Taming Lady Temperance by Karen Witemeyer

 

Title:  Taming Lady Temperance

Author:  Karen Witemeyer

Narrated by:  Kate Forbes

Publisher: Recorded Books

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 51 minutes

Source:  Thank-you to @karen.witemeyer @bethanyhousefiction @greatreadsbookpromo for the review copy of the physical book as part of the Great Reads Book Promotion Tour and thank-you to @Netgalley for the audiobook review copy.

Do you have a cause that you believe in?  I have many, but a lifelong cause I have is to promote engineering to youth and to help increase the number of women in engineering.

Noreen O’Sullivan firmly believes in the temperance cause.  When she is invited to join the Secret Society of Spinsters, she hopes she will be able to rally others to her cause to close the local tavern.  Not everyone is town is happy about this, and Deputy James Paxton is often called in to keep the peace.  Noreen and the Deputy are at odds at first, but soon sparks fly.  Will these two be able to find love?  Will Noreen be able to shut down the tavern?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I loved the discussion of favorite books including Little Women.

·       It was interesting to think about “spinster” ladies and how they could be devoted to a cause back then, like temperance, and work together for a change for the greater good.

·       I was not sure about Noreen’s crusade at first, but as she described her abuse by her alcoholic father and his early death, it made sense that she wanted to shut it own.  The cruel violent beating of her friend in a similar circumstance was horrifying.

·       I loved Deputy James Paxton and how he is always trying to do with is right for the community. He was caring and empathetic man.  I also liked how he investigated a crime at the end and was able to put together all the clues.  I also loved how he was able to change his viewpoint as he emphasized with people.

·       I was call this enemies to friends to lovers book.

·       This was a western frontier historical romance set in Albany Texas in 1894.  It was a clean romance and a Christian read.

·       The point of view would switch between Noreen and James.

·       I loved Noreen and James’s relationship and the growth of both characters throughout the novel.

·       The audiobook was interesting with a good narrator. 

·       There are great discussion questions at the end of the book for a book club to use.

·       This is the first book in a new series, The Secret Society of Spinsters.  I am looking forward to continuing to read this series.  An exciting excerpt of the next book in the series is included at the end of this book.

Overall, Taming Lady Temperance by Karen Witemeyer was a good western historical romance that had an interesting spin with the temperance and spinster women topics.