Today we are happy to be a part of R&R's Book Blog Tour once again!
Helping them spotlight. Our Hearts are Blind by Hedi Sprouse.
Publication Date: May 5, 2020
Genre: Historical Fiction/ Romance
Heidi Sprouse does it again !! Our Hearts Are Blind will capture the
readers attention immediately and continue holding you tight until you read the
last word…..
In Our Hearts are Blind as the world is divided and in the midst of the
Civil War, one family is also at war amongst themselves. Thomas Cooke is the
youngest son to a rich and powerful plantation owner. Thomas and his older
brother Beau have a great life….they have indoor plumbing, their house is
beautiful, their closets are overflowing with beautiful clothing, they attend
parties and they are loved and cherished by their parents and each other. Even
though they have everything they could possibly want, Thomas cannot help
but feel empty and confused.
His family is surrounded by workers, workers in the fields and around
the house, maintaining the land. These workers have been a part of Thomas’s life
forever but he cannot help but feel it is wrong because these workers are
actually slaves…..and one of them, Caroline, has captured his heart.
Thomas fell in love with Caroline when they were young and her mother would
watch the two of them as she carried on her duties in the house. To the world, this feeling of love between Thomas and Caroline is wrong because Thomas
is white and Caroline is black.
Thomas will do whatever it takes to be with Caroline….even leave the
home and family he loves. Thomas knows that he cannot live this life anymore,
it is a lie and it is tearing him up inside, he needs to do the right thing and
help free the slaves even if it disappoints his family and he can never go
back to his entitled life.
Follow Thomas on the hardest journey he will ever face. It will surprise
the reader to see where it goes and who goes with him….. We can only HOPE
Thomas gets his happily ever after.
“Our Hearts are Blind is not only a love story, but it is also a story about
devotion and commitment, it is a story about conflict, it is a story about
relationships and the bond between family.”
Excerpt
At the sound of approaching footsteps, Beau
signaled to him to be quiet. A willowy, statuesque woman in a dress the color
of the heavy cream in Thomas’ morning coffee joined them, carrying a tray of
chilled drinks. Her dark hair was braided around her head like a crown, one of
Mama’s pink roses tucked behind her ear. Her skin, rich mahogany, glistened
in the morning light. She set his heart to pounding and stole his breath away.
She carefully placed a mint julep on the table at his brother’s side with a slight bow of her head, grace embodied in the form of a woman.
“Thank you, Caroline,” Beau told her
politely.
Even her name was lovely, taken from their
paternal grandmother. Her mother, Amelia, was named after their maternal grandmother.
They were both favorites in a long line of help that dated back at least a
century.
She slowly approached Thomas, giving him one
glance of her creek-water eyes before dipping her head demurely. As she placed
his drink in his hand, her finger grazed his skin. It was as if someone set him
on fire. He wanted to latch on. Pull her into his arms. Set her on his lap and
see if she would fit. He knew that she would. A blush seeped into her cheeks.
She gave him a nervous smile and slipped away.
Beau’s eyes snapped as he set his drink down
so hard it nearly shattered, “Is she what this is all about, why you are so
upset? Brother, you need to stop this right now!”
Thomas shot up from his chair and made for
the stairs when his mother stepped onto the veranda. Alicia Cooke somehow
always managed to look cool and put together, not a hair out of place, her
thick strands tucked neatly in a twist at the back of her head. Her day gown in
a pale rose complemented her dark complexion perfectly. She was adept at putting
out fires and unruffling feathers. Like a rudder silently at work beneath the
surface of the water, she could steer her family in the right direction. She
had an uncanny sense of when something was wrong. With her household, her
husband, or her sons. Her forehead creased in the middle as she stopped her
youngest and placed her hand under his chin. “Whatever is the matter?”
She usually had the power to soothe him. With
her quiet ways, he often thought his mother understood him best. Right now,
nothing would put him at ease. He pushed the air between his teeth and dipped
in to give her a peck on the cheek. “I just need to go for a walk, Mama. The
heat is getting to me and has put me in a foul mood.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Heidi Sprouse is a resident of historic Johnstown in upstate NY and
went to college at St. Rose in Albany.
Heidi started her journey to becoming an author when she was just a
child. She would practice creative writing with her friends and continued to
write on through college. It wasn’t until her early thirties, after her father
passed away, that she began seriously penning words with the intent to write
books. As an author, Heidi opens a window into her worlds of sweet romances,
historical fiction, and suspense thrillers. She’s always in search of the
finding the extraordinary within the ordinary; writing about strong men with
old-fashioned values and the women who pick them up when they fall.
When she isn’t writing, she adores spending time with her husband Jim,
her son Patrick and her furry canine kids. She also has a rewarding career as a
Pre-K teacher.
Author Links:
Thank you R&R Book Tours!
