A Worthy Pursuit

April 13, 2015
Witemeyer’s (A Tailor-Made Bride) latest historical romance is as much about faith and conviction as it is about the guy getting the girl. When Sullivan’s Academy for Exceptional Youths closes suddenly, the students’ future is uncertain—except for Lily, whose grandfather desperately wants the girl to assist his less than straightforward business dealings. Lily’s recently dead mother, however, designated the school’s headmistress, Charlotte Atherton, as the child’s guardian. Fearful for the children’s safety, Charlotte spirits three students, including Lily, out of the school in the dead of night. A wealthy land speculator, Lily’s grandfather hires former bounty hunter Stone Hammond to retrieve the Lily. Stone tracks down the makeshift family, but Charlotte is anything but the wily kidnapper he has envisioned. As Stone waits for authentication of Charlotte’s custody papers, the pair barely tolerate each other until revelations from Lily force the two to join forces to protect the child. The plot hinges on the children, with the relationship between Stone and Charlotte at times merely a sidebar. The conclusion is predictable, but the journey there carries enough plot twists to keep readers engaged. Agent: Rachelle Gardner, Books & Such Literary Agency.

April 1, 2015

A mother's dying request to shield her daughter Lily from the custody of her dishonorable grandfather and the sudden closing of the academy in which she is headmistress finds Charlotte Atherton on the run. She is determined to protect her orphaned charge and her students. Lily's wealthy grandfather hires Stone Hammond, one of the best trackers in Texas, to find his granddaughter. When Charlotte shows Stone the paper granting her custody of Lily, Stone realizes that she may not be the villain she was made out to be. Charlotte must trust Stone as a new danger presents itself. In protecting the children under Charlotte's care, the couple also must cope with the feelings blossoming between them. VERDICT Witemeyer (Full Steam Ahead) is the winner of the HOLT Medallion and the Carol Award and a finalist for the RITA and Christy Awards. Her engaging and vividly pictured Western romance is narrated with warm humor, and its heartfelt story line will be popular with fans of Regina Jennings and Maggie Brendan.

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