More Than Meets The Eye by Karen Witemeyer

More Than Meets the Eye is a Patchwork Family Novel and I understand why now. Karen Witemeyer starts her story with a prologue of 3 orphans, Zach, Seth, and Evangeline, that survive a train wreck, and become their own family, fighting to survive.  All 3 are "broken" and society treats them like outcasts.  They have learned how to deal with others in town and their own "handicaps".  Fifteen years later, Logan Fowler buys land beside their property and is seeking revenge on Zach, who cheated his father off their homestead and caused his mother to be a shell of what she used to be.  He isn't expecting to meet Evangeline, who has a beauty and joy inside of her that Logan has never seen. Evangeline has never even had a friend, but with Logan there is the added chemistry of a first love.  The more time they spend together, Logan struggles with the secrets he has and his plan for vengeance.  When they witness an attempted murder of a young woman Christie, they must work together to find her attacker, protect the lady from further harm, and save themselves. 
First off, I love the quick wit Karen Witemeyer always uses in her novels.  This one didn't disappoint.  Evangeline is such a strong character, who just wants to be cherished by someone, after being lonely her whole life.  She chooses joy, even when she is called names and regarded as a demon by the townspeople. The emotions of both her and Logan make them so real!  Also, she and her brothers have struggled with trusting outsiders their whole lives.  Yet, they accept Christie into their "family", and show her the love of Christ.  When Logan can't seem to give up his plan for revenge, Evangeline challenges him to think about what God wants, as well as how his actions have affected his mother.  I love a mystery/romance set in the time period of the late 1800's and the western setting with saloons, horses, and first love.  Thank you to Bethany House Publishers for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  Looking forward to the next novel by Karen Witemeyer!

Hearts Entwined A Historical Romance Novella Collection

Bethany House recently sent me a collection of historical novellas for free in exchange for a honest review.  Karen Witemeyer, Mary Connealy, Regina Jennings, and Melissa Jagears each tell a story of strong women that find love.  In The Love Knot, an old friend from the past shows up in Texas with an infant nephew she has never met, with instructions to raise him as her own.  Claire had moved out west to forget the past, and the rejection of her first love.  Peter has vowed to never let Claire get away again, and sets out to prove he is the one for her, even with a baby to care for now.  In The Tangled Ties that Bind, Maggie is training to be a doctor and she is not letting anyone stop her, not even Connor her childhood best friend, who has just returned home after 5 years.  Connor has grown up and is ready to settle down on the family ranch with Maggie, but Maggie has moved away to pursue her dreams.  She is only in town temporary to help her sick mom.  There is conflict and humor when they try to compromise. In Bound and Determined, Private Bradley Willis is assigned the duty of helping a retired cavalry officer move a heard across an Indian Reservation.  He truly believes he is being punished when he discovers the herd is camels, and the officer's headstrong daughter, Ambrosia is along to thwart the plans of her father.  She has been living a opulent life, and doesn't want camels or a lower class private to ruin it.  Ambrosia wants adventure, but isn't looking for love.  In Tied and True, Marianne has found the man of her dreams.  However, her parents have another man already chosen for her in their social class.  Calvin is in agreement; he cannot provide Marianne with the life she needs, and tries to get her out of his heart.  Marianne sets out to prove she can live like the middle class does by getting hired at a cotton mill.  She wants to marry for love, but Calvin loves her too much to cause her to live a life of what he foresees as hardships. 
I love the comedy in these stories, especially the one involving the camels.  Regina Jennings did a outstanding job describing their trek across the plains that I could easily picture the camels antics and how they would have been perceived in the eyes of the cavalry.  I like the historical aspects of the story of Maggie trying to become a female doctor in a time period when they were rare.  Connor doesn't expect her to give up on her dreams just to follow him either.  The authors also referred to characters from past novels in their respective series, which I was familiar with and enjoyed "catching up on their lives". The beauty of four novellas is that the reader can sit down and read one each night before bed.  They are short, humorous, and reminders that God works everything out according to His purpose. 

Holding The Fort by Regina Jennings

Regina Jennings has a new series available.  Holding the Fort is Book One of The Fort Reno Series.  The setting is June 1885 in Wichita, Kansas.  Louisa has lost her job as a dance hall singer, and sets off to find her brother, a private with the army on a Cheyenne/Arapaho Indian Reservation.  Her reputation won't allow her much choice for employment and she has no where else to go.  While on the stagecoach journey, a governess position fall in her lap and she uses her performing skills to act the part of a Mennonite governess for Major Daniel Adams's two daughters on the Indian Reservation.  She can keep her younger brother out of trouble and have employment that includes room and board.  She just didn't expect to have to be so deceitful, nor did she expect to enjoy the time she spends with the Major and his family.  Daniel is an expert at reading people and anticipating their every move.  Louisa is a mystery that he intends to solve, because she sure doesn't seem like an other Mennonite he has met before, nor does she teach his daughters the normal school subjects.
I love how Regina Jennings brings in so much history into her novels.  She uses the real characters from the 1880's such as Agent Dyer, Running Buffalo, and Chief Powder Face, so the reader is learning history as well as enjoying a romance novel.  The story of Daniel and Louisa is sweet and believable to the time period.  Louisa must find her way to God too, and I love how Regina shows her heart transformation.  Louisa discovers that God doesn't hold our past against us; He leaves it in the past!  I will definitely be looking forward to Book Two.  Thank you Bethany House Publishers for sending me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

The Two of Us by Victoria Bylin

Victoria Bylin has written another novel I couldn't put down.  Mia Robinson has a successful career as a nurse practitioner, but has struck out in love with two broken engagements.  Her biological clock is ticking, or so she feels at age 30, and therefore feels like the mission field is the logical next step.  She is shocked to hear her 19 year old sister Lucy is pregnant and wanting to get married in Las Vegas.  Mia raised Lucy better than that, being her legal guardian since Lucy was 10.  Mia goes to the wedding to talk Lucy about of it, but ends up meeting Jake, the best man.  Jake is a former police officer, and guardian to Sam the groom.  He can see a different side of Mia, a side that is afraid to trust and a broken heart.  Jake has his own secrets, as well as trying to help his dad care for his mom who is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.  Mia has never met anyone like Jake and the chemistry is there right from the start.  But does loving Jake mean Mia would be out of God's will by changing her mind about missions.  I love how story intertwines the three couples and brings them to life.  The three couples in different stages of a relationship, allows the reader to relate to one of the couples.  Mia's indecisiveness was frustrating at times.  The men are strong, loving unconditionally yet even admit they are human and make mistakes.  As Jake points out to Mia, you can only truly depend on God, not a man, to meet every need.  This book is a must read!  I received my copy from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.   

True To You (A Bradford Sisters Romance) by Becky Wade

Becky Wade has a new series involving the three Bradford Sisters: Willow, Nora, and Britt.  True to You is the first story in the series and tells the story of Nora, a research librarian who is the typical middle sister who feels plain and unnoticed.  Her life revolves around British literature as well as her favorite classical English drama on television.  When she and Britt  volunteer to be pretend hostages for a training event, she comes face-to-face with a man who is above and beyond any of her fictional fantasies.  John is a former Navy Seal who was adopted as an infant.  He has been diagnosed with an inherited medical condition that causes him to want to search for his birth parents.  Nora is the perfect person to help him.  Yet as a private person, he doesn't want to share his reasons for his search, nor does he understand how someone like Nora can affect his emotions so deeply. She loves history, fictional stories, and tea.  Nora's first love is books and helping others find people.  She loves this new challenge and finds herself falling for John, even though she knows he has a girlfriend.  She has been hurt before and considers herself too ordinary for someone as important as John. 
I love the complexity of the characters in this novel.  Becky Wade has set the stage for all three sisters by giving a glimpse of what's to come in their lives.  I can understand the feelings of both Nora and John, and how they are afraid to share too much of their heart with another person because of not having a traditional home life.  Although not personally familiar with adoption, the insecurities of John who was given up at birth is so believable.  There is the relationship between the sisters that is easy for me to relate to, especially as the middle sister.  And then the author shows how difficult it would be to receive a life changing medical diagnosis, and the struggles John went through dealing with how to accept it.  I can't wait for the next novel in the series and immerse myself in the Bradford Sisters life again!  Thank you Bethany House for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review. 

An Uncommon Courtship by Kristi Ann Hunter

Bethany House recently sent me a free copy of Kristi Ann Hunter's new novel, An Uncommon Courtship.  Set in England in 1814, this novel continues the saga of the Hawthorne House.  Lord Trent Hawthorne is the second son, and glad to be free of the responsibility of being the duke that his older brother must fulfill now that their father has passed away.  Both of his sisters married for love, and he wants a love story all his own, when the time is right.  However, Lady Crampton from a neighboring estate has her own plan, to somehow marry off her "in the shadows" second daughter, Adelaide to someone with money and power.  Although her plan to conveniently leave Adelaide trapped all night in an abandoned building with the duke doesn't quite work, Lord Trent is the next best option.  Not knowing it was a trap, Lord Trent investigates an visitor on their property and next thing he knows, he is saying his marriage vows to a woman he doesn't even know. Neither Lord Trent nor Adelaide know how a marriage should be or even what love is.  Adelaide only knows deception from her mother, and Lord Trent has a faint recollection of the beautiful marriage of his parents, but his father is no longer alive to answer his questions of how to truly love his wife.  Thankfully, he has godly married friends that show him the best place to go for answers is the Bible, to see how Christ loved the church as his own body, and as a model for husbands. 
Although I had never read any novels by Kristi Ann Hunter, I discovered I didn't need to because the characters in this novel can stand alone.  However because of the way Hunter developed the characters of the novel, I want to find her first 2 novels and 1 novella to read, to continue the story of the Hawthorne Family.  I love the setting and how the characters interact with each other.  The story of an inconvenient marriage has been done before, but the questions that Hunter has the characters ask and think are so real, and I love how Lord Trent and Adelaide come to learn about a Godly marriage.  Their missteps and confusion when they are first married is so sweet and pure.  I am hoping there is another novel coming to continue the story of Lord Trent's older brother Griffith .  Thank you Bethany House for sending me this story in exchange for a honest review.

For The Record by Regina Jennings

I recently received a free copy of For The Record.  As usual, Regina Jennings combines history with romantic adventure.  Set in 1885 in Pine Gap, Missouri, the novel tells of the story of Betsy Huckabee, a 24 year old "spinster" in those days, who helps her uncle with the writing and printing of the town's newspaper as well as helping with her younger cousins at home.  Tired of friends and relatives pushing single men at her in hopes of marrying her off, she concentrates on her writing, which may just be her ticket out of town.  Local crimes start occurring that the sheriff can't control, so Deputy Joel Puckett is sent in from Texas as reinforcement.  Running from rumors that could ruin his reputation as well as his career, Joel is intent on getting to the cause of the crimes that are escalating in Pine Gap, and proving that he is a true lawman.  Betsy finds the actions of Deputy Puckett exciting enough to write about, and if she adds a twist, the readers will never know that the stories are based on Joel's life.  When her first story is published in a far off newspaper, the money is too good to pass up, and so she continues with weekly sequels.  Joel finds that having Betsy along is helpful to his deputy duties.  The townspeople trust her and she knows many of the unknown town's secrets and she can be a buffer to the men that dislike an outsider coming in to try to change their town, even if it is for the better.  Betsy just hopes he will never find out her secrets, or that he is the object of her fantasies.
I found the novel slow at first.  There were a lot of names to remember, and who was related to whom.  However, by the middle, there was more action and interaction between Betsy and Joel, and my interest increased.  I like the history part of the late 1880's in the mid west.  The struggles they went through were real and I liked their communication with each other.  Regina Jennings portrayed their thoughts and feelings well. I would definitely read another historical romance by her.  This was a stand alone novel, although some of her characters were in other stories.  This free copy from Bethany House came with "no strings attached" and these opinions are all my own.