Review: Courting Misfortune by Regina Jennings

 

About:

Her trickiest case depends on keeping her motives--and her heart--in disguise.

Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job at the agency. When she's assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she's sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri. With extended family in the area, Calista must conceal her profession if she hopes to recover the missing girl.

When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected to be sent only a short train ride away to Joplin. While fighting against corruption of all sorts, Matthew hears of a baby raffle being held to raise funds for a children's home. He'll do what he can to stop it, but he also wants to stop the reckless Miss York, whose bad judgment consistently puts her in harm's way.

Calista doesn't need the handsome pastor and her nosy family interfering with her investigation, no matter their intentions. A girl's life depends on her. If she doesn't find Lila Seaton soon, the constant meddling could have dire consequences.

My Thoughts:

Courting Misfortune takes us into the belly of Joplin, Missouri, a town that needs a lot of help and guidance. That is why preacher Matthew Cook has come to town. He has heard of the immorality and wants to offer hope to the miners and the women of questionable reputations.

Calista York comes to Joplin as a Pinkerton agent looking for a missing, kidnapped girl. The girl's picture haunts Calista, but Calista also wants to prove herself a capable agent, as capable as any man. And she needs to work this case on her own. However, Calista's family lives near Joplin and she can't hide from them. I don't even know how to explain her family. They are quite a bunch and bring much needed humor to this story. With a family like that you should never be lonely. I liked them, their oddities, closeness, and camaraderie.

Matthew is drawn to Calista and tries to save her from herself. Calista must continue to act as a ridiculous young lady as she searches out the nightlife for the missing girl, poor Matthew is only trying to protect her. As he also tries to stop a most ridiculous and bordering on illegal if not certainly unethical plan that the children's home has come up with to raise money.

Two people come to Joplin to help others. Both have pure intentions just very different missions. Neither one of them expected to fall in love. This was a fun one. I look forward to more of author Jennings humorous and slightly dangerous stories in the town of Joplin that is in serious need of redemption.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

About the Author:

Regina Jennings (www.reginajennings.com) is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a minor in history. She's the winner of the National Readers' Choice Award, a two-time Golden Quill finalist and a finalist for the Oklahoma Book of the Year Award. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and at First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She lives outside of Oklahoma City with her husband and four children.