After a short time, Esther realised by his steady breathing that he had gone to sleep. Nibbling on her lower lip she watched his chest as it rose and fell steadily. What if he decided that now he could make his own way and had no desire to stay with her—that thought made her feel quite sad. In a short time, he had come to mean a lot to her and she was unsure just why. Perhaps it had something to do with her being lonely, and him coming along to fill a vast gap that had appeared in her life after losing her parents.

The sun was high in the sky when she awoke suddenly, realising that she had snuggled into Finn’s side like a lost puppy. With a start she sat up and rubbed at her eyes. The troopers were sitting a short distance away, smoking on their clay pipes and chatting quietly. The jangle of harness warned of an approaching vehicle so she shook Finn’s shoulder, saying, “I think they have returned.”

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The blurb intrigued me, and then finding out the author set the novel in Tasmania made me want to dig into the read even more.

A Troubled Heart takes place in the mid 19^th century and follows Ester, a sympathetic woman with a big heart for those in need, left alone in the world after the tragic deaths of her parents, and Finn, a former street urchin, snatched away at birth by a gypsy from his true parents, who ends up serving time in prison.

The author did a good job creating problems the two must overcome from a mentally unstable employer to a gold-digging dandy.  There is also the trope of marriage of convenience the two must face.

As I said, I loved the setting.  Tasmania is one of my favourite places in the world, and the author did a great job describing the island from both POVs.  Ester sees it as a lovely place, while Finn can do without the ocean views since it only reminds him of his journey from England to Australia as a convict sick at sea.

There is also the social class difference between the two, especially when Ester learns something (I won’t say what or I’ll spoil it for others).  During the Victorian times, one did not marry beneath their station.  So they have this strike against them.  I also wanted to know the mystery of Finn’s past.  Who was he really?  Would I find out?

The author did a great job bringing these two together in a romance.  What started out as a thoughtful deed to aid another becomes two people thrown together because of circumstances.

The writing is lovely.  The dialogue between the two creates friendship with sparks of chemistry that will lead to a romance.  The conflict between the two is realistic.

Do yourself a favour and get a copy.  It’s a wonderful story, and the author’s prose matches Ester’s gentle disposition and Finn’s bleak outlook on life.

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Award-winning author Tricia McGill was born in London, England, and moved to Australia many years ago, settling near Melbourne. Horses and dogs feature largely in her books. She’s had a succession of dogs in her lifetime and a few horses along the way.

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? The local library was a treasure trove and magical world of discovery through her childhood and growing years. Tricia is a dreamerwho still dreams every night; snippets from those dreams have translated into ideas for her books.

Although her published works cross sub-genres, romance is always at their heart. Tricia finds the research entailed in writing historicals and her other great passion, time-travels, fascinating.

Follow Tricia: Website

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