A Worthy Pursuit by Karen Witemeyer

Courage and determination come packaged in many ways. In A Worthy Pursuit by Karen Witemeyer, Charlotte Atherton and Stone Hammond are as different and as can be, but each are uniquely brave as they learn to stretch their boundaries of trust, both in each other and in the Lord.

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A teacher on the run. A bounty hunter in pursuit. Can two enemies learn to trust each other before they both lose what they hold most dear?

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.

If you’ve seen my recommended reading list for this summer, you’ll notice A Worthy Pursuit is my first recommendation. 
This stand alone Christian fiction novel by the accomplished Karen Whitemeyer covers several genres- historic, Western, romance, and even humor. The swoon-worthy Stone Hammond is a heroic as they come. Strong and rugged, and handsome to boot, he’s the quintessential dime novel hero, as soon discovered by Charlotte and the children in her care. 

To me, Charlotte was a little harder to relate to in the beginning. She’s a bit of a worrier, and I was afraid she had really gotten herself into a mess in the first chapter of the book. And honestly, she had a bounty hunter on her trail, so essentially she had. 
However, as she began to let down her walls of mistrust, I learned to like her more. The children in the story were precious, each being so individual. For me, I don’t always like children as important characters in romantic stories, but Mrs. Witemeyer wrote these little ones perfectly. The story absolutely wouldn’t be the same without them.

The pace of the book was set well, never bogging down in any one place. The romantic chemistry between the two was believable, and the supporting characters were just as exciting as the hero and heroine. You’ll love Dead Eye Dan, trust me on this! 

Overall, a smooth and delightful summer read for any historical fiction fan!