Engaging the Competition

Author: Melissa Jagears
Publication date: May 3, 2016
Series: Teaville Moral Society .5
Pages: 103
Genre: Historical, Romance , Christian
Synopsis:1900s Kansas

Ever since Charlotte Andrews bested four-eyed Harrison Gray in a shooting competition when they were teenagers, he decided a tough, show-off girl like Charlie didn’t need him to look after her. Now a teacher at the local school, Harrison learns Charlie intends to marry a neighbor who comes from a long line of no-good troublemakers and, for some inexplicable reason, it falls to him to talk some sense into her…if she has any under that tomboy exterior.

Their heated confrontation unfortunately takes place right as a bad storm is coming on and, in the melee of arguing and taking shelter, Harrison’s glasses are knocked off his face and broken when Charlie’s horse crushes them under a hoof. Harrison and Charlie may have their differences, but she can see from his panic that the loss of his glasses is a blow to him. She volunteers to help him at school until his new pair of special order glasses arrive despite knowing the one place she can’t best Harrison is in the classroom.

My Opinion

I am relatively new to Melissa Jagears, having only read 2 books of hers, but I am coming to realize as I read more that I really enjoy her books, which means she will probably get the honors of going on my list of ‘Favorite Historical Christian Authors’. Quite an honor if I must say. I find that her stories are interesting and her characters are very engaging.

Even though this was a quicky – less than 100 pages -, I still enjoyed it very much. I liked how our hero and heroine knew each other since they were children. Harrison has had a crush on Charlie for quite some time but she tends to rub him the wrong way, always having to be the best at everything. What he doesn’t know is, is that Charlie has a crush on him as well, always hoping that someday he would notice her in a new light, but since they send each other mixed signals over the years, that never happens. Harrison hasn’t had a proper conversation with Charlie for 7 years, ever since she bested him at a shooting competition with his gun, which she never intended to do, she was just testing out his gun – she’s a tom boy, loves all things ‘non frilly’. Harrison ends up getting stuck at Charlies place when a storm comes rolling in. Being confined in close quarters in her cellar, their ‘crush’ feelings start to return to them. Charlie ends up having to help him out teaching since his glasses were destroyed during the storm and he can’t hardly see a thing without them. By helping him out with his teaching, their feelings for each other grows. Eventually they break down and confess to each other their feelings for one another. And since this is a romance, you can guess the rest as romance books always ends with a happy ending.

At the end of this book, it gives a preview of book #1 in the Teaville Moral Society, which I can’t wait to read. The hero, Mr Lowe sounded a mite grumpy, and who doesn’t love a grumpy hero – who possibly – turns sweet on the heroine?

Favorite Quotes

N/A

Final Thoughts

Would I recommend it:
Would I read it again: