Blurb: Once upon a time in Texas . . .

Beauty has been nothing but a curse to Penelope Snow. When she becomes a personal maid for a famous actress whose troupe is leaving Chicago to tour the West, she hides her figure beneath shapeless dresses and keeps her head down. But she still manages to attract the wrong attention, leaving her prospects in tatters–and her jealous mistress plotting her demise.

After his brother lost his life over a woman, Texas Ranger Titus Kingsley has learned to expect the worst from women and is rarely disappointed. So when a young lady found in suspicious circumstances takes up residence with the seven old drovers living at his grandfather’s ranch, Titus is determined to keep a close eye on her.

With a promotion hanging in the balance, Titus is assigned to investigate a robbery case tied to Penelope’s acting troupe, and all evidence points to Penelope’s guilt. But Titus might just be convinced that the fairest woman of all has a heart as pure as her last name . . . if only he can prove it.

Review: Karen Witemeyer has done it again. Fairest of Heart is the first novel in her new Texas Ever After series, and she’s started off with a great one. Penelope has grit, and Titus is all about justice. Deep in their hearts, however, they both want the same thing. Love. But neither knows how to go about finding it. I enjoyed reading their journey. Even though during most of the story, they are not in the same place, this is not a deterrent to their mutual angst toward one another. They are brought together at key moments to make their relationship move forward in a natural way. I am a big fan of Karen’s books, and this one just solidified my love for her writing all the more.

5 stars!!!

***I received a copy of the book for purposes of review. This is my honest opinion.

Available at most online retailers, including Amazon.

And now to the update …

For YEARS, I have been lamenting what I’ve called writer’s block. Last month, when I went to the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers’ Conference, I heard a speaker, Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, speak about rest. I listened intently. I also received a recommendation from a different author to listen to Becca Syme’s podcast/YouTube channel, the QuitCast. Between the two, I have realized that I moved out of the realm of writer’s block and into burnout some time ago. Sadly, this is not just in my writing world, but in every area of my life.

All this to say, you may see even less of me this summer than I had originally planned. I’m working through Dr. Dalton’s book, Sacred Rest, to learn how to revive myself and achieve a restful state in all areas of my life, but it’s a slow go. One, it’s a lot to absorb. And two, I’m a SLOW reader when it comes to nonfiction. I want to take it all in and meditate on it, but I also have to reread a lot to increase my understanding. I’m a visual learner, so fiction I can “see” as I read the story. With nonfiction, I have to muddle through. 😀

Anyway, I’d appreciate your continued prayers as I work to increase my ability to rest and restore the depleted areas in my life.

Blessings,