Stealing the Preacher

"Stealing the Preacher" by Karen Witemeyer 

This book and its characters stole my heart! I continued to go back through it and read all the little places that I have bookmarked.  (Note: Stealing the Preacher is a sequel to "Short Straw Bride", but can also be read as a stand-alone.)

Joanna Robbins wants a preacher for her birthday.  Her mother died and the role of witnessing to Jo's ex-outlaw father is getting rough.  Her dad and her love each other, and are kind to each other, but whenever talk of God comes up, he rushes out of the room.  And Joanna needs help.

Ironically enough, her dad doesn't connect the dots as to why Joanna wants a preacher; he just knows she wants one.  So he sets off to a train and grabs the first preacher on it, who happens to be Crockett Archer.

Crockett Archer is one of the brothers from "Short Straw Bride", which basically just means that he and his three brothers grew up by themselves on their ranch after their parents died.  Crockett preached to his brothers and was pretty much the doctor of the family as well.  Now, he is moving off to another city by train when he is abducted off the train. 

How will Crockett choose between the position he was going to apply for and sweet, sunny Joanna? Is this kidnapping simply a setback, or what God had planned for Crockett all along?

Thank you so much to Bethany House publishers for letting me read and review this book.  I thoroughly enjoyed all the little quirks of the characters, the twists in the plot, and the setting of the Wild West.  I received this book in exchange for my honest review.