I liked him! That's the first thing about this book. Both Hayden and Isabelle are likeable characters and their falling in love seems like the proper order of things. There are times when the story becomes a bit predictable as love affairs often do, but Hayden's journey back into his past and Isabelle's part in that past keeps it interesting. Isabelle's feisty, deaf daughter brings another layer to the story.. There are many things to enjoy in this book..

The Artisan Heart, Dean Mayes

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:Woman's fiction, romance

First a quick rant – why “women's” fiction? Why exclude 50% or readers....this categorisation makes me so cross. Who's to say sex determines what we enjoy reading?

Its a great story, written so intelligently, not dumbed down as so many are now. No grunting heroes here, no page after page of repetitive sex, but a romance in the truest sense for me, where the characters really spend time getting to know each other. Having said all that there were times when I floundered a bit within the story, where I got a bit bored with the pacing – but that's my issue, my problem not the book.
There are some terrific characters here, Hayden and Isabelle, and Isabelle's little daughter whose a real star. Max and Annette, friends of Hayden's parents, Chas, one of those characters that makes a village, eccentric,at times careless but so full of life, so joyful he brightens others day. I had hoped for a bit more unpleasantness from Bernadette, she's pretty ambitious and will stop at nothing to get ahead, and her plans and Hayden's don't necessarily match. All the things I love from a “nasty” character but she really wasn't in the story that much, enough to throw a few spanners but nothing more.
Its an interesting read, Hayden's initial issues really felt so genuine, its something I could see playing out all too easily and as he says, that could end his career. All that hard work, years of study, gone in a moment. I loved Isabelle and her determination, adored little Genie, so irrepressible and entertaining, loved the way the village rallied round its inhabitants. I really wanted to give this book five stars and yet...I kept putting it aside, losing interest and I'm really not sure why. It had everything I love, intelligent writing, real characters, excellent plots, not just a sweet, simple romance but a more involved one but for whatever reason it didn't pull me in to a cant-stop-reading mood.

Stars: Four, a good story, well written with terrific characters, but not quite the magic five for me.

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

I liked the book. It took me a while to really get into it but in the end I really enjoyed it.