Follow the Heart (The Great Exhibition, Book 1) by Kaye Dacus: A Review

Follow the Heart
by Kaye Dacus
B&H Publishers
Copyright 2013
ISBN: 9781433677205

About the book:
Set during the Industrial Revolution and the Great Exhibition of 1851, Follow the Heart is a “sitting-room romance” with the feel of a Regency-era novel but the fashions and technological advances of the mid-Victorian age.

Kate and Christopher Dearing’s lives turn upside down when their father loses everything in a railroad land speculation. The siblings are shipped off to their mother’s brother in England with one edict: marry money.

At twenty-seven years old, Kate has the stigma of being passed over by eligible men many times—and that was before she had no dowry. Christopher would like nothing better than to make his own way in the world; and with a law degree and expertise in the burgeoning railroad industry, he was primed to do just that—in America.

Though their uncle tries to ensure Kate and Christopher find matrimonial prospects only among the highest echelon of British society, their attentions stray to a gardener and a governess.

While Christopher has options that would enable him to lay his affections where he chooses, he cannot let the burden of their family’s finances crush his sister. Trying to push her feelings for the handsome—but not wealthy— gardener aside, Kate’s prospects brighten when a wealthy viscount shows interest in her. But is marrying for the financial security of her family the right thing to do, when her heart is telling her she’s making a mistake?

Mandates . . . money . . . matrimony. Who will follow the heart?


My Thoughts:
Regency romances are some of my favorite stories to read, while Follow the Heart the first in a new series by Kaye Dacus is set during a later period, it still has that sweet, easy pace that I love regencies for. What really appealed to me about this book was the fact that there were not one but two romances that developed in the course of the story. I'm not usually fond of books that feature more than one romance in a single story but Ms. Dacus did a wonderful job of making it natural and in no way rushed. Often times one of the couple's gets the short end of the stick and I say to myself, "Well, that escalated quickly", but not so with Follow the Heart. The only teeny thing that disappointed me with this book was the lack of Great Exhibition scenes. Since it's part of a series called the Great Exhibition I guess I was expecting more to take place there. However, I did adore the final scene in the Crystal Palace *sigh*! Here's to hoping for even more romance and industry in book 2, An Honest Heart!


Fun with Kaye:
~ What's your biggest time waster/distraction?
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/kayedacus

(Hehehe mine too, Kaye! http://www.pinterest.com/steelergirl83)

~ Do you collect anything?
Karl Urban character action figures (Eomer, Dr. McCoy, etc.)

~ Who's your secret celebrity crush?
I have two, and they’re not such a big secret (I have a board dedicated to them on Pinterest): Oded Fehr and Karl Urban. I call them my “alternate-universe husbands.” http://pinterest.com/kayedacus/mine-in-another-life/

~ What's your guilty pleasure?
Bingeing on as many episodes of Supernatural on Netflix as I can watch in one sitting.

~ What household task do you dread/enjoy?
Dread: Anything involving cleaning or paying bills
Enjoy: Cooking

~ What do you like to do when you aren't writing?
If I’m not at work and I’m not writing, I’m doing one of the following three things: hanging out with friends (usually dinner and a movie), watching TV/Netflix/DVDs at home, or reading.

To learn more about Kaye visit her WEBSITE!

  *I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from the publisher via netGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.* 

~ My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ~

Happy Reading!