A Star in the West by Karen Witemeyer

Friendly correspondence takes an intimate turn when a Harvard mathematics professor comes to 1890 Texas to test a relationship hypothesis.

Stella Barrington long ago made peace with her quiet life, contenting herself with tending to her father and sponsoring a university literary society. But when Harvard mathematics professor Frank Stenz arrives in Waco as a visiting lecturer, a relationship previously confined to the safety of letters faces a real-world test. Sure that her plain face will discourage courtship, Stella blossoms as Frank persistently pursues her.

As Frank and Stella experiment with extending their relationship beyond letters, a Christmas mystery draws them into unexpected danger. Frank also finds himself weighing a prestigious career opportunity against a love he thought beyond his reach. Will Stella's wise man be able to calculate a way for them to be together?

Rediscover the joy of Christmas with this faith-filled, friends-to-more historical holiday romance novella inspired by the Nativity story and set on the Western frontier.