Two Hearts

Author James Eric Richey dedicates this romance novel to his wife Heather, who supported her husband as he wrote his first book, with novels in the mentioned genre not normally coming from men. The story itself is told in the third-person perspectives of specific characters akin to the Song of Ice and Fire books, with one of the chief protagonists being Jaxon Thomas “Jax” Tagget, who finds a lump of gold while mining and forges it into the chief charm of a necklace he gives to his beloved Annie Bradley. The two become high school graduates, with plenty backstory on Jax’s family present in the first chapter, alongside colorful descriptions of his hometown of Dillon, Montana, and its environment.

Annie is one of the other main viewpoint characters, serving as president of her student body and being able to speak at her high school graduation alongside her class’s valedictorian. Jax quickly proposes to his beloved, and after he receives a degree in mining engineering from Montana State University in Bozeman, he applies to several occupations in his field around the world, including one in Venezuela, where he climbs up through the ranks of a mining company in the country, and getting attention, sometimes unwanted, from one of his coworkers, Mariana Delfino, with Jax’s marriage put to the test, he and Annie ultimately finding themselves back in their Montanan hometown.

Some twists throw Jax and Annie’s life in turmoil, with their financial situation becoming dire, although the former makes a discovery in the mine he frequented early on in the book that could reverse their fortunes, Jaxon ultimately making it his mission to go to a resort town in Colorado to meet with a gold-testing executive. Other minor characters come into play such as Valentino, a criminal who gets a few viewpoint chapters of his own and serves as the chief antagonists. Ultimately, this is an enjoyable romance novel with plenty of twists and surprises, and while there were some minor confusing moments, this reviewer would otherwise recommend this read.

Author's Bio:

James Eric Richey was born and raised in California. He attended Brigham Young University, studying English with an emphasis in Literature. After graduating from BYU he returned home to California to further his education by attending law school. After passing the bar, James practiced in California for several years, but he quickly learned that he did not have a passion for the law.

In 1998 James obtained his real estate appraiser license, which has given him a flexible work schedule and allowed him to pursue his true passion, writing books. Besides his writing, he also enjoys reading, running, and sailing. James currently lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with his wife, Heather, and their two daughters.

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