Hearts of Steel - (The Blackstone Legacy) by Elizabeth Camden

WOW! An amazing and wonderful conclusion to The Blackstone Legacy Series! This is finally Liam’s chance at his Happily Ever After and wow, did it deliver! It was so worth the wait! Maggie Molinaro has rightfully earned her success in small business she runs with her uncle: an ice cream factory. Having lived a childhood of poverty, where she worked with an ice cream push cart along the streets of Manhattan, she now manages a thriving business with forty employees. But after so much hard work, her business is on the verge of collapsing after she offends a renowned powerful banker who has high influence on the Ice Industry. Is there something she can do to stop him? Liam Blackstone has known what it was to live in poverty too. When he was young, he was kidnapped and taken away from his wealthy family to a life of poverty and abuse. But everything has now been restored to him, except for the life of his parents. And he wants to make his father proud and he desperately wants to be worthy of his father’s humanitarian legacy. That is why he’s so intent on keeping his seat at the Board of the family’s US Steel Company, because he knows he is the only one who will watch out for the best interests of the many workers at the steel mills. But insecurities crawl in as Charles Morse, a member of the board and the same person who is attacking Maggie and fellow businessmen with the ice issues, lashes out and tries to convince his fellow boarders to vote Liam out of the Board. Liam has the support of his best friend and lawyer Patrick, but how will they win the battle against a man who has bought power through corruption and manipulation? Teaming up with Maggie may not be such a good idea, and how can he be sure Maggie is not after his fortune? After a deep heartbreak and more women after his money, he’s hesitant to let down the walls of his heart. Can Maggie prove him wrong? That there is a kind of love that’s unconditional and lasts forever? I totally loved everything about this story! The plot was fast paced for an historical, with twists and turns that kept me eager to know what was going to happen next. I stayed late a few times because I couldn’t put the book down. The historical part of the struggles of people owning business in America`s Gilded Age was very interesting and cultural. The part about the Ice Cream Factory was riveting, I loved learning more about something we take for granted but was a whole venture back in time. The characters were awesome! Well, most of them anyway. The villain was terrible, but he’s supposed to. I loved Liam since the previous stories and I immediately fell for Maggie, with her grit and kind heart. They both proved to be the perfect match for each other. Having similar backgrounds -a difficult childhood- and both being hard-workers to the bone, honest, and earning their way to success. They both admire each other, but Maggie will have to prove herself to Liam after a misunderstanding. I felt them very relatable and both endearing. I was rooting for them to succeed in their plights and I suffered with their setbacks. The story has a faith inspired message about trusting God even in the most difficult circumstances, which were many, they had some real challenges and I loved that they never lost hope that good would prevail. The romance was slow burn, but sweet and swooning, just the way I like them. Liam was a wonderful hero! They both were wonderful, yet flawed at the same time, which made them more relatable. And I loved revisiting previous characters and getting to know how they fared: Glen and Patrick, Dimitri and Natalia. I loved how they all supported Liam as a family. All in all, a fantastic conclusion to a series I will not soon forget! I vividly recommend it to all historical lovers. This is a true gem! I received a complimentary copy from the Publisher but wasn’t required to post a positive review. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

I loved Hearts of Steel! This final book of the Blackstone Legacy trilogy has multi-layered characters and historical details woven into a totally captivating story. We first meet sixteen-year-old Maggie Malinaro in 1890, but her story quickly progresses to the year 1902, as the Gilded Age gives way to the Progressive Era. Maggie sees her successful ice cream business threatened by one conniving man and her only hope may be Liam Blackstone. They are both intriguing characters, but Charles Morse is the ultimate villain, and the truly disturbing fact is that he really existed! In her historical note, author Elizabeth Camden explains that Morse designed "a network of extortion, bribery, and threats" to drive competitors out of business and create his ice trust. Remember, ice was a much-needed commodity in the early 1900s and Morse's monopoly was devastating! As they work together, Maggie and Liam experience a powerful connection that cries for a happy ending but there are so many obstacles in their way. Can work-obsessed, overachieving Maggie ever allow a man into her world? Will hot-tempered, impulsive Liam ever consider himself worthy of being Theodore Blackstone's son? This book presents a vivid glimpse of the differences between the working class and the upper class in the early 1900s, but it also chronicles the personal struggles of both Maggie and Liam. There are fears and failures to overcome but hope and faith is ever present. I especially loved their spiritual growth, and I highly recommend Hearts of Steel to all who enjoy historical Christian romance. I received a complimentary copy from the author and publisher. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

A riveting novel set at the turn of the 20th century, as Liam Blackstone seeks to uncover the corruption at the elite levels, he risks his health and his heart. Liam Blackstone sets his sights at the top as he fights for fair treatment of blue-collar workers, using his new position and family name to aid in his war. I loved Maggie from the very beginning with her hardworking, penny-pinching ways, passion for her business and family. It was also wonderful to see Patrick at Liam's side through it all. Engaging, with a plot all the more gripping for its ties to real events. I loved how this book brought to life the struggles of hardworking small business owners in the face of big business threatening to strong arm the competition into doing their will. Based on true events, this gripping novel had me cheering for Maggie and Liam all the way through, I loved how history came to life through the everyday people and their courage! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is an excellent conclusion to The Blackstone Legacy, the story of Liam Blackstone. As we learned in the earlier books, Liam had been kidnapped as a three-year-old from his home in New York and raised in Pittsburgh in poverty by a rough steelworker who subjected him to violence. With his eighth grade education, Liam admits he isn't the smartest or best educated man on the U.S. Steel board of directors but he brings an understanding of working in the industry and has a heart for the workers. When his seat on the board is threatened, he has a battle to keep it. The same man who wants him removed also has a reputation for bullying and corruption. Maggie Molinaro worked her way up from selling ice cream from a pushcart to owning an ice cream factory with her aunt and uncle. When Liam meets Maggie and learns she is being harassed by the same man, they team up to bring him down. Liam's temper often gets the best of him, which compounds his health problems, but he has a strong sense of justice and truly wants to be a better man, like his late father, Theodore Blackstone. One of the things I really like about Elizabeth Camden's books are the historical details about oft forgotten events. I highly recommend Hearts of Steel. I received a complimentary copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I absolutely love how all of the Elizabeth Camden books that I have read revolve around the solution to social issues in our country's history. Hearts of Steel focuses on underhanded business practices that hurt small businesses and their employees, and the danger of monopolies. It is set in New York City in the early 1900s. The antagonist is a true character, Charles W. Morse who cornered the ice industry using tactics that closed businesses, and even caused the deaths of some children in orphanages and other sick people from heatstroke both in real life and in this story. Later in his real life, his actions in cornering the copper market would lead to panic on Wall Street and a run on the banks, which eventually led to the creation of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913. Reading how Camden's fictional characters battled Morse was truly fascinating. Also like her other books, Camden has included a bit of romance that adds to the tale, yet does not overshadow the heart of the story. I highly recommend Hearts of Steel, but would suggest that even though it works as a stand-alone read, it will be more thoroughly enjoyed by reading The Blackstone Legacy series in order. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of Hearts of Steel from Bethany House via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Classic Elizabeth Camden, fabulous historical fiction! I love how she takes an important need for change and puts a voice to the challenges at the time. In Hearts of Steel, Author Elizabeth Camden beautifully immerses us in New York in the 1890's. Maggie Molinaro had a poor and difficult childhood, she has become a successful business woman, and she along with others on her street have taken risks to start small businesses. Maggie isn't afraid of hard work, and learns how to repair her own machinery. She has spunk and goes to the home of a powerful man, Charles Morse, and stands up to him after he doesn't pay her what he owes her. Unfortunately, soon after, she and "the entire food industry in New York City are now at the mercy of Charles Morse's ice trust." She meets Liam Blackstone and together they embark on a journey to bring this man and his corruption to justice. I highly recommend Hearts of Steel and the whole Blackstone Legacy series! I love, love, love historical fiction by Elizabeth Camden. I always learn something as well as completely enjoy her stories. Don't forget to check out the fascinating Historical Note at the end of the book. Thank you to the author for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

Liam's story was well-worth the wait. Beneath the tough, unschooled, impulsive exterior of a welder lies a tender, loyal heart of a gentleman who only wants acceptance, love, and good for the working class. Liam's tenacity, focused drive, and generosity make him an excellent hero though his flaws are constantly thrown in his face. His journey of finding himself and God is fraught with mishaps but his persistence and determination to overcome these setbacks are truly admirable. I loved getting to the heart of Liam with all of his broken pieces, self-awareness, and thirst for justice. Maggie is a worthy partner for Liam. Her hard-working, devoted, loving spirit matches him in bravery, intelligence, and fortitude. I loved how history of NYC was woven around Maggie's work and how vivid the world of steel and banking industries felt throughout the story. The author truly has a gift for elaborating on little known historical facts to create captivating and stunning historical fiction. It's an absolutely satisfying conclusion to The Blackstone Legacy! I received the book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.