Karen Witemeyer’s Heart on the Line

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.

Review

Karen Witemeyer is an auto-buy author for me. I just love her tales. My thoughts:

What I liked

Amos. I loved, loved, loved him. I’m a huge fan of heroes who aren’t the “norm” and I really liked that even though Amos lived in Texas in a time of horses and gun-slinging, he rode bicycles and didn’t carry a gun. I liked that he was sensitive. I liked that he fell for Grace over a telegram. And he’s also really funny.

Grace. She was smart and sweet. She has a problem that immediately makes me feel her. I love how she tries to protect everyone even as she acknowledges the strengths of others.

The romance. Grace and Amos fall for each other over the telegraph. It’s so cute. It somehow manages to come across like online dating in the 1800s. It takes them a moment to find their footing in person, but Amos is quietly persistent. Theirs is a romance based on friendship…which is the best kind.

Secondary characters. Everyone in this town feels like family. I like that each woman comes alive on the page and that can be a hard thing when there are so many characters. But, there’s also the cutest secondary romance that had me almost excited as the main romance.

Spiritually, the characters pray, trust God, and some, learn that God does love them.

What I didn’t like

I enjoyed everything about this book. It was very cute and definitely original. I think some might feel like it was a bit slow in parts because it’s definitely a character driven novel, but it didn’t bother me.

Romance scale: 8.5

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. This is such a fun series to read. I recommend it.

**I received a copy from BethanyHouse. My opinion was not affected in anyway.**