Description: Grace Mallory is tired of running, of hiding. But when an old friend sends an after-hours telegraph transmission warning Grace that the man who has hunted her for nearly a year has discovered her location, she fears she has no choice. She can't let the villain she believes responsible for her father's death release his wrath in Harper's Station, the town that has sheltered her and blessed her with the dearest friends she's ever known.
Amos Bledsoe prefers bicycles to horses and private conversations over the telegraph wire to social gatherings with young ladies who see him as nothing more than an oddity. His telegraph companion, the mysterious Miss G, listens eagerly to his ramblings every night and delights him with tales all her own. For months, their friendship--dare he believe, courtship?--has fed his hope that he has finally found the woman God intended for him. Yet when he takes the next step to meet her in person, he discovers her life is in peril, and Amos must decide if he can shed the cocoon of his quiet nature to become the hero Grace requires.
My Thoughts: It is not everyday that an author of romance writes a hero with more brain than brawn... and even has that brain win out against a typical ladies man without much contest. Amos is a likable character who, unlike most heroes, is not overly confident in his ability to win the girl's heart. He knows that he is not the most handsome or the strongest man in town, but what he lacks for in more masculine traits, he makes up for in heart and courage. It was sweet to see him fight for the woman he loved even when he knew he couldn't hold his own in a fight. But he was still willing to stand between her and danger, which is what matters.
Honestly, Amos out shined Grace. While he was ecstatic to find that she was more beautiful than he had dared to dream, she was disappointed that he did not live up to her imaginings. Though she soon put aside her initial impression of him in favor of one that reflected his character rather than his appearance, Amos had already shown himself to be the better character of the two.
Though the description makes no mention of it, the book also contains a second romance, that between Helen and... well, that would be a spoiler, now wouldn't it? While this story was sweet, and did play somewhat into the greater story as a whole, I honestly did not think that it needed to be included. Helen's story would have been better served as a separate short story, where the focus could have been on her and her hero rather than their having to compete with Amos and Grace.
I have provided an honest review after having received a copy of this book from the publisher.
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