The very beautiful Diana meets the ever-dashing Philip in 1838. Following a short courtship, Philip leaves for military duty overseas. After a two-year separation, he returns and they are married. As their story unfolds, a very tumultuous and disturbing relationship is revealed that includes love, hate, death, infidelity and drugs. Not exactly your match-made-in-heaven romance.

Philip's only interest seems to be the military. After working for the War Department, he leaves for Fort Leavenworth to further his career. Diana, not wishing to be left alone, goes against everyone's wishes and risks her life and that of their young daughter to be with Phillip. Of course, not overjoyed to see her, Philip tolerates her arrival. Diana only stays a short time, becomes pregnant again, then leaves to go back East where she supervises the building of their new home in New York City. Philip joins her after the birth of their son, but leaves soon after for the war with Mexico. When he returns, he becomes a very dark and disturbing man.

Diana reacts by doing the unthinkable and leaves him. She uses all of her strength and determination to establish a life for herself and their four children without him. Philip doesn't understand her actions and works very diligently to win her back. Will he succeed?

In writing THE FIERCER HEART, Gilchrist was inspired by actual documents about General Philip Kearny and Diana Moore Bullitt Kearny. Liberties were taken while developing the characters, and as a result, an excellent historical fiction of our nation and the events leading up to the Civil War was created. Her first book, THE GOOD JOURNEY, is another great story and deserves a place on the bookshelf next to this one.