Harold Jonquil has thrown himself into pursuing a career as a vicar, it was what was expected of him, but once he achieves his goal he finds it and himself lacking. But then a face from the past returns, she challenges him to reclaim his fire.



Sarah Sarvol returns to visit her ailing uncle, who is bitter and has become more reclusive in progressing years. Sarah ends up bearing the brunt of her uncle's bitterness. She is hesitant to see Harrold again, and is shocked to see the uninspired dullness that he has fallen into.



Is it too late to give love a second chance?



A multi-layered read, that follows multiple characters, with a lot going on simultaneously. Firstly, this is a stand alone read, though the sixth in a series--though there are a few appearances by previous main characters. There always a lot going on, as well as strongly developed characters that kept me reading.



Sarah is a cheerful young woman who makes the best of a tough situation, she genuinely cares about people and challenges them to be their best selves. She is very insightful, and knows how to express things in the right way to get people to take notice but not be offended.



Harold feels very overwhelmed by his responsibilities as a vicar, he isn't inspired to encourage and comfort his congregation, and feels like they expect perfection from him. But with Sarah he can finally be himself, and she sees that he is still the man she fell in love with many summers ago.



The book also follows, Phillip and Scott, who are Harold and Sarah's brothers, as they assume their responsibilities as heads of their estates.



Overall, an engaging read, with many compelling characters. This is a story of family, as well as personal growth and letting go of presupposed expectations. An enjoyable rekindled romance read, with a strong heroine, intricate relationships, and the importance of family.



I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.



This is a part of the Proper Romance collection, and is not considered Christian Fiction, though it is considered clean.

I have loved the books from Sarah M Eden's series, The Jonquil Brothers. This sixth installment, The Heart of a Vicar, does not disappoint. I thought this book was great. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy clean historical romance. Five stars.

Oh my heart! I have a new favorite Jonquil brother! Harry has been portrayed as rather sanctimonious in the previous books in the series, so it was a revelation to see his true character, why he had acted that way (it was just an act) and what his hidden vulnerabilities and struggles are. The author made him so likeable and brought him to life with the fun and supportive relationship he has with his housekeeper, his need for his mother's affection, and his secret pastime that keeps him in better shape than most of his brothers. I absolutely loved reading about his transformation thanks to Sarah's reappearance in his life and her challenge that has him examining what the role of a vicar really is. Sarah is American (though she considers England home) and has an informality about her that is endearing and brings out the best in Harry. I appreciated that she didn't hold on to the bitterness of rejection, but rather rekindled the genuine friendship that brought her and Harry together in the first place. The Jonquils face their share of trials and it was a joy to experience more with Phillip, Sorrel, Layton, Stanley, and the others. The author skillfully wove their lives together with the plot of Harry finding his footing as a brother and compassionate spiritual leader in the family and community. Highly recommend!!!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Another beautiful and well written story to add to the Jonquil family. I loved that it was a story of love rediscovered between Harold and Sarah. I felt the struggles as well as the joy right along with the characters...I was sad to come to the end. Sarah Eden always has a way to pull me into the story and I can't wait to read her next book.

4.5 Stars

This is my first book in Sarah M. Eden’s Jonquil Brother’s series and while the story stands completely on its own, I did want to know more about everyone else I met in The Heart of a Vicar.

Harold (Holy Harry to his brothers) Jonquil was born to be a vicar but he no longer finds any joy in his occupation. Instead of a calling, it has become a chore. As readers take the journey of discovering Harry’s passions and joys, they will be encouraged and entertained. Even more so when Sarah Sarval, Harry’s first (and only) love, returns to London and issues a challenge.

Eden delivers a story of faith, family, love, and finding the life that makes a heart content. With touches of humor and a bit of adventure thrown in for good measure, there’s a lot to love about this book.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

"Holy Harry" finally gets his story told, and what a story it is. Harold Jonquil is a vicar like everyone knew he would be, but he's not THE vicar he imagined he be or wants to be. He doesn't think he can be himself and a vicar at the same time--what would the parishioners think if they knew of his "unvicarly" hobbies of rock climbing and knowing Irish drinking songs?

Thank goodness Sarah Sarvol comes back into Harry's life. Being an American she isn't as formal, and upon her first visit to church she tells Harry she had expected more. "More of the vicar you ought to be", and challenges him to see who is better at vicaring. Sarah also explains that the quote Harry often says to himself, "Act well your part; there all the honor lies.", doesn't mean 'Act well a part or 'a part as defined by others.'

I loved seeing Harry change from the stiff, almost aloof vicar to one his parishioners would know truly cared about them. I was upset with Phillip and Layton's endless teasing of him and was so happy when Mater came back to Lampton Park. It was wonderful to get updates on all of the Jonquil brothers and their families. Is it a "stubbornness of Jonquils" or a "horde of Jonquils"? Whatever it is I'll gladly take more.

I loved Sarah and felt for her, and her brother who had to live with their mean-spirited and spiteful uncle. She's such a sweet and caring person and the perfect person to help Harry find himself. She had great advice for Harry A vicar can do a lot of good simply by allowing himself to be human.

Sarah M. Eden makes these characters so real to the reader, sometimes we forget they're not real people. We laugh at their silliness and cry for them when they're going through difficulties. This is a wonderful addition to the Jonquil series.

Thank you to Covenant Communications and NetGalley for my copy to read. My review is voluntarily given and all thoughts expressed are my own.

“Act well your part; there all the honor lies.”

From the captivating cover to the setting in Regency England and on to the riveting story of “Holy Harry”, The Heart of a Vicar had me turning pages far into the night. I love Sarah M. Eden’s writing, and the Jonquil family has wormed its way into my heart. Each of the seven brothers has his own personality and quirks, and I enjoy the way they interact with each other—the way they joke and tease one another but also rally as a family when needed. Eden is a master at creating realistic, endearing, and colorful characters. She also excels at witty banter and humorous situations. I loved Harold and Sarah’s connection and their rapport with each other.

“Did we decide on ‘a horde of Jonquils,’ then?”
“I cannot believe I get to be part of it,” Sarah could not hide her amazement. “I cannot believe you want to be.” His grin brought out her laugh.

“I did challenge our good vicar to a competition of saintliness.”

Beautiful themes of the importance of family, overcoming fear and doubt, and the power of love are woven through the story and add depth and dimension to it. This book can be read as a standalone, but to get the full effect of this fun family you might want to start with the others. They are all fantastic books and so enjoyable. I’ll be anxiously awaiting the next book in the series.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Covenant Communications/NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

First off, I haven't read any of the prior books in this series, and The Heart of a Vicar is book 6 in that series. I generally try not to request books for review when I haven't read the prior books in the series, but the author, Sarah M Eden, is what initially drew me in. And the nature of a series like this is that each book follows a different brother in the Jonquil family. So even though I'm coming into the middle a series, mostly I figured I would be able to read this almost as a standalone. In some ways I was right, and in other ways I was wrong. There are 7 (I believe) Jonquil brothers. And for someone who isn't familiar with the family or their backstories or what has happened in the prior books, this was a lot of characters to get to know--especially as most of the brothers at this point have wives and even children making the cast of characters quite large.

Reading The Heart of a Vicar did spark my interest go back and read the previous books of this series. And ironically, I remember seeing several of the previous books available for review on NetGalley in the past couple of years. I declined requesting those for review exactly for the reason I stated earlier--that I generally don't like to pick up mid-series. However, it hasn't been until the last year or two that I've increased the amount of historical fiction that I'm reading. And Sarah M Eden is an author I've recently read in another series and decided I wanted to read more of.

I won't say that Harold and Sarah's story was perfect for me. A lot of the romantic development between the two characters occurred before the book even began when the characters were younger. This creates conflict between them, but one of my favorite things to read is the initial romantic sparks.

More than being a romance story, The Heart of a Vicar is a story about finding one's self. Harold isn't sure of himself or what he always assumed was his purpose in life. He has to go backward in order to go forwards. The dynamics between his family, how they affect him, and how he affects them is all central to the story.

I fell in love with this family. Philip drove me crazy but I can't wait to read his story. Sorrel broke my heart. I wish the cause of her difficulties in carrying a pregnancy to term were discussed in more detail or explained a little more. Layton and Marion...especially Caroline crawled right inside my heart and took up residence. Mater and Scott too.

Sarah and her family difficulties were interesting, but I don't know. Something kept me from fully connecting to this storyline or its issues. Maybe just because I assumed it would all work out.

Favorite quote:

-Patience is a virtue. Endurance is a necessity.
The Heart of a Vicar had a slow start for me. I fell in love with the entire family of characters and can't wait to go back & read the previous books in the series. I wish I'd been able to read more of the events that made Harold and Sarah initially fall in love, but I did enjoy seeing them work through their current issues. The Heart of the Vicar gets 3.5 Stars. Have you read The Heart of a Vicar? What did you think? Let me know!

This book may have just jumped to my all-time favorite Jonquil Brothers story! I suspected there may be so much more to Holy Harry than we were getting a glimpse of in the earlier novel, and oh boy did Sarah M. Eden bring her A-game with telling his story. Harold is at a crossroads in his life with figuring out how to navigate how he thinks he should act as a vicar and also being true to who he is. The reader was allowed insight into how lonely his existence has been since his father died and the teasing from his brothers has been never ending. But Mater, as always, has great insight into why each of her sons acts the way they do. Sarah comes into the story with her American ways and helps change not only Harold, but many other people in the town, for the better. As a side note, there were other parts of the story that involved the other Jonquil Brothers that had me full on weeping. I may be slightly sadistic, but I love a book that makes me cry.

Thank you Netgalley and Covenant Communications for the eARC!

I absolutely love the Jonquil family. These brothers can be a handful but they are fiercely loyal to each other and those who are dear to members of the family. I loved having all of the brothers accounted for throughout this book. Even though it is Harold's story, it made it so much better being able to know how each brother that I have come to care for is doing. I believe that's one of the aspects that truly made this book wonderful for me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I loved Harold and Sarah as well. These two had a misunderstanding years prior to when this one starts. And, let me tell you that when Harold realizes that she is back from America, and at his brother's house as well, this book gets very interesting and entertaining. Sarah is quick on her feet and with her wit and was perfect for heckling Harold. But most importantly, for inspiring him and helping him stop to truly evaluate his life and what he wants from him.

I loved the brothers learning to lean even more so on each other and to truly open up about their hurts and struggles. This book wasn't all roses and happily ever afters. There were plenty of emotional ups and downs and moments where I was holding my breath, unsure for what was going to come. I will admit that I cried at a couple different scenes. Oh, my heart!

Well done Sarah M. Eden! I'm so grateful that all those many years ago when Seeking Persephone was first being advertised and caught my eye, that I snagged a copy, dove right in and never looked back. What a journey it has been to follow the Lancaster and Jonquil families. I truly hope they're not over yet. My oldest daughter said the other day that she really hopes to have the Jonquil parents' story. Hmmmm, wouldn't that be lovely, especially after reading this one. No spoilers so you're going to have to go read the series if you haven't already (believe me, you'll thank yourself that you did...and possibly even thank me too!) or snag this one if you've already read the other books. Definitely one that is worth the time to read. *happy sigh*

Sarah and Harold have some great moments throughout this book. Not all are moments like you might think. Yes, I'm being vague on purpose. This book is one where you might take some time to do some soul searching of your own.

Content: Clean. Some mild moments of peril but nothing graphic. Nothing more than kissing. Some harder family relationships discussed as well.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Harold Jonquil has always felt that he was suppose to be a vicar. When Sarah Savol returns from America, Harry is confronted with his past in the girl who got away. Sarah is finding England a lot lonelier than she expected and ends up spending lots of time at the Jonquil estate.

I am a major Sarah M Eden fan and the Jonquil and Lancaster series are my favorite. Harold, aka Holy Harry is the second youngest brother and a bit sanctimonious. He always quotes the bible and he's pretty removed. So I was really curious to read Harry's book.

Turns out that Harry is rather a complicated character. It was very interesting to be his head. Harry actually suffers from almost crippling self doubt. When he doesn't know what to say he retreats to words from the bible. He isn't sure where he fits with his brothers and he's lost himself. I found Harry to so delightful while he looks what he should be. He is so different from what we've seen of him in his brother's books.

Sarah was a happy character who felt genuine. Things are not happening as she expects and she decides that the only thing she can control is her reaction. I thought her challenge to Harry was so much fun and greatly needed.

This book was awesome. Eden handle multiple characters from multiple books with a deftness that is masterful. There are 6 other books in this series plus crossover with the Lancaster series. I never felt like there were too many characters in the room which was really great.

I loved this book.

These Jonquil brothers pull at my heartstrings every time! They also make me laugh out loud with all of their antics. It was wonderful to see into Harold's heart and know what he was really feeling. Sarah is so much fun! She is perfect at helping Harold see who he really is and how he can help the world. My favorite character of all is Mater. The mother of all these Jonquils holds a special place in my heart. She is feisty and loving, compassionate and fierce. Having so much of the family together for this story is priceless. Mater's understanding of all her children melts my heart. I can't wait to be with all of these characters again for Charlie's story.

I was so happy to visit the Jonquils again!! So happy, in fact, that I'm now going back and rereading all the previous books in the series even though I've read at least a few of them twice already...

Harry's book did not disappoint! I definitely wondered how the author would bring him around—turn him into a likable character—after he seemed so somber and staunch in past books. This one gave us an entirely different perspective on him. The heroine was a delight and the romance was sweet and enjoyable. Now I just have to endure the wait until Charlie's book... :)

Yahoo, many of us have been waiting to hear “Holy Harry’s” story! You will be enthralled by this tender story of Harry Jonquil who is a vicar. All through his life Harry has been called “Holy Harry” by his brothers, and he hated this name. Harry works in a small parish and eeks out a living. Years prior, Sarah Sarvol, an American, had visited in the neighborhood, and Harry had fallen in love; she had been the only woman he had ever loved. Now Sarah comes back to stay at her uncle’s home, as her brother Scott is the heir to her uncle. Sarah is treated very poorly by her uncle as he is angry with her for helping foster a relations ship with Layton Jonquil and his daughter Bridget. Harold is not ready to see Sarah again. Sarah finds Harry much changed; she finds him aloof and distant, and lacking passion for his sermons and his work, in fact adrift. Sarah believes she could do a better job of vicaring than Harry, and so the challenge between them begins: who can serve Harry’s flock better. Will it be Harry or will it be Sarah?
This is a tender story of Harry’s struggles as he questions his profession as a vicar. We also find that Harold loves singing tavern songs and scaling walls, bridges and other heights. The Heart of a Vicar is jammed packed with the Jonquil family that we all love, and the brothers get involved in a daring rescue. There is such strength when the Jonquil brothers band together. It is a book devoted to the Jonquil family and we are treated to more of their story, but in the end this is Harry’s story, and it is a very satisfying one! I know you will love it!

An ARC was provided by Net Galley, and the opinions expressed here are my own.

This is my first reading of a Sarah Eden book. It's a good story. We have good and evil, hope and hopelessness all wrapped up into a tale of a young man who is a vicar and a woman he loved as a young man. It revolves around the Jonquil family. I hate reviews that tell the tale, so I won't. It's an emotional story, clean and sweet. I enjoyed how Ms. Eden developed her characters and made me really care about what their futures held. Well done!

I loved this book. It was so fun to read about Harry. I loved how it showed the struggle of how we sometimes try to live up to what our perception of something is and falling short. Instead of having the courage to try to be our best selves and knowing that that is enough. I loved how Sarah helped him to be the best person he could be. This is a wonderful book as are all of Sarah Eden's books. I would highly recommend.

The Jonquil family series are enjoyable. They feature contemporary-style wit with regency setting and flavor. Getting to know Harry’s motivations and heart made the character I throughly was snooty and pious, relatable. He became someone to cheer for.

I have not read the other Jonquil Brothers books. But after reading this one, I certainly will be! This reads as a stand-alone novel very well but I really want to get to know this family more.

As a reader, I loved all the little details about the family and other characters, I felt all the things they felt. I grinned from ear to ear sometimes and wept others. This book is filled with very real emotion and complicated relationships. It is also filled with very real examples heartache but mostly it is filled with love.

*My full review is posted on Goodreads and BookBub

I did not know until the end of the book that this was a book in a series. It didn't really matter as I became very fond of the Jonquil family and all thieir doings. I loved Holy Harry and how he developed into the kind of person he wanted to be but thought as a vicar he's should be very proper. Once he finally realized He could e himself, he became very successful in his parish, which all he ever wanted to do - help, comfort and sustain his people. I completely enjoyed this book.

Superb! I feel like I am visiting family each time I read an Eden book, but especially when it’s a Jonquil story! I’m so glad Harold discovered his purpose. I was continually making mental notes throughout this story on how I could be of more service amongst my family, neighbors and community. So good! I didn’t want it to end.

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists,
and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive
reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this
in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.