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A Heart to Mend
Sheltered Gladys Eborah has spent most of her life in a suburb of Enugu brought up in a deprived single parent household after losing her father as a young girl. After finishing her education, she moves to Lagos to seek a job and moves in with an estranged aunt. New friendships and career achievements gradually transition Gladys into an independent young woman. Soon, she begins to fall for wealthy Edward Bestman who, though physically attracted to her, is emotionally unavailable. Edward is very wealthy, but he is haunted by the past of his illegitimate birth and other secrets he will not share.
250 pages, Paperback
First published December 11, 2009
16 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Myne Whitman
7 books75 followersMyne Whitman is a pen name. She was born and raised in Enugu, Nigeria, where she spent most of her time, studying, reading and daydreaming or climbing trees and playing with the boys. She has a Master’s degree in Public Health Research but has chosen her childhood dream of spinning stories. After a few years in Edinburgh, Scotland, she now lives with her husband in Seattle, USA. She writes and blogs full-time, and also volunteers as an ESL tutor for a local charity. She critiques with the Seattle Eastside Writers Meet-up and is a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association.
In addition to writing popular fiction to get people reading, Myne is passionate about using the internet and social media to promote the book industry and literacy levels in Nigeria. To this end, she facilitated a session, "Social Media and the Book Publishing Industry", for the Publisher’s Forum at the 2010 Garden City Literary Festival, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. She is also the founder and managing editor of NaijaStories.com, a critique website for aspiring Nigerian writers and social networking for lovers of Nigerian literature.
In addition to writing popular fiction to get people reading, Myne is passionate about using the internet and social media to promote the book industry and literacy levels in Nigeria. To this end, she facilitated a session, "Social Media and the Book Publishing Industry", for the Publisher’s Forum at the 2010 Garden City Literary Festival, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. She is also the founder and managing editor of NaijaStories.com, a critique website for aspiring Nigerian writers and social networking for lovers of Nigerian literature.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
April 12, 2011
I was excited to read this novel because the setting was in Nigeria; a place I thought as a world different from the more common North American setting of most romance novels. But there's not much difference really, which just proves that love is really universal. Aside from the hard-to-pronounce names of people and places, there wasn't much of Nigeria in the novel - on top of the romantic theme, it would have been a treat to read about their unique culture and places of interest. Instead, I was given a refresher training on business and trading on the stock market; and of course there are the more important reminders on the importance of family, trust and open communication in relationships.
The writing still has a lot to improve, but I think some consideration is due because Myne Whitman is Nigerian. There are a number of grammatical and typo errors; and the prose was too simplistic and fully-laid out that nothing was left for the readers to mull over. Still, it was a good read, if only for the affirmation of the timeless lessons that the novel carries.
The writing still has a lot to improve, but I think some consideration is due because Myne Whitman is Nigerian. There are a number of grammatical and typo errors; and the prose was too simplistic and fully-laid out that nothing was left for the readers to mull over. Still, it was a good read, if only for the affirmation of the timeless lessons that the novel carries.
October 24, 2010
What an journey. A Heart to Mend, by Myne Whitman proved to be an intriguing read, especially with that of the banking conflict.
I was intrigued not only with the main characters relationship, but with the location which the story takes place, Lagos, Africa. If you are a fan of love and redemption, this is a good read for you.
I was intrigued not only with the main characters relationship, but with the location which the story takes place, Lagos, Africa. If you are a fan of love and redemption, this is a good read for you.
December 5, 2010
Sweet tale of Romance set in boisterous Lagos Nigeria, an unlikely city for love. Gladys is a smart beautiful woman who has been beset by the tragedy of losing her father. With diminishing financial resources, she moves to Lagos to seek a job and better the lot of her mom and her siblings. Love is the last thing on Gladys' mind as a new Lagosian, but fate takes over when she meets the handsome but intriguing Edward Bestman, a wealthy businessman. The two fall in love amidst Edward's trust issues. But behind the scene is a powerful enemy with a dark obsession to destroy everything Edward has ever worked for. Gladys' love is tested in this sinister plot, and Edward's cynicism will be dealt with - resulting in an emotional clash that will leave the reader rooting for the major characters to come to their own love conclusion, in spite of the challenges that face them.
March 31, 2017
Definitely read it if you need a lift from confusing painful matters of heart!
July 5, 2011
What a charming book this is.
A young girl, Gladys, leaves her hometown to live with her estranged aunt in Lagos to find a good job. Whilst trying to find her aunt’s house, a mysterious young man, Edward, in a fine car, spots her scrutinising her map and insists on driving her to her destination. Little does she know that she will bump into him again not long after this chance encounter and that their path to true romance will begin a journey along a rocky route. Although now a successful businessman, his path to success has been a hard one from harsh beginnings which have had a deep effect on his ability to trust and abandon himself to true love. Gladys is a sweet, intelligent and trusting young woman, proud of her humble background. But misunderstandings shake the foundations of their relationship and are then further muddied by Edward’s past when people he once knew set out to ruin his success.
The backdrop of this romance is the world of corporate finance; the author’s knowledge or if not personal knowledge, meticulous research, is outstanding, so outstanding in fact, that I was a little overwhelmed by the finer detail and found myself eagerly anticipating the scenes between Gladys and Edward. I loved the gentleness of their romance which develops at a respectable pace. They are both extremely likeable people and I could not put this book down as I neared the end. Will Gladys manage to overthrow the attempts of vindictive, money-grabbing businessmen, hell-bent on ruining Edward? More importantly will her love for him conquer her dismay of his mistrust of her, when he suspects she had a hand in his ruin? Will he see that she is everything that is good in a person and realise that her goodness will be the key to helping him shed the demons of his past?
I love Myne’s writing style – she is articulate and expressive. The main characters are well-developed and it’s very easy to become enamoured with Gladys and Edward. Some of the dialogue is unusual – almost as if English suddenly becomes the author’s second language, unlike the perfect narrative. I don’t know whether this was intentional or not, to authentically portray the characters in their Nigerian setting, but for me it added to the charm of this wonderful little romance. Absolutely delightful.
A young girl, Gladys, leaves her hometown to live with her estranged aunt in Lagos to find a good job. Whilst trying to find her aunt’s house, a mysterious young man, Edward, in a fine car, spots her scrutinising her map and insists on driving her to her destination. Little does she know that she will bump into him again not long after this chance encounter and that their path to true romance will begin a journey along a rocky route. Although now a successful businessman, his path to success has been a hard one from harsh beginnings which have had a deep effect on his ability to trust and abandon himself to true love. Gladys is a sweet, intelligent and trusting young woman, proud of her humble background. But misunderstandings shake the foundations of their relationship and are then further muddied by Edward’s past when people he once knew set out to ruin his success.
The backdrop of this romance is the world of corporate finance; the author’s knowledge or if not personal knowledge, meticulous research, is outstanding, so outstanding in fact, that I was a little overwhelmed by the finer detail and found myself eagerly anticipating the scenes between Gladys and Edward. I loved the gentleness of their romance which develops at a respectable pace. They are both extremely likeable people and I could not put this book down as I neared the end. Will Gladys manage to overthrow the attempts of vindictive, money-grabbing businessmen, hell-bent on ruining Edward? More importantly will her love for him conquer her dismay of his mistrust of her, when he suspects she had a hand in his ruin? Will he see that she is everything that is good in a person and realise that her goodness will be the key to helping him shed the demons of his past?
I love Myne’s writing style – she is articulate and expressive. The main characters are well-developed and it’s very easy to become enamoured with Gladys and Edward. Some of the dialogue is unusual – almost as if English suddenly becomes the author’s second language, unlike the perfect narrative. I don’t know whether this was intentional or not, to authentically portray the characters in their Nigerian setting, but for me it added to the charm of this wonderful little romance. Absolutely delightful.
June 18, 2011
Does your past still affect your future? There are several plots to this novel, but one main one: the divide between Gladys and Edward. Gladys's aunt cut all ties with her family for apparently no reason. The reader gets to understand Gladys's aunt via Gladys's investigating. Edward has a mysterious, closed past. The reader will get to know Edward on a friendly level and delve into his past. Gladys is a sympathetic and dynamic character; the reader will enjoy her emotions and actions, especially her dialogue. Her character pulls the whole novel together. The novel details how separation, even emotionally, from a partner can ruin the partnership if the person does not accept his partner as trustworthy. Edward's business is at risk. Will he trust Gladys? The reader will read on, avidly, to find out. The novel has a way of drawing the reader in; the book itself is very well-written and the plot works with the characters. This book is recommended for adults who enjoy books about relationships and trust.
August 13, 2011
The characters in this story are real. They have pasts and issues that have made them into who they are. They are by no means perfect, and that is why I like it.
November 19, 2021
I'm sorry, but I didn't love this book. I thought this would be 80% love story and 20% other, but soooo much of this story was about the main male character's business/finances. It did not keep my interest. I found myself looking forward to this book being finished, instead of enjoying the read.
July 24, 2022
Lovely read
March 25, 2013
3.5 stars. How many of us have visited Lagos, Nigeria? I had no clue that it was a city of about 15 million people - bigger than Los Angeles. A Heart To Mend is worth reading if for nothing else than for the details of what life is like in such a world, like how the buses don’t run on a particular schedule, but when they are full, move on to the next stop. Learning that many in Nigeria speak Igbo and English at home, while in Lagos, people speak Yoruba and English.
The characters themselves had depth and backstory, to both justify their attraction, and to create reasons it was hard for them to commit as a couple.
That said, this story was not without problems. Gladys, 26, and Edward, mid-30s, meet in Chapter 1. Then there’s a long interlude filled with financial and stock trading minutiae which bogs the romance down until the characters reconnect in Chapter 5. There were a fair number of formatting issues in the e-version I read: indents that didn’t belong, spacing issues. It was sometimes hard to tell from whose POV the story was being told.
In the end, do we “buy” that the couple belongs together? Yes. Do we accept the problems that kept them apart? For me, it’s a no. I wanted to, but it was a “hard sell” for me.
It’s about 100 times better than my first novel would have been, released with minor or no edits, but it is clearly a first novel. I look forward to other offerings from this author.
The characters themselves had depth and backstory, to both justify their attraction, and to create reasons it was hard for them to commit as a couple.
That said, this story was not without problems. Gladys, 26, and Edward, mid-30s, meet in Chapter 1. Then there’s a long interlude filled with financial and stock trading minutiae which bogs the romance down until the characters reconnect in Chapter 5. There were a fair number of formatting issues in the e-version I read: indents that didn’t belong, spacing issues. It was sometimes hard to tell from whose POV the story was being told.
In the end, do we “buy” that the couple belongs together? Yes. Do we accept the problems that kept them apart? For me, it’s a no. I wanted to, but it was a “hard sell” for me.
It’s about 100 times better than my first novel would have been, released with minor or no edits, but it is clearly a first novel. I look forward to other offerings from this author.
February 14, 2015
This novel had very realistic protagonists and was well thought-out.
The language was a bit too simple, but then again, it probably would have been out of place to write too 'posh'. I'm not so familiar with Romance novels so I'm not sure if they're all written in this way, but I loved the setting being in Nigeria and could easily comprehend a lot of things as I felt 'back home'.
What I did not really like was just how perfect sometimes their lives seemed to be. Although there were lots of other characters, it felt like the lives of Gladys and Edwards were simply based on their relationship. And I must admit I sometimes just scanned through the paragraphs that solely talked about what was happening around the stock market and so on.
The language was a bit too simple, but then again, it probably would have been out of place to write too 'posh'. I'm not so familiar with Romance novels so I'm not sure if they're all written in this way, but I loved the setting being in Nigeria and could easily comprehend a lot of things as I felt 'back home'.
What I did not really like was just how perfect sometimes their lives seemed to be. Although there were lots of other characters, it felt like the lives of Gladys and Edwards were simply based on their relationship. And I must admit I sometimes just scanned through the paragraphs that solely talked about what was happening around the stock market and so on.
June 25, 2010
The novel details how Edward and Gladys were affected by their past and how it limited their opportunities in the present especially in the area of love and relationships. Gladys obsesses over the divide between her and Edward, while he had barricaded his heart and was not letting anyone in, man or woman. The lesson is that none of us is perfect but we should be able to keep our heart open for that (sometimes one) person who has enough masking tape to cover our imperfections and make us complete.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2015
A very good book. The author has a very good clarity of thought and is well informed. The characters of Gladys and Edward were very realistic with shades of grey. There was a right amount of drama, suspense and romance. Good for a nice quick read. The financial jargons used may be difficult to digest by non finance persons, and there is a complexity into the whole but overall its a good plot and nice story with likeable characters.
January 3, 2012
it has been a joy reading the book... a wonderful love story which has made me go through lots of feelings like that of love, sadness, fear of losing, understanding the practical side of a relationship, accepting my partner for the person he is.... the character of gladys has been the best throughout the book....
July 24, 2012
This is a love story in the strictest sense of the word. Myne Whitman has established herself as one of the very few breeds of African writers specialising in romance.
Click on the link to read my review
http://freduagyeman.blogspot.com/2010...
Thanks
Click on the link to read my review
http://freduagyeman.blogspot.com/2010...
Thanks
December 7, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. It's not your average love story. Set in Nigeria, it makes things a little more interesting. Names of the mr's can get a bit confusing as are quite similar. I would recommend this to readers as a little different to normal love stories.
May 27, 2012
Good summer reading. If you like romance, you will like this one. I read this one right after I purchased my Kindle Fire; it was one of the first ebook purchases I made and I wasn't disappointed.
February 27, 2013
Badly written, clumsy dialogue, weak story, generally a bad novel. Did admire the characters, but definitely could do with some improvements.
December 15, 2014
I love that Myne's romances are not shallow. The characters have other things going for them besides the attraction and relationship. This was a great story. Can't wait to read Myne'Whitman's next!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews