No Other Will Do by Karen Witemeyer

Emma Chandler started a colony for women. It was meant to be a sanctuary for the women who took up residence there. But now that sanctuary is being threatened. Someone wants the women to abandon Harper's Station. Each threat becomes more menacing than the one before. Finally the threat becomes more violent. A man that would shoot up a church with women and children present is a violence Emma is unprepared to deal with. Emma needs help, and she knows just the person to send for.

Malachi Shaw is the best dynamite expert in the field. He loves his job. Ten years before, as an orphan, Malachi was taken in by Emma and her aunts.  Grateful for all that they did for him Malachi knows that he will do whatever it takes to save his angel Emma.

Ten years is a long time to be away from someone. Malachi is not disappointed in his remembrance of Emma. She still appears to him as an angel. He's always loved her and now even more so. But, Malachi believes that he is not worthy of his angel so he is there only to help Emma for a few days. He must guard his heart because he knows that he has a job to go back to and Emma has a town of women to run, But each day that Malachi is near Emma he knows it will be even harder to leave her than the first time ten years ago. Malachi also knows that he will let nobody threaten Emma without consequences and that requires him to keep close tabs on her. Will the threats cease now that there is a man in town to protect the women?

My Thoughts:

I loved this story! Karen Witemeyer always slips in a bit of suspense in her books that manages to keep the reader glued to the pages. I especially loved the romance though in this one. Emma and Malachi were perfect together. Sometimes I get tired of reading about all of the misunderstandings that keep couples apart before they finally get together. There wasn't any of that in No Other Will Do. While there were hurdles to be crossed, there was never misunderstanding between Malachi and Emma. I loved both Mal and Emma's personalities. Emma was a strong female character, yet knew when she needed to ask for help. She was stubborn and put herself into situations that weren't safe, but only because she would rather be hurt than allow someone she loved to be hurt. Mal was a swoon-worthy hero that even though he felt unworthy of Emma was the absolute best for her! While the conflict was what brought them together my favorite parts were just the two of them casting longing glances towards each other. I love Karen Witemeyer's books and No Other Will Do did not disappoint. If you haven't read any of her books I say they are a definite must for your library!