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Ladies of Harper’s Station #1
No Other Will Do
Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts preached and why she started a successful women's colony in Harper's Station, Texas. But when an unknown assailant tries repeatedly to drive them out, Emma admits they might need a man after all. A man who can fight--and she knows just the one.
Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's plea arrives, he bolts to Harper's Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.
As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.
Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's plea arrives, he bolts to Harper's Station to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.
As the danger intensifies, old feelings grow and deepen, but Emma and Mal will need more than love to survive.
366 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2016
563 people are currently reading
3029 people want to read
About the author
Karen Witemeyer
69 books4,306 followersFor those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Voted #1 Readers' Favorite Christian Historical Author in 2023 by Family Fiction Magazine, Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and family board game player who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she's on deadline.
Karen also loves to reward her readers. Every month she gives away two inspirational historical novels to someone from her newsletter list and offers substantial bonus content on her website. To learn more about Karen and her books, or to join her subscriber list, please visit www.karenwitemeyer.com.
Karen also loves to reward her readers. Every month she gives away two inspirational historical novels to someone from her newsletter list and offers substantial bonus content on her website. To learn more about Karen and her books, or to join her subscriber list, please visit www.karenwitemeyer.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 563 reviews
August 3, 2016
What a gentleman, I've fallen in love with Malachi Shaw : )
September 9, 2021
This was a cute story of a town of all women, who need help after someone is after their town. But the only person Emma can trust has been long gone. Once Malichai Shaw get the note that Emma needs his help there are no questions, he is on his way. I enjoyed the story and the obvious love that Emma and Malichai have had for many years. Will definitely have to continue with this series.
My favorite line was from Betty when she said to charge the guy with "Murder, eighteen counts. The weasel killed my chickens."
My favorite line was from Betty when she said to charge the guy with "Murder, eighteen counts. The weasel killed my chickens."
July 9, 2016
No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer is a sweet story with a generous dash of suspense and action.
It's about a young woman banker, Emma Chandler, and her little community filled with abused and recovering women who have a hard time trusting those of the opposite gender. Malachi Shaw is an orphan who Emma helped out when they were younger. Now all grown up, he comes back to help save Emma and her friends from an ominous threat.
Despite little points of uniqueness, No Other Will Do is pretty much the standard Christian Historical Romance. All in all, I enjoyed this *mostly* light tale. It was relaxing and sweet. It wasn't my favorite novel by Karen Witemeyer, but I'm sure fans of the author will like it! *smiles*
My few complaints are ... well, mostly some aspects of the romance. The beginning of the book it did feel like we were dealing with a bunch of feminists, but I think that balanced out quite well. Malachi was strong and brave; and stood firm, not backing down even when certain ladies got in his face simply because he was a man.
So, on to my complaints about the romance. Too much of the physical side without any commitments. I'm noticing that kind of thing more and more in Christian novels, (I think I just never noticed it when I was younger), and it bothers me. It doesn't fit with my personal convictions, so that's why it bothers me. I don't know if any of the authors intend this, but sometimes it comes across that enjoying kissing and having physical attraction toward someone equals love.
And some of the romance scenes were a bit overboard in my opinion. I wanted to shout, Okay, Malachi, you can quit kissing her now! She's not your wife yet! *Ahem*
Anyway, overall it was an enjoyable western-ish romance.
I received a copy of No Other Will Do from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
It's about a young woman banker, Emma Chandler, and her little community filled with abused and recovering women who have a hard time trusting those of the opposite gender. Malachi Shaw is an orphan who Emma helped out when they were younger. Now all grown up, he comes back to help save Emma and her friends from an ominous threat.
Despite little points of uniqueness, No Other Will Do is pretty much the standard Christian Historical Romance. All in all, I enjoyed this *mostly* light tale. It was relaxing and sweet. It wasn't my favorite novel by Karen Witemeyer, but I'm sure fans of the author will like it! *smiles*
My few complaints are ... well, mostly some aspects of the romance. The beginning of the book it did feel like we were dealing with a bunch of feminists, but I think that balanced out quite well. Malachi was strong and brave; and stood firm, not backing down even when certain ladies got in his face simply because he was a man.
So, on to my complaints about the romance. Too much of the physical side without any commitments. I'm noticing that kind of thing more and more in Christian novels, (I think I just never noticed it when I was younger), and it bothers me. It doesn't fit with my personal convictions, so that's why it bothers me. I don't know if any of the authors intend this, but sometimes it comes across that enjoying kissing and having physical attraction toward someone equals love.
And some of the romance scenes were a bit overboard in my opinion. I wanted to shout, Okay, Malachi, you can quit kissing her now! She's not your wife yet! *Ahem*
Anyway, overall it was an enjoyable western-ish romance.
I received a copy of No Other Will Do from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
October 20, 2016
This book was so amazing I couldn't put it down! There was all these twists and turns that you had to find out who the culprit was. It kept me guessing till the end! I love the way Karen Witemeyer writes about God and romance! My two favorite things in the world! This story is about a girl names Emma and her journey through a loss of a mother and father. She then moves in with her two spunky aunts and helps an orphan named, Malichai. He leaves but when she sends and urgent letter for help, he comes right away. As he is there attractions blooms between them that could grow into something even more beautiful. I hope you guys enjoy this book as much as I did!
June 9, 2016
I'm a big fan of Karen Witemeyer and have been looking forward to this release. This was a really fun and unique story. I loved the setting and characters.
Emma is full of spunk and heart, she's an easy character to like and root for. Malachi is a fun mix of broody and charm. He has a complex past that makes him an interesting character, choosing to rise above his upbringing and really making something of himself. He still doesn't feel worthy of Emma though. These two have a great relationship, I loved their friendship and their fun chemistry. They definitely have sparks!! I hope some of the supporting characters get their own books/novella, I'd love to return to this charming town.
Overall, a fun escape and one is recommend.
Content
Romance: Clean
Language: None
Violence: Mild-Moderate, nothing overly graphic
Religious: Moderate
Source: Review copy
Emma is full of spunk and heart, she's an easy character to like and root for. Malachi is a fun mix of broody and charm. He has a complex past that makes him an interesting character, choosing to rise above his upbringing and really making something of himself. He still doesn't feel worthy of Emma though. These two have a great relationship, I loved their friendship and their fun chemistry. They definitely have sparks!! I hope some of the supporting characters get their own books/novella, I'd love to return to this charming town.
Overall, a fun escape and one is recommend.
Content
Romance: Clean
Language: None
Violence: Mild-Moderate, nothing overly graphic
Religious: Moderate
Source: Review copy
February 9, 2017
Yes, I know. It just came out today. :)
Well, actually, it got to my bookstore a few days early, so I began reading it late Sunday night after finishing two others that needed my attention. I haven't been at all tempted to lay it aside, though work and sleep got in the way twice before I could finish it today. The action is non-stop, and the characters show lots of spunk in the face of a villain determined to do what it takes to get them out of his way.
Normally I don't like women who're determined to do everything all by themselves, but Emma stole my heart before the first chapter was over!
Well, actually, it got to my bookstore a few days early, so I began reading it late Sunday night after finishing two others that needed my attention. I haven't been at all tempted to lay it aside, though work and sleep got in the way twice before I could finish it today. The action is non-stop, and the characters show lots of spunk in the face of a villain determined to do what it takes to get them out of his way.
Normally I don't like women who're determined to do everything all by themselves, but Emma stole my heart before the first chapter was over!
August 10, 2016
I am so behind in reviewing this book, but you know, life. Anyway, as I always say, Karen Witemeyer is one of my top favorite historical writers. I look forward to every one of her books. I really enjoyed No Other Will Do. I probably liked it even better than the last two books that came out. I loved Malachi, and Emma was one of the more likeable heroines I’ve read about. (I always seem to have issues with the heroines. I’m just weird that way.) This book was particularly interesting because it took place in a women’s colony. That is something I’ve never read about before. I think the only disappointment I actually had with this book was the cover. I miss how the old covers looked. I thought it made Karen’s books more unique. This one looks too much like so many other historical romances. But that’s just me, and it did nothing to detract from the story. Seriously, if you enjoy historical romance and haven’t checked out Karen Witemeyer’s book yet, you absolutely must.
September 4, 2016
This was a sweet historical romance that included a mystery. Main character Emma Chandler cares more about others than herself. She creates a town, Harper's Station, as a refuge for women. When the town comes under attack, she reaches out to an old friend, Malachi for assistance.
Watching Emma and Malachi protect the ladies in the town and figure out who wanted to harm the town was enjoyable.
I look forward to the continuing series.
Watching Emma and Malachi protect the ladies in the town and figure out who wanted to harm the town was enjoyable.
I look forward to the continuing series.
June 6, 2016
About this book:
“She Trusts Him for the Job, But Can She Trust Him With Her Heart?
Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts taught her and why she established Harper's Station, a women’s colony that offers a fresh start to females in need. But when a dangerous and shadowy assailant tries repeatedly to drive the women out, Emma is forced to admit they might need a man after all. One who can fight. And there is only one man she trusts enough to ask.
Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he’s always craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's telegram arrives, he rushes back to Texas to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.
As the danger intensifies, Emma, Mal, and the ladies of Harper’s Station must choose safety or whether to risk everything to fight for their future.”
Series: It look like it is Book #1 in the “Ladies of Harper Station” series.
Spiritual Content- James 2:14-17 at the beginning; Quite a few Scriptures are read, quoted & mentioned; Many Prayers & Blessings over food; Thanking & Praising God; Many talks about God & Jesus; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God; Young Mal doesn’t think God cares about him &is very mad at God (Older Mal is a bit better, but is quick to blame/forget about God); Many Talks about & mentions of those in the Bible; Many mentions of churches, preachers & sermons; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of blessings & angels; A few mentions of Heaven;
*Note: A couple mentions of Greek gods; A few mentions of devils.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crud’, a form of ‘shut up’, two forms of ‘drat’, two ‘idiot’s, two ‘pansy’s, two ‘stinkin’, three forms of ‘doggone it’, eight forms of ‘shoot’, eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Lots of Pain, fighting & throwing punches (semi-detailed); All about threats, villains, a fire, & threats of murder and killing; Many, many mentions of blood, pain, fighting, hitting, injuries, stitches, spouse abuse, abuse, & knives (semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of gunfire, bullet holes, shooters & shooting; Mentions of drinking, drunks, saloons, & gambling; Mentions of stealing & sidestepping the law; Mentions of killed chickens & fighting dogs (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of prison; A couple mentions of slavery; A couple mentions of Indian attacks; A couple mentions of the Grim Reaper; A couple mentions of having to put horses down; A couple mentions of hunting & rotting animals; A mention of hanging.
Sexual Content- a hand kiss, two forehead kisses, three barely-above-not-detailed kisses, two semi-detailed kisses and a very-detailed kiss; Remembering kisses (barely-above-not-detailed); Nuzzling; Wanting to touch & kiss; Lots of Touches, Embraces, Warmth & Smelling (semi-detailed); Nearness, Butterflies & Intimate feelings (up to semi-detailed); Noticing & Staring (up to semi-detailed); a ‘harlot’; A mention of flexing muscles; A mention of a man’s lover; A mention of female wiles; A mention of a man spanking Emma’s behind; A mention of woman who discovered herself pregnant after a man attacked her (no details); A couple mentions of mentions of a woman and child who died in childbirth; A couple mentions of a woman’s hips’ role in childbirth; A couple mentions of reputations & rumors; A couple mention of envisioning attacks; A couple mentions of hanky-panky; A couple mentions of a man’s bare chest (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of crushes; A few mentions of women who were ill-used by men; A few mentions of a prostitute, her company, entertaining them & pleasure houses (no details); Mentions of flirting, blushes & jealousy; Mentions of men who think they own/bought their brides; Mentions of when a boy tried to kiss Emma (age 13) (he does kiss her, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kissing & nuzzling; Love, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: A few mentions of figures & swigging hips.
-Emma Chandler, age 23 {11}
-Malachi Shaw, age 25 {13}
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1894 {Prologue set in 1882}
364 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
I was completely absorbed into this novel from the first page. Karen Witemeyer really hit it out of the park with this plot and these characters. Malachi has to be one of the best male leads I’ve read about this year. He and Emma were just adorable and I loved reading their backstories together. Now, don’t think I’m skimming over all the touchy, feely, kissy parts—those I could have done without—but I did really enjoy this book. I was quite giddy while reading it and smiling large at all the wit.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
“She Trusts Him for the Job, But Can She Trust Him With Her Heart?
Men are optional. That's the credo Emma Chandler's suffragette aunts taught her and why she established Harper's Station, a women’s colony that offers a fresh start to females in need. But when a dangerous and shadowy assailant tries repeatedly to drive the women out, Emma is forced to admit they might need a man after all. One who can fight. And there is only one man she trusts enough to ask.
Malachi Shaw finally earned the respect he’s always craved by becoming an explosives expert for the railroad. Yet when Emma's telegram arrives, he rushes back to Texas to repay the girl who once saved his life. Only she's not a girl any longer. She's a woman with a mind of her own and a smile that makes a man imagine a future he doesn't deserve.
As the danger intensifies, Emma, Mal, and the ladies of Harper’s Station must choose safety or whether to risk everything to fight for their future.”
Series: It look like it is Book #1 in the “Ladies of Harper Station” series.
Spiritual Content- James 2:14-17 at the beginning; Quite a few Scriptures are read, quoted & mentioned; Many Prayers & Blessings over food; Thanking & Praising God; Many talks about God & Jesus; ‘H’s are not capital when referring to God; Young Mal doesn’t think God cares about him &is very mad at God (Older Mal is a bit better, but is quick to blame/forget about God); Many Talks about & mentions of those in the Bible; Many mentions of churches, preachers & sermons; Mentions of God; Mentions of prayers; Mentions of blessings & angels; A few mentions of Heaven;
*Note: A couple mentions of Greek gods; A few mentions of devils.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘crud’, a form of ‘shut up’, two forms of ‘drat’, two ‘idiot’s, two ‘pansy’s, two ‘stinkin’, three forms of ‘doggone it’, eight forms of ‘shoot’, eight ‘stupid’s; Mentions of curses (said, not written); Lots of Pain, fighting & throwing punches (semi-detailed); All about threats, villains, a fire, & threats of murder and killing; Many, many mentions of blood, pain, fighting, hitting, injuries, stitches, spouse abuse, abuse, & knives (semi-detailed); Mentions of deaths (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of gunfire, bullet holes, shooters & shooting; Mentions of drinking, drunks, saloons, & gambling; Mentions of stealing & sidestepping the law; Mentions of killed chickens & fighting dogs (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of prison; A couple mentions of slavery; A couple mentions of Indian attacks; A couple mentions of the Grim Reaper; A couple mentions of having to put horses down; A couple mentions of hunting & rotting animals; A mention of hanging.
Sexual Content- a hand kiss, two forehead kisses, three barely-above-not-detailed kisses, two semi-detailed kisses and a very-detailed kiss; Remembering kisses (barely-above-not-detailed); Nuzzling; Wanting to touch & kiss; Lots of Touches, Embraces, Warmth & Smelling (semi-detailed); Nearness, Butterflies & Intimate feelings (up to semi-detailed); Noticing & Staring (up to semi-detailed); a ‘harlot’; A mention of flexing muscles; A mention of a man’s lover; A mention of female wiles; A mention of a man spanking Emma’s behind; A mention of woman who discovered herself pregnant after a man attacked her (no details); A couple mentions of mentions of a woman and child who died in childbirth; A couple mentions of a woman’s hips’ role in childbirth; A couple mentions of reputations & rumors; A couple mention of envisioning attacks; A couple mentions of hanky-panky; A couple mentions of a man’s bare chest (barely-above-not-detailed); A few mentions of crushes; A few mentions of women who were ill-used by men; A few mentions of a prostitute, her company, entertaining them & pleasure houses (no details); Mentions of flirting, blushes & jealousy; Mentions of men who think they own/bought their brides; Mentions of when a boy tried to kiss Emma (age 13) (he does kiss her, barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of kissing & nuzzling; Love, falling in love & the emotions;
*Note: A few mentions of figures & swigging hips.
-Emma Chandler, age 23 {11}
-Malachi Shaw, age 25 {13}
P.O.V. switches between them
Set in 1894 {Prologue set in 1882}
364 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars (and a half)
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
I was completely absorbed into this novel from the first page. Karen Witemeyer really hit it out of the park with this plot and these characters. Malachi has to be one of the best male leads I’ve read about this year. He and Emma were just adorable and I loved reading their backstories together. Now, don’t think I’m skimming over all the touchy, feely, kissy parts—those I could have done without—but I did really enjoy this book. I was quite giddy while reading it and smiling large at all the wit.
Link to review:
http://booksforchristiangirls.blogspo...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
*I received this book for free from the Author for this honest review.
April 1, 2017
Loved this one! 4.5 stars. It took me a little while to get into it (hence I'm docking off .5 stars) but once I did, I couldn't put it down! Harper's Station, a women's colony, was an interesting setting and I loved how fiercely determined Emma Chandler and the rest of the colony were to stand up and fight against the assailant who was sending threats.
The author, as always in her novels, created a novel balanced perfectly in regards to action, romance, serious moments, Biblical lessons and funny scenes. There's this one scene that cracked me up, where the hero (Malachi Shaw) doesn't hear the full conversation and thinks that they're talking about a man and not a snake. You have to read the story to find out what that's about, but that gave me a good laugh!
And speaking of Malachi Shaw- the perfect hero! He and Levi from To Win Her Heart are now my favourite Witemeyer novel heroes. :)
The author, as always in her novels, created a novel balanced perfectly in regards to action, romance, serious moments, Biblical lessons and funny scenes. There's this one scene that cracked me up, where the hero (Malachi Shaw) doesn't hear the full conversation and thinks that they're talking about a man and not a snake. You have to read the story to find out what that's about, but that gave me a good laugh!
And speaking of Malachi Shaw- the perfect hero! He and Levi from To Win Her Heart are now my favourite Witemeyer novel heroes. :)
June 23, 2018
What a great story! Action, romance, mystery...this one has it all!
May 29, 2018
Plot - 4
Writing style - 4
Characters - 4.5
Romance - 4
In which a poor young boy stumbled upon a barn seeking for shelter in a cold night in where he met a kid, an angel who saves his life who along with her aunts, adopted him. 10 years later, the two of them reunited, realized that the feelings are still there.
Plot - I've never read a novel that is set in the 19th century, involving a woman having a league perfect for women. The plot was amazing, I have to tell you that. Kept me awake all night wondering who is the man behind all the tragedy. I liked that it has a touch of mystery to it.
And what I love the most about the novel is the epilogue. I was smiling the whole time I was reading it. Humanity restored, indeed.
Oh how enjoyable it is to read their childhood moments.
Writing style - fast-paced. A few boring moments but that didn't stop me from enjoying the novel. I do enjoy the two point of views instead of only the heroine's.
Read it in two sitting because, uhm, I need to sleep. Haha
Characters - not one dimensional. Entertaining and sometimes, felt too good to be true.
The aunts, goodness, they're my favorite so because they are just so kind it makes you wanna cry and thank then and wish people like them truly exist.
The female lead is remarkable as well. I admire her passion when it comes to leadership, boldness, and in helping those in need. She has a heart made of gold. Beautiful inside and out. The type of heroine you want to read again and again.
The male lead is the same. Sweet guy, let me say. Git that typical hero vibes. Acting so tough on the outside but really soft in the inside especially when it comes to "his angel"
Though, I pity him for his tragedies in the past. How I wish I could hug him and pat him in the back
Romance - goodness, throughout the novel, you'll just find yourself rolling your eyes and say, "just kiss!" I mean, they obviously are head-over-heels to each other but they kept shutting their feelings down to themselves which makes it so frustrating.
Nevertheless, the ending was okay but it's a bit of cliffhanger despite the fact that everything was settled.
Writing style - 4
Characters - 4.5
Romance - 4
In which a poor young boy stumbled upon a barn seeking for shelter in a cold night in where he met a kid, an angel who saves his life who along with her aunts, adopted him. 10 years later, the two of them reunited, realized that the feelings are still there.
Plot - I've never read a novel that is set in the 19th century, involving a woman having a league perfect for women. The plot was amazing, I have to tell you that. Kept me awake all night wondering who is the man behind all the tragedy. I liked that it has a touch of mystery to it.
And what I love the most about the novel is the epilogue. I was smiling the whole time I was reading it. Humanity restored, indeed.
Oh how enjoyable it is to read their childhood moments.
Writing style - fast-paced. A few boring moments but that didn't stop me from enjoying the novel. I do enjoy the two point of views instead of only the heroine's.
Read it in two sitting because, uhm, I need to sleep. Haha
Characters - not one dimensional. Entertaining and sometimes, felt too good to be true.
The aunts, goodness, they're my favorite so because they are just so kind it makes you wanna cry and thank then and wish people like them truly exist.
The female lead is remarkable as well. I admire her passion when it comes to leadership, boldness, and in helping those in need. She has a heart made of gold. Beautiful inside and out. The type of heroine you want to read again and again.
The male lead is the same. Sweet guy, let me say. Git that typical hero vibes. Acting so tough on the outside but really soft in the inside especially when it comes to "his angel"
Though, I pity him for his tragedies in the past. How I wish I could hug him and pat him in the back
Romance - goodness, throughout the novel, you'll just find yourself rolling your eyes and say, "just kiss!" I mean, they obviously are head-over-heels to each other but they kept shutting their feelings down to themselves which makes it so frustrating.
Nevertheless, the ending was okay but it's a bit of cliffhanger despite the fact that everything was settled.
May 24, 2018
FTC DISCLAIMER: I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Boy, oh boy! Or should I say, Gal, oh gal!
This adventure featuring a women’s colony was a delightful tale that kept me in stitches from page one through the finale. I can hardly wait to get to the next installment or two. I really liked how it featured an explosives expert as well as the suffragette movement. Though the latter is not my favorite topic ever, and a couple of moments in the story were a tad abrasive in pushing women’s rights, I thought it was handled in a funny way in most instances, which took the sting right out of the women-only stance that irks me. Ms. Witemeyer’s trademark humor was laced into every aspect of this book, sometimes delicately while other times were in-your-face hysterical.
Things I didn’t like included:
* a disrespectful name for God (Big Man; used once)
* swearing “by all that was holy” (used once)
* one profanity
* a pair of horses’ names were those of mythological gods, and this was highlighted in a couple of scenes, intentionally drawing attention to the fact that they’re mythological in nature
* “Heaven” was used in vain numerous times throughout the story.
Had those things been cleaned up, this unpredictable story would have easily claimed all five stars from me and been tagged as a favorite. It was a precious romp through an Old West town, with all the hijinks you’d imagine would take place in a colony filled with nothing but women and children. Oh, there’s trouble a-brewin’!
And I can only think there must be many more adventures in store for the Ladies of Harper’s Station!
Boy, oh boy! Or should I say, Gal, oh gal!
This adventure featuring a women’s colony was a delightful tale that kept me in stitches from page one through the finale. I can hardly wait to get to the next installment or two. I really liked how it featured an explosives expert as well as the suffragette movement. Though the latter is not my favorite topic ever, and a couple of moments in the story were a tad abrasive in pushing women’s rights, I thought it was handled in a funny way in most instances, which took the sting right out of the women-only stance that irks me. Ms. Witemeyer’s trademark humor was laced into every aspect of this book, sometimes delicately while other times were in-your-face hysterical.
Things I didn’t like included:
* a disrespectful name for God (Big Man; used once)
* swearing “by all that was holy” (used once)
* one profanity
* a pair of horses’ names were those of mythological gods, and this was highlighted in a couple of scenes, intentionally drawing attention to the fact that they’re mythological in nature
* “Heaven” was used in vain numerous times throughout the story.
Had those things been cleaned up, this unpredictable story would have easily claimed all five stars from me and been tagged as a favorite. It was a precious romp through an Old West town, with all the hijinks you’d imagine would take place in a colony filled with nothing but women and children. Oh, there’s trouble a-brewin’!
And I can only think there must be many more adventures in store for the Ladies of Harper’s Station!
February 26, 2017
Once again I was captivated by the unique story that Karen Witemeyer wove with vibrant historical detail, humor, action, and sweet romance. I loved the background of how Malachi came to know Emma and her aunts as a youth. It created a special bond between him and Emma and their rapport as adults picked up right where it left off. He is unfailingly loyal and defends her with a fierce protectiveness. The setting of a western town with no men is fascinating, with a wide variety of characters who live and work in the community. I appreciated that Emma was not portrayed as a man-hater, even though she's witnessed abuse and dealt with some frustrating men. She is open to love and sees the good in all people, males included. Mal's reserved yet passionate nature was a perfect contrast to Emma's more open and positive personality, and as they worked together to protect the community and draw out the villain, their relationship deepens even though Mal doesn't think he deserves her. The person behind the attacks remains a mystery for much of the book, leading me to suspect pretty much anyone suspicious :) Emma and Mal had to do the same in order to catch the perpetrator, even though it was hard for Emma to believe any of the ladies taking refuge in their town could be a traitor. The story explored themes of independence, recovery from abuse, the value and worth of an individual, and finding purpose in following God's will.
(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
(Thank you to the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)
June 24, 2016
This was a really good book and I enjoyed hearing about the women's suffrage movement from a different point of view. I found the history to be very interesting and greatly enjoyed it. While I did not enjoy this book as much as some of her other books its definitely a must read in my book.
March 20, 2017
I've read a couple of Karen's books before this one and really enjoyed them, so I went into No Other Will Do with high expectations. While this novel was good, I tend to agree with other reviews and say that this is not her best. The book, of course, is written very well and each character has their own unique voice, but nothing about the story really clicked with me. I did enjoy the idea of a women's colony and whatnot, but I didn't particularly enjoy Emma or Malachi's character. She was a bit too... frustrating and bossy for my taste. He was too dramatic. I will definitely be reading the novella about Tori and Ben, though, and I would suggest this story to others as it is done well.
February 29, 2016
Whew! What a rush!!!! Witemeyer's newest romance blends a hearty dose of suspense into her trademark sizzling chemistry to create a heart-pounding page turner! I literally could NOT put it down! Look for my full review on Fiction 411's BookTalk closer to the release date!
October 3, 2023
Once again, a thoroughly enjoyable story. I've read other book in the series, but was glad to finally read the first one. I liked getting to know the tough cookie, Emma. I loved her introduction to Malachi. When she said that her aunts were letting her "keep him," it rang through my mind over and over throughout the story.
I couldn't figure out who was trying to take over the town and force all of the women out. I enjoyed getting to know the strong ladies of the town and how they looked after each other. There was mystery and goings-on throughout the entire book. Of course, there was the romance we always love!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable story!
I couldn't figure out who was trying to take over the town and force all of the women out. I enjoyed getting to know the strong ladies of the town and how they looked after each other. There was mystery and goings-on throughout the entire book. Of course, there was the romance we always love!
This was a thoroughly enjoyable story!
July 1, 2016
This book was amazing start to this series and as always Karen witemeyer doesn't disappoint and I can't wait for the next book in this series
June 8, 2018
Karen Witemeyer is a rather new to me author - this was the third book I have read written by her - but she is fast becoming a favourite.
Emma and Malachi grabbed me from the start of their story, with Malachi claiming Emma as "his angel", and young Emma running into the barn, proclaiming "the aunts said I could keep you". This was just the start of fun quirky communication between Emma and Malachi and a fun sweet chemistry which felt tangible for this reader. I was smiling numerous times while reading and enjoyed the writing so much, I found myself reading a bit slower to take it all in.
Trying to solve the mystery of the outlaw and what he wanted kept me on the edge of my seat, especially during the last 30% of the book. My "inside-man" guess was correct.
There was so many characters I adored, from sweet Emma to swoon-worthy Malachi (who is probably my second favourite male character this year), to the aunts, especially aunt Betsie, who at the end of the book wanted to be part of the "explosive action" and Betty, the crazy chicken lady. There were also a few ladies (Helen and Tori to name a few), with a hint of mystery whom I'm hoping we will get to know in more books in the series. I know there is currently 2 full novels and 2 novellas, so hoping the mysteries/past of these women is revealed in those.
Emma and Malachi grabbed me from the start of their story, with Malachi claiming Emma as "his angel", and young Emma running into the barn, proclaiming "the aunts said I could keep you". This was just the start of fun quirky communication between Emma and Malachi and a fun sweet chemistry which felt tangible for this reader. I was smiling numerous times while reading and enjoyed the writing so much, I found myself reading a bit slower to take it all in.
Trying to solve the mystery of the outlaw and what he wanted kept me on the edge of my seat, especially during the last 30% of the book. My "inside-man" guess was correct.
There was so many characters I adored, from sweet Emma to swoon-worthy Malachi (who is probably my second favourite male character this year), to the aunts, especially aunt Betsie, who at the end of the book wanted to be part of the "explosive action" and Betty, the crazy chicken lady. There were also a few ladies (Helen and Tori to name a few), with a hint of mystery whom I'm hoping we will get to know in more books in the series. I know there is currently 2 full novels and 2 novellas, so hoping the mysteries/past of these women is revealed in those.
May 11, 2020
Pretty cute. I don't read a lot of historical books done in Western style so this was a nice change of pace. Friends-to-lovers is a romance trope I enjoy so I liked that Mal and Emma had known each other since they were kids.
Mal was such a lovable hero. He was the definition of a manly man, totally out of his depth with so many females around, and I had to laugh that one time he pretended Emma was his horse in order to figure out how to comfort her when she was upset and needed a hug. I liked that he learned during the story to be a little gentler and not put up emotional walls to block people out due to a fear of getting hurt, but never lost his masculinity and strength. The author allowed him to be a healthy example of the protectors God intends men to be, and I appreciated that.
Emma, by contrast, was allowed to be feminine, but also a tough and strong (yet realistically imperfect) leader of her women's colony. I don't know if any colonies like that actually existed in the old west, but I liked the idea of someone creating a place for women who were battered or otherwise being forced into a less than ideal life situation to escape and have a safe haven where they could work to support themselves and create their own lives without fear. Emma truly cared about her ladies and wanted to do what was best for them. I loved that she and Mal were able to come alongside each other in partnership to protect the colony and solve the mystery of who was threatening them.
The aunts were absolutely precious, too. Also, Mal's little kid friend, what's-his-name (sorry, the book is not nearby and I'm blanking. It started with an "A". Adam?), was so cute. I loved him to pieces and applaud the author for managing to write a tag-along kid who *wasn't* annoying in the least, as that type of child character so often is. And also, I ship Porter and Tori. I ship them hard.
The only things I didn't like were 1) Sometimes Mal's resistance against allowing himself to love Emma because he thought he couldn't stay in the women's colony (being a man and all) and Emma would never leave her ladies came off as a little silly to me. Like, dude, if she marries you and the other women are okay with it, of course you'd be able to stay. I guess his reasoning just didn't make sense to me, but then we all have lies we believe, some more blatantly obvious to others than they are to us, so I'm not complaining too much about that.
2) I HATED the villain. Hate, hate, hated him. Arg. It was obvious from what he was he doing to try to chase the women out that he was a nasty person, but once we learned who he was and the true depths of his depravity, I just *shudder*. He was just an unrepentant, awful excuse for humanity and I hated every moment he was on the page. He deserved everything he got.
3) I guessed the female traitor long before the main characters figured her out. It was a bit obvious, (to me, anyway,) and I was surprised it took them so long to confirm it was her. They get points for at least suspecting her, but I thought it shouldn't have taken that long to figure out, or at least think it shouldn't have been made so obvious it was her.
4) (This one's minor.) I thought Tori's 4-year-old son read much older than 4. More like 6 or 7. And in the first chapter of the book when we saw Mal and Emma as children, I thought Emma read way younger than she was supposed to be. I know it can be hard to capture children's voices in writing and make them sound the appropriate age, so I'm not too bothered by that. It's more just an observation.
Those things didn't take away from my enjoyment too much, but enough that I am knocking off one star just because they did make me not enjoy the story to the fullness that I do when I give something 5 stars. Overall, though, I'm glad to have finally read something from this author and will be looking to read more from her, especially the rest of this series.
Content advisory:
Sexual: Heavy doses of attraction between Emma and Mal. They both think about how the other has grown into a handsome man or beautiful woman. They both get tingles/blushes/warm feelings semi-frequently while around each other. Eventually, they both start thinking how they'd like to hold or be held by or kiss the other person. At one point, while teaching Emma how to aim a (unloaded) gun, Mal has a moment of weakness standing so close to Emma and momentarily "nuzzles" her neck (moderately described), only to realize what he's doing and be annoyed with himself for it. Emma briefly sees Mal shirtless when someone is tending to a wound in his arm and she notices his muscles (barely described). There are three actual kisses. The first one is brief and not described at all. The second one is very described (not in a sexual way, just a long-ish description of them holding each other), and the third one is only mildly described.
There's mild attraction between two other characters, too, but no physical affection happens between them.
A mail-order bride who comes to the colony to get away from the man to whom's ad she was responding (and turned out to be an old man, and not very nice), tells Emma how the man blatantly showed her the bedroom mere minutes after meeting her and told her how fast he got a baby out of his previous wife and how he thought this woman had good child-bearing hips, too.
When Emma finally meets the villain, he is lecherous toward her, calling her various endearments, saying she's pretty, and when he kidnaps her, there's some concern that he could hurt her in a way other than beating her up or killing her, though the word "rape" is never said outright. He doesn't ever do this, though.
Violence: The main plot revolves around how someone is threatening the women of the colony with their lives if they don't leave the colony. There's one scene where the outlaw shoots a rifle through the window of the church. It turns out he was shooting above the women's heads to scare them, but of course they didn't know that when it was happening and they duck and hide, afraid for their lives.
The same person sets the church on fire. No one is hurt, but the fire was used to write the message "Leave or die" on the church wall.
Someone's chickens all get killed when dogs are intentionally let onto her property to cause destruction. Barely described.
The outlaw and accomplice ride through town and shoot out the windows of Emma's bank and also shoot at Mal. Mal shoots back, but misses.
The outlaw leaves a threatening message for Emma that depicts her lying on her back with "X's" where her eyes should be, dead.
The part that was most difficult for me to read was when the villain's identity is revealed, along with the identity of the woman traitor, and Emma witnesses him repeatedly punch and kick the woman until the woman can no longer stand. Mal later finds her dragging herself along the ground, trying to get back to town, and has to carry her to get her help. (The villain remains unrepentant for any of this and says twice that his wife is his property for him to do with as he pleases.)
Emma shoots the villain in the arm (blood briefly mentioned), but then he gets hold of her and hits her in the head with a fist (described from her perspective.) Later, though it happens "off screen" it's stated that he hit Emma again when she verbally attacked him while she was tied up. When he's using her as leverage against Mal, the villain puts his hand around Emma's throat and threatens to strangle her. He does actually squeeze her throat enough to leave bruises.
The villain gets shot in the arm a second time, gets a knife in the leg, Mal gets stabbed in the arm and pulls the knife out, and the villain gets knocked unconscious with the butt of a rifle. Blood is briefly mentioned in all these cases, but never gets graphic.
Spiritual: Emma, the aunts, and Mal are all Christians. When Mal was a child, he had some disrespectful thoughts about God, thinking of Him as "The Man Upstairs" but not believing He cares. Mal apparently learned better later and also grows closer to God during the story. Both he and Emma pray for help and guidance.
Mal was such a lovable hero. He was the definition of a manly man, totally out of his depth with so many females around, and I had to laugh that one time he pretended Emma was his horse in order to figure out how to comfort her when she was upset and needed a hug. I liked that he learned during the story to be a little gentler and not put up emotional walls to block people out due to a fear of getting hurt, but never lost his masculinity and strength. The author allowed him to be a healthy example of the protectors God intends men to be, and I appreciated that.
Emma, by contrast, was allowed to be feminine, but also a tough and strong (yet realistically imperfect) leader of her women's colony. I don't know if any colonies like that actually existed in the old west, but I liked the idea of someone creating a place for women who were battered or otherwise being forced into a less than ideal life situation to escape and have a safe haven where they could work to support themselves and create their own lives without fear. Emma truly cared about her ladies and wanted to do what was best for them. I loved that she and Mal were able to come alongside each other in partnership to protect the colony and solve the mystery of who was threatening them.
The aunts were absolutely precious, too. Also, Mal's little kid friend, what's-his-name (sorry, the book is not nearby and I'm blanking. It started with an "A". Adam?), was so cute. I loved him to pieces and applaud the author for managing to write a tag-along kid who *wasn't* annoying in the least, as that type of child character so often is. And also, I ship Porter and Tori. I ship them hard.
The only things I didn't like were 1) Sometimes Mal's resistance against allowing himself to love Emma because he thought he couldn't stay in the women's colony (being a man and all) and Emma would never leave her ladies came off as a little silly to me. Like, dude, if she marries you and the other women are okay with it, of course you'd be able to stay. I guess his reasoning just didn't make sense to me, but then we all have lies we believe, some more blatantly obvious to others than they are to us, so I'm not complaining too much about that.
2) I HATED the villain. Hate, hate, hated him. Arg. It was obvious from what he was he doing to try to chase the women out that he was a nasty person, but once we learned who he was and the true depths of his depravity, I just *shudder*. He was just an unrepentant, awful excuse for humanity and I hated every moment he was on the page. He deserved everything he got.
3) I guessed the female traitor long before the main characters figured her out. It was a bit obvious, (to me, anyway,) and I was surprised it took them so long to confirm it was her. They get points for at least suspecting her, but I thought it shouldn't have taken that long to figure out, or at least think it shouldn't have been made so obvious it was her.
4) (This one's minor.) I thought Tori's 4-year-old son read much older than 4. More like 6 or 7. And in the first chapter of the book when we saw Mal and Emma as children, I thought Emma read way younger than she was supposed to be. I know it can be hard to capture children's voices in writing and make them sound the appropriate age, so I'm not too bothered by that. It's more just an observation.
Those things didn't take away from my enjoyment too much, but enough that I am knocking off one star just because they did make me not enjoy the story to the fullness that I do when I give something 5 stars. Overall, though, I'm glad to have finally read something from this author and will be looking to read more from her, especially the rest of this series.
Content advisory:
Sexual: Heavy doses of attraction between Emma and Mal. They both think about how the other has grown into a handsome man or beautiful woman. They both get tingles/blushes/warm feelings semi-frequently while around each other. Eventually, they both start thinking how they'd like to hold or be held by or kiss the other person. At one point, while teaching Emma how to aim a (unloaded) gun, Mal has a moment of weakness standing so close to Emma and momentarily "nuzzles" her neck (moderately described), only to realize what he's doing and be annoyed with himself for it. Emma briefly sees Mal shirtless when someone is tending to a wound in his arm and she notices his muscles (barely described). There are three actual kisses. The first one is brief and not described at all. The second one is very described (not in a sexual way, just a long-ish description of them holding each other), and the third one is only mildly described.
There's mild attraction between two other characters, too, but no physical affection happens between them.
A mail-order bride who comes to the colony to get away from the man to whom's ad she was responding (and turned out to be an old man, and not very nice), tells Emma how the man blatantly showed her the bedroom mere minutes after meeting her and told her how fast he got a baby out of his previous wife and how he thought this woman had good child-bearing hips, too.
When Emma finally meets the villain, he is lecherous toward her, calling her various endearments, saying she's pretty, and when he kidnaps her, there's some concern that he could hurt her in a way other than beating her up or killing her, though the word "rape" is never said outright. He doesn't ever do this, though.
Violence: The main plot revolves around how someone is threatening the women of the colony with their lives if they don't leave the colony. There's one scene where the outlaw shoots a rifle through the window of the church. It turns out he was shooting above the women's heads to scare them, but of course they didn't know that when it was happening and they duck and hide, afraid for their lives.
The same person sets the church on fire. No one is hurt, but the fire was used to write the message "Leave or die" on the church wall.
Someone's chickens all get killed when dogs are intentionally let onto her property to cause destruction. Barely described.
The outlaw and accomplice ride through town and shoot out the windows of Emma's bank and also shoot at Mal. Mal shoots back, but misses.
The outlaw leaves a threatening message for Emma that depicts her lying on her back with "X's" where her eyes should be, dead.
The part that was most difficult for me to read was when the villain's identity is revealed, along with the identity of the woman traitor, and Emma witnesses him repeatedly punch and kick the woman until the woman can no longer stand. Mal later finds her dragging herself along the ground, trying to get back to town, and has to carry her to get her help. (The villain remains unrepentant for any of this and says twice that his wife is his property for him to do with as he pleases.)
Emma shoots the villain in the arm (blood briefly mentioned), but then he gets hold of her and hits her in the head with a fist (described from her perspective.) Later, though it happens "off screen" it's stated that he hit Emma again when she verbally attacked him while she was tied up. When he's using her as leverage against Mal, the villain puts his hand around Emma's throat and threatens to strangle her. He does actually squeeze her throat enough to leave bruises.
The villain gets shot in the arm a second time, gets a knife in the leg, Mal gets stabbed in the arm and pulls the knife out, and the villain gets knocked unconscious with the butt of a rifle. Blood is briefly mentioned in all these cases, but never gets graphic.
Spiritual: Emma, the aunts, and Mal are all Christians. When Mal was a child, he had some disrespectful thoughts about God, thinking of Him as "The Man Upstairs" but not believing He cares. Mal apparently learned better later and also grows closer to God during the story. Both he and Emma pray for help and guidance.
April 28, 2023
Aw, what a sweet romantic western story!
I love Karen Witemeyer stories. They always have such a cozy feel to them. I love curling up in bed with a cup of tea and one of her book🥰 🍵.
I loved this romance! It was sooo sweet, from beginning to the end! Unfortunately, the only downer is I didn’t find myself connected to any of the characters or the main plot. Because of this, I speed read this book in a day.
Something I’m coming to discover is that I enjoy Karen’s stand-alone novels more than her series, sadly🥺. I hope that changes with her newest series because the western fairytale retelling premise sounds so interesting and unique! We’ll have to see👀.
I love Karen Witemeyer stories. They always have such a cozy feel to them. I love curling up in bed with a cup of tea and one of her book🥰 🍵.
I loved this romance! It was sooo sweet, from beginning to the end! Unfortunately, the only downer is I didn’t find myself connected to any of the characters or the main plot. Because of this, I speed read this book in a day.
Something I’m coming to discover is that I enjoy Karen’s stand-alone novels more than her series, sadly🥺. I hope that changes with her newest series because the western fairytale retelling premise sounds so interesting and unique! We’ll have to see👀.
April 7, 2017
A truly enjoyable book with a twist -- an all woman's community
July 27, 2021
Such a lovely romance and unique storyline! A must-read!
June 6, 2018
Once again Karen Witemeyer will tickle your funny bone with rollicking humor, then toss in a mystery plus some romance to create a delightful read you can't put down. This book was filled with a plethora of uniquely crafted characters: Emma, the founder of Harper's Station, her two aunts, Bertie and Henry, as well as a bunch of townswomen of all sorts. Harper's Station is a ladies only town. But when they start to be threatened by a mysterious stranger, Emma immediately calls upon her life long friend, Malachi, for help. The main characters and the supporting cast all are blended together with a well written plot that could be subtitled: The Avenging Angel and the Handsome Cowboy. It also includes spiritual content that fits into the plot at exactly the right places.
If you like Jen Turano, Karen Witemeyer will be an author to add to your list. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
If you like Jen Turano, Karen Witemeyer will be an author to add to your list. Can't wait to read the next book in the series.
July 3, 2018
This is one of those books I wish I could give 6 stars to! This was my first Karen Witemeyer book and I loved it! Karen Witemeyer is definitely going on my list of favorite authors. It was a delightful blend of romance, adventure, history, action, and humor with wonderful spiritual themes of trusting God and relying on Him woven throughout. I also loved the characters and I'm excited to get to read some of the secondary characters' stories. Looking forward to reading more of Karen's books!
March 1, 2022
This book was soo good! I pretty much knew I was going to love it from the first chapter when Emma said her aunts said she could keep Mal. That was just adorable. 🥰
And when Mal tells that kid that Emma was his angel… I melted.🥺❤️
I adore childhood friends that grow up and fall in love so this book made me really happy.
I loved Emma’s character. She was strong, brave, and kind. Even though she liked being strong and independent on her own, she also recognized when she needed help and couldn’t do everything herself. She wasn’t over the top with her desire to be independent by pushing the guy away which I liked. She was an inspiring, likable Main character.
Mal was such a great male lead. He made me laugh several times, especially when he had no idea how to comfort a sobbing Emma. It was so cute. 😂 But also, he was just a really great guy. He genuinely respected Emma and the ladies of the town but he also held his ground and stood up for himself when some of the ladies got in his face.
I loved Aunt Henry and Aunt Bertie. Those two cracked me up, Aunt Henry especially.
Also, I ship Mr. Porter and Tori. I need to read their novella now.
And Andrew was great too, what little we saw of him. He was a cute kid. ☺️
The love story was adorable. Really, it was so sweet. I love how Emma and Mal respected one another. I loved them together.
The plot was solid. I liked the mystery a lot. It kept me on the edge of my seat with all the danger and intense scenes.
I liked that the ladies had understandable reasons for their caution and dislike towards men. They weren’t just prejudice for no solid reason. Most of their circumstances were sad but they were strong women.
Content wise, there’s quite a bit of physical attraction and one or two semi-detailed kisses but nothing besides that. There’s some violence and a side character is physically abused.
This book was so good and I enjoyed it a lot. I loved the setting, characters, romance… really good!
And when Mal tells that kid that Emma was his angel… I melted.🥺❤️
I adore childhood friends that grow up and fall in love so this book made me really happy.
I loved Emma’s character. She was strong, brave, and kind. Even though she liked being strong and independent on her own, she also recognized when she needed help and couldn’t do everything herself. She wasn’t over the top with her desire to be independent by pushing the guy away which I liked. She was an inspiring, likable Main character.
Mal was such a great male lead. He made me laugh several times, especially when he had no idea how to comfort a sobbing Emma. It was so cute. 😂 But also, he was just a really great guy. He genuinely respected Emma and the ladies of the town but he also held his ground and stood up for himself when some of the ladies got in his face.
I loved Aunt Henry and Aunt Bertie. Those two cracked me up, Aunt Henry especially.
Also, I ship Mr. Porter and Tori. I need to read their novella now.
And Andrew was great too, what little we saw of him. He was a cute kid. ☺️
The love story was adorable. Really, it was so sweet. I love how Emma and Mal respected one another. I loved them together.
The plot was solid. I liked the mystery a lot. It kept me on the edge of my seat with all the danger and intense scenes.
I liked that the ladies had understandable reasons for their caution and dislike towards men. They weren’t just prejudice for no solid reason. Most of their circumstances were sad but they were strong women.
Content wise, there’s quite a bit of physical attraction and one or two semi-detailed kisses but nothing besides that. There’s some violence and a side character is physically abused.
This book was so good and I enjoyed it a lot. I loved the setting, characters, romance… really good!
December 21, 2017
No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer
Date: 1882
Place: Cooke County, TX
Locking eyes, almost touching excitement, heart pounding nearness, wanting to lean in for a kiss but thinking better of it, and long suppressed feelings for each other...Quite a bit of this in the first half of the book. To be honest, generally this is not my favorite type of story. However, this book pulled it off. There was a decent plot, so I stuck with it. Plus all that heart pounding stuff? Well done. Nothing like a guy turning to watch curvaceous hips sway, or a girl ogling the sweaty, wood chopping, bare-chested hunk. This was respectful and non-objectifying current appreciation and memories from the past. Gotta hand it to Ms. Witemeyer.
Within the plot there was a mystery to solve involving death threats to a women's village; threats that say leave or die.
Malachi Shaw was sent a message that Emma Chandler needed his help. Emma was the angel from his youth, whose aunts took him in and showed him what a family is supposed to be. It had been ten years since they'd seen each other, but because his instinct to protect her had never left him, he had to respond. Anyone threatening his angel and aunts will have to face him, and he would die trying to save them.
Well written and not corny, which is so refreshing. Even the ending was REALLY good, probably my favorite part. Clean, interesting and worth a read!
Date: 1882
Place: Cooke County, TX
Locking eyes, almost touching excitement, heart pounding nearness, wanting to lean in for a kiss but thinking better of it, and long suppressed feelings for each other...Quite a bit of this in the first half of the book. To be honest, generally this is not my favorite type of story. However, this book pulled it off. There was a decent plot, so I stuck with it. Plus all that heart pounding stuff? Well done. Nothing like a guy turning to watch curvaceous hips sway, or a girl ogling the sweaty, wood chopping, bare-chested hunk. This was respectful and non-objectifying current appreciation and memories from the past. Gotta hand it to Ms. Witemeyer.
Within the plot there was a mystery to solve involving death threats to a women's village; threats that say leave or die.
Malachi Shaw was sent a message that Emma Chandler needed his help. Emma was the angel from his youth, whose aunts took him in and showed him what a family is supposed to be. It had been ten years since they'd seen each other, but because his instinct to protect her had never left him, he had to respond. Anyone threatening his angel and aunts will have to face him, and he would die trying to save them.
Well written and not corny, which is so refreshing. Even the ending was REALLY good, probably my favorite part. Clean, interesting and worth a read!
February 24, 2020
In true Witemeyer fashion, this read wasn't short on laughs and suspense.
Emma knows she can do anything a man can do except to protect the women who look to her for help.
Mal is sure his "angel" can do anything she puts her mind to. But when she sends for his help, he saddles a horse and travels from Montana to Texas to be there for her. No matter that the only comforting he knew how to do was to compare her to his horse!
Add a couple of "Secondhand Lion" type-aunts (instead of uncles), an outlaw bent on reclaiming his bounty, and a gaggle of women and you have this comical read!
There were times I was knawing at the bit for the action to pick up and let's see what happens, but in competent author method, the story had to build piece by piece and I just had to take it in strides.
And that's what happened.
Ms. Witemeyer doesn't fail to deliver in cowboy fashion. You won't want to miss this one!
Emma knows she can do anything a man can do except to protect the women who look to her for help.
Mal is sure his "angel" can do anything she puts her mind to. But when she sends for his help, he saddles a horse and travels from Montana to Texas to be there for her. No matter that the only comforting he knew how to do was to compare her to his horse!
Add a couple of "Secondhand Lion" type-aunts (instead of uncles), an outlaw bent on reclaiming his bounty, and a gaggle of women and you have this comical read!
There were times I was knawing at the bit for the action to pick up and let's see what happens, but in competent author method, the story had to build piece by piece and I just had to take it in strides.
And that's what happened.
Ms. Witemeyer doesn't fail to deliver in cowboy fashion. You won't want to miss this one!
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