WINNIE'S REVIEW:
Karen Witemeyer’s book, Cloaked in Beauty, is the last in her Texas Ever After series that are nods to well-known fairy tales. It’s been such fun to see what Witemeyer came up with for these re-tellings. I loved the first two books, Fairest of Heart and If the Boot Fits, but I think this one was my favorite. It’s loosely based on Little Red Riding Hood, but the wolf is a hero along with a handsome Pinkerton agent. It stars Scarlett Radcliffe, alias Letty Hood, and her swoony rescuer, Philip Carmichael.
“He didn’t have the luxury of giving in to weariness or discouragement. God didn’t call a man to a task only to stand back and let him fail. He’d provide what was needed when the time was right.”
To protect her from her evil uncle who is trying to kill her to get her inheritance, five-year-old Letty is sent with her grandmother to a hidden location until she turns 21. Philip is tasked with finding her and bringing her back to her mother a few days before her 21st birthday when her inheritance can be claimed. Letty and Philip are both such fantastic and endearing characters. I loved their courage, ingenuity, and compassion. Philip’s thoughts were humorous and lent additional fun and comic relief to the story. The stellar cast of secondary characters is also outstanding, especially Rusty the wolf and Grandmother Flora.
With plenty of suspense, action, humor, and romance, this tale has something for everyone. The seamless addition of a faith thread adds depth and inspiration.
“It might be time to walk through the valley of the shadow of death, but she need not fear the evil stalking her, for her Shepherd was with her. Along with her Pinkerton. She’d trust them both to see her through whatever came.”
Witemeyer is a master storyteller who excels in creating fascinating characters and plopping them down in imaginative situations. She then proceeds to extract them from their dire circumstances and bring them to a happy ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am looking forward to what she comes up with next.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers. All opinions are my own. 4.5 stars
REBECCA'S REVIEW:
"How depraved did one have to be to want to kill a child?"
Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has been tasked with one objective, find Texas heiress Scarlett Radcliffe, who for her own protection was tucked into obscurity in hopes that she would live to reach her twenty-first birthday and thus be able to claim her inheritance. Philip immediately goes to work using his knowledge and experience as a seasoned investigator to locate the young woman. However, finding her was just the beginning of a journey that would . . . perhaps, last a lifetime?
For the most part Letty Hood had been content to live completely on the fringes of civilization with only her beloved grandmother and a trusted pet wolf named Rusty (yes, you read that correctly, a pet wolf) for companionship When the day finally arrives (in the form of a handsome cowboy, but who's noticing?) for Letty's return to the world to which she was born, Letty courageously puts her life into Philip Carmichael's very capable hands (don't think about his hands!), convinces him that Rusty goes wherever she goes, and begins proving herself to be a very hard-working, low maintenance, and quite valuable (not a thing to do with her money) traveling companion.
Perhaps you are already predicting where this story is headed; after all, fairy tales always include a happily-ever-after featuring a beautiful lady and a handsome (there's that word again!) hero. So. . . what could possibly go wrong?
Enjoy this light-hearted, very romantic (close-proximity on steroids!) with several dashes of
edge-of-your-seat-drama story, where faith and family rise to the
occasion!
*I purchased this book and was under no obligation to provide a positive review. 3.5 stars
SEE REVIEWS BY PAULA AND TRIXI
BackCover Blurb:
Trust no one in the shadows of the piney woods . . .
Letty
Hood has spent the last fifteen years of her life hidden away with her
grandmother in the backwoods of east Texas to escape the deadly schemes
of an uncle who wants her dead. Now, with her twenty-first birthday on
the horizon, she is forced to accept the escort of a stranger and return
to Houston in secret so she can claim a birthright that will make her
one of the wealthiest women in Texas. If she lives long enough to
inherit.
Pinkerton agent Philip Carmichael has one duty: get the
Radcliffe heiress home alive. Expecting a spoiled girl, Philip is
surprised to encounter a woman of rare strength with a kind soul and
keen wit. As they journey together, Letty's resilience wins his
admiration, breaking through his hardened cynicism. Yet the threat to
her survival grows more menacing with every mile, and Philip fears that
keeping Letty out of harm's way may be just as impossible as keeping her
out of his heart.
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