Calista York needs one more successful case as a Pinkerton operative to secure her job. When she’s assigned to find the kidnapped daughter of a mob boss, she’s sent to the rowdy mining town of Joplin, Missouri, despite having extended family in the area. Will their meddling expose her mission and keep Lila Seaton from being recovered?When Matthew Cook decided to be a missionary, he never expected … expected to be sent only a short train ride away. 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 seems to be putting her in harm’s way.Calista doesn’t need the handsome pastor interfering with her investigation, and she can’t let her disguise slip. Her job and the life of a young lady depend on keeping Matthew in the dark.
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Such a delightful story!
Courting Misfortune is another delightful story by Regina Jennings. This comes as no surprise to me since I’ve gotten to know her writing through her Fort Reno Series.
Not only filled with mystery, humor, romance, and quirky characters, it has strong spiritual themes that are prevalent. Matthew is a man on a mission. Literally. God has called him to the ungodly city of Joplin, Missouri, to help turn men from their sinful ways. I loved his strong faith and his desire to follow God’s calling even though it appeared his work was unfruitful. His diligence in following the Lord was admirable.
One of my favorite scenes was when Calista, who had a room at a six-story hotel next to the cottage he rented, spied on him when he spent the morning in the garden praying and studying his Bible. I also loved watching him live his faith every day. Willing to step into the shoes of the miners he sought to reach.
Calista also had a calling. Hers was to fight the evil in the world by using her detecting skills as a Pinkerton. She was so delightful! I loved the way she used her seeming innocence to ferret out information. Her secrets were a source of great consternation to Matthew and her family.
I laughed aloud at Calista’s cousins, Amos and Masie! I hope that they appear in future stories. Their initial meeting with Matthew was so funny! While there were, in fact, many laugh-out-loud moments, they were well-balanced with the weightier matters of the miners’ struggles.
If you enjoy historical fiction with a strong Christian message, you won’t want to miss Courting Misfortune.
Read my review of Courting Misfortune by Regina Jennings at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
Christian Historical Romance
I had no idea Joplin was like this! And the family! Man, they’re something! Bit nothing compares to the baby raffle!
I enjoyed the story and the slow romance.
The narration was perfect!
Courting Misfortune by Regina Jennings is her latest book and the first book in her new series The Joplin Chronicles. You definitely don’t want to miss it if you love reading inspirational historical stories with a little bit of suspense and romance.
Calista York is a Pinkerton operative sent to Joplin Missouri to find a missing girl, but while trying to do her job she is constantly finding herself dealing with Matthew Cook, the local pastor who is interfering with her investigation. If she doesn’t find the missing girl soon all of Matthew’s help could cause an unwanted outcome.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more in this series!
I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.
Matthew & Calista have just met their match…
Oh, boy…It’s books like Courting Misfortune that make me such a fan of Regina Jennings. It’s a flat-out fun read filled with quirky characters, hilarious mishaps and misapprehensions, and enough suspense to keep it far from being a typical historical romance. Seriously, though, who knew Joplin was so dangerous over a century ago?
I’m going to make a confession. Right off the bat Matthew annoyed me to no end, he was just so sanctimonious and thought he knew better than everyone how they should live their lives. But as he evolved, as he started to get a clue, he really grew on me and by the last few chapters I downright liked him. Calista, well, Calista was just…Calista. Even when she’s bitten off more than she can chew she stubbornly charges on ahead in the name of justice.
I was caught by the title, Courting Misfortune, when I first saw it, and, now that I’ve read it I can tell you that it is the perfect title for it! Even if I hadn’t already intended on reading this book based on Regina Jennings’s name on the cover I would have wanted to read it because of that title.
This book kicks of The Joplin Chronicles series which I know will be a real hoot and well worth reading. This first book is already a winner in my opinion and I can’t wait to return to Joplin and that crazy family! Whether you are a longtime fan of the author or brand new you won’t want to pass this book by…
(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)
Calista York is a probationary Pinkerton Agent with everything to prove. When her boss sends her after a kidnapped woman, she must go undercover. But working so close to her grandmother’s ranch puts in her hot water with the family, and the handsome preacher living next door to her hotel.
I love Calista. The push-pull of her situation keeps her, and readers, off kilter the whole story. Every time she thinks she has a step forward, her family or preacher Matthew Cook throw a wrench in her plans. Her bravery and desire to do whatever necessary to find the kidnapped girl is incredibly commendable. If only she could tell Matthew and her family so they wouldn’t think her wayward ways were real.
Matthew is a bit more challenging to get to know. On one hand he is an over-zealous missionary and yet in someways naive. Attempting to help Calista complicates things in a good way and I like how his determination to do to good is at the root of all his actions. It makes him the perfect hero opposite Calista.
Courting Misfortune is a fun historical romance set in the troubled city of Joplin, Missouri. Nothing in that town is as black and white as it seems.
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I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.
I made it to chapter 10 before I gave up . The thing I love most about Regina Jennings books are her characters, but Calista, no not a fan. She made it very difficult to want to read and since she is one of the main characters I couldn’t just ignore her. Pretty sure the story had a happy ending, I just don’t know what it was .
Courting Misfortune is the first full length novel in the Joplin Chronicles. Calista York is introduced in the prequel: Intrigue a la Mode. I recommend reading the novella first but if you don’t, you won’t be confused when starting Courting Misfortune.
Calista is a hopeful Pinkerton operative sent to her hometown of Joplin, Missouri on a missing girl case. Problems arise when Calista’s family realizes she’s in town. To make matters worse, while trying to find information about the missing girl in one of the many saloons, Calista runs into a preacher, Matthew Cook. He believes Calista to be a saloon girl and is set on saving her soul. Even if it means following her around and getting in the way of her investigation.
I enjoyed this story and learning more about the Pinkertons. There were times I wanted to shake Calista for her inability to convince people of her cover story. She kept changing it and seemed unsure at times.
The baby raffling scenes were hard to read but only because it was hard to imagine people doing that. Unfortunately, it did happen. But I thought Regina handled the issue well. I’m excited to read the second book, Proposing Mischief when it releases.
Christian Historical
It took me a little bit to get into the story, but it picked up momentum and then was hard to put down. I had to know what happened. Calista is on a kidnapping case, undercover, but in a town where much of her family lives. So much had been fabricated for her in order to do the research she needed. Matthew is a preacher who felt called to the same town. He couldn’t figure Calista out, but realized she was putting herself in danger. Subtle humor inserts when her cousins come into the scenes. God’s plans orchestrate each of their paths, leading to an interesting and unexpected conclusion .
I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#CourtingMisfortune #NetGalley
This was a fun beginning to a new series! I enjoyed learning about female Pinkerton agents and the city of Joplin, MO. Calista is trying to become an agent and is in training. Matthew wants to be a preacher/missionary in Joplin. Their paths continue to cross with her investigations. It was an enjoyable read. I received a copy from the publisher. All views stated are my own.
Calista is in training as a Pinkerton agent. When she is sent on a mission to find a kidnapped young lady she is sent into a rowdy town full of miners and questionable characters. A young preacher decides she is a young lady headed for trouble and their paths are destined to cross frequently. This is full of mishaps, troubles, secrets and a little romance. Serious happenings but some oh so fun mishaps that kept me reading and wondering just what Calista would get into next. I requested a copy through NetGalley , no review was required. My review is voluntary.
Courting Misfortune, by Regina Jennings, is the first book in The Joplin Chronicles series. Brimming with history, mystery, and originality, this novel is thoughtfully engaging and memorable. The bustling town setting, quirky-but-likable characters, and detailed plot ensure that this story is thoroughly surprising and truly moving from the first page to the last.
Ms. Jennings’ skill as a writer is wholly evident as she successfully brings to life late nineteenth century Joplin, Missouri and the surrounding mining camps. With flourish and insight, this setting infuses the plot with relevancy and intrigue. And within this setting, the thoughtfully-layered storyline is as redemptive as it satisfying.
The compelling story featured in this novel is wholly enriched by well-developed characters that are unique and utterly intriguing. They are flawed, authentic, clever, courageous, and determined. Their motivations, their faith, and their choices make them interesting and relatable. Even though they struggle through situations that strain their dreams, test their assumptions, and challenge their faith, the power of God’s grace and mercy abounds, nurturing fresh hope and unexpected opportunities. Courting Misfortune is also enjoyable for its strong focus on family and the many different ways in which family members support, uplift, and protect one another.
Well-written and rich with descriptive detail, Courting Misfortune is a satisfying novel that touched my heart page after page. Ms. Jennings has certainly crafted an appealing, thought-provoking story that is worthwhile and meaningful. I eagerly recommend it to all readers.
*I was given a copy of this novel by the publisher/author. A review was not required. The review I have written is voluntary and contains opinions that are entirely my own.
I had a difficult time finishing this book, wherein the main character is supposed to be a probationary Pinkerton operative yet blunders from one failure to the next with all the finesse of a rank amateur. But if I hadn’t finished it, I would’ve missed seeing how the author neatly burned bridges and tied off loose ends.
Calista feels that she was called to work as a detective. She’s still new at it and now she’s facing an assignment that’s particularly complicated because she has family in the area.
Matthew feels called to Joplin as a preacher, sent to rescue miners who resort to alcohol to numb the physical and emotional pain that stems from the backbreaking labor that they do for meager reward.
Their random encounters build to something more. Not mutual respect, unfortunately, but definitely attraction. He doesn’t trust her because he keeps catching her in lies–which only makes sense given that she’s juggling stories like live hand grenades trying to keep her family at bay while struggling to solve her case.
He rescues her repeatedly.
She doesn’t even get to put the final puzzle piece in. This was salt in the wound to me since, as clumsy as she was, she was doing her best and then the answer gets handed to someone else?
Granted, it put her in a demanding position and she faced it down without Matthew.
I’m disappointed that it wasn’t the tightly woven mystery that I expected, yet the ending sort of salvaged things.
Jennings has written a historical romance that has humor and wonderful characters with an undercurrent of intrigue and mystery. This novel is set in the late 1890s and it promises to be an exciting and adventurous series. Calista is an undercover Pinkerton agent in training who has been sent to Joplin, MO. to find a kidnapped daughter of a Chicago mobster. Her only drawback is her large, influential family that lives in Joplin, threatens to hinder her work as she is working undercover. Matthew is a farm boy who’s followed God’s calling to Joplin to preach and minister. He is instantly attracted to Calista and she to him, but she cannot get too close because she is not who she says she is. There is much within the pages to keep you interested, scenes like pretending to be looking for work as into seedy bars, volunteering at an orphanage, Bible studies in Matthew’s little cottage and of all things,a baby raffle. …. If you enjoy well-written, fun historical romance, you will definitely enjoy this book……I received an ecopy of the book from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
This was a truly fun story to read! I loved the mystery, action, and humor! I also enjoyed Calista being a fun, spunky heroine who kept surprising me, and Matthew a godly, patient, and interesting hero. Calista’s cousins and grandma add a great amount of humor and fun to this story. This was a very different read to me, not your typical romance, with Calista so devoted to her job. It really makes you wonder how the story would end. I like how everything finally resolved, and truly enjoyed another great read from Regina Jennings!
Another wonderful book from Regina Jennings! As always this author has great characters. A lady Pinkerton and a missionary in a rough town was bound to be interesting. I usually have a laugh or two from the characters but there were also some serious times. There is a spiritual thread throughout the book. Matthew just couldn’t figure this Calista out from one time to the next. Enough mystery, danger, romance and fun times to keep me flipping those pages. I think historical and mystery readers would enjoy this story. I would certainly recommend this story to my friends and family.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and author but was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
How much trouble could one undercover potential Pinkerton agent get into? Well, Calista seems to be testing that theory. While she has the best intentions, she is constantly finding herself in one fix or another while searching for a missing person. All she needs to do is find the missing woman and her career with the Pinkerton Agency will be set; she will be a full-fledged detective. That’s all she wants. But then she meets a pastor and wins a baby in a contest! What more can hinder her efforts? Well, interfering relatives, of course!
Grab your copy of Courting Misfortune, the first in The Joplin Chronicles series by Regina Jennings! It’s such a great story and I recommend it for everyone!
I have enjoyed this author’s Fort Reno series and the unique characters she creates to place in situations that are outside the norm. This first book in The Joplin Chronicles gives us a female Pinkerton agent searching for a missing woman, setting it in a Midwest town that is far from the place I presumed it to be!
Calista is determined and feels called to be more than a debutante. This particular case is difficult for her, but she finds her footing and comes to realize what is truly worth fighting for. I loved reading about the reasoning behind some of her choices, even the poor ones, because they were made logically. She is a multi-faceted character I could root for.
Really, most of the characters in this novel are both engaging and sympathetic, even those who are secondary characters and perhaps ones we might judge as beneath us in real life. But being a pastor, Matthew engages with them, gets to know their situations, sees them as people in need of the hope he offers. It made for a riveting story, and even left a bit of conviction in its wake as I asked myself how often I have not even tried to understand someone’s motivations for wrong behaviors.
The history in this book is very complex and interesting, from Pinkerton agents to Joplin’s history as city. We often think about the “Wild West” but Jennings’ descriptions of Joplin and its citizens were just as raucous as any mining towns closer to California.
I recommend this book for those who enjoy detective stories, especially those with a female lead. Those who are interested in Joplin’s history will find this book enhanced by the setting, and the romantic element is a sweet addition that rounds out the story nicely.
I received a review copy of this book from the author and publisher but was under no obligation to post a positive review. The opinions expressed are both honest and my own.
This is a very entertaining book about a female detective trying to secure her position in the Pinkerton Detective Agency. I loved the mystery, danger, and adventure in the plot of Courting Misfortune and the addition of a possible romance certainly added to its delight.
Author Regina Jennings has filled her story with twists and turns, as Calista York finds herself dealing with shady characters, corruption, and a baby raffle that awards her a baby she doesn’t want. She also finds herself being protected by a wanna-be missionary and there are many laugh-out moments between her and Matthew Cook, after he sees her entering a brothel and assumes that she needs to hear God’s Word. She, of course, must keep her identity a secret while dealing with his persistent efforts to save her and this is where the fun begins! I especially loved Matthew, his attempts to keep Calista safe, and his desire to share the Gospel with her and the other people of Joplin, Missouri. Jennings gives Matthew some wonderful dialogue and uses his character to remind us that God puts us where He wants us to be and He often chooses a different path for us to take, if we trust Him and allow him to work in our lives.
I am labeling this book a keeper! It kept my interest, it kept me wanting more, and it kept me laughing! Courting Misfortune is an enjoyable historical Christian romance set in 1898 and I highly recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. There was no obligation for a favorable review and these are my own thoughts.
Calista York has almost completed her probationary term as a Pinkerton agent. Now all she has to do is locate one missing young woman and the job will officially be hers. If only that one job wasn’t in Joplin, a wild mining town swarming with her own headstrong cousins. Though she’s kept her profession a secret from them, how can she possibly hope to accomplish her mission when they’ll be wanting to be part of her business every moment she’s in town?
Matthew Cook left his quiet home in the Ozarks to come to Joplin and be a minister of the Gospel. Nowhere is the light needed more than in this seedy place. But people aren’t looking for the kind of help he’s offering, and Matthew realizes he needs to work among the miners to get to know them better.
The only thing Calista needs less than her cousins’ interference is to attract the attention of a minister. She finds Matthew sweet, humble, and determined—determined to save her from whatever mischief he thinks she’s getting into. Her quest to find the missing girl will take her down dark alleys and into questionable businesses, which would be a lot easier to accomplish without Matthew hanging around, worrying over her safety.
If you enjoy stories with twisty plots and strong characters, you’ll like Courting Misfortune. This is the first book in Regina Jennings’ new series, and I can’t wait to see which of the minor characters we met here will have their turn in a starring role next time. I’m sure I’ll laugh out loud as much as I did with this one.
I received my copy of the book from the author. All thoughts in this review are my own.
Calista York is undercover. When she was sent to work on a case in an area where many of her family members live, she could not figure out. How hard could it be to find one woman? Very hard when you have meddling relatives and a need to act opposite of how you are in real life. She definitely confuses Matthew who is trying to start a church for the Joplin area miners. At one point, she is spouting Scripture, then she is entering into places that are not fit for a lady? Is Calista able to solve the case?
This was an original story full of mystery, history and humor. While there were a few uncertain moments, this was not really a suspenseful book. But the reader does try to solve the case. (I figured out parts of the storyline.) I loved the fact that the author included historic episodes into a minor part of the plot. And there were many parts of the story that were laugh out loud funny. (Charades anyone?)
Faith is also an important part of the book. Pastor Matthew wants to make a difference being a part of everyday life with those he is trying to serve. What drives Calista to want to be an operative is because she truly wants to make a difference in the lives of others. This book reminds me of the idea that our deeds need to show our beliefs.
I have not read any books by this author before. I would definitely read more. A big thank you to Bethany House Publishers and to NetGalley for letting me read a copy of this book. All opinions are my own, and the review was my idea.