Reviews & Awards

“. . . a setting of unadulterated beauty. . .and a cast of successful, sexy, sometimes quirkily independent characters . . .romance. . .scandal, and carefully parsed out mystery. . . the novel is poised to convince readers to continue with the series.” — Publishers Weekly

“Former Days of Our Lives actress Purl imbues her soap opera finesse into the fictional setting of Milford-Haven . . . . This may be Apple Pie, USA, but hearts are on the line . . . a whirlwind of juicy drama.” — Kirkus Review

What the Heart Knows is an upbeat novel, billed by the author as “small town fiction,” and the first book of Purl’s Milford-Haven series. The book opens powerfully with the appearance of the first of many strongly developed characters . . . well-traveled, educated, and street-smart. . . . Purl . . . creates genuine relationships that make sense within the story; each character has a clear set of goals and morals, all served up through dialogue and inner thought processes. — ForeWord Reviews

The charming coastal town of Milford-Haven, California comes to life in Mara Purl’s enchanting novel What the Heart Knows. Based on her award-winning BBC radio drama, this is the first serial novel in a set of twelve that invites readers to experience a slice of the mystery and romance that is life in Milford-Haven. Although the picturesque, seaside setting of Milford-Haven plays in important role in the novel, the cast of interesting and eccentric characters is what really draws the reader into the book. — Bookwire Review