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When Hearts Heal
When Hearts Heal sweeps us back into Milford-Haven, a small coastal town brimming with secrets, passions, and the quiet hope of second chances. At its center is Miranda Jones, now married to her astronomer husband Cornelius, as the two begin their new life together. Their story intertwines with those of her sister Meredith, her friends Sally and Samantha, and the wider cast of townsfolk who grapple with family tensions, lingering grief, and the possibility of forgiveness. Underneath it all runs the unsettling mystery of a missing journalist, a thread that lends the story a sense of urgency amid the slower rhythms of daily life on California’s Central Coast.
I enjoyed how lived-in this world feels. The writing carries a warmth that makes Milford-Haven less like a backdrop and more like a character itself. I found myself pulled into the streets and cafés, listening in on conversations, feeling the salt air press in from the Pacific. Purl’s prose is unhurried yet never flat. It’s like being invited into someone’s home where the pace of life is measured not by deadlines but by the shifting of tides and the turn of seasons. At times, some of the details were drawn out, but then I’d be caught off guard by a tender moment or a surprising twist that reminded me why I cared about these people in the first place.
What I loved most, though, were the relationships. They’re messy, often painful, yet also full of grace. Miranda and Cornelius radiate a quiet kind of joy that feels earned, while Meredith’s struggles hit a rawer note. Sally’s story, balancing motherhood and her own wounds, moved me deeply. And then there’s Samantha, whose journals cut to the heart of the novel’s themes: healing, forgiveness, and the uneasy dance between past and present. There is a tangled web of characters and that’s exactly what gives the book its richness. Life isn’t tidy, and neither are these lives.
When Hearts Heal left me with the sense of having visited old friends and walked away with a little more compassion for how complicated and beautiful people can be. I’d recommend this book to readers who enjoy stories steeped in community, where character and setting matter as much as plot. It’s for anyone who wants to sink into a small-town saga that doesn’t shy away from heartache but ultimately points toward hope.
Pages: 390 | ASIN : B0FFZZVQ3H
Psychological Knots
Whose Hearts Align follows a woman who becomes engaged to the man of her dreams, though not everyone is happy for her, and things get complicated with their families. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
In this book, and in my entire series, I wanted to honor a woman’s own sense of fulfillment. It used to be common for society to assume that the right marriage would solve most of life’s problems for women. But no one can know a woman’s heart but herself. My protagonist Miranda Jones is an artist who has worked hard to find her professional voice, despite her family’s feeling that pursuing a career in the arts can never succeed financially. Since they already tend to believe she makes poor choices, they wrongly assume she’s done it again in choosing an astronomer to marry. After all, are the income prospects for a scientist any better than for an artist? Yet Miranda and her fiance are listening to their own sense of guidance. Both their personal and their professional lives are unfolding with far more joy and success than expected because they stood for their own identities.
What are some things that you find interesting about the human condition that you think make for great fiction?
What fascinates me are the choices people make. All of us have emotional or psychological knots to untie. Do we tackle these issues head-on? Do we try to skirt them, skip over them, and pretend they aren’t there? In my novel, we see a range of choices made by my characters. Miranda is morally courageous and tends to face things as soon as they’re recognized. Her friend Samantha, who’s twenty years old, put some major choices on hold years earlier and has to face them now when it’s harder with more at stake. Miranda’s sister Meredith feels some choices are unfairly out of her hands and Zack Calvin has been in denial about his own behavior, and now these two characters are drawn together, partly because of how the issues they have in common are helping to illuminate new possibilities. I often have very lively discussions about these issues with members of various book clubs.
Were you able to relate to your characters while writing them?
To most of them, yes, though there are some who are too far outside or beyond my own experience. This is where research and imagination help flesh out characters. Many of my readers describe moments, choices, and experiences they can relate to, and this is so important to me. As an author, I observe and listen closely to how people navigate their lives. I feel I owe it to my readers to bring authenticity to my stories. My characters won’t let me write them any other way!
What is the next book that you’re working on, and when can your fans expect it out?
Two new books are upcoming. Next spring a new adventure novella titled “When Birds Sing” will chronicle one of Miranda’s painting adventures. As a wildlife artist, she visits locations and studies creatures in their native habitats. And these stand-alone novellas also include a couple of humorous characters who manage to show up every time. Next autumn, the fifth novel will debut, When Hearts Heal. This will be the last in the pentalogy so a lot of excitement is building up. Now that Miranda is happily married, what’s next? And what’s to become of her sister and Samantha and several other characters? It’ll be fun to find out!
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She’s over the moon with her astronomer, and her close friends are thrilled. With a deep, romantic relationship, and increasing success in her career as a painter, all the stars seem to have aligned for Miranda at last.
But that leaves her sister jealous, her parents concerned, and her artist’s representative Zelda scrambling to realign her schemes. Meredith is now dating the man Miranda used to date, creating complexities for the both families. Meanwhile, Samantha is closer to finding her lost son, and Sally is making room for big changes in her life. Will all these relationships stay aligned?
Whose Hearts Align
Whose Hearts Align, by Mara Purl, takes us to Milford-Haven, a quaint, yet complex small town on California’s Central Coast during the late 1990s. The story focuses on Miranda Jones, an artist navigating the joys and complexities of her recent engagement to Cornelius, an astronomer. Their union, though seemingly perfect, creates ripples through Miranda’s family and friendships, especially with her sister, Meredith. Layered with secrets, unresolved tensions, and shifting relationships, the book weaves personal stories with the socio-environmental backdrop of a rapidly changing community.
One of the novel’s standout features is its vivid setting. Purl’s descriptions such as “breathtaking vistas” and “quaint shops” drew me in. I especially loved the scenes set at Ragged Point for the wedding planning. The details painted a postcard-worthy picture but also hinted at the tension between progress and preservation.
The heart of the novel is its characters. Miranda is relatable in her insecurities and her desire to please everyone, but her interactions with Meredith often feel strained. Their dynamic is compelling, though; Meredith’s blunt, sometimes abrasive personality contrasts with Miranda’s more idealistic demeanor. Their conversation about Zack, the man they both had connections with, was raw and revealing, though I believe it felt a bit heavy-handed in resolving past misunderstandings. The story’s structure, interwoven with mystery and romance, kept me invested, but at times, the pacing seemed a bit slow. The journal entries and slow reveal of clues intrigued me, but I wished they had tied more seamlessly into the main narrative.
Whose Hearts Align is a heartfelt exploration of relationships, family dynamics, and personal growth. It’s perfect for readers who enjoy small-town tales with complex characters and a touch of mystery. Fans of character-driven stories like Gilmore Girls or Chesapeake Shores will find themselves right at home in Milford-Haven. While it’s the fourth book in the series, it can stand alone, though you may find yourself curious enough to explore the rest. The writing’s warmth and charm make it an enjoyable read.
Pages: 386 | ASIN : B0CZ7NP2FF
Deep but Inarticulated Desires
In Where the Heart Lives, a woman follows her heart and strikes out on her own looking for a fresh new beginning in both her personal and professional life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
Some people come to a crossroads in life. One path leads forward in a predictable way, following expectations coming from family, or education, or a set of lists and goals. But the other path leads in an unexpected direction, one that may draw upon deep but inarticulated desires. This is what happened to me at one point, and I’ve seen it happen to others. This storyline is uncomfortable, challenging, but also full of surprises and fulfillment. I felt compelled to write it!
Did any of the characters’ development occur organically through the story?
Yes! I have learned that if an author works on deep aspects of character development, then that character begins to “write” his or her own story. Sometimes my characters surprise me! I love that. I have to listen closely to understand what they would or would not do. Miranda, for example, in this book Miranda had to re-map her career (one of the reasons there’s a map on the front cover)—something she would not have had to do if she’d stayed in her original home and stuck with her original goals.
What were some challenges you felt were important to defining your characters in this story, especially Miranda?
Miranda had to overcome being a “good girl.” That may sound contrary, but because she was reared with impeccable manners, a set of almost severe expectations, and has a personality that wants to please others, she was in her own way. In order to move forward with her life, she had to listen to her own heart, then summon the courage to act on choices that brought her into direct conflict with those who had been her support system.
Can you give readers a glimpse into the next installment in the Milford-Haven series?
In the next novel, book three of the series, Why Hearts Keep Secrets, there are new challenges. For example, she discovers that two people close to her have been keeping secrets that are potentially damaging. At the same time, all these difficult choices Miranda has made really begin to pay off. Not to give a spoiler, but let’s just say her romantic life takes off in an unexpected and exciting way!
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The privileged daughter of wealthy parents, she’s struck a blow for freedom by listening to her heart, a choice her sister, parents and artist’s rep neither approve nor understand. Now that she’s heard what her heart whispered, she finds herself where her heart led.
But as she settles in this new place on the physical map, how can she keep her spot on the professional map? How can she re-map the course of her emotional life? Will the heart prove a better navigator than the head?
Where the Heart Lives: A Milford-Haven Novel
Mara Purl’s Where the Heart Lives, the second installment in the Milford-Haven Series, offers a delightful continuation of the narrative established in the series’ first book. This novel primarily centers around the protagonist, Miranda Jones, as she embarks on a journey of self-discovery, both personally and as an artist.
Where the Heart Lives allows readers to delve deeper into the lives of the series’ characters, fostering a sense of intimacy and connection, particularly with Miranda. Purl’s narrative artfully navigates an ensemble of characters, enriching the story with diverse subplots like Delmar Johnson’s investigation into Christine Christian’s disappearance. These engaging narratives complement Miranda’s journey and bring a dynamic contrast to the central focus of her character development.
Purl skillfully captures the essence of her characters’ internal thoughts and observations and enriches the narrative throughout by integrating these engaging elements into the storytelling. I found Delmar Johnson’s perspective as a cop adds a layer of intrigue, and I feel that weaving his observations directly into the narrative could offer an even more immersive experience for the reader. (The author does give Johnson’s perspective in the related novella, What the Soul Suspects.) The novel’s strength lies in its well-crafted narrative and the compelling subplot involving Deputy Johnson’s investigation.
Where the Heart Lives is a charming and well-composed story, inviting readers to engage more deeply with its cast of relatable characters. The book succeeds in bringing together various elements of its characters’ lives and offers readers a welcome addition to what promises to be a compelling series.
Pages: 307 | ASIN : B08DF9HDCY
Intuition Offers Key Guidance
What the Heart Knows follows an artist from a privileged background who moves to a small town on a journey of self-discovery and to find purpose in her life. What was the inspiration for the setup of your story?
The basic journey of self-discovery is based on my own experience, but I also have observed this same arc for others. Our culture tends to emphasize logic, AKA “head” information, as being more legitimate than intuition, or “heart” information. Yet intuition offers key guidance if we can learn to listen for it. My protagonist’s specific journey, but also the theme of my book series, is “The Journey from Head to Heart.”
Are there any emotions or memories from your own life that you put into your character’s life?
Yes, and some are very specific. For example, I served as a crew member on a Greenpeace voyage to save whales, and so does my protagonist Miranda. I also grew up with privilege, and my parents were high achievers who expected the same of their two daughters. This is mirrored in my novels. It’s very powerful to “write what you know.”
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
The first is the “Heart” theme: in your heart of hearts, what did you always want to do? Are you doing it? If not, why not? If not now, when? This is echoed throughout all the storylines in the book. Some characters embrace their intuition and progress; others resist it.
What is the next book you are working on, and when will it be available?
What the Heart Knows is novel #1 in my series. Novel #2, Where the Heart Lives, and Novel #3, Why Hearts Keep Secrets, are already available. I’m working on Novel #4, Whose Hearts Align, which will be published in May 2024.
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What the Heart Knows
What the Heart Knows, by Mara Purl, offers a gentle narrative set in the serene town of Milford-Haven, California. Distinct from the bustling energy of Los Angeles, Milford-Haven is characterized by its tranquility and charm, making it an ideal backdrop for self-discovery and personal growth. The story primarily follows Miranda Jones, an artist who finds her identity and purpose in this quaint setting.
The book captivates from the start with a suspenseful prologue in which a reporter delves into a possibly illicit construction project, setting the stage for an unfolding mystery. The story then skillfully shifts to Miranda Jones in her art studio, introducing her as a key figure in a tapestry of intriguing characters. Although the narrative leaves room for further development of characters like Jack Sawyer and his ex-wife Samantha, their presence adds depth and intrigue. The initial mystery around the reporter’s death, while not fully resolved, serves as a compelling backdrop that enriches the overall narrative.
Purl’s writing style is fluid and accessible, effortlessly drawing readers into the world she crafts. Her attention to detail is particularly noteworthy, vividly painting scenes that come alive in the reader’s imagination. This aspect was especially appealing to me, as it allowed the narrative to unfold like a film in my mind. One of the intriguing aspects of What the Heart Knows is its diverse cast of characters. As a fan of the rich ensembles found in science fiction and fantasy, I appreciated the variety of personalities in this story. Among them, Miranda and Zack stand out as particularly engaging, and the subtle tension involving Cynthia adds an interesting dynamic. Although I believe these relationships and plotlines offer room for further exploration, they contribute to the novel’s rich tapestry and keep the reader engaged with their potential.
What the Heart Knows is a well-written, sweet story set in an idyllic town. It presents a tapestry of characters and a hint of mystery, but I feel the narrative could benefit from a more focused exploration of fewer characters and a clearer resolution of its central mysteries. Despite these elements, the book offers an enjoyable journey into a world of introspection and artistic discovery.
Pages: 332 | ASIN : B077HRPHP5
LITERARY TITAN 