Shot Through the Heart


Romance - Historical
241 Pages
Reviewed on 01/11/2021
Buy on Amazon

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    Book Review

Reviewed by Jennifer Ibiam for Readers' Favorite

Shot Through the Heart by Andrea Downing is a historical romance novel set in the 1800s. Shiloh, a retired assassin and prodigal son, came back to his father’s ranch to find his sister and her child murdered. He swore vengeance against the killers of his family. A saloon brawl with a townsman landed him at the doctor who was a woman, an anomaly in those times. Sydney, the doctor, worked in a small town but was unhappy. Practicing in a male-dominated field, she was regarded as a disgrace, with men harassing her and women shunning her. She also had a secret concerning the killers of Shiloh’s family, even while falling in love with him. Her life and heart are in danger. Sydney and Shiloh will fight a tough war between doing what’s right and what’s necessary.

Shot Through the Heart by Andrea Downing is a really beautiful and thought-provoking novel. It will appeal to lovers of the “blast-from-the-past” flavor of romance books. I enjoyed reading this work because it fused romance, crime, and social issues. It also featured elements of intense love, faith, duty, courage, stigmatization, and hypocrisy. It’s a man’s world, they say, but Andrea created a character that defied this norm. Women have been subdued over the years, but Sydney showed that she was made for more, even at the expense of her comfort and social acceptance. Women are more than baby incubators. We can rule the boardroom and the home front. The plot was a strong one, garnished with stylish writing and flawless editing. The language and vocabulary were era-appropriate. I'd love to read more from Andrea Downing!