Heart On The Line; Code for Captivating!

It was a pure pleasure to travel back to Harper's Station in Karen Witemeyer's latest book, Heart On The Line. Readers become better acquainted with Grace Mallory, the quiet, shy, and sweet, miniature- gun -toting, telegraph operator who longs for a normal life. Weary of constantly looking over her shoulder, she's been on the run for almost a year after witnessing her father's murder, frightened that the man responsible will find her. Her communication via wire after hours with fellow telegraph operator "Mr. A" has turned into a strong friendship....perhaps even a courtship?

150 miles away in Denison, Texas,  Amos Bledsoe (Mr. A) prefers riding bicycles over horses. When he intercepts a threatening message over the wire meant for Grace; believing her life to be in danger he tosses aside his insecurities about meeting her and saddles up to save the day.

And so begins a page-turning journey of Morse code and  mystery, romance and rescue.

I loved how the author built Grace and Amos' relationship from their first initial awkward face to face meeting to their budding romance throughout the story.  Amos' character was a departure from Ms. Witemeyer's usual heroes, but I found him completely charming and endearing. He's "quick-witted, clever, and invested"(Witemeyer, 106). Grace sees beyond Amos' quirks and appreciates him as a kind and honorable man. Beyond this Amos "...boost[s] her confidence, [makes]her feel comfortable in her own skin. No pretense, no need to impress. Just acceptance, respect, and honesty." (Witemeyer, 128).  Truth be told....isn't this what we all want?  Amos and Grace truly compliment each other and their chemistry leaps off the page.

I enjoyed seeing Grace's character grow throughout the story. Initially, she's a person comfortable with being in the background, but she  comes into her own and realizes her strength.

The cover for Heart on the Line is so creative and one of my favorites. It's extremely clever the way the Morse code is interwoven with the title. The contemplative smile on Grace's face makes you think that she's just received a wire from Amos and the way her finger is poised above the machine as if she's reflecting on her response.

Ms. Witemeyer has a brilliant flair for capturing the reader's attention from page 1 and sweeping them away in whatever adventure she chooses. Heart On The Line has all the components that make a superb story. Energetic characters, engaging story filled with love and intrigue.

~~  Heart On the Line was provided to me by Bethany House in return for my honest opinion. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and the author herself, for which I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone ~~