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Swift Runs the Heart
Both Geraldine MacKenny and Bas Deverill escaped to the goldfields in search of something — for him, a fortune; for her, independence; for both, freedom. Neither expected the fields to yield so much more.
1860s, Otago, New Zealand
Geraldine finds the life of a wealthy runholder's daughter stiff and constraining. On the goldfields, she has the opportunity to be so much more: independent, responsible, strong. But her freedom is short-lived when she is noticed by notorious bandit Black Jack MacRae — a man who is used to getting what he wants and who never takes no for an answer.
Cheerful, casual, uncommitted — that's the way Bas likes his life on the goldfields. He may be of aristocratic blood, but he thrives on the challenges of commerce and the freedom of the colonies. Rescuing a beautiful girl from the grasp of Black Jack MacRae, however, throws his whole life into turmoil. Geraldine seems to be a magnet for trouble, and the goldfields are a long way from civilisation. Taking her under his wing only makes sense, but Bas has no intention of letting her get any further under his skin. He might want to bed her, but that is no reason to risk falling to the prison bars of respectability — is it?
1860s, Otago, New Zealand
Geraldine finds the life of a wealthy runholder's daughter stiff and constraining. On the goldfields, she has the opportunity to be so much more: independent, responsible, strong. But her freedom is short-lived when she is noticed by notorious bandit Black Jack MacRae — a man who is used to getting what he wants and who never takes no for an answer.
Cheerful, casual, uncommitted — that's the way Bas likes his life on the goldfields. He may be of aristocratic blood, but he thrives on the challenges of commerce and the freedom of the colonies. Rescuing a beautiful girl from the grasp of Black Jack MacRae, however, throws his whole life into turmoil. Geraldine seems to be a magnet for trouble, and the goldfields are a long way from civilisation. Taking her under his wing only makes sense, but Bas has no intention of letting her get any further under his skin. He might want to bed her, but that is no reason to risk falling to the prison bars of respectability — is it?
139 pages, ebook
First published April 1, 2013
About the author
Mary Brock Jones
13 books30 followersMary Brock Jones lives in Auckland, New Zealand, but loves nothing more than to escape into the other worlds in her head, to write science fiction and historical romances. Sedate office worker by day; frantic scribbler by night.
Her parents introduced her to libraries and gave her a farm to play on, where trees became rocket ships and rocky outcrops were ancient fortresses. She grew up writing, filling pages of notebooks and filling her head with stories, but took a number of detours on the pathway to her dream job. After four grown sons, more than one house renovated, grandchildren, a career as a government veterinarian (now retired) and a farm to play on in the weekends, her wish came true.
Her books have won an SFR Galaxy Award and made the finals list for the Romance Writers of Australia RUBY awards, the RWNZ KORU awards, and the RWNZ Clendon awards.
You can find Mary here:
www.marybrockjones.com
https://www.facebook.com/MaryBrockJon...
https://twitter.com/MaryBrockJones
Her parents introduced her to libraries and gave her a farm to play on, where trees became rocket ships and rocky outcrops were ancient fortresses. She grew up writing, filling pages of notebooks and filling her head with stories, but took a number of detours on the pathway to her dream job. After four grown sons, more than one house renovated, grandchildren, a career as a government veterinarian (now retired) and a farm to play on in the weekends, her wish came true.
Her books have won an SFR Galaxy Award and made the finals list for the Romance Writers of Australia RUBY awards, the RWNZ KORU awards, and the RWNZ Clendon awards.
You can find Mary here:
www.marybrockjones.com
https://www.facebook.com/MaryBrockJon...
https://twitter.com/MaryBrockJones
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 6, 2016
Swift runs the heart
By Mary Brock Jones
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
Both Geraldine MacKenny and Bas Deverill escaped to the goldfields in search of something — for him, a fortune; for her, independence; for both, freedom. Neither expected the fields to yield so much more.
1860s, Otago, New Zealand.
Geraldine finds the life of a wealthy runholder's daughter stiff and constraining. On the goldfields, she has the opportunity to be so much more: independent, responsible, strong. But her freedom is short-lived when she is noticed by notorious bandit Black Jack MacRae — a man who is used to getting what he wants and who never takes no for an answer.
Cheerful, casual, uncommitted — that's the way Bas likes his life on the goldfields. He may be of aristocratic blood, but he thrives on the challenges of commerce and the freedom of the colonies. Rescuing a beautiful girl from the grasp of Black Jack MacRae, however, throws his whole life into turmoil. Geraldine seems to be a magnet for trouble, and the goldfields are a long way from civilisation. Taking her under his wing only makes sense, but Bas has no intention of letting her get any further under his skin. He might want to bed her, but that is no reason to risk falling to the prison bars of respectability — is it?
Review
Like any reviewer, I'm always excited to discover new authors with exceptional talent. Mary Brock Jones has done a fantastic job, of allowing readers to experience the trials and tribulations that people faced in the Dunstan gold fields in the 1860's. A good read with wonderful characters. The story gave a good insight into in the lives of early New Zealand immigrants.
Geraldine MacKenny is a beautiful young woman who has a knack for finding trouble; she's feisty, but determined to make her own way in life and thinks she has found the perfect opportunity, until Bas Deverill puts her in an impossible situation.
Geraldine saves Bas from a vicious and dangerous outlaw named Black Jack MacRae who wants Bas dead and to use Geraldine for his own wicked needs. Now Bas must protect Geraldine, while also fighting the growing attraction that they both feel.
This was an easy read that readers will love. I work in a bookstore and am always looking for New Zealand authors and would highly recommend Mary Brock Jones to any readers who like well written historical fiction.
My thanks to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for giving the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 Stars
By Mary Brock Jones
Summery courtesy of goodreads.com
Both Geraldine MacKenny and Bas Deverill escaped to the goldfields in search of something — for him, a fortune; for her, independence; for both, freedom. Neither expected the fields to yield so much more.
1860s, Otago, New Zealand.
Geraldine finds the life of a wealthy runholder's daughter stiff and constraining. On the goldfields, she has the opportunity to be so much more: independent, responsible, strong. But her freedom is short-lived when she is noticed by notorious bandit Black Jack MacRae — a man who is used to getting what he wants and who never takes no for an answer.
Cheerful, casual, uncommitted — that's the way Bas likes his life on the goldfields. He may be of aristocratic blood, but he thrives on the challenges of commerce and the freedom of the colonies. Rescuing a beautiful girl from the grasp of Black Jack MacRae, however, throws his whole life into turmoil. Geraldine seems to be a magnet for trouble, and the goldfields are a long way from civilisation. Taking her under his wing only makes sense, but Bas has no intention of letting her get any further under his skin. He might want to bed her, but that is no reason to risk falling to the prison bars of respectability — is it?
Review
Like any reviewer, I'm always excited to discover new authors with exceptional talent. Mary Brock Jones has done a fantastic job, of allowing readers to experience the trials and tribulations that people faced in the Dunstan gold fields in the 1860's. A good read with wonderful characters. The story gave a good insight into in the lives of early New Zealand immigrants.
Geraldine MacKenny is a beautiful young woman who has a knack for finding trouble; she's feisty, but determined to make her own way in life and thinks she has found the perfect opportunity, until Bas Deverill puts her in an impossible situation.
Geraldine saves Bas from a vicious and dangerous outlaw named Black Jack MacRae who wants Bas dead and to use Geraldine for his own wicked needs. Now Bas must protect Geraldine, while also fighting the growing attraction that they both feel.
This was an easy read that readers will love. I work in a bookstore and am always looking for New Zealand authors and would highly recommend Mary Brock Jones to any readers who like well written historical fiction.
My thanks to Harlequin Australia and Netgalley for giving the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 Stars
December 29, 2013
Brimming with adventure, danger, intrigue and passion, Swift Runs The Heart is a compelling and poignant historical romance, set in 19th century New Zealand, readers will have difficulty putting down!
Geraldine Mackenny is desperate to inject some excitement into her dreary life. Bored of her mundane existence with a widowed aunt whose sole mission in life seems to be to quell her niece's independent spirit and turn her into a proper young lady, Geraldine soon realises that if she doesn't take the bull by the horns and become the mistress of her own destiny, she will end up condemned to a lifetime of regret and melancholy. Determined not to fall victim to the tedium and lethargy that has shaped her aunt's life, Geraldine decides to hide her femininity by disguising herself as a boy and head off for the goldfields of Otago. Having managed to avoid danger by donning breeches and a man's jacket, Geraldine reaches her desired destination without trouble or incident. Fiercely adamant to make a go of things in the unforgiving environment she now calls home, Geraldine is overjoyed when she succeeds in getting a job working as a kitchen maid. For the first time in her life, Geraldine feels that she can be the strong and independent woman she has always wanted to be. But Geraldine's new-found freedom is soon threatened by a dangerous enemy who will do anything to possess her - the notorious bandit Black Jack MacRae...
Sebastian `Bas' Deverill has abandoned the stifling confines of aristocratic life for the freedom of the colonies. A man who loves a challenge and the cut and thrust of commerce, Bas has taken to life in New Zealand like a duck to water. With a penchant for getting into trouble and a strong desire to make money, Bas refuses to be tied down. With neither the time nor the inclination for marriage, the last thing Bas needs is to be saddled with a spirited young woman desperate for adventure, but when he inadvertently rescues Geraldine from Black Jack MacRae's lascivious clutches, he reluctantly finds himself having to take her under his wing. Far from civilisation and with peril round every corner, Bas and Geraldine quickly realise that only by trusting one another can they escape from harm and thrive in a world where survival is a precious commodity only the few can claim.
Thrown together by fate and united by an attraction that simply cannot be denied, Bas and Geraldine soon find themselves giving into temptation and succumbing to the flame of desire that burns between them. But with so many obstacles standing in their way, are they foolish for even daring to contemplate a future together? Or will they both found the courage to face up to their feelings for one another and grasp this chance at happiness?
Readers looking for a historical romance set outside of Regency England will love Mary Brock Jones` enthralling tales of 19th century New Zealand. Wonderfully written, wholly compelling and redolent with the sights, sounds and smells of the Otago goldfields, Mary Brock Jones' historical romances will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they get swept away by her intriguing romantic adventures. A passionate tale about courage, hope and survival, Swift Runs the Heart pits a strong, resilient and independent heroine against a gorgeous, daring and intelligent hero readers will simply adore.
Compelling, heartwarming and simply unforgettable, Swift Runs the Heart is an unmissable historical romance from a writer to watch out for: Mary Brock Jones.
Geraldine Mackenny is desperate to inject some excitement into her dreary life. Bored of her mundane existence with a widowed aunt whose sole mission in life seems to be to quell her niece's independent spirit and turn her into a proper young lady, Geraldine soon realises that if she doesn't take the bull by the horns and become the mistress of her own destiny, she will end up condemned to a lifetime of regret and melancholy. Determined not to fall victim to the tedium and lethargy that has shaped her aunt's life, Geraldine decides to hide her femininity by disguising herself as a boy and head off for the goldfields of Otago. Having managed to avoid danger by donning breeches and a man's jacket, Geraldine reaches her desired destination without trouble or incident. Fiercely adamant to make a go of things in the unforgiving environment she now calls home, Geraldine is overjoyed when she succeeds in getting a job working as a kitchen maid. For the first time in her life, Geraldine feels that she can be the strong and independent woman she has always wanted to be. But Geraldine's new-found freedom is soon threatened by a dangerous enemy who will do anything to possess her - the notorious bandit Black Jack MacRae...
Sebastian `Bas' Deverill has abandoned the stifling confines of aristocratic life for the freedom of the colonies. A man who loves a challenge and the cut and thrust of commerce, Bas has taken to life in New Zealand like a duck to water. With a penchant for getting into trouble and a strong desire to make money, Bas refuses to be tied down. With neither the time nor the inclination for marriage, the last thing Bas needs is to be saddled with a spirited young woman desperate for adventure, but when he inadvertently rescues Geraldine from Black Jack MacRae's lascivious clutches, he reluctantly finds himself having to take her under his wing. Far from civilisation and with peril round every corner, Bas and Geraldine quickly realise that only by trusting one another can they escape from harm and thrive in a world where survival is a precious commodity only the few can claim.
Thrown together by fate and united by an attraction that simply cannot be denied, Bas and Geraldine soon find themselves giving into temptation and succumbing to the flame of desire that burns between them. But with so many obstacles standing in their way, are they foolish for even daring to contemplate a future together? Or will they both found the courage to face up to their feelings for one another and grasp this chance at happiness?
Readers looking for a historical romance set outside of Regency England will love Mary Brock Jones` enthralling tales of 19th century New Zealand. Wonderfully written, wholly compelling and redolent with the sights, sounds and smells of the Otago goldfields, Mary Brock Jones' historical romances will keep readers on the edge of their seats as they get swept away by her intriguing romantic adventures. A passionate tale about courage, hope and survival, Swift Runs the Heart pits a strong, resilient and independent heroine against a gorgeous, daring and intelligent hero readers will simply adore.
Compelling, heartwarming and simply unforgettable, Swift Runs the Heart is an unmissable historical romance from a writer to watch out for: Mary Brock Jones.
attempted-not-for-me
October 26, 2013All fluff. No substance. Pass.
April 4, 2022
Historical romance at bits finest
It was easy to be swept up in this historical romance. It had action, mayhem, murderous intent, and two headstrong and wilful main characters.
Bas, an untitled Englishman and
It was easy to be swept up in this historical romance. It had action, mayhem, murderous intent, and two headstrong and wilful main characters.
Bas, an untitled Englishman and
December 15, 2020
OK - not great
July 18, 2024
A predictable, poorly written over the top romance.
January 7, 2014
I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did. I don't know much about New Zealand and it's history, but the author evoked a strong sense of place. I appreciated the sweet, traditional romance that drove the plot as well.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews