The Kissing Tree: Four Novellas Rooted in Timeless Love by Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Amanda Dykes and Nicole Deese

Bestselling novelist Karen Witemeyer joins award-winning authors Regina Jennings, Amanda Dykes, and Nicole Deese for this Texas-sized romance novella collection. Each of the authors' unique voices is on display in stories where courting couples leave a permanent mark of their love by carving their initials into the same oak's bark.

In Regina Jennings' Broken Limbs, Mended Fences, a small-town teacher has her credentials questioned by a traveling salesman.

Karen Witemeyer's The Kissing Tree Inn tells the tale of an unlikely woman building a very unexpected lover's retreat.

From Roots to Sky by Amanda Dykes follows a young WWII naval airman who heads to Texas to meet the sister of a lost compatriot.

Heartwood by Nicole Deese is a modern-day romance where the aftermath of a giant storm brings changes for the owner of a historic inn.

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This was the sweetest book!  I love how each book is connected by a tree that lasts through generations of people.  In the first book we get our first introduction to the tree and see how it's history and legend were started.  I love how each story is set in a different decade of time bringing different challenges to the characters.

I thought all the stories were well done.  These are all great authors and it's fun to see them writing for one collection.  What a fun idea this was!  Each story is novella size so I read through them pretty quickly. 

The tree is an integral part of each of the couple's stories and romances and I really loved how each generation celebrated the tree's history and honored it's place in their community. It really gave the whole book such a romantic feel.

Content:  mild peril, kissing

- I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 

A Worthy Pursuit by Karen Witemeyer

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 little girl entrusted to her care after her mother’s death. 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 the teacher he’s after produces documentation that shows she’s the little girl’s legal guardian, Stone must reevaluate everything he’s been led to believe. Is Miss Atherton villain or victim? She acts more like a loving mother than an abductress, and the children in her care clearly adore her. Should Stone break his perfect record?

Then a new danger threatens, and Charlotte is forced to trust the man sent to destroy her. Stone becomes determined to protect what he once sought to tear apart. Besides, he’s ready to start a new pursuit: winning Charlotte’s heart.

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I love reading Karen Witemeyer's books.  I know just what to expect when I pick one up.  It always feels like sitting down with an old friend.  And isn't the cover cute?  I love it.

This was such a fun story.  I loved the interactions and spark between Stone and Charlotte.  Stone would surely like you to believe that he is as tough and unyielding as his name may suggest, but really he is kind and he definitely has a weakness for the teacher, Miss Atherton.  He had his work cut out for him gaining Charlotte's trust.

Charlotte is firm but so kind.  I loved her tact and her ability to think quickly in surprising and tough situations.  The children under her care bring life and credibility to the book.  It was a great setup.  Charlotte has some fierce determination when it comes to her children and as a mother I could completely relate to that.

I was interested and entertained by this book the whole way through.  It was classic Karen Witemeyer and I loved it.  I'm so glad I got to read and review it.  My thanks to the publisher, Bethany House, for allowing and providing for it.

Content:  Squeaky clean.  Christian Fiction.