Head in the Clouds [Paperback]

It seems with every new Karen Witemeyer book I read my love for her work just grows and grows! You cannot help but relate to these characters; they're so human and natural and easy to like! I especially was fond of the heroine, Adelaid Proctor, in Head in the Clouds, because she messes up so badly in the beginning, then resolves to change her ways, but that would be like painting leopard spots on a zebra--dreaming is a part of her nature!
The characters have dimension, there's no point blank stereotype that chafes at your nerves until the second last page, and then there's a miraculous "I see the light" moment. They grow, they have depth, there is a new fluxuation of character development in every chapter, just as we all experience!
Also, I especially enjoyed the fact that the hero, Gideon, was British--it made Adelaid's struggle to squash her 'silly' dreams very amusing as his mannerisms bring to mind all the classic eurocentric heroes, such as (her prince) Edward Rochester and the infamous Mr. Darcy. But he is does not brood and commiserate life, he's funny, hard-working and compassionate, with an endearing mischievous side.
All in all, this author has officially taken her place in my heart as a trusted and favourite writer. I see no reason why anyone would disapprove of this novel, it's fun, entertaining and suspenseful and an absolutely satifsying read!

Since I very much enjoyed Witemeyer's debut novel A Tailor-Made Bride, I was happy to jump on this follow up.

Single father falls for attractive nanny is such a frequently-used device in romance fiction that it takes a very strong leading couple to make the story feel unique. In my opinion, we've got about three quarters of a strong couple. Adelaide gets full marks. She's a little absentminded and prone to flights into nonsense, but her energy and imagination more than make up for that. I want her as a governess for my children! Gideon was just ok for me. He felt a little cold and removed, which made it difficult at times to really buy into the romance.

Once again, Witemeyer's secondary characters are fantastic. Isabella was by far my favorite. She's five, the same age as my own daughter, so I was definitely caught up in her whimsy and charm. Various other household staff (Apparently a staff of four are needed to care for a family of two. No wonder I can't ever keep up with my housework.) and farm hands lend their individual personalities to the landscape and really make the story work.

The evil uncle added a pleasant amount of danger and suspense to this story. Pleasant for me, at least. I think the characters found it distinctly uncomfortable. I wish we could have done without the chapters that were specifically about the uncle- I felt like the change of setting and character broke up the flow of the story. Overall, though, I definitely enjoyed this book.

Head in the Clouds is a new novel in the Historical Fiction genre, but is actually somewhat of a western romance murder mystery, with a British flair thrown in. As Karen Witemeyer's second book published in 2010 by Bethany House*, Head in the Clouds will definitely give readers a surprise and likely a bit of a scare. These are two elements you wouldn't expect to find in the pages of a story with such a lovely, whimsical cover, and after reading the author's debut novel. Beginning with a fun, fairytale-ish flavor, the story switches almost abruptly midway to a dark, tragic tale.

All of the characters in this book - whether hero, villain, or secondary, are portrayed vividly. Our heroine is Adelaide Proctor, lover of fairy tales and yellow dresses, and keeper of romantic dreams - namely finding her Prince Charming and living happily ever after. Gideon Westcott is the charming, handsome son of British nobility, and a doting adoptive father. Isabella, his five year old daughter, is reticent and withdrawn, grieving for the loss of her birth parents. Many secondary characters, and of course the evil uncle Petchey, also play significant roles as the drama of this story unfolds.

The action and adventure of the story reach several peaks involving the plotting villain's sinister schemes. Adelaide and Gideon find that protecting those they love will be no easy task, especially after finding evidence of just how treacherous Isabella's uncle really is. Building in suspense and casting light on a haunting conspiracy, the story's climax comes in a nail-biting rendezvous as good battles evil. Gideon had hoped his new daughter would be safe in Texas... But what will happen when her past travels west to find her?

Although the messages and morals in this story were subtle at times, the reader does get a feeling of learning along with the hero and heroine. Adelaide discovers that if you trust God, you need to place your faith in Him even in times of adversity. Because of her impatient nature, God also teaches her to pray for strength and guidance, but then wait for answers! Through this, Adelaide learns to 'follow her cloud,' and that miracles do happen. The importance of love and family is portrayed in the story as well, and readers are shown a frightening depiction of how greed can lead to a person's destruction.

Head in the Clouds was a relatively disappointing novel, largely because the second half was so unexpected and different in tone than the first half. What began with a light, whimsical tone led to a dark, violent crises that was not taken seriously enough. The characters definitely add an endearing quality to the book, and will be remembered favorably. What will not be thought of as favorably, however, are certain unexpected, unnecessary, and unwanted parts of the plot that achieve no uplifting feelings at all. Not all books should be uplifting and funny, of course, but this one led readers to expect at least a calmer story. After reading Karen Witemeyer's earlier debut novel, and highly enjoying it, I had expected better from Head in the Clouds.

***Note: I received this book free of charge for review purposes, courtesy of Bethany House Publishers and Graf-Martin Communications. I would like to thank them very much for sending it to me.