Ozark Mountain Romance #3

Rather Than Wait for a Hero, She Decided to Create One
Betsy Huckabee has big-city dreams, but nobody outside of tiny Pine Gap, Missouri, seems interested in the articles she writes for her uncle's newspaper. Her hopes for independence may be crushed, until the best idea she's ever had comes riding into town.

Deputy Joel Puckett didn't want to leave Texas, but unfair circumstances have made moving to Pine Gap his only shot at keeping a badge. Worse, this small town has big problems, and masked marauders have become too comfortable taking justice into their own hands. He needs to make clear that he's the law in this town--and that

job is made more difficult with a nosy reporter who seems to follow him everywhere he goes.

The hero Betsy creates to be the star in a serial for the ladies' pages is based on the dashing deputy, but he's definitely fictional. And since the pieces run only in newspapers far away, no one will ever know. But the more time she spends with Deputy Puckett, the more she appreciates the real hero--and the more she realizes what her ambition could cost him.

 Published December 6th 2016

 by Bethany House Publishers 

Available for Purchase:

AMAZON  BARNES & NOBLE  CHRISTIANBOOK  

Meet the Author:

 

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a

degree in English and a history minor. She is the author of A Most Inconvenient Marriage, Sixty Acres and a Bride, and Caught in the Middle, and contributed a novella to A Match Made in Texas. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with her husband and four children and can be found online at www.reginajennings.com.

My Opinion:

Regina Jennings is a talented author, but to me she is fairly new as I have only read a few of her books.  Each book I have read I have loved and this book is no different.  This is the third installment in her Ozark Mountain Romance series.  For me, this was a stand alone.  

The author whisks the reader away to the small town of Pine Gap where we meet Joel Puckett arriving via the train ready to assume his role as deputy to the the area and help the sheriff solve the problem of masked bandits in the area.  Joel's arrival puts him in the path of the masked bandits and I must admit I was hooked on this story.  

Betsy Huckabee is a beautiful, young woman who lives with her uncle who runs a newspaper.  She moved in with him upon the death of his first wife to care for his children and run his house.  Betsy has a love of writing stories, but must send her articles to Kansas City for consideration and so far she's had little success.  Suddenly Joel appears and so does her inspiration for a knight in shining armor/hero for a fictional ladies page.  Just one problem, how can a character be all fictional when he's based on the exploits of a real life version?

I absolutely loved this story.  It has elements of mystery, suspense, humor, romance, love and forgiveness. Both Betsy and Joel captured my heart in this story.  The plot is engaging and flows effortlessly.  Needless to say once I started reading it I couldn't put it down until the last page was turned.  

This is a book I would recommend to anyone.  

**I received this book from the publisher as part of their blogger review program.  All thoughts or opinions are expressly my own.