Blessings of the Heart

Blessings of the Heart is a 2003 inspirational romance novel written by Valerie Hansen and published by Steeple Hill Books (an imprint of Harlequin) as part of its Love Inspired line. It is the fourth book in Hansen’s Serenity, Arkansas series centered upon the fictional Ozark community of Serenity. 

The book centers upon Brianne (Bree) Bailey (although the back cover of the book calls her Brianna Walker), a writer of women’s fiction from Pennsylvania who recently moved to a large house in the rural Arkansas Ozarks “to get away from the sad memories” surrounding the deaths of her parents. One day, local resident Mitch Fowler knocks on her door to inform her that her new landscaping work to create a pond has cut off the only supply of water for him and his young two boys (his estranged wife having recently died), Ryan (age eight) and Bud (age six). She arranges for him to use her well for his needs.  

However, that night, a thunderstorm floods the area, forcing the Fowlers to flee uphill with their new dog, Barney, and beg refuge from Bree. The next morning, Bree (who has little experience with children) attempts to make breakfast for the group, but the scene devolves into chaos, with burnt pancakes and crying children. Bee is concerned largely for the pristine state of her home and laments the temporary loss of solitude, but she has to watch the boys while Mitch goes down the next morning to inspect his cabin, which was washed away when the storm broke the dam holding back Bree’s pond. While he is gone, the kids let Bree know that Mitch spent all his savings trying to find the boys after his wife ran off with them, and she believes that the loss of his cabin will leave him destitute.  

When Bree calls around to find Mitch a place to stay, she learns that the road has been washed out, leaving her place isolated; in addition, Barney the dog chews up Bree’s only cell phone. Attempts by Bree and Mitch to devise entertainment for the boys result in more chaos, as do her further efforts at cooking. Nonetheless, following the trope of “opposites attract,” Bree and Mitch find themselves drawn toward each other despite their troubled situation: “Was she ready for Mitch Fowler? For what she might find if she gave herself permission to fall in love with him? Moreover, was she ready to throw away all her previously sensible decisions about her future for his sake and the sake of his children?” 

On a group hike to survey the local situation, Bree proves a poor outdoorswoman. Later, Mitch tells Bree that the cabin was not their only residence, as he has a house in town. A few days later, the volunteer fire department shows up to provide Mitch and the boys a ride into town. But as Bree is helping Bud into the truck, he says to her, “I want you to be my new mama,” which leaves Bree distraught.  

Mitch shows up with the boys a few days later, on a Sunday, dressed to take her to church, partly to get her out of the house, partly to stem any local gossip about their time together, and partly to bring her back into the religious environment she had left behind following her parents’ deaths. While they are talking, Bud drops his teddy bear in the stream that runs through the property and falls in. While searching frantically for him with the others, Bree “realized that, unlike her mother, she was capable of loving others enough to put their needs first,” and right after she prays for forgiveness, Mitch finds Bud.  

In the epilogue, Bree and Mitch are getting married in his home church.  

For additional information:
Hansen, Valerie. Blessings of the Heart. New York: Steeple Hill Books, 2003. 

Staff of the CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas