Photo from karenwitemeyer.com Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤ 5 out of 5 hearts

My Review:

This is such a sweet story! Fairy tale retellings are getting to be pretty popular, so whenever a new one comes along I'm becoming pretty skeptical of the quality and originality. However, fairy tale or not, this is a great story, worthy of ranking up with Karen's best novels! It plays more of a homage to the original Snow White tale than anything, allowing the Western adventure to hold its own while the fairy tale aspects add charm and whimsy, not cheesiness. 

The characters are completely lovable, as well. I loved the elderly ranchers-- amazing dwarf substitutes! Their relationship with Penelope was so sweet, it almost took the stage. 

Almost! Penelope and Titus's relationship was equally charming, and they were such an easy couple to cheer on. 

I could really relate to Penelope. I am also way too trusting, and many times get along with the elderly more than I do people my own age. She was such a mixture, from pliable to determined, and yet not too sweetly perfect to be unrealistic, like so many other princess portrayals. 

If this is going to set the tone for the rest of the Texas Ever After series, I cannot wait to see which magical Western adventures we get to go on next! 

Photo from ChristianBook.com

♥♥♥♥ = Four out of five hearts

Review:

Luke Davenport is the last of the Horsemen to have his story featured, and he is paired with the supposedly plain, bookish spinster, Damaris Baxter. It's easy to relate to Damaris. She's quiet, demure, and doesn't consider herself to be very pretty, which I certainly struggle with feeling from time to time. Luke, however, doesn't see her that way, but instead sees what most people don't- the unique, beautiful woman she really is. Quiet people tend to be overlooked, so I love that discerning Luke sees her, actually sees who she is, as soon as he meets her. 

The story itself has a good bit of action, as you would expect from a Horsemen novel, and the best part involved one or two (or more ;) ) of our favorite ex-calvary men. At some points  the story did feel a bit typical of the romantic western genre, but overall it was a charming book with a definite dash of danger and mystery.