That Certain Spark by Cathy Hake

I was recently given the chance to review (for free, as I'm now obligated to report by law!) a book by Cathy Marie Hake titled THAT CERTAIN SPARK.


Okay, I know we can't officially judge books by their cover but I LOVED this cover. Check it out. Isn't that great?



You know that cover model had fun with that one! =)

Here's the summary:

Gooding, Texas, is about to gain a double blessing--a veterinarian and a doctor. But when siblings Enoch and Taylor Bestman arrive, the discovery that the long-awaited doctor is in fact a woman has the town up in arms. Karl Van der Vort is no exception, though he becomes Taylor's first patient...against his will. Karl finds he can't deny Taylor's doctoring skills, but he also can't come to terms with her unladylike occupation. Taylor, on the other hand, wants only to prove that doctoring is her life's calling, despite the town's opposition. But when her practice--and Taylor herself--are threatened, Karl's protectiveness flares into a different emotion altogether.As Pride Meets Attraction Head-On, Sparks Begin to Fly!


Here's Cathy, who I know personally through the ACFW and is a dear, sweet woman with a talented daughter who is also an author as well. Just goes to show you writing genes run in the family =)

I'm hoping my daughter picks up on that from me one day...though she's only 16 months old right now, so...we have time to see. =)

I enjoyed this story, the characters were vivid and likable and relatable. The plot interesting and different. I don't read a ton of historicals but this one was definitely memorable.

However, I do have to say that I got a little hung up on the dialogue. A minor plot point was the banter between the hero and heroine, which is always fun to see. But because of the heroine's education and medical training, and because of the historical setting, sometimes the banter came across a little too hard to read. I found myself backtracking a lot, trying to figure out what they were really saying and even had to look up words sometimes. It was a little distracting, and stopped the flow of the story, but not a huge ordeal.

If you're looking for a unique read and enjoy historicals, I bet you'll like this one. =)

Buy your copy of this lovely novel HERE!

And read more about Cathy at her website: http://www.cathymariehake.com/