 Karen Witemeyer never disappoints! She always delivers excellent, enjoyable reads, and her latest release is no different. After reading No Other Will Do, the first book in Karen’s latest series, Ladies of Harper Station, I couldn’t wait to read more installments, particularly one that contained a plot revolving around Tori Adams and Ben Porter. Luckily for me, and other fans, the wait is over and boy was it worth it! (See what I did there? Hehe) Witemeyer recently released Worth The Wait, which is described as book 1.5 in the series, as it is a novella and lacks a hard copy printing (you can grab the ebook though!), but make no mistake, this is still an important and wonderful addition to the series. The book also tides us over until the official second book in the series, Heart on the Line, is released in June.
Worth The Wait takes the reader back to Harper’s Station, Texas, where Ben Porter and Tori Adams are gearing up for a business trip. For those who haven’t read the first book in the series, I’ll give a bit of a refresher along with a summary of this book (without giving away too many details!). Harper’s Station is unique in the fact that it’s a women’s colony. Created to be a safe-haven for women, Harper’s Station gives women a chance to take control of their own lives while contributing to the town’s success. Victoria “Tori” Adams owns the town’s only store and has a 4 year old son. She came to Harper’s Station to put a dark past behind her and make a new life for herself and her son. Tori doesn’t trust men period, especially big, tall, strong ones. She has taken on a stoic persona, doing her darn best to hide all emotion, in order to protect herself and her heart. Benjamin Porter is one of only two men allowed inside the women’s colony, the other man being the newly married and appointed town Marshal, who happens to be married to the founder. ;) A freighter by trade, he works closely with Tori to transport the colony’s goods to market, but it’s more than profit that keeps Ben coming back. He’s fallen hard for Tori and her son. He sees Tori as the perfect life partner, beautiful, brave, and a savvy entrepreneur. Despite Ben’s consistent kindness, Tori continues to hold him at a distance, not fully trusting him. After Ben convinces Tori to partner with him in a new venture, delivering goods to area farms and ranches, he finally has a chance to woo her in earnest. But when an accident derails his plans, the chance for love could be lost forever…. Worth The Wait is exactly what a novella should be. Karen proves that you can write a well developed, interesting story in a short amount of chapters. The story is superbly written and well developed. All the loose ends are tied up in pretty bows and the reader is not left wondering about anything. You could actually read this book as a stand alone, without reading the first book in the series, as Karen does an expert job at sharing enough details from the first book so that the reader isn’t lost or scratching their head. I would highly recommend putting this book on your “To Read” list. Worth The Wait is a top-notch book from a superb author. My only complaint would be that we have to wait until June for the next installment, Heart on the Line! (And after reading the excerpt included at the end of Worth The Wait, I’m absolutely dying to see what happens with Grace!) Stay up to date with Karen Witemeyer on her website: http://www.karenwitemeyer.com/ and don’t forget to pre-order Heart on the Line ;)
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 If I had to choose one Karen Witemeyer book to call my favorite, I’d definitely have to go with A Worthy Pursuit. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. As I’ve said in other reviews, Karen happens to be one of my favorite authors. Right from the first book I read of hers, I was completely hooked and immediately set out to devour all of her books. So far I’ve enjoyed every single one of them, but there was just something special about A Worthy Pursuit that makes it my favorite.
A Worthy Pursuit is about learning to trust in someone other than yourself and having faith. Stone Hammond is a bounty hunter, the best tracker in Texas. When a wealthy railroad investor hires him to find his abducted granddaughter, Stone confidently accepts. Little does he know that he might just find a pursuit more worthy. ;) Charlotte Atherton is the former headmistress of Sullivan’s Academy for Exceptional Youths who will do anything to keep her charges safe, especially the orphaned girl entrusted to her care. Charlotte promised Lily’s mother that she would keep Lily safe from her unscrupulous grandfather, and nothing will stop Charlotte from fulfilling that promise… Not even the handsome bounty hunter with surprisingly honest eyes who comes looking for them. When Charlotte produces documents that prove her to be Lily’s legal guardian, Stone has to reevaluate everything he’s been led to believe. Is she the villain or the victim? Is he trustworthy or is he just trying to earn his pay? Can these two people learn to trust each other? One thing’s for sure, Stone always gets what he pursues. ;) As usual, Karen turns out a wonderful, enjoyable story with a well developed plot and relatable, lovable characters. I love that she incorporates Christian values in all of her books. They’re clean but are still beautifully romantic and real at the same time. Karen is an expert in writing witty and engaging dialogue. I particularly enjoyed the dialogue in this book, especially the mental dialogue that went on in Stone’s mind. At times, particularly in the beginning, I actually laughed out loud at it! I found the lines involving the “gnome” absolutely hilarious. I also loved the character of Stone. I have to say, he’s probably one of my top favorite book heroes. If you’ve read this book you know why I say that. There’s just something about him. ;) Can’t we all have a Stone in our lives? I highly recommend this book. It is engaging, entertaining, and downright enjoyable. Trust me, you’re going to want to read this one! Stay up to date with Karen Witemeyer on her website: http://www.karenwitemeyer.com/  I got hooked on Karen Witemeyer’s books after reading Short-Straw Bride, the first in the Archer Brothers series. I bought the book on a whim after it popped up in the “suggested” section on Amazon, and I’m so glad that I did because I ended up discovering a wonderful author who quickly became one of my favorites! I immediately devoured every Witemeyer book I could get my hands on, To Win Her Heart was the 4th book I read and I have to say that it is my second favorite book by Karen.
To Win Her Heart is a beautiful story of redemption, forgiveness, and love. After completing his sentence for an unintentional crime that changed his life, Levi Grant looks to start over in the town of Spencer, Texas. The town is in need of a blacksmith, a trade Levi learned at his father’s knee, and is the perfect place to start fresh where no one knows his past. Eden Spencer has sworn off men, choosing instead to devote her time to the lending library she runs in the town her father founded. When Levi, a mountain-sized man, walks through Eden’s door and asks to borrow a book, Eden is reluctant to trust him, but as the mysteries of Levi unfold, Eden discovers hidden depths in him that tempt her heart. Eden believes that she’s finally found a man of honor and integrity, but when the truth of Levi’s prodigal past comes out, she’s shocked and unsure of how she feels about it. Can Levi find a way to win back Eden’s heart? I adore Karen’s writing style. Her books are easy, enjoyable reads with plots that are interesting and well developed. Her characters are always so relatable and lovable, you can’t help but get invested in their stories. I also love the fact that Karen incorporates Christian messages and values in all of her books. In To Win Her Heart, Karen incorporates Jesus’ parables of the prodigal son and the adulteress’ rock-toting accusers into her characters’ stories, particularly Levi’s struggle with redemption and worthiness, and the town and Eden’s struggle to not judge Levi by his past. I truly enjoyed this book and it is on my list of favorites. I actually enjoyed it so much that I recommended the book to a friend and she also loved it. :) I highly recommend this book, a must read in my opinion. Stay up to date with Karen Witemeyer on her website: http://www.karenwitemeyer.com/  Alright I confess I skipped ahead from the 1st installment in the Cutters Creek series to the 8th installment! Go ahead and judge me, but I really couldn’t help myself. After reading The Healing Touch (1st in the series), I just had to know what happened with Mr. Judrow and Emma. The curiosity got the best of me and I found myself hitting the “buy” button on Amazon. ;)
Every now and then we all run into a character that really grabs us, one that we just love immediately, Mr. Judrow was one of those for me. Kit Morgan set up his introduction in The Healing Touch so well that I just had to know more about him. We get to read his and Emma Carlson’s story in the 8th installment of the Cutters Creek series, Love Is Blind. Love Is Blind takes place mainly in two places Clear Creek and Cutters Creek. It gives the reader a glimpse into Morgan’s popular Prairie Brides series, which takes place in Clear Creek. The hero of this story is Lucius Judrow, who is a bodyguard, and a darn good one at that. Hired by Jack Carlson (The Healing Touch) to track down and bring back his sister Emma, Lucius gets a lot more than he bargained for. Free-spirited, spunky Emma Carlson will do anything to keep her freedom, including hiding out near Clear Creek (cough cough, Prairie Brides series) under a fake name. All Emma wants is to be able to marry who she wants and all Lucius wants is to bring Emma back and collect his money….. Or is that truly what they want? I very much enjoyed following Lucius’ story and getting to know Emma. I also loved the chance to get a glimpse at a few Clear Creek characters from Morgan’s Prairie Brides series. This book has three different parts that keeps the reader guessing. In the beginning, you’re wondering whether Lucius will find Emma and then of course if he’ll be able to get her to go to Cutters Creek with him. Second, you’re wondering if they’ll ever make it to Cutters Creek, and third, the big question, will they ever get together or will they allow issues to stand in the way? I’ve said it a million times but I’ll say it again, I love Kit Morgan’s writing style. It grabs you immediately and holds you hostage until the end. The plot and characters are well developed, and you can’t help but get invested in the stories and the people. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great historical read. I’m looking forward to Lucius Judrow’s brother’s story later in the series. ;) Keep up to date with Kit Morgan on her website: http://www.authorkitmorgan.com/  The third installment in Kit Morgan’s Prairie Brides series does not disappoint. Just as good as the first two, His Prairie Duchess brings action, romance, suspense, and hilarity. This book follows the eldest Cooke brother, Duncan, as he races the clock to find a wife in order to fulfill a dream his father had. The Cookes are in the midst of celebrating Colin and Belle’s wedding, when Duncan gets the news that his old uncle has passed on, making Duncan the next Duke of Stantham…. But there’s just one problem, in order to achieve this, Duncan has to get married. He has 38 days to find himself a wife…. In Clear Creek, where the only eligible young woman just married his brother Colin!
Or so they think…… Cozette Duprie has been living in Clear Creek for a while now, though only a few people actually know she’s a woman. Masquerading as the son of M. Duprie, a French woodsman, for her own protection, Cozette can hunt, shoot a gun, and use a bow better than most men. She’s use to living semi freely, without being confined to social norms that a normal woman would be confined to. Her safe world comes crashing down when her father announces that he wants her to start living as a woman….. including getting married. Cozette may be able to overcome not knowing a single thing about conducting herself like a lady, but who in the world would want a wife who can’t speak? Will Duncan be able to meet his deadline and inherit the title? Will Cozette learn how to live like a proper young woman? Can they beat the odds and help each other? Or will those hoping to stop Duncan from getting the title succeed? I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am sad that the Cooke brothers’ installments in the Prairie Brides series are done, though I look forward to getting to know more of the other townspeople and new characters to come. Duncan was the darker, more serious brother out of the Cooke brood, so I was interested to delve into his character more and learn what drives him. I also enjoyed following Cozette’s transformation, from rough woodsman (ehem.. I mean woman) to proper lady. I also loved that both characters had something to give to the other, they each had a part in helping each other in a way other people couldn’t. As with other Kit Morgan books, His Prairie Duchess is well written, flows beautifully, and is a quick, easy read. This is a sweet historical romance, so you need not worry about running into anything unpleasant or vulgar. I highly recommend this book and the series so far. ;)  I’ve been on a Kit Morgan kick for the last few weeks. I got hooked on her books after reading the first book in her Prairie Brides series. I’m currently working through both the Prairie Brides series which Kit Morgan writes solo (I’m on book 4), and the Cutters Creek series in which she teams up with Kari Trumbo, Vivi Holt, and Annie Boone. I recently finished 3 books from the Cutters Creek series, and I will review the first book, The Healing Touch, in this post. So without further ado, let’s get to the book at hand!
Jack Carlson worked as a spy for the Union Army for 4 long, dreadful years during the War Between the States (aka The Civil War), and what did he get in return? Jack was wounded which resulted in blindness in the last week of the war. Battered and defeated, Jack goes to Cutters Creek, Montana to try and make some sort of a life for himself and to heal his bitter heart. But Jack can’t heal by himself, he’s needs a lot more help than his cousin, who happens to be the local preacher, can give him. His cousin knows as much, and decides to take an unconventional route and send for a mail order bride for Jack, praying a wife will do just the trick. Willow Bennett has been in live with the same man all her life. As a young girl she mooned over a certain Jack Carlson…. Until he went to war and life changed forever. Having lost her family to the war, Willow really has no other place to go, so she decided to sign up as a mail order bride….. Imagine her surprise when she finds out that Jack is her intended…. And the even bigger surprise, that he’s blind! Can Jack move past his bitterness and find peace? Will Willow be able to make a lifelong dream come true and find love with Jack? Can they come together and help each other? Believe me, you’ll want to read and find out what happens! ;) I truly enjoyed this story of hope, new beginnings, and love. I love Kit Morgan’s writing style, it flows well and keeps the reader interested throughout the book. The characters are well developed and relatable, you can’t help but get invested in their stories. Morgan not only did a wonderful job creating yet another top-notch story, she also did an excellent job drawing the reader into the series as a whole. I love the way Morgan balances out her stories with serious, emotional scene coupled with a good dose of humor. One scene that really stuck with me was the one towards the end of the book, which introduced the character of Lucius Judrow. I don’t want to give too much away, but the scene with Mr. Judrow was hilarious (to the point that I actually laughed out loud) because it was actually a scene loaded with seriousness, yet Morgan gave us Mr. Judrow to add some levity. His subtle, in-the-background actions really make the scene. It also made me want to know more about Mr. Judrow, so I was especially pleased to find out that Mr. Judrow would have his own story later in the series! I highly recommend this book and the rest of the series. This is a series you don’t want to miss! ;) Stay up to date with Kit Morgan on her website: http://www.authorkitmorgan.com/  The second installment in Kit Morgan’s Prairie Bride Series is just as good as the first. I’m officially hooked on Kit Morgan’s books, so she might as well just take all my money now! ;) Her Prairie Knight follows the middle Cooke brother, Colin. Newly released from prison, after having been falsely incarcerated, Colin planned on helping his two brothers work their new cattle ranch. The Cookes were now proud owners of a big cattle ranch thanks to Colin’s sister-in-law’s cattle baron father. What Colin didn’t expect was falling in love at first sight with a genuine angel or that he’d have to go up against the dragon lady herself in order to win the beautiful lady.
Belle Dunnigan stepped off the stage in remote Clear Creek, which she quickly discovered was a very far cry from Boston, where she was born and raised. Having lost both her parents, Belle had nowhere else to go and no other family except for her Aunt and Uncle, the Dunnigans, who happened to own the town’s only mercantile. She’d soon find out why the town tended to avoid her Aunt Irene at all costs (except when they needed supplies from the mercantile). Irene Dunnigan is the most self-righteous, cantankerous woman that ever lived, and she keeps Belle under lock and key. Can Colin slay the dragon lady to win the fair damsel’s heart? Will Colin and Belle be able to fight against the odds? Her Prairie Knight is an excellent installment in the Prairie Brides series, doing its job perfectly by drawing the reader in and getting them even more invested in the series. The story is well put together, features both action and romance, with wit and humor mixed in. The characters are all wonderfully developed and easy to relate to, you can’t help but fall in love with them. I love Kit Morgan’s writing style. The book flows and is a quick, easy read. During the more serious, tense scenes in the book, Morgan always incorporates a touch of levity and subtle humor to balance it out. Two main ways Morgan adds levity to the story is through Irene Dunnigan and the Cooke brothers’ antics, and some of them are doozies! ;) This is a clean, sweet historical romance, so no fear of running into anything unpleasant while you’re reading. I highly recommend this book and the series to all historical fiction fans. Though I’d recommend reading the first book, His Prairie Princess, first as it will be easier to follow Her Prairie Knight. I’m hooked on this series and look forward to reading the next installment, His Prairie Duchess, which follows the eldest Cooke brother, Duncan. ;)  I just finished reading a wonderful read the other day and wanted to share it with y’all. His Prairie Princess is an enjoyable, quick read with only 12 chapters. You get drawn in immediately and, if you’re like me, you’ll end up reading it in one sitting. The book opens with a kidnapping and a rescue, but the action doesn’t stop there and keeps you entertained until the end. The story takes place in the peculiar town of Clear Creek, Oregon, which happens to boast several interesting residents. I’m so glad that this is a series because this first installment leaves you wanting to get to know the town more!
Sadie Jones is the daughter of mighty cattle baron, Horatio Jones. You could say she’s a princess of an empire. Sadie has lived an easy and comfortable life on a large ranch, where her only heartbreak is the result of not knowing her mother. She hatches a plan to set out on her own to find her dying mother before it’s too late, but she never imagined that the stage would be robbed and that she would be a kidnapping victim! Harrison Cooke knows how conduct himself in any situation, having been raised by his English mother to be a proper gentleman, on top of learning how to farm and survive in the rugged west. Harrison’s only concern that morning was making sure he reached the stage in time to collect some mail he was expecting. Little did he know that he’d end up having to pull off a rescue mission…. In order to rescue the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen before. Will these two be able to protect each other and the ones they love, all the while protecting their hearts? Read and find out! ;) I highly recommend this book! It’s entertaining, enjoyable, and keeps you interested. The characters are well developed and very relatable. Harrison is an interesting twist to the western hero, being of English decent. The majority of the characters show a great Christian spirit of forgiveness and charity. This book is labeled as a “sweet romance”, meaning the book doesn’t have bad language or explicit sex scenes. There’s a touch of innuendo, but nothing that would have you clutching your pearls. ;) I look forward to reading the rest of the series just as soon as I can get my hands on them. Kit Morgan has been added to my “Must Read Authors” list. *** As of this posting, His Prairie Princess is Free on Amazon! Check it out! https://www.amazon.com/His-Prairie-Princess-Brides-Book-ebook/dp/B00BO3R6K4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1485890377&sr=8-1&keywords=His+Prairie+Princess *** ** Stay up to date with Kit Morgan through her website: http://www.authorkitmorgan.com **  First things first, I am a huge fan of Barbara Goss’ work. I’ve been hooked ever since reading Temptation By Moonlight. After reading that first book, I ended up buying the rest of her novels and binge reading them, one a night. I credit authors Deeanne Gist and Barbara Goss for getting me into the Historical Romance genre, thanks to their wonderful books. Goss is an excellent writer, one who knows how to draw the reader in and keep them interested up to the very end. When you read one of her novels, you feel as though you’ve stepped into the story and are living alongside the characters, experiencing everything they’re experiencing. You fall in love with the characters quickly, they’re relatable and real. The stories are always superbly written with witty and interesting dialogue, and an intriguing plot. One of the many things I love about Goss’ work is that each novel holds a strong Christian theme and message. You not only get an enjoyable, wonderful story, you also learn a valuable lesson from each book.
Shadow of Shame finds Jonas Armstrong punishing himself for his sordid past and resigning himself to living like a recluse. But Jonas’ lifestyle gets a big shake up when Ivey Jeffries moves to town. Ivey Jeffries moves to Abilene, Kansas with her family, after her minister father feels called to take the position as minister for Grace Church. Ivey quickly falls hopelessly in love with Jonas after meeting him on a hay ride. There’s a great deal working against this couple’s fate, including the fact that Ivey’s father is the minister of the same church that kicked Jonas out years before. Jonas decides that it is best to turn Ivey against him in order to protect her pristine reputation, even though he wants nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with her. Ultimately, Jonas is forced to confront his feelings and how he has dealt with his past. Shadow of Shame has everything: love, blackmail, twists and turns, the works. Shadow of Shame is such a beautiful story about forgiveness and redemption, and carries an important message of God’s grace. A lot of us, like Jonas, have a hard time forgiving ourselves for past actions. Our mistakes may not necessarily be on the same level as Jonas’, but we can still understand holding our mistakes against ourselves and dolling out our own punishment. Shadow of Shame does a beautiful job of showing how that is wrong. God has forgiven us. His grace means that we are washed clean. We don’t need to punish ourselves, in fact, if God forgives us, the least we can do is forgive ourselves! I truly appreciate and love the strong Christian theme and messages in Goss’ books. Now, I feel the need to address one thing that has recently come to my attention. I was reading reviews of Goss’ other books and came across a few that found the reader complaining, saying that the romantic content in the book was too sexual and crossed the line for a book labeled as Christian romance. This simply is NOT true. I have read every single book Goss has written and never, have I ever come across content that was too sexual or crossed the line. The romance in Shadow of Shame, and all of Goss’ other books, is clean. I appreciate Goss’ writing style especially when it comes the romantic parts. She deals with the feelings and desires of the characters in an honest and real way, all the while keeping it completely clean. Just because we’re Christians doesn’t mean we don’t feel the same feelings and have the same desires as the rest of the human race, it just means we have to navigate them in an honorable way, which these characters do. So, will Jonas and Ivey find a way to make a relationship work? Will Jonas learn to forgive himself, truly, and let go of his past? Or will he lose the love of his life and his chance at happiness? Read the book and find out! ;) Believe me, this is not a book you want to miss out on! *** Keep up with Barbara by visiting her website: www.barbaragossbooks.com ***  I am so glad I found Karen Witemeyer’s books in the “suggested” section on Amazon. I’ve recently started reading Historical fiction. My tastes have always run more along the non-fiction lines, but about 2 years ago, a friend suggested I read a historical fiction book and I’ve been hooked ever since. I can’t get enough of the genre, but that being said, I have high standards when it comes to books in general. I won’t read just any old book. It has to be well written. Karen Witemeyer’s books fall under the well written category.
My introduction to Karen Witemeyer’s writing was through her book, Short-Straw Bride. I bought the book on a whim and I’m so glad I did! It was an excellent read. Short-Straw Bride is a well written, well developed story with lovable, relatable characters. This book is top quality and exhibits some of the best writing I’ve come across (and I’m an avid reader who averages a book a day). Short-Straw Bride finds the Archer brothers, who were orphaned when they were young, banding together and protecting their land, even if it means shutting out their neighbors and potential friends. Travis Archer, the eldest of the brothers, made a promise to his dying father that he would protect Archer land and keep his brothers on the property. An Archer never leaves Archer land. Or does he? No one steps on Archer land, not if they value their life, but when Meredith Hayes overhears a plot to burn the Archers off their land, a long standing debt compels her to take the risk. Years of constant vigilance hardened Travis Archer, yet when he comes across Meredith Hayes, he can’t bring himself to send her away, and when an act of kindness leaves her injured and her reputation in shreds, gratitude and guilt prompts him to attempt to rescue her once again. Without giving too much away, the brothers decide to draw straws to see who marries Meredith. They sure know how to make a girl feel special, right? ;) Travis ends up with the short straw, but the question is, does he see that as a loss or a win? Will Meredith and Travis be able to work out their differences and achieve true love? Will Travis be able to come to terms with his own guilt and fears? Short- Straw Bride is an excellent novel. The Archer Brothers series has quickly become one of my favorite series. One thing that I really loved about this book is the beautiful Christian message of forgiveness and love, particularly neighborly love. I highly recommend this book to historical/Christian fiction fans. *** Stay up to date with Karen on her website: http://www.karenwitemeyer.com/ *** |
AuthorLiz Austin. Bibliophile. Writer. Book hoarder. I would rather be reading.... Archives
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