Review of Bless Your Heart

[Seetha E]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Bless Your Heart" by Susann Camus.]

---

4 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Dr. Beatrix Bach and Dr. Norma Dunn shared responsibilities while serving in Afghanistan. Beatrix and Norma became best friends, and they kept in touch. Dr. Bach could never understand why Dr. Dunn had taken up a project in Greenville, North Carolina. But when Dr. Dunn called about someone sabotaging her research work at the Pitt County Health Center, Dr. Bach offered to send Jeannie to her rescue. Jeannie is a trained epidemiologist and physician. Frank Wright is the project manager, and LaDonna is the receptionist at the same health center. They are unhappy and consider Jeannie’s presence an outsider’s intrusion. Dr. Bach welcomes Jeannie and immediately assigns her the tasks. Dr. Bach is murdered hours later. Jeannie’s actions a few hours earlier saved her; saved her from what, and for how long? Is Jeannie brave enough to battle all the involved parties and stick around to solve the mystery?

Frank has a personal interest in this research. LaDonna is closely connected and an interested party. There are several other interesting and well-drawn-out characters: the two detectives, Lila-Jean Lamont, Griselda, Tanisha, and many more. The character developments and the pacing are just right. With comments like, “You sound like a married couple,” coming their way, the detective pairing is perfect. Did they succeed in solving this case? How did things end for everyone?

I love how this book has a woman-centric premise. Dr. Dunn’s research was about the role of a drug in helping women lose weight. The author has used this narrative to shed light on the chronic and complex disease of obesity and the key contributing factors that have never been accounted for. Obesity is beyond women being lazy, stupid, and lacking self-discipline. She also helps us understand the intricacies of data collection, recording, and processing. She explains the key role of data in medical decisions. The narrative also touches on the subject of arms possession and discrimination against Black people and women. The author's passion for healthcare and gardening shines through.

The book will benefit from another round of editing. The errors did not detract from the overall reading experience. I used the Kindle copy of the book, which lacked chapter-wise access, making it difficult to return to a particular chapter. Frank’s daughter’s name was spelled differently in the book’s initial and latter halves. Similarly, the receptionist’s name jumped between La Donna and LaDonna. I have deducted a star for the reasons mentioned.

Nonetheless, these are minor concerns compared to the intended broader messages the narrative succeeds in drawing our attention to: the medical fraternity’s role, the pharmaceutical companies’ responsibility, racism, and the need to empower women. Although I do not vouch for arms possession by civilians, the way it is presented in the story raises concerns about basic safety. The intriguing cover felt justified at the end of the read: the title, the font, and the bright colors. Considering the language and sexual references, I recommend this book to mature readers. I rate Bless Your Heart by Susann Camus four out of five stars.

******
Bless Your Heart
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[NetMassimo]

This mystery addresses some important issues that range from healthcare to racism. Proper proofreading would make it excellent, enabling readers to fully appreciate this engaging story. Thank you for your great review!

[Sarah Zain]

I had read the book description before but the story didn't interest me that much. I enjoyed reading your summary and review as usual. Thank you Seetha!

[Gerry Steen]

I read this book because it was Book of the Month. I enjoyed the story. I liked Jeannie's character. She was resilient and competent. There were several side stories in the book that kept me interested. Several social issues were presented in the dialogues between characters. I agree with everything written in this review of the book.

[Anu Anand]

I remember reading the prologue of this book and finding it really interesting! After reading your review, I’m even more intrigued by the mystery and how it ties in with deeper issues like obesity, discrimination, and data ethics. Thanks for sharing this detailed review!

[Neha Panikar]

Love the focus points - behind the scenes info about women obesity and testing procedures is something that intrigued me. Wish the editing was better. Hope the author heeds your suggestions and improves in future editions. Wonderful review!!

[Omneya Shakeep]

The book seems to discuss deeper topics than the normal crime and thriller stories, such as Discrimination and the reasons behind women's obesity, which is very rare. Your review is extremely detailed and highlights the best parts of the plot. Thanks for the recommendation, Seetha.

[Victor Nwabuisi]

I love that this book centers on women in science and healthcare while also exploring challenging topics such as data integrity and racial discrimination. Thank you for the great review.

[Julie Marie Basil]

This sounds like an interesting story, but it sounds like there are a lot of important characters to the point that it might be difficult to keep track of them all. Given your comments on the need for another round of editing, I will pass on this book for now!

[Priya Murugesan]

Your opening questions intrigued me greatly. So, despite the editing, I would love to give this book a try as I love reading books related to the medical field.