Book Blurb:
Stone Hammond is the best tracker in Texas. He never comes home empty-handed. So when a wealthy railroad investor hires him to find his abducted granddaughter, Stone eagerly accepts.
Charlotte Atherton, former headmistress of Sullivan's Academy for Exceptional Youths, will do anything to keep her charges safe, especially the orphaned girl entrusted to her care. Charlotte promised Lily's mother she'd keep the girl away from her unscrupulous grandfather, and nothing will stop Charlotte from fulfilling that pledge. Not even the handsome bounty hunter with surprisingly honest eyes who comes looking for them.
When Miss Atherton produces documentation that shows her to be Lily's legal guardian, Stone must reevaluate everything he's been led to believe. Is she villain or victim?
Then a new danger forces Charlotte to trust the man sent to destroy her. Stone vows to protect what he once sought to tear apart. Besides, he's ready to start a new pursuit: winning Charlotte's heart.
My Thoughts:
This story starts with a bang (literally) and doesn't let up for a moment. The main characters, Stone and Charlotte, are excellent. From the beginning, you can see that they belong together, but their journey to that conclusion is so much fun.
Stone is a wonderful hero, but Charlotte stole the show for me. In my opinion, it's so hard to create realistic heroines in romances without making them either too irritating or too perfect, but Ms. Witemeyer did an excellent job with this one. My heart truly went out to her and all of her reactions were plausible and understandable considering her background.
The kids were so cute in the story, each one multifaceted and refreshingly unique. Too often, it's hard to tell kids apart in a story because they begin to sound the same. No such issues with this book!
If you're in the mood for a sweet, funny, and heart-wrenchingly romantic historical read, pick up a copy of this one. I highly recommend it!
(Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.)