A teacher on the run. A bounty hunter in pursuit. Can two enemies learn to trust each other before they both lose what they hold most dear?
Stone Hammond is the best tracker in Texas. He never comes home empty-handed. So when a wealthy railroad investor hires him to find his abducted granddaughter, Stone eagerly accepts.
Charlotte Atherton, former headmistress of Sullivan’s Academy for Exceptional Youths, will do anything to keep her charges safe, especially the orphaned girl entrusted to her care. Charlotte promised Lily’s mother she’d keep the girl away from her unscrupulous grandfather, and nothing will stop Charlotte from fulfilling that pledge. Not even the handsome bounty hunter with surprisingly honest eyes who comes looking for them.
When Miss Atherton produces documentation that shows her to be Lily’s legal guardian, Stone must reevaluate everything he’s been led to believe. Is she villain or victim?
Then a new danger forces Charlotte to trust the man sent to destroy her. Stone vows to protect what he once sought to tear apart. Besides, he’s ready to start a new pursuit: winning Charlotte’s heart.
After growing up in California, Karen Witemeyer moved to Texas to attend Abilene Christian University where she earned bachelor and master’s degrees in Psychology. It was also there that she met and married her own Texas hero. He roped her in good, for she has lived in Texas ever since. In fact, she fell so in love with this rugged land of sweeping sunsets and enduring pioneer spirit, that she incorporates it into the pages of her novels, setting her stories in the small towns of a state that burgeoned into greatness in the mid- to late1800s.
A life-long bookworm, Karen is living her dream by writing novels. Her books have consistently hit bestseller lists and have garnered awards such as the ACFW Carol Award, the Holt Medallion, and the Christian Manifesto’s Lime Award for Excellence in Fiction. In addition, she is a multiple RITA and National Reader’s Choice finalist. Karen is also a sought-after speaker for national writing conferences and regional workshops.
My Impressions:
My recent reading journey has included some heavy subjects and complex writing, so I was definitely in the mood for a bit of humor and sweet romance when I picked up Karen Witemeyer’s novel, A Worthy Pursuit. Stealing The Preacher was such a fun read, that I anticipated another chuckle-laden historical. However, I just could not get into this book. Not sure if it was me or what, but this one just wasn’t the book I expected.
Charlotte Atherton is an accomplished musician and teacher. Headmistress at a boarding school in Austin, Texas, she is blind-sided when her boss closes the school mid-term. Determined to protect and care for three of her students, she steals away in the night and goes into hiding. Stone Hammond is a retriever not a bounty hunter, thank you very much! But he always gets his man or in this case the 9-year old Lily who Charlotte is protecting. Twists, turns, and some dime novel heroics lead to love and a happily-ever-after.
As I said, I am not sure why A Worthy Pursuit didn’t work for me. I do know that I did not find a connection with the characters. I also didn’t laugh very much. The romance was sweet and there was lots of action involving shoot outs and runaway wagons, kidnappings and a unscrupulous grandfather. But I found myself skimming to get to the end. Others found this a great read, and I encourage you to check out the reviews on Amazon. Please note this experience did not influence me away from her books; I will definitely read more by Witemeyer.
Audience: older teens and adults.
To purchase this book, click HERE.
(Thanks to Bethany House for a review copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
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