IN HONOR’S DEFENSE

Hanger’s Horsemen, #3

by

KAREN WITEMEYER

Fiction / Christian / Historical / Inspirational

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Date of Publication: June 7, 2022

Number of Pages: 384 pages

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He’s Faced Countless Perils on the Battlefield, but Nothing so Dangerous as Falling in Love.

Luke Davenport has been fighting all his life–for respect, for country, and for those unable to fight for themselves. But now that his Horsemen brothers are domesticated, he’s left alone to battle the wildness within. When an opportunity arises to take a job on his own, tracking down a group of rustlers, he jumps at the chance.Damaris Baxter has mastered the art of invisibility. Plain and quiet, she hides in books and needlework, content to be overlooked. Until her brother dies suddenly, leaving her custody of her nephew. She moves to Texas to care for Nathaniel, determined to create the family for herself that she never thought she’d have and to give him the family he desperately needs.

When Nate finds himself knee-deep in trouble, Luke’s attempt to protect him leaves Damaris feeling indebted to the Horseman. But suspicions grow regarding the mysterious death of Damaris’s brother. And the more questions they ask, the more danger appears, threatening the family Luke may be unable to live without.

Baker Book House

I have read several other books by Karen Witemeyer and all have been fantastic journeys back into the Wild West and this one is no different. I didn’t realize it is the third (and last!) in the series and now I have to go back and read the first two because I love this rag-tag group of men called the Hangers Horseman. They have each other’s back no matter the situation yet seem to be God-fearing men.

I’m not sure if I can choose a favorite character because I loved them all, well maybe not the bad guys. Damaris has always been a wallflower and engrossed in her books, but she loved her family. She may have been living with her aunt but when got the call that her brother had died and she was named the guardian for her nephew, she had no problem telling the aunt she was out of there and heading to Texas. I had to chuckle at that scene because the aunt wanted her tonics and Damaris said nope, can’t do it, gotta pack and get out of here.

When Damaris arrives in Texas to care for her nephew Nate, she encounters a grown teenager that is not the same one that she read stories to as a child. He has a chip on his shoulder and is angry at the world, especially the neighbor who he thinks killed his dad. I can understand his anger towards the neighbor but it is obvious he is a teen and not thinking logically. He is definitely full of pranks and locks Damaris in the cellar because she tried to stop him from wandering at night. Enter Luke. He was hired by the neighbor to find out who is stealing his longhorns and is checking out the neighbors to see if they know anything. Thankfully, he arrives and hears Damaris, and rescues her from the locked cellar. Once he sees Damaris I think he is a goner. It might take a little more time for him to really fall for her but there is something about her personality that draws her to him.

Luke has had his own battles and demons to fight as we discover in this book. But what brought him peace was reading scripture and sharing those words with his fellow troops. Hence the nickname, Preach. Being hired for a job in Madisonville puts his life in danger but at the same time brings him what he has needed from life, a purpose and roots. I loved that he took Nate under his wings and tried to fill the shoes left empty by Nate’s father after his death. These are Nate’s formative years and I think Luke understood that based on his experience and wanted to help shape Nate to be the best person he could be in this life.

The surprise character that I really liked was Dr. Jo. She is a no-nonsense kind of woman and only wanted the best for Luke. She is very wise and took no guff from anyone. How she came to be a part of the Hanger’s Horseman group is told in the first book, At Love’s Command. I definitely need to go back and read that book to learn more about her.

There is a mystery in this book as to who wants to purchase Nate’s land and was his father’s death an accident or murder? You might come to suspect some of the answers as certain things are revealed but the whole truth might shock you. I know I couldn’t believe what I was reading and rooted for Damaris and Luke hoping that all would turn out ok.

This was such an enjoyable read and I need to remember to pick up this author’s books more often. They are the perfect combination of romance, history, a little mystery, and faith.

We give this book 5 paws up.

Voted #1 Reader’s Favorite Christian Romance Author of 2019 by Family Fiction Magazine, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. She makes her home in Abilene, Texas, with her husband and three children.

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All three books in the HANGER’S HORSEMEN SERIES.

(US only; ends midnight, CDT, 7/8/2022)

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