Karen Witemeyer: Cloaked in Beauty

By Kelly Bridgewater

Trust no one in the shadows of the piney woods . . .

Letty Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her grandmother in the backwoods of east Texas to escape the deadly schemes of an uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on the horizon, she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return to Houston in secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her one of the wealthiest women in Texas. If she lives long enough to inherit.

Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one duty: get the Radcliffe heiress home alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is surprised to encounter a woman of rare strength with a kind soul and keen wit. As they journey together, Letty's resilience wins his admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the threat to her survival grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears that keeping Letty out of harm's way may be just as impossible as keeping her out of his hear

 

My Thoughts:

Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer reminds readers a little bit of “Little Red Riding Hood.” There are obvious similarities, but there are differences too. Witemeyer does a wonderful job at crafting characters that readers will want to stay with as they journey back to Hood’s “home” in Houston, Texas. The plot has plenty of action with moments of secretive journeys and hiding from the main road. The plot moves forward at a nice pace. As for the ending, I wish the climactic moment was a little spread out a little. Felt a little rushed by the time the characters took us to that ending. In other words, there is some romance that occurs between Letty, the heroine, and Philip, the hero. When characters spend that much time together, obviously sparks are going to fly. Overall, Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer is a joy to read with movement and romance to spark any Fairy tale reader’s interest.

I received a complimentary copy of Cloaked in Beauty by Karen Witemeyer from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

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Karen Witemeyer: If the Boot Fits

By Kelly Bridgewater

 

About the Book

Book: If the Boot Fits

Author: Karen Witemeyer

Genre: Historical Romance

Release Date: March 12, 2024

Determined to prove that cattle king Eli Dearing has no justification for evicting his stepmother and half brothers, Asher Ellis uses the cover of a fancy ball to break into the Three Cedars ranch house to search for proof of wrongdoing. On the verge of discovery, he flees, but a boy's cry compels him to make a daring rescue.

Spunky and independent, Samantha Dearing balks when she learns the ball her father is hosting in her honor is nothing more than a matrimonial ambush. Taking a break from her unwanted suitors, Samantha spots a thief fleeing her home. When the stranger ends up saving her brother's life, she hides the only clue to his identity left behind--his boot--and resolves to find him herself.

But when Samantha encounters the older brother of a student she tutors, all thoughts of the bootless mystery man vanish. And although Asher tries to keep his distance from Samantha for reasons of his own, a series of suspicious accidents befall her, and his protective instincts flare, no matter the cost to their future.

This Western reimagining of the classic Cinderella fairy tale is an enchanting story of courage, family, and the power of true love.

 

My Thoughts:

If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer is a unique perspective on Cinderella, the widely-known fairy tale. This time around, the Cinderella character centers around a male character. Not that he is mistreated by his step-mother, he actually has a loving mother and two loving younger brothers. The story features his missing boot and how brave and gentle his spirit is. While similarly, the heroine, is smart, humble, and wanting the best for others. She is willing to sacrifice her time and money to help others in need. Of course, the romance between the hero and heroine develop as the story comes to its climactic moment. The plot has a mystery element to it, which I actually enjoyed. More historical romance novels are featuring mystery elements to the plot. I guess as a way to capture the attention of readers like me who adore tons of action in their stories. Witemeyer does have the two main characters question what they think about God and grow closer to him as the tension tightens around them. Overall, If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer was a wonderful way to spend a day. I enjoyed the story and can't wait to see what fairy tale Witemeyer will conclude this series with.

I received a complimentary copy of If the Boot Fits by Karen Witemeyer from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

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About the Author

Voted #1 Reader’s Favorite Christian Historical Author of 2023 by Family Fiction magazine, bestselling and Carol and Christy Award-winning author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. She and her husband make their home in Abilene, Texas.

 

 

 

 

More from Karen

Character Names and Word Games

One of my favorite parts of writing any book is finding the perfect names for my characters. Names are so important. They carry meaning and expectation. They add historical flavor and help create a picture in the reader’s mind about who that character is. They can also add hidden joy to a story for me as the author that may or may not be realized by the reader.

If the Boot Fits was inspired by the classic fairy tale, Cinderella. I give it a fresh western twist and mixed up the plot a bit, but it was important to me to fill this tale with subtle nods to the version I loved as a child. One of the main ways I did this was through the naming of my characters.

I worked hard to create names that would harken back to the original while still carrying meaning of their own. Instead of Cinderella, we have a hero named Asher Ellis—Ash being a synonym of Cinder, and Ellis playing off of Ella. For our heroine, I wanted something to play on the “charming” motif without being too on-the-nose. I ended up selecting Samantha Dearing—Dearing like endearing or charming. Samantha is the feminine version of Samuel which comes into play in the story since her father’s name is Eli. The three key older ladies of the story all of names inspired by royalty, as befits a fairy tale—Regina, Elizabeth, and Victoria. Asher’s step brothers are named Jonathan and Fergus. However, Jonathan goes by Jack, giving a nod to the mice from Disney’s Cinderella, Jaq and Gus. Asher’s horse is named Bruno in honor of the dog who saved Cinderella from the tower room. We have a cattle king with a foreman named Duke as well. Whether readers catch all of these nods or not, they made me as the author smile while writing the story.

Here’s another way to have fun with names and other key story elements. I’ve created a word search for you to enjoy. Have fun!

Click here to play.

 

 

 

 

Blog Stops

Book Looks by Lisa, March 13

Melissa’s Bookshelf, March 13

Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, March 14

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, March 14

Batya’s Bits, March 14

By the Book, March 15

Madi’s Musings, March 15

Texas Book-aholic, March 15

Locks, Hooks and Books, March 16

Happily Managing a Household of Boys, March 16

EmpowerMoms, March 16

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, March 17

Blossoms and Blessings, March 17

She Lives To Read, March 18

Where Faith and Books Meet, March 18

Blogging With Carol, March 19

Life of Literature, March 19

Simple Harvest Reads, March 19 (Guest Review from Donna Cline)

ABBA’s Prayer Warrior Princess, March 20

Books You Can Feel Good About, March 20

lakesidelivingsite, March 20

Alena Mentink, March 21

Jeanette’s Thoughts, March 21

Splashes of Joy, March 21

Betti Mace, March 22

For Him and My Family, March 22

A Good Book and Cup of Tea, March 22

Cover Lover Book Review, March 23

Holly’s Book Corner, March 23

A Modern Day Fairy Tale, March 23

Gina Holder, Author and Blogger, March 24 (Author Interview)

Mary Hake, March 24

Lily’s Corner, March 25

Wishful Endings, March 25

Pause for Tales, March 25

Life on Chickadee Lane, March 26

Just Your Average reviews, March 26

Jodie Wolfe – Stories Where Hope and Quirky Meet, March 26

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Karen is giving away the grand prize package of a $15 Amazon gift card and a paperback copy of If the Boot Fits!! (US only)

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/2a7a9/if-the-boot-fits-celebration-tour-giveaway

Karen Witemeyer: Fairest of Heart

By Kelly Bridgewater

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.

 

My Thoughts:

Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer is a Snow-White remake set in Texas alongside a traveling theater troupe. Many similarities between the two, but Witemeyer took creative license with her story. With a penniless heroine with a heart of gold, Penelope Snow is a quirky character to follow and enjoy. With determination and strive, Titus is on the hunt for justice and retribution because of an episode that occurred to his brother, Tate, a long time ago. Of course, romance is a must when readers enjoy a Witemeyer novel. Nothing flashy and gushy. A little bit of feelings flying across the page the longer the two are in each other’s presence. Instead of seven dwarves, Witemeyers uses seven old ranchers. Kind of like grandfather figures. They developed a love for her because of how well she treated each individual character. Her sweetness and kind heart won over even the grumpiest old rancher. As for the plot, I liked the idea of an old theater trope crossing the countryside and having a mystery element that showed the horrible character of the villain. Maybe she should have spent more time with her maid, Penelope, and learned some behaviors. Overall, Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer was a nice twist on Snow White, but even if this was not the case, the story was nicely woven together and a delight to read.

I received a complimentary copy of Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

My Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

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