BOOK REVIEW: Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer

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.

I had such great ideas about this book until I sat down to actually write them.  I stumbled across this book on NetGalley and knew I had to have it.  Then I saw it in my Bethany House email and was actually disappointed I'd already snagged it up.  I actually read a blog post from the author about the idea behind this book.  I was in for the whole pound, not just the penny. Then when I realized it was actually second in a series my heart fell a little bit.  I need to pay closer attention to that stuff. Not that it overly mattered, I had to read this book.  I just didn't have time to squeeze in another book first. Please let it read as a stand alone, please.  And it did.  And it was amazing.  And no matter how I read it and that it wasn't necessarily in order (because you KNOW I have to go back and read the first) it's still an amazing book that drew me and and flew right through in less than 2 days - yup so good I donated my entire day off to it.  Housework on the other day...well there's more days off eventually right?

These characters walked right into my day and marched their way right into my heart.  I knew what was what almost every step of the way, I think/hope I was supposed to, but what also surprised and uplifted where I needed to be.  Seriously, how have I never read this author before?  That has got to change in a big way.  Amos was exactly what you expected him to be, a slight bit geeky with a heart of gold.  And an abiding patience in the knowledge that he is above what other's perceive him to be and that the right person is out there for him.  He didn't necessarily expect the boat load of drama that came with her but well, what's a guy to do.  Grace is a little bit different.  A shy retiring shell, content to not be the object of attention, but a core of pure steel when the need arises.  Of course being on the run from a killer can do that to a girl.  Together, along with her friends, the are able to figure out life, love and what must come next.

I HAVE to go back and read the first novel in these series.  There's enough illusion to some events that were sure to cloud the story of Emma that I'm sure was told there.  Adn I can't wait for the next book which I hope will continue the story of Helen and the other women of Harper Station.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley.  I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.  I was not required to write a positive review. 

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About Karen Witemeyer 

After growing up in California, Karen 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 Inspirational Reader's Choice Award. 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.

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