Tag Archives: Harlequin Love Inspired

Book Review: The Lawman’s Honor by Linda Goodnight

Title: The Lawman’s Honor
Author: Linda Goodnight
Series: Whisper Falls, Book 4
Publisher: Harlequin (Love Inspired)
Genre: Inspirational Romance

Linda Goodnight is known for sweet romances featuring a strong sense of family and community, and The Lawman’s Honor certainly lives up to that reputation. This is book 4 of the Whisper Falls miniseries based around a small town in the Ozarks that is named after a nearby tourist attraction, where prayers are said to be answered. I have not yet had the pleasure of reading the first three books in the series, but I was happy to find that this one can stand on its own. Even so, now that I’ve been introduced to Whisper Falls through Cassie and Heath’s story, I find myself curious to read more about the town and its inhabitants and I can definitely see the appeal of reading the miniseries in its entirety.

Summary (from the publisher):

Love’s Duty

As assistant police chief, Heath Monroe never expected he’d ever need rescuing. But that’s exactly what Cassie Blackwell does when she pulls him out of a car wreckage. He’s surprised at the beautiful widow’s strength and joyous spirit. But he’s been burned before and is cautious to get involved. Especially since his investigation into the town’s drug operation might implicate Cassie’s ex-husband! Yet the more time he spends with her, the deeper he falls. Will he have to choose between duty and his growing love—or is there a way he can have both?

Whisper Falls: Where every prayer is answered…

My reaction:

I liked the premise of a policeman falling for the widow of the man he’s investigating. There’s some very real potential for conflict and challenges built in there to keep things interesting. Was she an innocent bystander or somehow involved? How will she react to his investigation and the information he uncovers about her deceased husband? Can they trust each other? And most importantly, how can they possibly find their way to happily ever after with the investigation coming between them? I thought the author did a great job exploring these questions (and others) and their ramifications for the developing relationship between Cassie and Heath.

I found the characters, both major and minor to be interesting and well fleshed out, and I loved the chemistry between hero and heroine as well as the witty banter between them. The pace of the romance and the various plot elements worked for me. In fact, I didn’t want to put the book down, from the opening onward. I think my favorite scene was when Cassie went to investigate the car crash and waited with Heath for help to arrive.  What a way for two strangers to become instantly well-acquainted!

The faith element in this one is relatively minor, featuring church attendance, prayer, and an emphasis on the importance of family and community. I enjoyed watching both characters learn and grow as Heath comes to realize the importance of family, and Cassie learns to open up and feel again, even at the risk of getting hurt. And of course, I loved the happily ever after. The epilogue tied things up in a refreshing way for Cassie and Heath as well as providing some further details into the lives of other characters previously featured in this miniseries.

If you’ve enjoyed any of the other books in the Whisper Falls series, you’ll definitely want to get your hands on a copy of The Lawman’s Honor.  Likewise, if you have enjoyed other titles in the Love Inspired line from Harlequin, you’ll want to check this one out too.  And, if you’re new to Love Inspired, this or another title by Linda Goodnight would serve as a great intro to the line.  She is an award winning and bestselling author, and has written quite a few Love Inspired romances.  In fact, she is one of a few authors that the Love Inspired editors have mentioned as recommended reading for authors new to the line and looking to get a feel for what makes a good Love Inspired romance.

To learn more about Linda Goodnight or to connect with her on social media, check out her Web site at www.lindagoodnight.com.  While you’re at it, you may also want to check out this imaginative interview with the hero of The Lawman’s Honor.

And if you haven’t already, please be sure to subscribe to my blog at KarenCollier.com for more book reviews and blog posts of interest to fans of Christian fiction.

Thank you to Harlequin for providing an electronic copy of this book via NetGalley for my honest review.