A cowboy who wants to be a preacher. An outlaw's daughter who wants to change his mind.
On his way to interview for a position at a church in the Piney Woods of Texas, Crockett Archer can't believe it when he's forced off the train by an outlaw and presented to the man's daughter as the preacher she requested for her birthday. He's determined to escape-which would be much easier if he could stop thinking about Joanna Robbins and her unexpected request.
For months, Joanna had prayed for a minister. A man to breathe life back into the abandoned church at the heart of her community. A man to assist her in fulfilling a promise to her dying mother. But just when it seems her prayers have been answered, it turns out the parson is there against his will and has dreams of his own calling him elsewhere. Is there any way she can convince Crockett he ended up right where he was supposed to be?
With her signature blend of humor, history, and lively western romance, two-time RITA Award finalist and bestselling author Karen Witemeyer delivers a Texas love story sure to steal your heart.
If I weren't already married, Stealing the Preacher would tempt me to go do just that! This seemingly sweet story has all sorts of layers to it - layers of truth, forgiveness, temptation, boundaries, family, and more. With all kinds of great faith lessons wrapped up in funny episodes and deep character interactions, I like this second installment in the Archer family series even more than the first - and that's saying something.
One difference that stands out to me between classic (older) and modern literature is the breadth. In older written works there tends to be more description, a wider range of plot obstacles, just a bigger picture overall. More modern written works, even those for adults, often have a more narrow, singular focus - almost as if we techno-crazed people are not able to abide for extra letters or lessons in our quest to hurry and solve the problem.
While Stealing the Preacher is not wordy by any means, I do appreciate the breadth that Witemyer has built into this series - and this book in particular. Each character has his or her own lesson to learn. Each one has a particular hobby or interest, most of which do not match up with that of another. These different pieces fit together like puzzles instead of overlapping, which makes the big picture far more colorful and interesting.
**Spoiler alert!* I'll speak in broad terms, but still ...
Witemyer also deals with topics rarely seen in modern novels, even those of the historical mindset: how to deal with sinners Biblically and how to achieve legal forgiveness. These are real issues that occur in our lives today, and putting these issues into this novel added plot complexity, realism, and a suspense factor that can't be beat.
Stealing the Preacher is a great summer read that ... well, forget that. This is a great anytime read.
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Two-time RITA finalist and winner of the coveted HOLT Medallion and ACFW Carol Award, CBA bestselling author Karen Witemeyer writes historical romance because she believes that the world needs more happily-ever-afters. She is an avid cross-stitcher, shower singer, and bakes a mean apple cobbler. Karen makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children. Learn more about Karen and her books at www.karenwitemeyer.com.
I received a free copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you so much for the great review, Amy. I'm delighted that you enjoyed the story so well. Have a blessed week!
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