"The Heart's Charge" by Karen Witemeyer--Hanger's Horsemen, book 2

Members of Hanger's Horsemen, Mark Wallace and Jonah Brooks arrive in Llano County, Texas, to deliver a steed, never expecting they'd deliver a baby as well. Left with an infant to care for, they head to a nearby foundling home, where Mark encounters the woman he'd nearly married a decade ago. After failing at love, Katherine Palmer dedicated her life to caring for children, teaming up with Eliza Southerland to start Harmony House. From mixed ancestry, illegitimate, and female, Eliza understands the pain of not fitting society's mold. Yet those are the very attributes that lead her to minister to outcast children. The taciturn Jonah intrigues her with his courage and kindness, but there are secrets behind his eyes--ghosts from wars past and others still being waged. However, when a handful of urchin children from the area go missing, a pair of Horsemen are exactly what the women need. Working together to find the children, will these two couples find love as well?

I always enjoy Karen Witemeyer's books. The humor, the heart-felt story, the loveable characters. For a book with four protagonists, I found it nicely balanced between the four perspectives; I didn't feel that one couple was given preference over the other. And I liked that it was truly one story--not a different plot thread for each couple, but rather a cohesive whole, with everyone working together for a common goal. 

The multi-racial cast was very well done. Jonah and Eliza were well thought out in how they were portrayed; they don't feel like white characters of a different color. They don't react the same way as their white comrades. They often compensate for the expected prejudice, and Jonah especially is careful to avoid situations that could be misconstrued. He doesn't let Mark run the show--he chooses to interact with local lawmen regardless of the prejudice he might encounter. But he is careful in what he says, how he reacts, and who he is willing to be alone with. 

Over all, a fun story!

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for the complimentary e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own. 

Hanger's Horsemen
1. At Love's Command
2. The Heart's Charge
3. In Honor's Defense