Many consider Evangeline Hamilton cursed. Orphaned at a young age and possessing a pair of mismatched eyes–one bright blue, the other dark brown–Eva has fought to find her way in a world that constantly rejects her. Yet the support of even one person can help overcome the world’s judgments, and Eva has two–Seth and Zach, two former orphans she now counts as brothers.Seeking justice against the … against the man who stole his birthright and destroyed his family, Logan Fowler arrives in 1880s Pecan Gap, Texas, to confront Zach Hamilton, the hardened criminal responsible for his father’s death. Only instead of finding a solitary ruthless gambler, he discovers a man not much older than himself with an unusual family. When Zach’s sister, Evangeline, insists on dousing Logan with sunshine every time their paths cross, Logan finds his quest completely derailed. Who is truly responsible for his lost legacy, and will restoring the past satisfy if it means forfeiting a future with Evangeline?
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More Than Meets the Eye, the first book in the Patchwork Family series by Karen Witemeyer, is a delightful novel from beginning to end. With its strong emphasis on family and the ways in which family members support, encourage, and protect one another, this novel is altogether engaging and entertaining. Beautifully written and well-paced, this book has elements of mystery, danger, adventure, humor, romance, and faith. Its well-crafted scenes of heartbreak and loss are softened with glimpses of hope and forgiveness. Moments of despair lead to paths of perseverance and restoration. Ignorance and fear are overcome with kindness and truth.
Within this book there are several characters to meet, to love, and to hold dear. The various characters are wonderfully endearing and well-developed. They are flawed, authentic, and multifaceted. Their pain, their desires, and their choices make them compelling and relatable. Even though they struggle through real trials that test their assumptions and their faith, the light of God’s grace and mercy shines through with the restorative power of compassion and second chances.
Ms. Witemeyer is a truly talented writer, and I always look forward to each of her books with eager anticipation. More Than Meets the Eye surpassed all of my expectations. It is thoughtful, encouraging, entertaining, and unique. It is a book worth reading, complimenting, and sharing. More Than Meets the Eye is a novel that I recommend enthusiastically.
*I was given a copy of this novel by the publisher. A review was not required. The review I have written contains opinions that are entirely my own.
Karen Witemeyer’s books are an absolute delight to read. I have thoroughly enjoyed every one of them. Her characters are authentic; her plot lines well thought out and presented. Her settings are described in ways that transport you into the story yourself. Her writing engages your emotions – all of them – and leaves you constantly wanting more.
More Than Meets the Eye is the perfect title for the first book in this new Patchwork Family series. In the pages, beyond the beautiful cover, you will find a treasure of a story. I love this patchwork family and the stories each member represent. The characters are vividly real. Each one bringing their own set of struggles and peculiarities. The personalities found in More Than Meets the Eye are so diverse that you are sure to relate to at least one aspect of one of their characters. In the stories of this patchwork family, there is something for everyone.
The emotions portrayed in More Than Meets the Eye run the gamut, from heartache, grief and anger to love, joy and laughter. I started and ended this book in tears and rode the roller coaster of emotions in between right along with the characters.
Many themes can be found in the pages of More Than Meets the Eye; orphans, family, sacrifice, physical traits, physical limitations and more. This story deals with the heart of man and forgiveness – both God’s and man’s. It demonstrates sin in the lives of the characters, a variety of motivations for that sin and God’s amazing offer of redemption from sin. I found the overall theme to be unconditional love – how we can give it to one another and, most importantly, how God offers it to us.
I love reading Christian fiction because it always draws me nearer to God by teaching me new things, reminding me of things I already know and demonstrating how to live for God. God has used every one of Karen Witemeyer’s books to teach me something. There are too many of these teachable moments in More Than Meets the Eye for me to mention them all here, but I will share one of my favorites.
“‘Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.’
The words of Jesus echoed in his mind, a pointed reminder that it was Logan’s job to live for God, and God’s job to take care of the rest.”
I am already eagerly anticipating the next Patchwork Family novel.
The Prologue
More Than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer begins with a prologue. Some readers enjoy prologues. Some find them annoying and will skip them, especially if they don’t think that what’s in it will be pertinent to the story. This prologue is not one to be skipped. It captured my attention and my heart and made the rest of the story all the more beautiful and meaningful. By the end of it, I was fully invested in this group of ragtag characters and ready to hear the rest of their story. (Side note-You might want to be prepared with a tissue or two before you sit down to read it.)
Evangeline
Evangeline is full of hope and optimism, sunshine and roses. And that might normally get on my nerves a bit in a character (I tend to be a little more on the cynical side sometimes), if she wasn’t so genuine in it. She hasn’t come by those traits easily. Life has handed her some pretty tough blows and she’s had a struggle to get there. Her buoyant personality is not some façade that she puts on, but is truly sincere and simply showcases her hard-won joy and hope. I came to see what some might call naiveté in her character as simply looking for the best in people and in the situations of life rather than dwelling on the negative. I saw it as her choosing hope. Evangeline’s joy comes from trusting in the Lord and from not allowing bitterness to fester when hurts come along in her life. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t struggle with it, but she works through it. She has a pure trust in the wisdom of the Lord, but isn’t perfect and doesn’t claim to be. She has a heart for those who are hurting because she knows what that’s like and she wants to see hurting people made whole. While Evangeline is optimistic, pure in heart, and at times maybe a bit naive to some, she is also intelligent and full of sass. Evangeline is endearing and her joy and delight in life come from a true and genuine wellspring which made me really enjoy her character.
“No matter how many people reject or betray you, if you have even one person in your life you can count on—really, truly count on—you can overcome any obstacle.” -Evangeline Hamilton
Logan
I love Ms. Witemeyer’s way with writing heroes. Not a one of them fits the typical mold and each is unique in his own way. Logan is no exception. As the book starts, he feels a little bit like a villain, but as it progresses we get to see glimpses of the vulnerable goodness hidden inside beneath his gruff exterior. Where tragedy has softened Evangeline’s heart and made her more aware of others and their hurts and has brought her to a place of choosing joy, Logan’s heart has been hardened. Bitterness has fueled a thirst for vengeance (or what he calls justice) in his heart and he’s made himself calloused to hope. Evangeline and her genuine joy and hope even though she’s been hurt are just what Logan needs to help him see that the misguided path he’s on won’t bring the peace he desires. Ms. Witemeyer does an excellent job of letting us in on Logan’s internal battle as he comes face to face with the impact of what his plans for revenge will mean and what it reveals about his own heart.
I loved Logan and Evangeline together—their banter and wit and the match they make for each other. She’s the sunshine to his cloudy sky and the optimism to his pessimism.
“A man’s plans don’t always work out the way he expects. Sometimes God throws a fork in the road at just the right time.” -Logan Fowler
A Patchwork Family
More Than Meets the Eye has some other wonderful characters who round out this Patchwork Family that I loved. The dynamic of this group of people who don’t have to be family, but choose to be is precious to see. Not a one of them is perfect, but they they love each other anyway. They don’t give up on each other even when they mess up. As Ms. Witemeyer states in the book with words that spoke to my heart, when one of them is down, they give each other a “lending of strength until [they] could recover [their] own.” “They shore up [each other’s] broken places with their love and support.” She paints a picture of these supporting characters that makes me crave their stories and I can’t wait to get to know them better in any future books in this series.
“I can’t let my fear of losing her keep me from doing the right thing. Secrets create distance . . . I care about her too much not to be honest with her about everything.” -Seth Hamilton
The Rest of the Story
Beyond the great characters, the book sports an intriguing mystery that I must say surprised me as it was introduced. There also several humorous moments that had me chuckling to myself. And then there’s the setting. To most, the setting won’t mean much, but to me it was exciting to read about. I actually grew up in the area where the book was set, and in fact, I don’t live too far from there now. I lived in Cooper as a child, finished my growing up years in Sulphur Springs, hung out in Greenville, went to college in Commerce, and shopped in Longview so it was very neat to me to see all those towns mentioned in a book.
“He needed my fist in his face.” -Zacharias Hamilton (There’s a lot more to Zach Hamilton than this quote, but it was one of my favorite quotes out of the book, so I just had to share it.)
Spoiler Alert! The following paragraph contains a spoiler.
A minor pet peeve of mine:
There is a small theme in the book of how important it is not to keep secrets from each other, especially if you want a relationship to work. For instance, there’s a scene where Logan is grazed by a bullet and tries not to let on that he’s been hurt. Evangeline won’t have it. She tells Logan, “No more secrets.” Later in the book, Evangeline and Christie come up with a scheme to help their men as they are trying to go after the villain. They decide not to tell the men what they are doing because they don’t want to have an argument about it. I found this to be a bit of a double standard and that bothered me. If Evangeline doesn’t want Logan to keep things from her, she should not have been so willing to act deceptively in that situation. It just seemed like it was brushed off as no big deal for her to do it or that it was somehow justified for her to do so and I just didn’t like that.
End Spoiler Alert.
One other small pet peeve:
I get a little frustrated with books that portray men as pigheaded, stubborn, overzealous protectors. Not all men are “overzealous” in their efforts to protect like that, but are reasonable in their desire to protect. And even the ones that might be a little more fervent about it, I believe, are often acting on an instinct God has created in them to protect, to watch over. I dislike seeing it talked about in such a way that seems belittling to me.
By far all the great things of this book greatly outweigh those two small pet peeves of mine. I loved this book with all it’s beauty of choosing hope and forgiveness and demonstrating real love even in the face of each other’s imperfections. In my opinion, More Than Meets the Eye is truly heartwarming, Hallmark movie material (In a good way, not the annoyingly sappy way. There goes my somewhat more cynical side again.) Definitely worth the read!
**I received a copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers and have chosen to review it. My opinions are my own.
Evangeline Hamilton is different, but she doesn’t let that dim her enthusiasm and love of life and family. She and her brothers have seen their way together into adulthood. So, when a strange man camps out near their land, she feels its her duty to check him out and make sure he’s a friend and not a foe.
Vengeance or Revenge? Logan Fowler tells himself that he’s seeking vengeance. So, when he shows up in Pecan Gap to find Zach Hamilton and hold him accountable to what happened 7 years ago, he’s not quite ready for what he finds. A family of siblings who may or may not be blood related all working together and for each other. When he catches the sister snooping, he fears that his plans may have hit a snag.
What follows is a storyline filled with examples of how to turn problems and heartache over to a God who can heal and help. Evangeline exhibits a pure faith in the power of God. So, when she senses the pain and anger in others, she immediately tries to help them turn to God for help. She’s a strong heroine who is willing to stand in the face of evil and trust that God will provide.
The romance is sweet and gentle, building over time as she and Logan spend time together. The time scale helped it seem real and believable.
The one thing I don’t understand is why the author chose to integrate Seth’s story into Evangeline’s. Granted, she’d have had to come up with a different means of suspense and danger, but it’s truly a story within a story that could have been developed into at least a novella, if not a full novel. I felt like Evangeline and Logan’s story got set aside while Seth and Christie had theirs. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love Ms Witemeyer. She’s one of my all time favorites, but I feel like I need to be honest here. Evangeline and Logan’s story got lost in the mix with Seth and Christie’s. Otherwise, it’s a wonderful book filled with numerous examples of faith and trust in God.
Romance – PG / Kissing
Language – clean
Violence – PG – one man dies of gunshot, fist fight, evidence of abuse
My rating – 4 stars
More Thank Meets The Eye is a book of true dichotomy. Evangeline was seen as being cursed – first she lost bother her parents at a very young age and second there is something that I think is very beautiful but others think it is the opposite – but through it all Evangeline has kept up a positive attitude and a smile on her face and heart. Plus she has two special men in her life – why are they special? well you have to read this to find out – Then there is Logan who comes to town to find someone who did something outrageous to him – they – nope that too you have to find out – but Ms. Witemeyer grabs you by your collar at the very first word – “don’t” – and it keeps you entranced to the very last – that word I wont tell you because maybe it will tell you too much – maybe it won’t. I received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all of the opinions expressed in this review are all my own.
if you would like to read more of my Christian book reviews go to christianlybookreviewers.blogspot.com – I look forward to seeing you there.
3.5 stars
“Was he friend or foe? Only one way to find out. Spying.”
And just like that, Evangeline Hamilton stumbles upon a strange man and his horse hanging out on the edge of her family’s property. . . . . . . . or actually, he found her after a slight misunderstanding about a wild pig attack. There was something pleasantly curious about the handsome cowboy with the jagged scar and the “questioning brow”, he didn’t seem to think her mismatched eyes were an omen.
“Good gray. She fought dirtier than a saloon brawler.” Logan Fowler was unprepared when his damsel in distress turned out to be a warrior sprite. After untangling himself from the girl and her pig, he discovers that she is kin to the very man that he has come to find. Logan remains convinced that Zach Hamilton is responsible for his father’s death and his mother’s deep melancholy, so befriending the man’s pretty sister just might give him the upper hand. But there was “more than meets the eye” when it came to Evangeline.
Enjoy this author’s trademark wit as she navigates the swirling currents of revenge and romance. “Be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:32
More Than Meets the Eye is the beginning to Karen Witemeyer’s new series, Patchwork Family. This one has got to be my favorite written her to date. It was full of humor that made me laugh so hard that I snorted. Not a good book to read in public, unless a reader does not embarrass easily. Logan and Evangeline were so much fun. The book, also, has some mystery, suspense, and action.
More Than Meets the Eye is one book that should not to be missed. I highly recommend it and give it a well deserved five plus stars.
I received this book from the author, but was not required to write a review. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
This first book in The Patchwork Family series is a winner! Author Karen Witemeyer kept me turning pages quickly. Good guys and bad guys. Damsels in distress. Twists and turns. Romance. This book has it all!
Witemeyer’s writing is very descriptive, allowing me to see the Texas countryside as I read. Her unique characters are so life-like you’re sure they’re real, and you want to jump into the story to help. She tackles the situation of having two characters with physical challenges, and illustrates to us that everyone wants to be loved and accepted for who they are, not bullied or pitied.
A wonderful book by a gifted writer, I look forward to book 2 in this series. While we wait, make sure you read this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
Ahhhhhh…..This book makes my soul smile and my heart happy. I adore Karen’s books(She is my favorite author for a reason) and this story is tied for 1st place with “Heart On The Line”(I love Amos <3) as my favorite books of her collection. I adored the spunky and sweet Eva and don't even get me started on the menfolk in this novel...between Logan, Zach, and Seth...cowboys with hearts of gold, the lot of them. This story has it all: romance, humor, mystery, suspense, even a pet pig name Hezekiah! With all those elements this story is a can't miss read!!! I lost count of the times I laughed, smiled or sighed in happiness as I read this book. I can not wait for next book in this series, I need it now!!
I received this book from the publisher and author and was not required to post a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own
Karen Witmeyer has a unique blend of romance and humor in her books, one of the reasons that I have been drawn to her novels. This particular story has both of those elements, but a greater dose of other feelings, too, and from the earliest pages. My emotions were immediately engaged—I was both laughing and crying before the prologue was finished. I have heard some people move right to the first chapter when they pick up a book but, certainly for this novel, don’t skip the prologue!
A strong thread in this novel is the need we all feel to belong, to have others see value in us. Whether we acknowledge it or not, it is a driving force in many interactions, either positively or negatively. The way it is portrayed here is simply beautiful, especially as we see how Evangeline uses her past pain to make sure others don’t have to experience the same hurt she has. Many people might use it to justify lashing out, but she chooses to spread joy instead.
And this book is filled with love, family love as well as romantic love, love that truly puts others first and wants the best for the one who receives it. Over it all is the love that God has for His children, imperfectly modeled by the characters in the book but at least attempted to the best of their abilities.
There is an interesting twist about midway through the novel, adding a dash of mystery and suspense. This seems to be something cropping up more and more in the historicals that I’m reading, and I’m loving the change of pace and depth that it added to this book.
This is a feel-good read that left me smiling even though it deals with some difficult topics. I highly recommend it for fans of historical romance, but those who enjoy suspense with their romance will love it, too. And for those who perhaps need some relief to the difficulties of life, this is just the story to show how hope adds light to the darkness in the world, especially when it creeps close to home.
I received a review copy of this book from the author and publisher but was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts expressed are both honest and my own.
More Than Meets the Eye by Karen Witemeyer
Eva is quite possibly my very favorite female character, at least for this year. As I was reading, I kept coming up with more and more descriptions for her. Words like vivacious, feisty, flirty and fun. Like a beautiful bubble wafting on the breeze, casting prisms of light on everything around. Yeah, ouch. Forget I used that one! Let me say that she was so alive and so tender and sweet. Logan began to call her his wood sprite, which is a good way to describe her. I especially appreciated her tender heart and her love for the Lord. She had such compassion for all living things which resulted in her adopting a baby wild boar. Seriously.
Speaking of wild boars (because I was in the last paragraph – speaking of wild boars, that is – re-read it, you’ll see), Hezekiah, Eva’s boar, was the catalyst for the interesting meeting between Eva and Logan. I can’t do justice to it here and don’t want to spoil the surprise. Let’s just say that Logan is such a protector and hero. That scene was so very funny!
Logan had a terrible desire for vengeance. Inconveniently, the man he sought it from was Eva’s brother. How inopportune – falling in love with your enemy’s sister!
Eva’s brothers were such strong and interesting characters. Zach was terrific and I am hoping very much that the next book in this series will give him peace and his happy ending. He is so noble and is the kind of big brother every girl should have—willing to sacrifice just about anything for his sister. He did make his share of mistakes and dealt with feelings of deep remorse and guilt.
Seth suffered from asthma that came close to killing him. He and the others learned how to manage it for the most part and he became the brains of the family.
Combining humor with poignant spiritual truths, author Karen Witemeyer wrote a wonderful story. In addition to Eva and Logan’s story, a mystery pops up in the middle resulting in some interesting adventures for the entire family and a new friend they acquire along the way.
Captivated by this story from the onset, I found myself smiling and marking far more quotes than I can possibly share with you, though I have included a fair number with this post. Feel free to tweet them, post them, pin them and share them in whatever way you like.
This review was originally posted on AmongTheReads.net.
Get a preview of More Than Meets the Eye at AmongTheReads.net
I would like to thank Bethany House Publishers, Netgalley for giving me this copy of the book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.
I love spunky heroines who are vulnerable yet love fiercely! Such is the case of Evangeline Hamilton who is the heroine in “More Than Meets The Eye”. I find it fascinating that she possesses mismatched eyes – one bright blue and one dark brown. I’d never heard of such a thing! Evie loves her 2 brothers fiercely. They were orphaned young so they have a very tight bond. I was blown away by how they managed to make it and thrive. Evie is such a ray of sunshine even though she has never been treated very nicely, except by her brothers (because of those eyes!). It made me stop and think about how it’s just the same in today’s world – bullies and others who don’t treat others nicely. Evie rises above that! She’s not quite sure what to do when she meets Logan Fowler in the woods behind her house! He’s a mysterious stranger! Evie has been sheltered most of her life by her brothers so men haven’t really been part of her life but she feels something for Logan and she also feels he is in need of her cheerfulness which he doesn’t necessarily appreciate at the beginning! I really enjoyed their interactions! Logan is looking for the man who is responsible for his father’s death and he wants justice! He doesn’t want to deal with a “Mary Sunshine”!!! But Evie grows on him!
I loved the secondary story going on in the book too about a new character, a crime being committed and how everyone gets involved to solve it! This book is just SO good! I had a very hard time putting it down and when I finished it, I wanted there to be more chapters! I wasn’t ready to let go of the characters! Ms. Witemeyer’s books continue to get better and better! I’ve read every one of them and her characters come alive to me! I definitely recommend this book as one that will capture the interest of the reader and keep it all through the book!
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was under no obligation to provide a review. All opinions are my own.