Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Book Review: To Win Her Heart (2011)

To Win Her Heart. Karen Witemeyer. 2011. Bethany House. 347 pages.

Although I didn't care for A Tailor-Made Bride, I must admit that I have come to LOVE Karen Witemeyer's historical romances. Last year I read Head in the Clouds and Short-Straw Bride. (Short-Straw Bride being one of my FAVORITE books of the entire year.)

Eden Spencer is the town librarian in Spencer, Texas. She loves her books, loves reading, loves reading to the town's children. (Her current read to them being BLACK BEAUTY.) She's at peace with being a spinster, for the most part; she was jilted practically at the altar a few years previous. But if she's so at peace with being single, why can't she stop thinking about the new oh-so-tall, oh-so-strong blacksmith in town?

Levi Grant has a past. He's a newly released convict. He was a prize fighting boxer with a manslaughter conviction, having thrown one punch too many in one of his fights. But he found Jesus in prison, and now he's a new man, a new creation. He's not eager to tell everyone the truth about his past when he first arrives in town, excepting the preacher and his wife, of course, who helped him get the job. But. He knows that after he gets settled, once he begins to make friends and find a place in the community he will be more willing to share his past. He is given the opportunity to prove himself time and time again: showing everyone his true character, his true convictions. (For example, saving a young woman--a cook--from the saloon, etc.)

Eden and Levi are attracted to one another, and their relationship is partly built through a series of letters they exchange through the books he checks out from the library. As their relationship strengthens, of course, the more they want to share with each other face to face...

I really loved this one. I enjoyed spending time with Eden and Levi. I liked these two main characters and there were interesting minor characters as well. I thought the story was well done...

I also really liked the lessons and insights of this one as well. It was very well done, felt natural too.


© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

No comments: