Heart of the Journey by Kay Wolfe is the beginning of her Wild Hearts Series. Chase Hunter seems to have everything while growing up. Losing their ranch at the foot of the Rockies Mountains creates an emptiness in him that sends him searching. Chase runs right into the Army and thrives on the adrenaline and the mastery of his skill. He pauses long enough to marry Tess. Now Chase has the demons of war chasing him. Tess loves Chase deeply but knows he needs help. One wrong move forces Chase to face his demons on his own. Is he strong enough to get the help he needs without losing his wife and son? Is he brave enough to swallow his pride? The wounds of war run deep, and the bottled-up emotions are what Tess fears the most.

I found Heart of the Journey fascinating as this novella sets the pace and characters for the next book in the series. This book is well-written and holds you captive as the storyline unfolds. Kay Wolfe brings a refreshing twist to her romance novella as the principal character finds refuge and strength when immersed in nature. With strong characters fighting for the things they love, the story plays out as you would expect but ends before anything is solved. Overall, the author shows a promising beginning of an intriguing series. Her characters rule the pages and face their shortcomings head-on. I would recommend this book to those who like their novels sweet, engaging, and quick.

In Heart of the Journey by Kay Wolfe, as Chase Hunter stands in the wilderness of Wyoming, he believes life cannot get any better. He looks forward to working on the ranch that has been in his family for years and building a loving future with his sweetheart Sarah. Then in his final year of school, Chase’s parents deal a crushing blow that will change the direction of his life forever. With the family business and home in the hands of the creditors, Chase decides to leave everything he treasures behind to join the US Army and hopefully regain ownership of his beloved ranch. As Chase’s courageous actions in the military lead him into the Special Forces, he also meets his future wife Tess. However, Chase’s tour of duty in the Middle East takes a severe toll on his mental health. A dangerous incident involving his young son results in Chase, once again, having to face losing everything he loves. Chase must discover who he truly is again and this may mean making some serious personal sacrifices.

The descriptive narrative of the tranquillity of the mountains of Wyoming and Chase's peaceful solitude immediately drew my interest in this alluring story of humanity. The plot moves forward continually, with wonderful insights into the characters' personalities. I thought Chase made for the perfect protagonist; his selflessness and kindness toward others were highlighted throughout, especially his heroic rescue attempt in Iraq. Chase always seemed to bury his own inner struggles so he would not become a burden to those he cared about. His relationship with Tess was supportive, loving, and heartwarming, I adored their first encounter with one another and how their bond developed into passionate love. The story also highlights the serious issue of PTSD extremely realistically. The scene with Chase’s son was nail-biting but I also felt such sorrow for Chase’s mental health.

Heart of the Journey is far more than a romance, it explores the types of relationships we experience through life with parents, partners, children, and friends. I also thought the scenes in Afghanistan and Iraq were superb and filled with action and tension. I enjoyed how the novel took Chase full circle and the ending was absolute perfection but with a little twist which will be revealed in the next novel, Heart of the Mountain. A fantastic novel by Kay Wolfe and one that I would highly recommend.