Shawnee, Oklahoma Territory - 1905

Ada Marsh is a popular actress who owns her own traveling acting troupe. She's used to adoration and attention from her fans as she goes from city to city with her successful company. But here, in Oklahoma Territory, Ada finds more than just a grateful audience awaiting her. She's found people she can care about and decides she wants to stay and get to know them better. Ada has found friends, and she thinks her world is complete.

When Ada walks in on her fiancé, Hugh Wellington, in the arms of another woman on more than one occasion, she breaks their engagement. Not wanting to complete the acting tour with her troupe, Ada decides to stay in Shawnee; she wants a place to call her own. She allows Hugh to buy the company and decides to take a job as a seamstress.

Luke Logan is intrigued by this beautiful actress and decides to get to know Ada personally. He soon realizes that Ada doesn't trust men, and she's made it clear that even though she might be willing to pursue a relationship with Luke, she expects him to prove to her that he deserves her faith. And when a local actress, Lilith Carlisle, sullies Ada's reputation and then accuses Luke of inappropriate behavior, Ada isn't sure which of her new friends she can really trust.

ADA'S HEART is a pleasant tale, but the characters lack depth and sparkle and are devoid of emotion, making them very difficult to identify with. As a reader, if I can't sympathize with the lead characters, the story falls flat. A passive voice tells this story, and stilted dialogue leads the reader with too much telling and not enough showing. I loved the story's premise; however, the final delivery just did not measure up. It is hard to believe that Ada would give up a flourishing acting career, as well as her own business, in order to stay behind in a small town and take a job as a simple seamstress.

Although this book was too simplistic for me, if you enjoy quick, easy reads, this historical romance may just be the book for you.

Diana Risso