Sun in My Heart

By: Tricia T. LaRochelle

Narrated by: Anne Tolpegin

Length: 5 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

The serene Virginia landscape holds not only Sophie Quinn's refuge but a world-famous pop star's escape, a handyman's secret, and a past that won’t stay buried.

Dive into the tumultuous world of Sophie Quinn, a brave young woman trapped in a perilous marriage to her unpredictable husband, Chad. With Chad being a VP in her distant father's company and the only man her mother ever approved of, breaking free won't be easy. However, Sophie is determined—knowing that leaving Chad is not just about finding happiness but surviving.

As she takes her first steps towards independence, Sophie crosses paths with Brian, a rugged handyman with a heart of gold, challenging her perceptions of love and trust. Yet, nothing is ever straightforward. When Sophie learns Brian's connection to Julian Sommers, the world-famous pop star who fell out of the limelight when a deranged fan murdered Julian’s companion and herself in a Vegas hotel room two years prior, the plot thickens. With secrets swirling around her, and a dangerous husband in pursuit, Sophie's newfound happiness is on the line.

"Sun in My Heart" speaks to the resilience of the human spirit. We all face challenges, make mistakes, and yearn for redemption. This story offers a mirror to our own vulnerabilities, reminding us that even amidst darkness, love and hope can light the way.

©2023 Patricia LaRochelle (P)2024 Patricia LaRochelle

Amazing story

This is the first time I have listened to Anne Tolpegin and she did an amazing job bringing this story to life! This is a very emotional story that tears at your heart reading it and Anne's narrative carries it all through and so much more.

Julian woke up with what felt like a marching band in his head. Then memories of the night before vaguely surface... the pills, drugs and alcohol. Then a redhead groans in her sleep beside him... what was her name? There had been so many it was hard to remember. He still didn't know how he ended up here. From playing acoustic guitar in front of a small crowd to staying in a penthouse suite with its own swimming pool singing before a Vegas crowd of over 30k screaming fans.

When he throws off the covers he notices the woman sitting on the couch facing the bed. Now her name he remembered... Rebecca. She has been stalking him for the last six months trying for a hookup and despite his refusal and trying to avoid her at all costs, she had turned into his very own Kathy Bates. The girl is barely 18 and clearly off her rocker. Now she is pulling out a gun and the next thing he knows there is brain splatter on his cheek and after killing the woman beside him, she turns the gun on herself.

Sophie Quinn is drinking her coffee and watching Entertainment News and the reporter's update on her series ‘Where in the world is Julian Sommers?’ It has been two years since he disappeared from the public eye after the tragedy in his hotel room. Sophie could understand how someone could go a little nuts over the gorgeous man with the glazier blue eyes in the photo, but she was done with men.

She left her husband six months ago after he almost strangled her to death. She had put up with his kinky demands doing anything to please him, but he had finally pushed her past her limits. When she realized how close she had come to dying she left and bought a small house in the mountains.

Sophie is walking on the wooded path between her house and the community when she runs into a huge mountain man. He has a long shaggy beard and hair, wearing a ragged John Deere hat, dirty flannel shirt and pants, but looking into his brown eyes she didn't feel threatened. Unlike with her husband, she felt safe in his presence.

I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. I don't know what I expected, but this book was so much different from the Sara Browne series, and as much as I loved Sara's story this book is now my favorite.

This book is action-packed from the start. It is full of danger and suspense with major twists and turns as Sophie struggles to deal with an abusive husband only to find out secrets about not only their relationship but other life-changing secrets. I really hated turning the last page of this book. Highly recommend!

Shock, tension, and romance with unfolding secrets and surprises!

This book grabbed me from the beginning. When Julian wakes up to find a woman in his room, who is a crazy stocker fan, I was hooked. The author, Tricia LaRochelle, skillfully took me on a ride of shock, tension and romance with many unfolding secrets and surprises along the way. I fell in love with the characters Brian and Sophie, and felt all of their emotions. I have never been a fan of romance novels, but this book may have changed my mind!

I couldn’t stop listening!

I have been an audible book listener for over 10 years and listened to hundreds of books. Listening to a story unfold through audible is genre unto itself.
I love listening to a book while I go about my daily routine - often starting and stopping several times throughout the book to do life “stuff.” This is the first book that I could not pause. From the beginning I was invested in Julian and Sophie - seemingly totally separate stories. I pride myself on knowing where a story is headed but I was (excitedly) blindsided by how Sun In My Heart unfolded. I don’t usually write reviews and I’m not an eloquent writer, but because I loved this story from this first-time audible author, I wanted to let Tricia LaRochelle know I hope to to be able to listen to more of her books on audible. I’ll be watching for more from this talented author.

Two lost souls brought together by fate and a baby bird

*Story: 4.75 stars; Audiobook: 4.85 stars*

This is the first time I have read anything by Tricia T. Larochelle, but it definitely won’t be the last. This story is heartbreaking, raw, redeeming and relatable. There are triggers to look out for.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did an amazing job of giving this story life. The only thing I would’ve liked better is if she could’ve changed her voice for different characters.

This book starts off intense with our hunk of a rockstar in a face off with a situation that changes his life. Two years later we meet Sophia who has had her fair share of trauma. Two lost souls were brought together by fate and one sweet baby bird.

I do think the insta-love they had wasn’t the right fit for them, considering they both were still in the thick of their issues. I think a slow-medium build would have been better.

Regardless, this story held my attention and there were a few revelations I didn’t expect and had my jaw dropping. My heart went out to both Sophia and our hunk of a rockstar, but I was happy to see them both get the HEA they both deserved. I was provided an advanced listeners copy and used my KU to read along.

Fantastic Story!

Tricia T LaRochelle has written another compelling book filled with endearing characters who, because of circumstances and past relationships, struggle with self confidence and trust. As Sophie becomes more confident and moves out from under the weight of criticism and judgment she grew up with, her world opens up only to crash when her newfound trust in Brian is shattered. Her ability to prevail is very satisfying. This is a beautiful story of resilience and the power of believing in yourself. I highly recommend this book. I had a hard time putting it down when I read the story, and I enjoyed it even more listening to Anne Tolpegin's narration. Her voice resonated with emotion and clarity. I found, that by reliving the tough moments in the story, I understood the meaning and the character's motives even better than the first time I read the book. I can't think of many books I would want to read twice but this one was a true joy to experience twice.