A Worthy Pursuit

Witemeyer’s (A Tailor-Made Bride) latest historical romance is as much about faith and conviction as it is about the guy getting the girl. When Sullivan’s Academy for Exceptional Youths closes suddenly, the students’ future is uncertain—except for Lily, whose grandfather desperately wants the girl to assist his less than straightforward business dealings. Lily’s recently dead mother, however, designated the school’s headmistress, Charlotte Atherton, as the child’s guardian. Fearful for the children’s safety, Charlotte spirits three students, including Lily, out of the school in the dead of night. A wealthy land speculator, Lily’s grandfather hires former bounty hunter Stone Hammond to retrieve the Lily. Stone tracks down the makeshift family, but Charlotte is anything but the wily kidnapper he has envisioned. As Stone waits for authentication of Charlotte’s custody papers, the pair barely tolerate each other until revelations from Lily force the two to join forces to protect the child. The plot hinges on the children, with the relationship between Stone and Charlotte at times merely a sidebar. The conclusion is predictable, but the journey there carries enough plot twists to keep readers engaged. Agent: Rachelle Gardner, Books & Such Literary Agency. (June)