Where the Heart Goes

by Shirley Sorbello

A message of timeless love... Twenty-five-year-old Rebecca Adams is a strong, well-educated woman living a posh life in mid-nineteenth-century Philadelphia until she makes a decision that thrusts her into an arduous life on the Texas prairie. Meeting John Coulter leads to the best and worst of events. It fulfills her romantic dream of marrying a handsome cattle rancher and raising a family in the West. However, John's dark past and their clash in values force her to make difficult choices that affect the rest of her life. These decisions lead Rebecca down a pathway of heartbreak and joy where she casts her childhood dreams aside and struggles to discover the true meaning of love. Join Becky as she shares snippets of this emotionally-gripping, spiritual story from a place beyond time and space. Those of you who enjoyed the author's short stories "That's Just the Way It Is" and "Return to Texas," will delight in this novella.

Genres: Historical Fiction

116 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2021

About the author

Shirley is a native of southern New Jersey. She has published two short stories, a novella and edited a book of her grandmother's nineteenth century poetry. She is currently working on a novel with a reincarnation theme.

Shirley majored in psychology at Rutgers University and attended Widener University where she graduated with an M.S.W. in 1995. For a number of years she worked in the human services field as a social worker, therapist and administrator. Shirley enjoys writing, Italian music, traveling and chocolate.

Reviews

[Nancy Reynolds · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, gentle story. A lifetime spent in 1800's Texas. It covers a young 25 year-old woman's arrival from Philadelphia to Dallas, Texas to chase a dream of finding a cowboy to marry. What happens to Rebecca (Becky) as she lives her life until her death at 56 - hard times and happy times. A fast read because I couldn't put it down.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was able to read this book in one sitting - it has great pace throughout and we basically get an entire life story that is full of hopes and dreams, fulfilling them, disappointment in them, creating new ones, yearning for them. Becky's story is one full of desire, love, hope, belief, heartache and heartbreak, strength, courage, resilience, and most importantly, family. Family is at the heart of her life, the good, the bad and the ugly. Her life is beautiful, her life is broken, it is all she desired and yet not, all at the same time. I don't want to give spoilers, but my heart was breaking and I cried through most of this book. It really is so touching.

For such a short book, I was immersed into an entirely alternate world. Each of the characters were created beautifully and I was there in the past, in the US and travelling and experiencing everything Becky did. I absolutely loved this story. Highly recommended to anyone who loves family drama and rooting for people in search of their dreams.

[Sarah Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where the Heart Goes: A Western Novella (Becky's Memoirs) by Shirley Sorbello follows Becky as she leaves her home and family in the east to move to Texas in the mid-1800s. She falls in love and marries a man who, unfortunately, becomes abusive. Becky must protect herself and her youngest child so she moves back east. After time away, she returns to her home in Texas. There she faces her husband and reunites with her children. She matures as an adult and has the chance to start again.
Though short in length, Where the Heart Goes feels like a lifetime. Becky is a lovely character who does her best through trying circumstances. She is loyal to her husband even though she herself is in danger. I loved her character and her compassion throughout the story.
At times I felt slightly removed from the story since it was all told in the past as a memoir, but Sorbello’s writing style is easy to follow and delightful to read. This story is positive and uplifting. It brings hope and faithfulness to the forefront. If you’re looking for a positive, encouraging read this story is for you. Sorbello shines in this memoir and I hope to read more from her in the future.

[Rachel McClure · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw that this book was a "Western Novella" I really wasn't sure what to expect, I am not one that typically goes for old westerns. But once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down! This story isn't the stereotypical old westerns filled with booze, boots, and barbaric cowboys. This story is more about the power of love and how the heart is motivational. I highly recommend this short and quick read!

[Viga Boland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m most impressed with this author’s ability to pack decades of her protagonist’s life into a short novella and somehow still manage to make all the characters come alive. I’ve read novels that were twice as long with cardboard characters who didn’t arouse any connection or identification within the reader. This was a most enjoyable little story and those who believe in God will particularly like the wisdom and hope offered in the last couple of chapters. This is a story of love…within the family and within ourselves. Well done.