Laura Frantz’s A BOUND HEART is a raw and elegant tale set on a wonderfully wild and moody Scottish isle.

The back cover bids us enter ~ Though Magnus MacLeish and Lark MacDougall grew up on the same castle grounds, Magnus is now laird of the great house and the Isle of Kerrera. Lark is but the keeper of his bees and the woman he is hoping will provide a tincture that might help his ailing wife conceive and bear him an heir. But when his wife dies suddenly, Magnus and Lark find themselves caught up in a whirlwind of accusations, expelled from their beloved island, and sold as indentured servants across the Atlantic. Can they make a new beginning in this New World? Or will their hopes be dashed against the rocky coastline of the Virginia colony?

Frantz quickly draws us into the world and life of Lark and Magnus. Rife with clashes of cultures, values, and loyalties, this setting is as turbulent as a stormy sea against Kerrera’s rocky coast. In such an uncertain time, can anyone find sure footing?

The teaser on the back cover reveals some plot turns and challenges Lark and Magnus face, but in truth it barely hints at the perils the two endure. Or the stunning grace offered. As these two straddle competing wants, responsibilities, and expectations of others, their integrity and faithfulness is tested.

The characters are well-drawn, layered, and compelling. We don’t so much read about them as walk with them—elbow to elbow. We see and feel the moods of the sea, the heavy consequences of ignoring the law, the complete end of self-reliance with only God’s guidance and grace to rescue us. We ache at the consequences of some choices. And along with Lark we catch our breath and pull our shoulders in as we navigate the narrow spaces allowed us. Narrow spaces such as:

~ the precarious cliffside trail between croft and castle

~ between propriety and expressing longing

~ between love for the laird and Lark’s duty of service

~ between freedom and imprisonment

~ between ship and dropping into the sea

~ between safety and death as people go about their duties

~ between hardship and comfort (Bought at what price?)

When all appears lost and the parted sweethearts seem drained of energy and options, I felt keen sadness and some anxiety about the next steps Lark and Magnus might take. Confidence in Frantz’s skill and remembering her commitment to providing a HEA* urged me to ignore the clock and keep reading!

Frantz’s skill continues to impress me. Settings that come alive, plot twists that ambush a reader, a worthy hero and heroine ~ she has it all. And more ~ the ability to portray characters with flaws as well as strengths, and always with respect. You’ll not find stock characters or stereotypical minorities in her stories. And she has an uncanny ability to convey a universal truth while giving us a peek into the private recesses of a heart, as when Lark thinks Oh, what a joy it was to be wanted. Chosen. [page 55]

And all is marinated in rich (Dare I say new and fascinating?) historical detail such that one particular strand of historical truth cannot be pulled out of the story’s fabric without leaving a hole.

A BOUND HEART ~ an intriguing title. BOUND. An interesting word. It can mean held against one’s will. Enslaved. It can also mean by one’s will one chooses to fasten, attach, tether oneself to something. Or someone.

A BOUND HEART is a perfect title because in this story both definitions are true. Body and actions are NOT free for Lark and Magnus because they are bound first to demands of their stations in life and later the master who holds their indentures.

But, their hearts and spirits ARE free, and they choose to tether themselves to God and each other. [As I write, Alfie Boe singing “Come What May” is curling through my mind. An apt background you can listen to here:

Alfie Boe by Linda W

Once again Laura Frantz brought her story alive in my living room ~ more as if I watched a fabulous film than read a book.  With economy of words, she spins the story, displaying the impact of an experience and the depth of a character’s feeling.

This is a raw and elegant story that calls forth our better angels. A triumph for Frantz; a gift to her readers.

To meet Laura in cyberspace, visit her website www.laurafrantz.net. A BOUND HEART is available at bookstores and on-line.

*happily ever after

[Photo credits: Mary Kay Moody, Lenora Genovese, Tom Donald,William Jackson, Gilt Edged, Linda W.]