Another fun escape into the old American west! Ms. Fyffe has created such a lovely family of sisters with a creatively delightful twist!
Lavinia’s character was a bit hard for me to like at times with her dog-headed determination to leave - even when everything screams for her to stay and Rhetts reasons and attempts at becoming a restaurant owner landed way outside the common sense fence but it was still an absolutely delightful read as we watched these two work their way from embarrassed and uncomfortable acquaintances to the heart-warming couple they became.

Lavinia Brickman is one of five sisters who were summoned to Eden, Colorado following their father's death. In the first book of this series, you learn that the sisters were taken from Eden when they were young and had grown up being told that their father was a monster and wanted nothing to do with them. Upon coming to Eden after his death, they learn that their father loved them very much and always wished they would return to the home he had built in Colorado.

Their father's will required that they all remain in Eden for six months or be paid a particular sum of money and they could move on with their lives. The six months is now almost up and Lavinia has plans to return to Philadelphia to learn from a great milliner to realize her dream. Then she meets Rhett Laughlin, a newcomer to Eden. She mistakenly thinks he is the new doctor in town and embarrasses herself by asking for his medical attention. Upon finding out the truth, she tries to avoid him but is constantly drawn back to him. As they spend a little time with each other, they share secrets that no one else knows and form a bond with each other. But, Lavinia is determined to leave to accomplish her dream but is that dream worth giving up what might be something wonderful with Rhett?

I have read several of Caroline Fyffe's books and have never been disappointed. The stories are clean and wonderfully romantic. The characters are well developed and the story is well thought out. I was given an arc copy of this book and I enthusiastically offer my review.

True Heart’s Desire picks up where Heart of Eden, the first book in the Colorado Hearts series, leaves off. We are again in Eden, Colorado in the late 1800’s with the Brinkman sisters, Blake who is their brother-in-law and Belle’s husband and others we’ve met before along with some newcomers. This time Lavinia is front and center and keeps us on our toes. She first meets Rhett when her sister drags him to her hotel room thinking he’s the new doctor in town. He plays along so Lavinia can attend her oldest sister’s wedding after he flushes out her eye and reduces the pain but lies of omission are still lies especially considering how she acted and what she was wearing! It only got more interesting from there.

The story flowed smoothly between the town, the woods, forest, meadow, ranch and all the characters. There were a few stories being told and they tied in nicely. The characters had a depth to them especially those who had secrets to hide. As the story unfolds we are reminded of the primitiveness of the times and also the lawlessness. The sister’s lives and those of the ranch hands, the sheriff, the lawyer and others are intertwined and many go back to the relationship with the sisters deceased father, whom they were estranged from through no fault of his or theirs. They all have their hopes and dreams, most tied in with their inheritances of businesses previously owned by their father, but others not. Lavinia is torn since she feels a connection with Rhett but also a pull back to Philadelphia where they were raised.

There were emotional moments. I laughed and cried and couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. The pages turned quickly far into the night. There were family and friends, reminisces, hurt, sorrow, lies, anger, sadness, illegal activities, accidents, horses, Rhett’s dog, dreams fulfilled, love and affection and confidences along with a few twists and turns. The descriptions of the land, the food, the water, the meadow and the mountains made me feel like I was there. It was nice how their father was woven throughout the story even though he had died. There is a happily ever after or two in the offing but I can’t wait to be back in Eden once again.

True Heart’s Desire is another five star read from Fyffe. I can’t wait to read more in this series as well as some of her other historical romances.

Favorite Quote: Crossing the meadow to the stand of rainbow-colored grand buckwheat, as well as the plentiful supply o f alyssum, she began to carefully snap off stems of both. Within the forest, a ray of sun glimmered on a deer trail she’d not noticed before. Blake had talked about hidden falls somewhere up this way, and how much their father had loved spending time there, thinking about his girls, praying they’d return.

Originally reviewed for www.buriedunderromance.com

TRUE HEART’S DESIRE, the second entry into the Colorado Hearts series by Caroline Fyffe, is a heart-warming look at historical Eden, Colorado. The five Brinkman sisters have all moved to this male dominated town to take over the ranch left to them by their estranged father. Can they fulfill the conditions of the will, however, which requires that they all stay in this small, wild-west town for six months?
This story center on Lavinia Brinkman, one of the younger Brinkman sisters, whose real desire is to make hats. She is torn between staying in Eden with her sisters after the six-month period ends or returning to Philadelphia where she could study the art of hat making with the experts. Meanwhile, she is running the local hotel and restaurant.
San Franciscan Rhett Laughlin feels responsible for his brother’s death. To honor him, he moves to Eden with the intent to open a restaurant, even though he knows nothing about running a restaurant or cooking. To make matters worse, upon his arrival in town, he is mistaken for the new doctor. He soon finds himself in a very compromising situation with Lavinia, which will be made even worse when everyone finds out he is not the doctor!
This story of early Eden, Colorado is told with a lot of humor and historical details. There is romance, mystery and a dog named Dallas that is sure to capture your heart. Since I haven’t read the first novel in the series, I have to admit that I was a bit confused at first with the number of characters, but it didn’t take long to figure out who was who. The story caught my interest immediately and held me captive through the satisfying conclusion.
The author’s wonderfully descriptive passages made me feel at home in this small mountain town, and its sweet romance makes it a suitable read for anyone, especially those who enjoy tales of the old west. Can’t wait for my next visit to Eden!

I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Originally reviewed for www.buriedunderromance.com

TRUE HEART’S DESIRE, the second entry into the Colorado Hearts series by Caroline Fyffe, is a heart-warming look at historical Eden, Colorado. The five Brinkman sisters have all moved to this male dominated town to take over the ranch left to them by their estranged father. Can they fulfill the conditions of the will, however, which requires that they all stay in this small, wild-west town for six months?
This story center on Lavinia Brinkman, one of the younger Brinkman sisters, whose real desire is to make hats. She is torn between staying in Eden with her sisters after the six-month period ends or returning to Philadelphia where she could study the art of hat making with the experts. Meanwhile, she is running the local hotel and restaurant.
San Franciscan Rhett Laughlin feels responsible for his brother’s death. To honor him, he moves to Eden with the intent to open a restaurant, even though he knows nothing about running a restaurant or cooking. To make matters worse, upon his arrival in town, he is mistaken for the new doctor. He soon finds himself in a very compromising situation with Lavinia, which will be made even worse when everyone finds out he is not the doctor!
This story of early Eden, Colorado is told with a lot of humor and historical details. There is romance, mystery and a dog named Dallas that is sure to capture your heart. Since I haven’t read the first novel in the series, I have to admit that I was a bit confused at first with the number of characters, but it didn’t take long to figure out who was who. The story caught my interest immediately and held me captive through the satisfying conclusion.
The author’s wonderfully descriptive passages made me feel at home in this small mountain town, and its sweet romance makes it a suitable read for anyone, especially those who enjoy tales of the old west. Can’t wait for my next visit to Eden!

I voluntarily read an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

If you’re in the mood to step back in time to an America that not many of us would be able to survive today… then step into the world of the Colorado Hearts series with True Heart’s Desire. First, a slight notation – I always recommend starting series from the beginning, yet sometimes it’s more important than others. The Colorado Hearts series is one that truly does need to be read in order for the best understanding of this world and it’s residents. Events flow from one book into the next, and we’ll get a little bit of each sister’s journey along this adventure. So this time I believe it really is important to start with Heart of Eden and move in order from there. But, that choice is up to you.

Lavinia and Rhett get off to a rather rocky, embarrassing case of mistaken identity at the start of True Heart’s Desire. But it doesn’t take very long for the attraction that they both felt from the start to begin growing. And going along for the ride of a mixed bag of emotions that this couple goes through to reach their happy ending is a sweet treat. Lavinia has dreams, the kind that don’t work very well in such a small town. She has a choice to make and it’s complicated by one handsome, annoying man. Rhett has a past that he needs to get beyond, leaving that past is painful yet there is one lovely young lady who could make getting through the pain so worthwhile. His dreams lie in this small town of Eden, Colorado and if he’s lucky not only his beloved dog, Dallas, but Lavinia will share that dream with him.

True Heart’s Desire is full of interesting characters, some villains along the way, a small town’s sense of community and gossip, choices to make and risks to take. We get a glimpse of each of the five sisters, touch on events of the first story and get ready for the next adventure. I had such a good time falling into this world. If you enjoy Western Historical Romance, then I believe you’ll feel right at home in this series. I’d definitely recommend this series and I’m now waiting for the next chance to visit the Brinkman sisters and the town of Eden, Colorado. If you’re ready for some tender moments, some danger, definitely laughter and tears, brought together in a really good story then you need to add True Heart’s Desire to your reading list.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Lavinia and Rhett's story is set in the beautiful western town on Eden. Lavinia and her sisters have inherited much. As Lavinia is trying to sort out what her true heart's desire is, Everything is made more complicated by the influx of newcomers to their beautiful town. While Rhett tries to mind his own business he finds himself swept into the lives of Lavinia and her sisters. The story is full of action, romance, and strong family values. I loved seeing developments in the lives of the other Brinkman sisters as well seeing the relationship between Lavinia and Rhett blossom. I look forward to the next book in this series.

True Heart's Desire continues the story of the five Brinkman sisters, focusing on Lavinia. I enjoy all the characters in this series - both the new characters and the ones introduced previously. This book can be read on its own. You don't need to have read the previous book to enjoy this one.

Found this to be a very endearing story! The story line is wonderful and draws you in from the beginning. The characters are engaging as the Brinkman sisters journey continues. Lavinia ventures to find her place in life and discovers love along the way. Loved this story and look forward to much more.

This is an heartwarming story about sisters that have moved to Eden after their father dies. Each sister has a different path to follow in life but, they all band together in the town they have all come to love and call home. This is Lavina and Rhett's story. Lavina wants to be a hatmaker but, she runs a resturant. Rhett is opening a resturant eventhough he wants to do construction work. Their first encounter is embarrassing but, they can't stop thinking about each other. This is a heartwarming story and I would definitely recommend it.

Forgettable. To the point that I forgot I actually finished it and reopened it two days later before realising a few pages in. It's not bad, plods on, no real excitement except the "mystery" of the loggers. The presidential connection was too far fetched for me to be comfortable thinking it was worthwhile. I'm not sold on it, it's definitely no bestseller and honestly seems like a harlequin romance from the 90s.

An interesting book but it is best read as the series,I read it without reading the first book,which would have been helpful to get the whole picture,all in all a good read.

This is the second book in Colorado Hearts series and it definitely is best if its read as a series. While the second book does go over why the five sisters have all come to Colorado, I felt this book was all the richer for having read the first book. Caroline Fyffe does a wonderful job recreating the American West and writing a story that you just can't help to get involved with. This book mainly focuses on Lavinia but there is some progress on each of the sister's stories as well. Not exactly sure who the focus of the next book will be but I'm definitely looking forward to more stories set in Eden..

In True Heart’s Desire we go back for a visit to Eden, Colorado to find out what the Brinkman sisters are up to. Belle and Blake get married and just before the ceremony Lavina has an incident with her eye and she doesn’t think she will make the wedding. She decides the man arriving in town is the new doctor she calls for him to come look at her eye. Things go downhill from there when she discovers Rhett Laughlin isn’t the town’s new doctor. When the required six months are up, Lavina becomes conflicted as to whether or not she wants to say in Colorado or go back East where she thinks her dreams will come true. She has to decide where her true hearts desire really is before she can be truly happy.

This author has such a way of putting together a story with characters that pull you in right at the beginning of the story, where you can’t help but laugh, cry and cheer when things come together. These sisters are all very strong women, are loyal to each other and don’t give up no matter what situation comes their way. I felt like I was visiting old friends and meeting new ones on this visit back to Eden. I liked Rhett right away and felt so bad as he was dealing with guilt that he had put upon himself that really wasn’t fair. He was definitely a strong hero but didn’t try to overwhelm the heroine. I definitely was rooting for Rhett and wanted him to be happy. I definitely love stories that are beautifully wrapped around families and the strength that comes from a strong, loving family. The Brinkman sisters didn’t let anything get in the way of what they wanted. True Heart’s Desire has a strong plot with great characters, a bit of fun and laughter, a sexy hero and it all comes together quite nicely in the end. Another hit for this author.

I received an ARC from Netgally for an honest review.

3.5 stars

This was an enjoyable read. The one downside was that there are a lot of characters and since I hadn't read the first book in the series I found it hard to keep them all straight.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review and all reviews are my own. What first drew my interest to this book was the description. The first couple of chapters I was drawn into the two main characters. What I thought was just going to be a story about just Rhett and Lavinia, turned out to be a story of 5 sisters. They come back to their roots after their fathers death to get their inheritance. I believe the author should have stuck with just Rhett and Lavinia's story, as there was too much going on in the book. One chapter would be about one sister but then the next time that sister would be mentioned would be a couple chapters later. I will say the main focus was on the two main characters most of the time but the writing of the other sisters was not intertwined in the book well. I loved the story line just wish it was better written.

I have been waiting for this next book in the series. These sisters are all so different but have fallen in love with the town and the people. But in everything there is a struggle. And leaving dreams behind to find others is just one Lavinia has to face. Such heartbreak and tenderness, danger and despair is shown throughout this story along with some quite funny antics also. I teared up a few times and that is hard to make me do as well as laughung out loud! I feel the heart in Caroline's books and that makes me love them so much more.

Lavinia has always dreamed of being a milliner as long as she can remember. And her dream was about to become reality. Until her fathers death. And their move to Colorado. Now she runs the hotel and cafe and is happy with her life. But she wants her dream.

Rhett comes to town running from his past. Running from the guilt and blame he believes he has caused. Bearing the newspapers with the stories of the sisters, and the hope of keeping his brothers dream alive he is determined to make it happen.

Mistaken identity causes things to go from bad to worse upon entering town. And he gets off on the wrong foot with everyone. Which is fine with him. Except he can't get the lovely Lavinia out of his mind. And that can only bring trouble.

There is so much standing in the way of these two. But common ground is found and a love of Eden brings them all together. Their openness with one another brings about a bond stronger than either thought possible. And when faced with his greatest fear, Rhett realizes what his true heart's desire is. Can Lavinia come to love him as well or will she leave him broken once again?

I really enjoyed this second installment in the Colorado Hearts Series.
There were some laugh out loud moments and some heart wrenching ones that made it the
perfect book to curl up with on a stormy weekend.

Although this was Lavina's and Rhett's story, it was Dallas who stole my heart.
I hope that this new resident appears in all of the books left in the series because I love him so much!

“I received a free, advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review”