Caught in the Middle

 

About the Book:

She wants the Freedom of the open plains.
He wants the prestige of a successful career.
Neither is ready for what comes instead. 

The train to Garber, Texas, is supposed to bring life's next victory to Nicholas Lovelace. Instead, it gets held up by robbers who are thwarted by the last person Nick ever expected- Anne Tillerton from back home in Prairie Lea.

Anne's been hiding away as a buffalo hunter. She's only in town to find their runaway cook, but the woman flees- leaving Anne with her infant son. With Nick the only person Anne knows in town, the two form an unlikely team as they try to figure out what to do with the child.

But being in town means acting and dressing for polite society- and it's not going well for Anne. Meanwhile, Nick's work is bringing new pressures, and being seen with a rough-around-the-edges woman isn't helping his reputation. Caught between their own dreams, a deepening relationship, and others' expectations, can the pair find their way to love?

My Review:

Anne Tillerton has been a bit of a mystery since she was first introduced in Sixty Acres and A Bride. In that book, she is portrayed as quiet and- according to her husband, who later is killed by her in self-defense and to save Rosa Garner- a bit of a recluse. In Love in the Balance, Anne has left her dresses behind her and is clothed like a man- and thrown into jail after being accused of murder. In this book, Anne is back in action- but much more vulnerable than ever before. After surviving the cruel abuse her husband put her through for so long, she wants nothing to do with men or even dresses. All she wants is to be left alone so she can hunt.

Nick has also been a bit of a mystery as well; he is seen as happy-go-lucky, and very good-natured. And while he is still just that, he is so much more. Nick is a man who is looking to be successful, but also to find the woman who can make him happy. When he and Anne cross paths, he is more than a little intrigued with the woman who saves his life on the train. And when he offers to help her if ever the need arises, he never expects that she will follow through- until one day when she shows up at his office with a baby in tow.

Each of Regina's books has had their moments of fun and seriousness, and I think that this had to be the most fun out of all of them! Although I have a special fondness for the other couples, I found that Anne and Nick were so much fun to watch spar. Watching Nick interact with little Sammy was so adorable, and seeing the way that Anne dealt with the baby's mischief brought countless smiles to my face. It was great watching these two grow so much throughout the book; Anne, as she struggled with her past and trusting Nick, and Nick as he learned to accept that following God didn't always mean an easy road of having things happen the way he wanted them to.

With action, humor, touching moments, and a satisfying end, this is another great read that I'd highly recommend. Great job, Regina!

God bless,

Elyssa =)

*I received a free copy from Bethany House Publishers in return for an honest review.