Full Steam Ahead by Karen Witemeyer

Goodreads Summary:
Nicole Renard returns home to Galveston, Texas, to find her father deathly ill. Though she loves him, Nicole’s father has always focused on what she’s not. Not male. Not married. Not able to run Renard Shipping.

Vowing to find a suitable husband to give her father the heir he desires before it’s too late, Nicole sets out with the Renard family’s greatest treasure as her dowry: the highly coveted Lafitte Dagger. But her father’s rivals come after the dagger, forcing a change in Nicole’s plans.

After a boiler explosion aboard the Louisiana nearly took his life, Darius Thornton has been a man obsessed. He will do anything to stop even one more steamship disaster. Even if it means letting a female secretary into his secluded world.

Nicole is determined not to let her odd employer scare her off with his explosive experiments, yet when respect and mutual attraction grow between them, a new fear arises. How can she acquire an heir for her father when her heart belongs to another? And when her father’s rivals discover her hiding place, will she have to choose between that love and her family’s legacy?

My Review:
I love Karen Witemeyer. She quickly became on of my top two favorite authors, and has remained there. I adore every single book I read by her. She has a gift for drawing you into the story, and rooting for the characters as if you were one of them. I love this about her writing.

I am also a fan of the purity of her books. They are all set in the late 1800s/early 1900s. Back then it was improper for a woman to even show her ankle. So while the kisses in this book may not be considered “steamy” to some (which may be a good thing to others), they are filled with such sweetness and love that fills your heart as the reader. Because of the purity of these books, even the touch of a hand is a big deal, and I love that.
This brings up the point that these are Christian novels. I know some people are turned off by these because they think that they are too “preachy.” I am a believer, so religious books don’t bother me. However, Karen writes so well that she weaves Christianity into her books without sounding like she is preaching to the reader. It is written really well.

5 stars

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