My Heart Belongs in San Francisco, California: Abby's Prospects - Janice  Thompson

“My Heart Belongs in San Francisco” by Janice Thompson was my introduction to this series. The storyline was not what I was expecting, especially taking into account the book’s cover, which made it all the more interesting, although I did take issue with some of the characters. Set in San Francisco in 1853 during the height of the gold rush, there is a menagerie of characters from around the country and the world, lending a balance across the spectrum of class and reputation. Abby herself comes from a background of privilege, and as such she is ill-equipped to deal with the lawlessness and immorality of the city. Her naiveté comes as no surprise, but her lack of good judgment regarding people borders on the unbelievable. She complains about being coddled and yet proves time and again that she is incapable of taking care of herself or, in many cases, making good decisions. Overall, the characters lacked depth. They were rather stereotypical and cookie-cutter, with a clear delineation between the “good guys” and the “bad guys.” Had they been more two-dimensional, the story would have profited and had more substance.

The faith element suffered a bit, as well. I agreed with all of the viewpoints on Christianity, but the way that it was presented in the novel was too heavy-handed and over the top. It seemed as though the author wanted to incorporate as many Biblical quotations as possible, but the execution was lacking, and the narrative needed more direction. The application to the characters’ lives and situations was too tidy and superficial. That is not to say that I did not enjoy the book, however. The idea of creating an aristocratic heroine in the setting of San Francisco is an intriguing one, and if the characters were fleshed out more and the plot tightened and implemented more compellingly, this would be a more absorbing story.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.