Mary Connealy has been a favorite of mine for many years. Her cowboy comedies are hilarious and I know I am in for a great good time when I read one of her books. This series is really good. An evil stepfather sells his wife's daughters to men who really are creepy just so he can gain complete control over their dead father's business and fortune. Only these girls, educated and super smart, are having none of it! Here is Michelle's story and it's a good one, too! The first daughter is married, then Michelle marries Zane, but the bad guys keep coming. Tune in to find out. It's good! I promise.

My thanks to Bethany House for a copy of this book via Net Galley. The opinion here is my own.

Inventions of the Heart by Mary Connealy continues The Lumbar Barron's Daughters series with a fun adventure packed with comedic relief, romance, and enough plot twists to keep the reader guessing. Although the plot and characters seem slightly unbelievable and unrealistic, the overall plot full of humor, love, family, and excitement leave the reader entertained. After I previously read Ms. Connealy's first book in this series, The Element of Love, I was unsure if I would read the ensuing books in the series. However, I was curious enough to learn what Ms. Connealy had planned for the other sisters in the very unique Stiles family that I picked up Inventions of the Heart and read it. Overall, I did enjoy this book and was entertained by the plot, the hilarious characters, and the unique situations that the characters stumbled into.
Inventions of the Heart finds Michelle and Jilly, the two remaining unmarried Stiles sisters, still at Zane Hart's ranch in Dorada Rio California hiding from their stepfather's devious plans to marry them off to the highest payer. Zane and Michelle have their own opinions on how they should go about mining the gold discovered on Zane's ranch without causing a gold rush. Both Zane and Michelle are stubborn and can't seem to agree on nearly anything. Zane is worried about putting Michelle into more danger than she already is and Michelle wants to use her education to create inventions to improve Zane's already efficient ranch. When trouble lands at Zach's doorstep, Michelle and Jilly are thrown into even more danger and are in a very difficult predicament. If Michelle and Jilly go to the law for help their location may inadvertently be revealed to their stepfather and his henchmen, but if they do nothing evil men will go unpunished. What can they do to stay safe, but also fight for justice? Can Zane keep Michelle safe? Will Michelle and her sisters be able to take back their family's lumbar company from their evil stepfather? Can Zane and Michelle work together to keep each other safe and their families safe? Read Inventions of the Heart to find out for yourself. Happy reading!
Disclaimer: Bethany House Publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own and part of an unbiased review.

Inventions of the Heart is the second of three books, and a great continuation of the story! It will make best sense if you have read Element of Love first, since a lot of the book refers to the first. The story is fantastic, though. Michelle and her sister, Jilly, are staying with a nearby rancher, Zane. Zane seems like a nice guy, a bachelor that isn't used to living with anyone, but he allows Michelle and Jilly to stay with him when the missionary group has been broken up, along with two spinster sisters from the group. Soon, his sister, her husband and his niece are there, and his brother in law dies from gunshot wounds. So now Zane has a house full of people to contend with, quite different from what he is used to. With people looking for Michelle and Jilly, it is safer if those two are married. So Zane marries Michelle, which changes everything for Zane. The person responsible for shooting his brother in law is the same man that Michelle's stepfather has lined up to marry Michelle, a terrible man that has already outlived three wives. A great story with a lot of action! So exciting I can't wait for Model of Devotion to be released!

Oh, I enjoyed this one. Loving this series with the right mix of romance, family, and mystery. Michelle is the oldest sister with clear ideas of what her life will look like and living on a ranch does not fit. Zane is annoyed by all these people who keep showing up needing his help, yet he finds himself protecting them. Theirs is a romantic dance driven by danger and the need to protect others. What could be a marriage of convenience quickly becomes more. A very enjoyable read and I can't wait for the last book in this series.

4.5 stars
I was excited to read this book and it was a fun addition to the series. Inventions of the Heart is the second book in Mary Connealy’s The Lumber Baron’s Daughters. I always look forward to reading the next books in a series and this was definitely a cute one.
Oh my, I loved Zane. He was just perfect and so fun. He had his hands full trying to care for Michelle. I loved how patient he was with her and how he encouraged her to use her skills to create things. Zane was also a tad bit overprotective but he was just trying to protect those he loved. It was fun to read more about Zane and even meet his family. But Zane would have to learn how to protect Michelle and care for his family.
Michelle was complicated but she was definitely interesting to read about. I loved how all of the sisters are unique and they have their own special set of skills. Michelle is definitely the leader, planner type. Michelle had to learn to let Zane lead and trust God to protect her family. I liked reading about Michelle growing and learning more skills throughout the book. She was willing to work hard even though she did not always enjoy it. Michelle had to learn to step back and rest in God’s hands.
Michelle and Zane were so cute together! I loved their interactions and reading about them getting to know each other. They were perfect for each other and balanced each other out. The other characters were also fun and I am excited to see who Jilly will end up with.
The plot was very interesting and this was an easy book to read. I liked the characters and the story and I was engaged the whole time. I would recommend Inventions of the Heart to those who enjoy historical Christian romances. However it is best read as part of the series. Inventions of the Heart is a clean Christian historical romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Thank you to Bethany House Publishing for a gifted copy of Inventions of the Heart by Mary Connealy. All opinions are my own.

Inventions of the Heart is the second book in the Lumber Baron's Daughter series. The series is about Liam Stiles's daughters. After Mr. Stiles dies his wife, Margaret, marries a very cruel man and his daughters, Michelle, Jillian, and Laura, must runaway to save themselves. Each book focuses are one of the three daughters and their search for a husband in order to make their rightful claim to their father's logging business. This book is Michelle's story.

This is a light and fast read. It was exactly what I needed in a book for my current read. I enjoyed the characters and relationships. There is a strong sister bond between the girls along with a strong family bond with their mother.

I'm looking forward to the third book. I also wonder if there will be more than three books.

Christian
Historical Fiction
Romance
Release Date: July 5, 2022

4.5/5 again.

The writing didn't improve from the last book, nor did the development that much, but I do feel like it was a slightly tighter story. Michelle seemed more developed than Laura to me - though I was a bit confused about how she feels about the company?

I mean, to be fair, there were probably quite a few points I was confused because I started skim-reading because I really just am interested in the plot and characters, and you can get that without ... reading. If you're a homeschooler who has learned to work smart and not hard, anywho.

I do love Zane still. And his sisters are honestly pretty cute, too. (Michelle, you're lucky because Zane is <3 <3 <3 #mangoals)

Like I said, it does take away my eagerness to share this story that it's not super developed, and it all just reads as one continued story, so reading individual volumes is not going to work, in my opinion.

And now I'm so curious about Jilly. I have an idea, but ... I also have an idea that this genre isn't necessarily going to ... do that idea? That would be super heavy. How could they take that on in one book? Anyways, we'll see, because let me tell you, I cannot not finish this story.

3.75 ⭐️ 

Set in 1872 on a California ranch, Inventions of the Heart follows the story of Michelle Stiles and Zane Hart. After circumstances force Michelle and her sister to go into hiding, Zane takes both of them under his roof at Two Harts Ranch. When Zane finds a gold mine on his property, Michelle steps in to help, but Zane declines her job. After all, gold mining is a dangerous business. When misguided intentions and an attack on Michelle collide, the gold mining operation and the lives of Michelle and her sister are at risk. So is something else—Zane’s growing feelings for Michelle. Want to know how this story pans out? You’ll have to read for yourself! 
 
There are a few things I appreciated about this book.

First, the biblically-grounded perspective when it comes to finding yourself in a place where someone who was supposed to love and protect you turned on you and harmed you instead. Something one of the characters said in the story stood out to me so much, I can’t help but share this quote here in my review: 

“You can forgive without trusting. I don’t believe God asks us to trust someone who has hurt us and clearly intends to do it again. Trust has to be earned through true signs of regret and a change of behavior.” 

I couldn’t echo this truth more! I so appreciated the inclusion of this line in the book—it’s sorely needed in the broken world we live in. There were several other lines relating to truths like this scattered throughout the book, and you’d better believe I highlighted all of them!

Second, the POVs provided in the story. I really enjoy reading books that provide multiple perspectives. It really allows each character to become more personable to me because I get to hear their thoughts and read the events being narrated through their perspective, rather than just following along with one character. The multiple perspectives kept me engaged and offered differing viewpoints on everything taking place, which I appreciated.

Some things that kept me from giving this book a higher rating: 

First, I felt like I fully didn’t understand the point of the plot, to be honest. I felt like resolution was lacking. When I read a book, I want to be able to go, “Oh, that’s why the author wrote the book!” through the plot, characters, and scenes taking place. There needs a clear purpose to the story and I don’t have to wonder what it was. I felt like this book fell short for me in that sense. Of course, this book is part of a series, so that be the reason and there will be more of a resolution in the following book.

Second, the relationship between Michelle and Zane. I don’t know—this may just be my opinion, but I felt like there wasn’t enough of a buildup between before they were married to when they suddenly were. Yes, both of them didn’t mind marrying the other, and Zane was more than willing to do so to keep Michelle safe, but they didn’t have that deep-rooted love for each other before they dove head-first into marriage and all the things that follow it. (Also, a small content warning: There are some ‘bed scenes’ mentioned about Michelle and Zane several times through the book, but nothing specific or explicit is there, of course. I just wanted to mention it for those of you who prefer not to read books that include that topic.) This is just a personal preference of mine, but I wished there were more scenes where the characters learned what they loved about each other before they showed it through romance and intimacy. 

As always, please don’t let my review keep you from reading this book. The only reason I gave this book a lower rating was because of my personal dislikes, and nothing against the content itself. What may have been an almost four-star read for me may be a five-star read for someone else! 

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of Inventions of the Heart. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.

A solid installment in this series from Connealy. The Stiles sisters make me happy. :)

I received an advanced reader copy of this novel from NetGalley; all opinions are my own.

This is book two in the Lumber Baron's Daughters series and even though you can read it, enjoy it and understand it without reading book one, The Element of Love. I would highly suggest reading book one first to fully get all the enjoyment out of this one. Then it sets you up to eagerly await book three, A Model of Devotion. I enjoyed getting to know the Stiles sisters. I love that we stay involved in all their lives throughout this series. This book we follow Michelle Stiles and Zane Hart. I love all the twist and turns, humor, romance, family and more in this book. I can't wait for book three.
I was given a copy of this book for my honest opinion.

INVENTIONS OF THE HEART is the second novel in the Lumber Baron’s Daughters series by MARY CONNEALY. I loved the first book and have been looking forward to the sequel - I am definitely not disappointed! I love the way this author writes, taking us into her unforgettable characters’ emotions, as they deal with their problems, with a good dose of humour. There is also romance, suspense and a strong Christian message. I really cannot recommend Inventions of the Heart highly enough.
The story starts in 1872 at Two Harts Ranch, California, with Zane Hart’s homestead being home to two of the brilliant Stiles daughters, Michelle and Jilly, who are hiding from their wicked stepfather, Edgar Beaumont, who has taken over her father’s lumber company and has chosen awful older men for each of them to marry, so he can hold onto the family fortunes. With Zane’s two sisters and brother arriving, together with some of the people left from the mission at Purgatory, the house is soon full to bursting.
With Laura married to Caleb Tillman, either Michelle or Jilly need to marry before they turn twenty five in order to stop Edgar’s vile schemes.
With their mother in danger, Michelle’s attack and Zane’s brother in law’s murder, as well as the gold found on the property, things get really exciting……
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are competely my own.

Inventions of the Heart is the second book in the Lumber Baron’s Daughters series and it continues on right where book one finished, so I’d recommend this historical novel to those who have already started to read this series.

We met the three Stiles sisters in book one, The Element of Love, and book two continues to show the determination and intelligence of these three young women. While Laura is now married and safe from the clutches of her evil stepfather, Jilly and Michelle must still secure a husband to fully claim ownership of their company and ensure they don’t have to marry the men their stepfather has picked out for them. Good fortune lead the sisters to Zane Hart’s ranch and now they find safety there while Laura and her husband work to take ownership of Laura’s claim in the company. But when danger find Michelle at the ranch, she and Zane know they must act quickly to outsmart the people who wish to hurt them and their family.

I love that Inventions of the Heart, book two in the series, is being published so soon after the release of book one, July and March 2022, as I think most readers will want to continue the story of these sisters as soon as they begin it. I know I did. While the plot is very dramatic (maybe even overly so) it’s still a fun read and there is certainly no shortage of excitement, if you don’t mind putting aside what would be realistic and just going along for the ride. There certainly is a lot for these characters to face in their fight for freedom and safety

This historical romance series is an excellent escape read.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Inventions of the Heart gives me yet another reason why I love Mary Connealy. This second book from her The Lumber Baron's Daughters series was fabulous. Five stars.

I am really enjoying this series. Can't wait for the next book to read about Jilly. The women are strong in so many ways but there is still a weakness in each of them. I have not read Connealy's book for a long time but definitely plan to catch up on this author.

More of a Wild Ride…

I read straight through the first book into the second because I couldn’t wait to read about Michelle’s story. This was another amazing book about another strong determined sister and their quest to not allow their Step father to take over their father’s company and keep their mother safe.



It has been great to see Zane and Michelle’s story play out. Also, to continue to see this interesting story continue. 



I look forward to reading the next book I’m guessing the focus will be on the last sister, Jilly. Will she get past whatever keeps her from wanting to find love? Can’t wait to know and if she falls for someone who…

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

First sentence: "At least you know you can trust me." Michelle Stiles slashed a hand about an inch from Zane Hart's face.

Premise/plot: The Element of Love introduced readers to the plight of the Stiles sisters--Laura, Michelle, and Jilly. These three are on the run from their stepfather. Each sister is seeking to find a good man to marry as quickly as possible. Well, with the exception of Jilly who emphatically states time and time and time again that she will never, ever, ever, ever marry anyone ever. The sisters are still juggling about twelve dangers collectively. The second book, Inventions of the Heart, stars Michelle. She is living with Zane Hart on his ranch--along with half a dozen other people. She's still got her heart set on inventions and mechanics. She's also possibly maybe falling hard for Zane too.

My thoughts: I think authors have three possible speeds--realistic, dramatic, and melodramatic. Mary Connealy almost always packs her "romantic comedies" with melodrama. The problem is that more isn't always better. Sometimes less is better. Especially when it comes to close calls, near misses, and tight squeezes. After about the millionth "dangerous" moment, you start rolling your eyes. Okay, maybe it doesn't take a million close-calls. I feel her books could benefit from a little less conflict. Dial it down a bit. Yes, almost all books require conflict--but it doesn't have to be taken to an extreme so that everything becomes a caricature. Perhaps the melodrama is supposed to be funny???

I find it hard to care about characters when everything is much too much. Characters are what matter most to me when I'm reading. With so much melodrama thrown in "for good measure" I suppose, the characters get buried in the mix.

I enjoyed the first book in this series, so it was fun to read more about this ingenious family of unconventional girls. An enjoyable historical read!

Mary Connealy did it again! This is the 2nd volume of the Lumber Baron's Daughters series. Can't wait for the 3rd one! Mary makes her characters interesting and relatable. You absolutely get lost in the story. I couldn't put this one down.

This is concerning Michelle and her husband Zane Hart as they balance their inheritance of the of the lumber company, the expansion of their ranch and a discovery of gold on the property. Same villains with a couple of new ones thrown in, same heroes, and same dilemma. Michelle is the Stiles sister who is an inventor and specializes in machines.

I have voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book that I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my own honest opinion.

Mary Connealy hit it out of the park with Intentions of the Heart!

After her sister's marriage, Michelle Stiles is left hiding at Two Harts Ranch with the handsome but stubborn Zane Hart. She's managed to stay one step ahead of her stepfather and his devious plans, but if he finds her, she will no longer be safe.

Zane has problems of his own. Having discovered a gold mine on his property, he must figure out how to harvest it without kicking off a gold rush. Michelle, educated and trained to run her father's business, wants to manage all aspects of the mine, but Zane thinks for a person so smart she can have some misguided ideas. Running the mining operation will be a dangerous job, and he can't risk putting her in harm's way.

But danger finds Michelle anyway when she's suddenly attacked. If they go to the sheriff, they'll reveal her location, but if they do nothing . . . their troubles have only just begun.