When Lindsey Graham’s brother Rudy is accused of murder, Lindsey sets out on a dangerous campaign to clear his name.  Lindsey’s employer sends her brother-in-law Thor Draugr to help Lindsey. Thor and Lindsey butt heads at every turn, but it doesn’t stop an attraction from building between them. They have no future together. Thor is looking to settle down with a woman who is nothing like head-strong Lindsey, and Lindsey doesn’t think Thor is a proper gentleman, but that doesn’t stop them from acting on that attraction. As the danger grows, so does their passion. 

Lindsey’s character changes the rigid air of propriety that is usually present for women in historical regencies. Not only is she her own woman, but she’s accepted for it. Thor brings another refreshing aspect to the story as well. His Nordic ancestry, looks and attitude, are very different from the English. At the very beginning, Thor and Lindsey seem incompatible, but they quickly become a good match. Lindsey has a fiery and adventurous personality, and while Thor worries for her and tries at times to rein her in, he does not stifle her. He admires her tenacity and grows to love her for it. It’s an angst-filled few hundred pages as Thor and Lindsey fight their destiny. Heart of Courage gets better and better as the story grows - the suspense gets thicker, the angst more intense, and the sex hotter. As the identity of the villain and his story is revealed, I felt torn between wanting to see justice met for his crimes and feeling sorry for his painful past. Heart of Courage is a little bit different and very good.