by Karen Witemeyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Release Date: May 1, 2011
Source: sent by publisher
My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Summary from goodreads.com:
Having completed his sentence for the unintentional crime that derailed his youthful plans for fame and fortune, Levi Grant looks to start over in the town of Spencer, Texas. Spencer needs a blacksmith, a trade he learned at his father's knee, and he needs a place where no one knows his past. But small towns leave little room for secrets...
Eden Spencer has sworn off men, choosing instead to devote her time to the lending library she runs. When a mountain-sized stranger walks through her door and asks to borrow a book, she steels herself against the attraction he provokes. His halting speech and hesitant manner leave her doubting his intelligence. Yet as the mysteries of the town's new blacksmith unfold, Eden discovers hidden depths in him that tempt her heart.
Levi's renewed commitment to his faith leads Eden to believe she's finally found a man of honor and integrity, a man worthy of her love. But when the truth about his prodigal past comes to light, can this tarnished hero find a way to win back the librarian's affections?
My Review:
I had mixed feelings towards this story, there were aspects that I really enjoyed, but overall the message was a bit too heavy handed for my tastes in Christian fiction.
I really liked Levi's character. He was so well developed and I hadn't seen a former prisoner as the hero in a romance before, especially in the Christian market. It was interesting to see his guilt over his actions explored. I also really liked the story about his speech impediment. It was interesting how he was able to completely alter his vocabulary so it wouldn't include the letter s. It must have been challenging for the author to write his dialogue.
Eden, however, I did not like as much. She was so close minded and superior acting about her faith. She was the type of person to brag about how pious she was but not really show it. Yes, she grew over the course of the story, but she still irked me.
I loved the character of Chloe! She was the brightest spot in the book. She was able to talk sense into Eden with her "rock toters" story, which was a story and attitude that I won't soon forget. I also loved her romance with a certain gentleman but I'll let you find out their story when you read the book. They could have had their own entire story, in my opinion.
Main Characters: 3/5 (difficult because I liked Levi and disliked Eden)
Supporting Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5 (gotta love a western setting)
Romance: 3/5
Uniqueness: 4/5
Cover: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Bottom Line:There were many high points in this story, but especially towards the end, the innovative story was weighted down by a message that felt overbearing.