“Full Steam Ahead” by Karen Witemeyer

About the Book

When love simmers between a reclusive scientist and a wealthy debutante, will they abandon ship or is it full steam ahead?

Nicole Renard returns home to Galveston, Texas, to find her father deathly ill. Though she loves him, Nicole's father has always focused on what she's not. Not male. Not married. Not able to run Renard Shipping.

Vowing to find a suitable husband to give her father the heir he desires before it's too late, Nicole sets out with the Renard family's greatest treasure as her dowry: the highly coveted Lafitte Dagger. But her father's rivals come after the dagger, forcing a change in Nicole's plans.

After a boiler explosion aboard the Louisiana nearly took his life, Darius Thornton has been a man obsessed. He will do anything to stop even one more steamship disaster. Even if it means letting a female secretary into his secluded world.

Nicole is determined not to let her odd employer scare her off with his explosive experiments, yet when respect and mutual attraction grow between them, a new fear arises. How can she acquire an heir for her father when her heart belongs to another? And when her father's rivals discover her hiding place, will she have to choose between that love and her family's legacy?

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"Full Steam Ahead" was released in May 2014
This is a well love library book that was reviewed

 

My Review of "Full Steam Ahead"

“Full Steam Ahead” by Karen Witemeyer is a wonderful story that has plenty of lessons to be learned by the characters and maybe by the readers as well. There was plenty of romance, of course, not to mention hunting, trips of guilt, humor, secrets (both large and small), determination and courage. I found that this was book that I just could not put down.  The writing was beautiful, creative and really interesting. The characters themselves were strong, well rounded, and as well as both being quirky to where I couldn't help but to fall in love with them. Then there is the plot and oh where to start with that for it was so interesting, complex and yet so simple that it kept me reading to point of past my bedtime in order to finish the book.

I found both Darius and Nicole to be strong willed characters with a lot of determination and single mindedness in order to see through what they believe is the most important tasks. The characters held true to the period with the guy thinking that the girl isn't smart enough and the girl without getting too into it with the guy quietly proves him wrong. I found that great, for really it was almost apparent from the start, that he at least needed her, and as the story goes on, the reader is able to see how she needs him as well and why. This kind of need between them, along with the attraction that is from the start, not to mention that there are no false presentation of oneself, personality wise anyway, really made it interesting to see why and how the romance blooms between them.

The flaws that shows up in both of the characters too, really made them stand out just that much more, for they were simple little flaws yet so major in how each character handled and worked with those flaws. At times I wanted to smack someone upside the head because they just didn't seem to be fully seeing their problems, even when it was pointed out to them full out in their face with no hidden messages.

There is not just one conflict within this story but two and they are not connected which made the story just that much better I think. While focusing on one conflict the other conflict was always there in the background, and I kept waiting for something to happen with that and when it did, wow things moved even faster.  I found that the resolution to both conflicts to be completely different, which makes sense after all they are completely different conflicts, and perfect for the way the story went.  

I truly enjoyed this story and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a light reading book that is also action packed and intense.  I know sounds a bit oxymoronic but really that is how the book read to me.  It was easy to follow along with the flow without much thought, with plenty of laughter, and was kept interested in the story because of the action and everything that was happening.

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