To Win Her Heart

March 28, 2011
Witemeyer (Head in the Clouds) scores again with fresh, strong romance set in Spencer, Tex., in 1887. Levi Grant, just out of prison, gets a second chance when he becomes town blacksmith. Librarian Eden Spencer, the daughter of town founder Calvin Spencer, agrees to lease the smithy to Grant. Sparks of attraction fly even before the smithy forge is warmed. Both characters have pain in their pasts: Eden was jilted by her fiancé, and Levi was in prison for reasons that are slowly disclosed. A subplot involves yet another soul ripe for transformation: teen Chloe, who works in the kitchen of the Hang Dog, the local saloon. Witemeyer plots smoothly, writes crisp dialogue, and moves things along briskly. She also crafts surprisingly passionate attraction, given the evangelical Christian provenance of the book, and the swipes at hypocritical piety are refreshingly nondenominational.

May 1, 2011
Levi Grant emerges from prison with little more than renewed faith and a blacksmiths job in Spencer, Texas, but his first meeting with Eden fosters hope for a wife, family, and home as well. Tall, well muscled, and hesitant, he realizes that he comes across as taciturn and uncouth. But he perseveres in engaging Edens attention, even though his lisp presents difficulties. Eden was raised as the indulged only child of a wealthy and influential Austin family, and moved to this small town five years ago after being jilted only days before her wedding. She has been content to do good works and maintain a low profile, until Levi challenges her to help Chloe, a 15-year-old raised in the local saloon by her prostitute mother, escape her would-be rapist and become respectable. Witemeyers hard-hitting Christian historical romance skillfully incorporates Jesus parables of the prodigal son and the adulteress rock-toting accusers into her characters struggles with redemption, worthiness, and new beginnings. A commendable addition to the genre.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)