A Matter of Character by Robin Lee Hatcher

From the Back Cover:
The Sisters of Bethlehem Springs series delivers exactly what readers have been waiting for---smart, confident women who are not afraid to defy convention, live their own dreams, and share their lives if the right man comes along.

It's 1918, and Daphne McKinley, heiress to a small fortune, has found contentment in the town of Bethlehem Springs. But Daphne has a secret. A series of dime novels loosely based on local lore and featuring a nefarious villain known as Rawhide Rick has enjoyed modest popularity among readers. Nobody in Bethlehem Springs knows the man behind the stories ... except Daphne. When newspaperman Joshua Crawford comes to town searching for the man who sullied the good name of his grandfather, Daphne finds herself at a crossroads, reassessing the power of her words, re-thinking how best to honor her gifts, and reconsidering what she wants out of life.

My Review:
Thank you to CFBA and Zondervan for my copy of this enjoyable Christian fiction novel. Set in a small town in Idaho's 20th century, a romance with a bit of a mystery is skillfully plotted incorporating wonderfully complex characters. The author writes in third-person narrative so that the reader can "get into the head" of each character.

The plot is interspersed with journal entries written by Joshua's deceased grandfather, Rawhide Rick, a true villain of the Old West. At first, this interruption felt a bit clumsy to me, but I soon adapted and ended up pleased with the overall effect. Although the reader can guess how the story will end, the plot is so well done that it's fun getting there.

This is the third in a series, but is a stand-alone novel. I loved it!

Robin Hatcher is conducting a contest for the new book. Join in the fun here.

If you would like to read the prologue and first chapter, click here.

If you would like to buy a copy, click here.