The design and UX isn't done, Rob and Abbie, okkurrrr! đ
beauty_and_the_rose's review against another edition
5.0
Perfect fluffy romance to get me back into reading! Love the curvy heroine and who knew that Zach was such a hidden softy! I adored this whole book
aliciareadsit's review
4.0
âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸
4/5 STARS
I really enjoyed this story! This story was bright, engaging, and full of hope. Just the right book to lift my spirits and brighten my day.
This is a Historical Christian Romance set in 1896 about a woman named Abigail Kemp. Abby and her younger sister Rosalind run the family business, A Taste of Heaven Bakery, and have been doing so since their fathers' death. Unfortunately, in their small town of Honey Grove, Texas, It is still against the law for women to own their own businesses. This has caused Abby to be backed into a corner and must make a life-changing decision. She must sell the business, find a male business partner, or come up with a different solution in just a few weeks time.
Abby has worked hard at the bakery, and she loves it dearly. Having forced her hand in making such a huge decision, Abby decides that it is only practical to find herself a husband, one that can add his name to the title of the bakery, but leave his hand out of bakery business. Her husband of choice? Zacharias Hamiltonâthe quiet, handsome bachelor that is a breakfast regular in the bakery.
Zach Hamilton loves being a bachelor. After spending most of his life taking care of his adoptive siblings, he is finally free. Free from the responsibilities and weight of taking care of another person. When Abigail Kemp, the beautiful bakery owner propositions him in a marriage business transaction, he doesnât want to give up his newly found freedom to again provide for another person. But when the other Miss Kemp comes, begging him to agree to Abbyâs proposal so that she and Abby can have a protector against her own foolish mistakes, Zach quickly changes his mind.
As Abby and Zach grow closer, trust starts to grow, and soon Abby finds that she wants more out of their relationship than a business arrangementâshe wants his heart.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââ
First off, Abagail is such a strong female MC. She is smart, independent and fiercely loyal to her family. She knows she doesnât need a man, but she does eventually realize that she WANTS a man (specifically Zach) in her life.
Zacharias is a strong, broody character. That being said, he is also a hard candy shell with a gooey center. He has such a big heart, is protective, loyal, and giving.
It is different in Christian romance to have such sizzling steamy chemistry, but Karen Witemeyer accomplished this flawlessly! Zach and Abby are a phenomenal couple pairing, and while all the super steamy details were left âbehind closed doorsâ, the chemistry was no less amazing and had this girl swooning and getting butterflies.
I also really loved the overall Christian theme and message to be gained from the book, which was that you have to forgive yourself of your past mistakes and God will help guide you and bless you in your life. A very inspiring and heartwarming message.
As for why I knocked it down one star? There were a few times throughout the book, where there would be a piece of dialogue that sounded much too modern to be considered historically accurate. I honestly donât think they said things like âfor sureâ back then (and thatâs just one example) but maybe Iâm wrong? I just felt that it Slightly took away from the overall awe I felt for this story.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book, and look forward to more novels from this author. Iâm also hoping to get a story about Abigailâs sister Rosalind. I am eager for more of a story about her.
Thank you to NetGalley, Karen Witemeyer, and Bethany House Publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4/5 STARS
I really enjoyed this story! This story was bright, engaging, and full of hope. Just the right book to lift my spirits and brighten my day.
This is a Historical Christian Romance set in 1896 about a woman named Abigail Kemp. Abby and her younger sister Rosalind run the family business, A Taste of Heaven Bakery, and have been doing so since their fathers' death. Unfortunately, in their small town of Honey Grove, Texas, It is still against the law for women to own their own businesses. This has caused Abby to be backed into a corner and must make a life-changing decision. She must sell the business, find a male business partner, or come up with a different solution in just a few weeks time.
Abby has worked hard at the bakery, and she loves it dearly. Having forced her hand in making such a huge decision, Abby decides that it is only practical to find herself a husband, one that can add his name to the title of the bakery, but leave his hand out of bakery business. Her husband of choice? Zacharias Hamiltonâthe quiet, handsome bachelor that is a breakfast regular in the bakery.
Zach Hamilton loves being a bachelor. After spending most of his life taking care of his adoptive siblings, he is finally free. Free from the responsibilities and weight of taking care of another person. When Abigail Kemp, the beautiful bakery owner propositions him in a marriage business transaction, he doesnât want to give up his newly found freedom to again provide for another person. But when the other Miss Kemp comes, begging him to agree to Abbyâs proposal so that she and Abby can have a protector against her own foolish mistakes, Zach quickly changes his mind.
As Abby and Zach grow closer, trust starts to grow, and soon Abby finds that she wants more out of their relationship than a business arrangementâshe wants his heart.
ââââââââââââââââââââââââ
First off, Abagail is such a strong female MC. She is smart, independent and fiercely loyal to her family. She knows she doesnât need a man, but she does eventually realize that she WANTS a man (specifically Zach) in her life.
Zacharias is a strong, broody character. That being said, he is also a hard candy shell with a gooey center. He has such a big heart, is protective, loyal, and giving.
It is different in Christian romance to have such sizzling steamy chemistry, but Karen Witemeyer accomplished this flawlessly! Zach and Abby are a phenomenal couple pairing, and while all the super steamy details were left âbehind closed doorsâ, the chemistry was no less amazing and had this girl swooning and getting butterflies.
I also really loved the overall Christian theme and message to be gained from the book, which was that you have to forgive yourself of your past mistakes and God will help guide you and bless you in your life. A very inspiring and heartwarming message.
As for why I knocked it down one star? There were a few times throughout the book, where there would be a piece of dialogue that sounded much too modern to be considered historically accurate. I honestly donât think they said things like âfor sureâ back then (and thatâs just one example) but maybe Iâm wrong? I just felt that it Slightly took away from the overall awe I felt for this story.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book, and look forward to more novels from this author. Iâm also hoping to get a story about Abigailâs sister Rosalind. I am eager for more of a story about her.
Thank you to NetGalley, Karen Witemeyer, and Bethany House Publishers for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
abigailkayharris's review against another edition
4.0
Coming to say I reread this I find that I never put my review on here... Oops, here it is now!
My Review:
Genre: Historical, romance, western, Christian fiction.
My Rating: 4 stars.
My Recommendation: 16-18 up, warnings below.
My Favorite Character/s: Zach, the gruff older brother from the first book in the series. I've been waiting for more about him since I read the first book. Zach is one of many of Witemeyer's heroes that I loved getting to know as he made choices that he thought was right but may have had harsh consequences. Zach is also my second favorite male lead character of the author's - my first being Gideon Westcott in Head in The Clouds which is my favorite of all Karen Witemeyer's books.
My Verse for Zach is Romans 10:9
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (King James Version.)
My Thoughts: Witemeyer is my go-to author for humorous and faith-filled stories of love. And this one no different! It was sweet, funny, and yet serious. This was so good and I loved it so much and am forcing myself not to reread it now. *sighs*
Warnings: A character had in the past made some bad choices and there are some mentions of it as the book goes on. I suggest that if you're under 16/17 you have a friend or parent read it first. It isn't that it is shown over much but that it isn't something that you will want to read.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review and am truly happy to provide it.
My Review:
Genre: Historical, romance, western, Christian fiction.
My Rating: 4 stars.
My Recommendation: 16-18 up, warnings below.
My Favorite Character/s: Zach, the gruff older brother from the first book in the series. I've been waiting for more about him since I read the first book. Zach is one of many of Witemeyer's heroes that I loved getting to know as he made choices that he thought was right but may have had harsh consequences. Zach is also my second favorite male lead character of the author's - my first being Gideon Westcott in Head in The Clouds which is my favorite of all Karen Witemeyer's books.
My Verse for Zach is Romans 10:9
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (King James Version.)
My Thoughts: Witemeyer is my go-to author for humorous and faith-filled stories of love. And this one no different! It was sweet, funny, and yet serious. This was so good and I loved it so much and am forcing myself not to reread it now. *sighs*
Warnings: A character had in the past made some bad choices and there are some mentions of it as the book goes on. I suggest that if you're under 16/17 you have a friend or parent read it first. It isn't that it is shown over much but that it isn't something that you will want to read.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review and am truly happy to provide it.
cbear550's review against another edition
3.0
This book is a cute fluffy romance that feels like a warm hug, which is exactly what I wanted to read. The characters were fun and endearing, the plot was interesting and kept me turning pages, and there was a nice message of faith throughout about trusting God. The plot seemed a bit choppy and rushed at times, but I thought that overall the plot was good. The main part of the romance in this book was "marital relations" between married couples. Obviously that's a main thing in marriage of convivence books, but I do wish the romance had been less centered around that. I get that she's nervous and he's antsy but if the romance had moved away from that and been all about getting to know one and other, marital relations aside, I would have enjoyed it more and given it more stars.
Overall 3.5 stars, a solid book for any historical romance fan.
Overall 3.5 stars, a solid book for any historical romance fan.
melmo2610's review against another edition
5.0
Karen has done it again! Karen's books are always at the top of my must read and favorite lists and this one is no exception. I have been eagerly awaiting Zach's story for a year and it did not disappoint in the least. It was going to take a special woman to claim Zach's heart and Karen created a perfect counterpart in Abigail. She is going to be one of my most favorite of Karen's characters, and while Amos is still my favorite of Karen's heroes, Zach is a VERY close second! More Than Words Can Say is full of great characters from Zach and Abigail to a very well crafted villain(who in all honesty, I would love to see her redemption story!) and some adorable kiddos. This book was one I devoured! If you enjoy great historical Christian Fiction with lots of heart and humor and a great faith message, then this is the book for you!
I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
I received this book from the author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts are my own.
livefrommylibrary's review against another edition
4.0
I always enjoy Karen Witemeyer's books. Themes woven in this novel include forgiveness, sowing and reaping, being a good neighbor, and the importance of trusting God with our hard times and walking in obedience - whether things turn out as expected or not.
shammons's review
4.0
I had this book on my bookshelves for a while and am not sure why it took me so long to circle back around to this one. I really enjoyed the first in this Patchwork family series, and this one was no different. Set in Texas in 1896, Abigail Kemp is running the bakery her father started in small Honey Grove TX. An obscure law on the books says that she is not able to own and operate the bakery if she is not married and the bakery is not owned by her husband or a male family member. She's caring for herself and her sister after their father died, so there's no male in the family. Enter a marriage of convenience, a business arrangement with the quiet but dependable Zach Hamilton. This one fit my current reading mood and I thoroughly enjoyed their reverse love story!
melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Loved this latest in Karen Witemeyer's Patchwork Family series. I especially loved the character of Zach. He was a swoon-worthy hero and though a little rough on the outside, was truly caring and supportive. The description of the bakery made me hungry while reading and I was guilty of grabbing a snack a few times. I enjoyed the story and look forward to hopefully more books in the series. Though this is the second book in the series. Ms. Witemeyer does a good job of giving enough backstory that this book could be read as a stand-a-lone.
rebelbooks101's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Trust me, no one is more disappointed than I am with this rating.
More than words can say is the sequel to more than meets the eye. This story follows Zach from the first book who now works in lumber (if Iâm remembering correctly) and Abigail who is a passionate baker. When the town passes over a new rule, Abigail has two options. She can either go into a partnership with a man or sell her business. She goes with neither and decides to go for option three, marriage.Â
Zach is the man who comes in and orders a sticky bun everyday and Abigail decides heâs the perfect partner for a marriage.Â
I thought Iâd enjoy this as I tend to enjoy marriage of convenience stories and I really enjoyed Short Straw Bride where the two ended up married part way through the story.
This was not that.
Letâs first talk about what this book does weâll. I really enjoyed the relationship Abigail had with her sister. I thought they got along well and loved their support for one another. Iâd love to see more of this in books. However that was the only positive thing I can really say about this book.
I was so disappointed by this romance because it didnât feel like one. The characters were more physical at the beginning of the book and then were kind of in love out of nowhere. I felt like we were deprived of these characters actually getting to know each other which caused me the reader to not really know the characters well.Â
Zach was a character that constantly said things that would rub me the wrong way. When they are making the contract, Zach said he wants to have âphysical relationsâ with Abigail which makes sense because it is a marriage but it constantly felt like he was trying to get her into bed with him. They did on her own terms when she was ready but they constantly kept talking about it.
He also used her vows of obeying him to get a goodnight kiss from her and as much as was played off to be a romantic thing, something about it rubbed me the wrong way. I understand that it was the time period but it did feel weird.
Also the characters felt like children in the sense that it felt like they were too embarrassed to say the word sex. Was that a bad thing to say back then?
In a love story, you are trying to convince the reader that these characters have fallen in love with each other and I felt like we couldnât get there without it feeling completely forced. There is a scene where Zach is trying to reassure Abigail that she is the one he cares about but when complimenting her, it was only about her outward appearance rather than her personality. He couldnât find one thing to say about the person she was. Their relationship felt physical and seemed to stay that way even though they claimed to love each other.
There was a plot twist involving Abigailâs past that had no evidence besides someone not liking her as foreshadowing. Abigail never pestered or felt guilty about what happened until she was confronted with it. Zach does a good job at showing how resentful he feels about his gambling past and worries of what Abigail will think of him if she finds out, however I canât say the same for Abigail. I donât feel like this shouldâve been used as a plot twist and rather been used as apart of her past that we know about from the beginning because the plot twist just came out of completely nowhere.
Overall I really wished I enjoyed this book and I am saddened that I didnât. I will continue to read more of Karen Witemeyerâs books because I know she can write amazing things but the more I read from her it feels like the less I enjoy her stories which has been disappointing and I hope itâs a trend that doesnât continue.
More than words can say is the sequel to more than meets the eye. This story follows Zach from the first book who now works in lumber (if Iâm remembering correctly) and Abigail who is a passionate baker. When the town passes over a new rule, Abigail has two options. She can either go into a partnership with a man or sell her business. She goes with neither and decides to go for option three, marriage.Â
Zach is the man who comes in and orders a sticky bun everyday and Abigail decides heâs the perfect partner for a marriage.Â
I thought Iâd enjoy this as I tend to enjoy marriage of convenience stories and I really enjoyed Short Straw Bride where the two ended up married part way through the story.
This was not that.
Letâs first talk about what this book does weâll. I really enjoyed the relationship Abigail had with her sister. I thought they got along well and loved their support for one another. Iâd love to see more of this in books. However that was the only positive thing I can really say about this book.
I was so disappointed by this romance because it didnât feel like one. The characters were more physical at the beginning of the book and then were kind of in love out of nowhere. I felt like we were deprived of these characters actually getting to know each other which caused me the reader to not really know the characters well.Â
Zach was a character that constantly said things that would rub me the wrong way. When they are making the contract, Zach said he wants to have âphysical relationsâ with Abigail which makes sense because it is a marriage but it constantly felt like he was trying to get her into bed with him. They did on her own terms when she was ready but they constantly kept talking about it.
He also used her vows of obeying him to get a goodnight kiss from her and as much as was played off to be a romantic thing, something about it rubbed me the wrong way. I understand that it was the time period but it did feel weird.
Also the characters felt like children in the sense that it felt like they were too embarrassed to say the word sex. Was that a bad thing to say back then?
In a love story, you are trying to convince the reader that these characters have fallen in love with each other and I felt like we couldnât get there without it feeling completely forced. There is a scene where Zach is trying to reassure Abigail that she is the one he cares about but when complimenting her, it was only about her outward appearance rather than her personality. He couldnât find one thing to say about the person she was. Their relationship felt physical and seemed to stay that way even though they claimed to love each other.
There was a plot twist involving Abigailâs past that had no evidence besides someone not liking her as foreshadowing. Abigail never pestered or felt guilty about what happened until she was confronted with it. Zach does a good job at showing how resentful he feels about his gambling past and worries of what Abigail will think of him if she finds out, however I canât say the same for Abigail. I donât feel like this shouldâve been used as a plot twist and rather been used as apart of her past that we know about from the beginning because the plot twist just came out of completely nowhere.
Overall I really wished I enjoyed this book and I am saddened that I didnât. I will continue to read more of Karen Witemeyerâs books because I know she can write amazing things but the more I read from her it feels like the less I enjoy her stories which has been disappointing and I hope itâs a trend that doesnât continue.