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Friday, July 7, 2017

First Line Friday and Review | Heart on the Line

Happy Friday! I finally got around to reading my first Karen Witemeyer book--and I enjoyed it! How many of you have read Karen Witemeyer? What do you consider your favorite of hers?


The cheerful tinkle of the bell alerted Grace Mallory to the arrival of a guest.
(Heart on the Line by Karen Witemeyer)


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Also, be sure to hop along to all of these other blogs and see what First Lines they have to share!
Please note that I may not fully endorse all of the books that these bloggers read or the content in these blogs.

Rachel - Bookworm Mama
Andi - Radiant Light
Robin - Robin's Nest
Kathleen - Kathleen Denly
Trisha – Joy of Reading
Jeanette – CJane Read



MY REVIEW
This was my first Karen Witemeyer book to try (which, I discovered after finishing it that it's a book two--but it reads perfectly as a stand-alone). My first impression? I'll be looking forward to reading more by her!

Amos and Grace being telegraph operators was fascinating. Their use of Morse code was a priceless touch to the story.

I enjoyed the hint of mystery and suspense in this book. It wasn't overpowering, but enough to add a spice of intrigue. Who was after Grace and what measures were they willing to take to reach her? Who are the mysterious men who suddenly appear in a women's-only colony (okay, a "woman's colony" plus two men who made their way into the group)? At the same time, Grace was a little too smart for the book to hold much suspense. I figured out immediately who the two newcomers around town were, and not long after I did, Grace "sensed" the truth about the newcomer she met. So it spoiled the thrill that could have been there, in my opinion. I still enjoyed seeing how my surmisings were accurate and how the story would play out, though.

The Christian aspect was there. The characters quoted Bible verses and prayed, trying to seek God. It seemed to be a part of the characters' lives, not just "added into the story." It wasn't the strongest Christian-themed message but it *was* very visible, with messages on fully trusting God, accepting His wisdom in what He allows, and quoting Scripture for strength.

And of course, romance. This is a Christian Historical Romance book. From the beginning, both Amos and Grace yearned for a spouse and when God would send "the one." There was a whole-page description of a kiss (I kid you not, it took the entire page), and the other kisses were also fairly in-depth described. The romance didn't steal the whole show, but it was definitely one of the strongest threads in the story, and though the characters did pray about God during their interest in another person, it still had a lot about the feelings leading their decision. There were a couple of comments mentioned that led to more sensual thoughts of "more than a kiss." So yeah. A bit of romance, which is what I had expected. I was fearing that one of the women may be abused/forced but thankfully that didn't happen (for those who are curious about that aspect).

I really enjoyed the flow of the story. As a writer, I try to shut off my editor-brain and read as a reader; and when I find a book that I enjoy as a writer, I'm doubly happy. This was one of those books. It just seemed to have a good balance and was the type of book that lent to a much-needed "just relax and read" weekend.

*I received this book from Bethany House and happily provided my review*

ABOUT THE BOOK
Grace Mallory is tired of running, of hiding. But when an old friend sends an after-hours telegraph transmission warning Grace that the man who has hunted her for nearly a year has discovered her location, she fears she has no choice. She can't let the villain she believes responsible for her father's death release his wrath in Harper's Station, the town that has sheltered her and blessed her with the dearest friends she's ever known. 


Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His telegraph companion, the mysterious Miss G, listens eagerly to his ramblings every night and delights him with tales all her own. For months, their friendship--dare he believe, courtship?--has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intended for him. Yet when he takes the next step to meet her in person, he discovers her life is in peril, and Amos must decide if he can shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires. 

PURCHASE HERE.

6 comments:

  1. On my blog this week I'm excited to be teaming up with Carrie Turansky and sharing the first line & cover reveal for her new book "Across the Blue" scheduled to be released early 2018! I wanted to share another great line on the comments, so I've borrowed the book that my 9 year old son is currently reading.

    "Charlie Scott leaned against the corner of the garage, every inch of him spelling boredom." -- Some Summer by: Jean Vandevenne
    1987 Bob Jones University Press, Greenville, SC

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  2. HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

    MAY 1, 1774
    OHIO RIVER NEAR YELLOW CREEK

    Jeremiah Ring had witnessed death as often as the next man on the Allegheny frontier, but in all his thirty years he had encountered no deaths more dismaying than those confronting him now. - Many Sparrows by Lori Benton

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  3. Happy Friday!
    My first line is: “This fairy tale begins in 1968 during a garbage strike.” ~ The Changeling by Victor Lavalle.
    Dinh@Arlene's Book Club

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  4. OH yes, I love Karen Witemeyer but I can't pick a favorite! That one is in my tbr!

    Dutch Whitney hit the bog hard, tumbling forward to smack facedown into the muck. - Grounded Hearts by Jeanne M. Dickson

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  5. Happy Friday!


    "Ross Springer knew he was going into the drink the second Abby Cushman stepped up to the mark, fixed those intelligent blue eyes on the bull's-eye, and let the beanbag zip." Hook, Line, and Sinker by Susan May Warren

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  6. This book is on my to-read list. Goodness, that list is growing. :) Happy Monday!

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