Heart on the Line
Ladies of Harper Station, #2
Bethany House, A Baker Publishing Group
June 2017
ISBN
Grace Mallory is tired of running, of hiding. But when an old friend sends an after-hours telegraph transmission warning Grace that the man who has hunted her for nearly a year has discovered her location, she fears she has no choice. She can't let the villain she believes responsible for her father's death release his wrath in Harper's Station, the town that has sheltered her and blessed her with the dearest friends she's ever known.
Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His telegraph companion, the mysterious Miss G, listens eagerly to his ramblings every night and delights him with tales all her own. For months, their friendship--dare he believe, courtship?--has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intended for him. Yet when he takes the next step to meet her in person, he discovers her life is in peril, and Amos must decide if he can shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires.
Ladies of Harper Station, #2
Bethany House, A Baker Publishing Group
June 2017
ISBN
Grace Mallory is tired of running, of hiding. But when an old friend sends an after-hours telegraph transmission warning Grace that the man who has hunted her for nearly a year has discovered her location, she fears she has no choice. She can't let the villain she believes responsible for her father's death release his wrath in Harper's Station, the town that has sheltered her and blessed her with the dearest friends she's ever known.
Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His telegraph companion, the mysterious Miss G, listens eagerly to his ramblings every night and delights him with tales all her own. For months, their friendship--dare he believe, courtship?--has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intended for him. Yet when he takes the next step to meet her in person, he discovers her life is in peril, and Amos must decide if he can shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires.
My Review:
I loved, loved, loved being back in Harper’s Station with some of my favorite women! Karen Witemeyer writes another refreshing book with unexpected heroes and heroines, plot twists you won’t see coming, and a sweet romance that captures you from beginning to end.
This book is refreshing because the hero and heroine are not your typical male/female leads. Amos Bledsoe is not your typical male lead. Sure, he’s confident, intelligent, sweet, funny, and kind… but he’s not in the least broad shouldered, big muscled, or “macho man.” I loved him more for the fact that he didn’t bemoan this fact; he accepted what God gave him and that, to me, makes him very attractive. Grace Mallory obviously agrees with me! Her character is strong in a reserved kind of way. She is loyal, funny, caring, and witty. I loved getting to know them through their “instant messages” on the Western Union telegraph line!
I also loved the fact that they both accepted their limitations, and relied on God and others to do what they knew they couldn’t do on their own. Neither one of them tried to do more than what they were capable of doing. They prayed, they planned, and they involved people who could help them. During that time, they had an old fashioned courtship. Amos’ rushing to Harper’s Station because he knew Grace was in trouble is all sorts of sweet. He didn’t even know what kind of trouble there would be! And let’s not forget about Helen…broken, angry, and bitter Helen (don’t worry, I won’t give anything away!).
If you couldn’t tell, I really, really, really LOVED this story. My heart was on the line from beginning to end. I couldn’t wait to see what happened between Grace and Amos, I enjoyed catching up with Emma, Malachi, Victoria, Ben, and the rest of Harper’s Station, and I was not disappointed at the plot: fast moving, romantic, and faith filled. It’s a great book! I promise you’ll enjoy it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.*
Christy Award finalist and winner of the ACFW Carol Award, National Reader's Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, and Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes Christian historical romance for Bethany House, believing the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher and makes her home in Abilene, TX with her husband and three children.
