The saga of the Caldwell's and Wainwrights unfolds against the backdrop of the beautiful Rocky Mountains in 1878. A feud that spans over 20 years threatens to destroy the future.

Jacob Caldwell and Edmund Wainwright are both driven and controlled by a deep, dark hatred of each other. Each one blaming the other for there mistakes and hardships. Both bound tightly by ineffectiveness and blind to the destruction they have left in their wake.

Born on the night that his older brother was shot and his mother died Cord Wainwright has built walls around his heart to protect himself from further hurt. The only daughter of Jacob she is bound by her family through a promise she made her dying mother and her own loyalty to her father. In constant turmoil about the life her father has forced them to live, Sara is constantly on guard for attack.

Against her better judgment Sara takes part in a robbery. Pressured by her father, she is sent to distract the ranch hand while her brothers and father rob the Wainwright home. Little did she know that the man she was to distract was Cord Wainwright. Little did either on know that this would change the course of their life forever. This one act would set in motion things that would bring the feud to a boiling point.

These two are set on a path that could easily bring more destruction or could lead to the healing of both families. The book is filled with twists and turns and keeps the reader constantly guessing and hoping for a good outcome. Kathleen Morgan does an excellent job of creating characters that are filled with depth and emotion. One can not help but be drawn into the story - to the point of having great empathy for the different characters and their struggles.

I especially loved Nick - with his gentle and kind spirit his words are filled with wisdom. Always looking for the good and seeking reconciliation he guides the others on this journey that will change all things.

An amazing read.

Thank you Revell for this review copy. ( )

I got bored halfway through. Definitely had to echo sarahs frustration at why couldnt the conflct just END already?!

Some minor period discrepencies and time issues. Other than that the story line just got old quick. ( )

“A Heart Divided” by Kathleen Morgan was a great book. Sarah Caldwell’s family was always either on the edge of the law or completely on the other side of the law. Ever since the Wainright’s gained control of the Caldwell Ranch in a card game many years ago, Jacob Caldwell has waged a war of vengeance against the Wainrights.

The last act of vengeance perpetrated on the Wainwrights was a home burglary in which Sarah reluctantly aided her father and brothers by keeping Cord Wainwright busy. After the robbery, the Caldwells beat Cord badly. A few weeks later, Sarah was in town disguised as a young boy, when Cord recognized her and captured her. He took her to the Wainwright ranch until he was able to turn her over to the law. In that time spent at the ranch, Sarah and Cord formed an uneasy truce which developed into something more. Together they worked at getting the families together and stopping the feud. However, finding out just who was behind the rustling and other dastardly deeds would come as a big surprise to all involved.

I very much enjoyed this book and was reluctant to put it down.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book in return for my honest review.

You can read this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-5N ( )

I read this a year ago but felt inclined to read it once again. I truly enjoyed it just as much as I did the first time.

What a delightfully 'clean' story! Although, written about in an earlier era of time, this tale portrays how we must often make difficult choice of the heart. Many times we have to alienate those we love for a higher purpose. One often has to decide where their true loyalties must lie. In this great story, prejudices are put aside in part, and the characters are made to see how unjust prejudice often is. Still, where love is involved, it is still difficult to sometimes know of a certainty which path to choose.

I enjoy the diversity of the characters. Their individuality is clearly defined. part of me wants to lean toward Nick and another part of me cheers for Cord.

At times I am so frustrated with Sarah and other times my heart goes out to her with compassion.

The author has created reality in her development of characters of that time period. They are much like real families and individuals living then.

It is a little predictable, although there are a few twists to the story. I feel the story could have implemented more concerning Sarah's family's side of it and with the "villains". Still, the author has brought a variety of emotional situations to the forefront, periods of action, and some of town-life/family-life germane to that dispensation.

This would be a great book for Book Club reading and discussions. ( )

This was an ok read, basically a western version of the classic Romeo and Juliet story. It was well written, and the characters were interesting which filled in for the somewhat trite plot. I will likely be looking to try more from this author. ( )