Heart: A Social Novel

"Heart: A Social Novel" by Martin Farquhar Tupper is a story set in the mid-1800s that looks at the lives of a rich family and the difficulties they face with love and family expectations. The story centers around Sir Thomas Dillaway, a dad who cares a lot about money, his sweet daughter Maria, and Henry Clements, the man she loves. Henry and Maria must find their way while dealing with their own feelings and what society wants from them. The book begins with Sir Thomas and his wife talking about Henry, who might want to marry their daughter. Sir Thomas only cares about how rich Henry is, not if he's good to Maria, but Lady Dillaway believes being kind and having good character is what's important. Maria loves Henry in secret, even though her father doesn't like him, which causes drama as the idea of following your heart clashes with the desire for riches and social status, influencing Maria's journey to follow her heart despite her father's uncaring attitude.