After fulfilling a pledge to a dying friend, Zacharias Hamilton is finally free. No family entanglements. No disappointing those around him. Just the quiet bachelor existence he’s always craved. Until fate snatches his freedom away when the baker of his favorite breakfast bun is railroaded by the city council. Despite not wanting to get involved, he can’t turn a blind eye to her predicament . . . … . . or her adorable dimples.
Abigail Kemp needs a man’s name on her bakery’s deed. A marriage of convenience seems the best solution . . . if it involves a man she can control. That person definitely isn’t the stoic lumberman who oozes silent confidence whenever he enters her shop. Control Zacharias Hamilton? She can’t even control her pulse when she’s around him.
When vows are spoken, Abigail’s troubles should be over. Yet threats to the bakery worsen, and darker dangers hound her sister. Can she put ever more trust in Zach without losing her dreams of independence?
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I fell in love with Karen Witemeyer’s books when I first read Short-Straw Bride, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each new story. This one may well be my new favorite (at least tied with Short-Straw Bride!). A marriage of convenience is one of my favorite types of storylines, and I love the chemistry between Abigail and Zach. He’s the perfect hero – the strong, silent type who’s really a sweetheart under that gruff exterior.
I highly recommend!
I devoured this book! I absolutely love how the hero (Zack) and heroine (Abby). They’re very original, not your typical romantic leads, and their issues with the marriage of convenience Abby arranges for them are realistic and well handled. I adored this sweet, inspirational romance.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Zach’s story was pitch perfect!
‘If I am the cornerstone, whatever you build on it will stand firm.’
It’s 1896 in the sweet little town of Honey Grove, TX. Abigail Kemp owns and runs the local bakery after inheriting it from her father. Unfortunately there is a law in this small town, that states a woman cannot own a business without a man as partner. Following is a simply lovely story of how a marriage of convenience leads to a husband and family that should hopefully result in love — but will it or is her need for independence more important? Between unfortunate choices made, long buried hurts brought to light and payback that affects more people than expected I didn’t stop reading until the book was finished. While this book is obviously part of a series of books, I had no trouble following the story without having read the first one, something I certainly want to do. I highly recommend this book and look forward to learning more about these wonderful characters.
An ARC of this book was given by Baker Publishing Group, NetGalley and CelebrateLit. The impressions and opinions are my own.
Great story that I didn’t want to pause. Abigail and Zach’s relationship was sweet and funny. I laughed out loud several times—even scaring my dog once! Individually, they showed their depth of character bit by bit, becoming more relatable with every chapter. Definitely going to read more Karen Witemeyer’s books!
“Choosing a husband was much like choosing a good baguette. One looked for a strong outer shell, a tender interior, and most importantly, a tractability of dough to hold whatever shape the baker deemed appropriate. Abigail needed a good baguette by the end of the week.”
Such a fabulous, fun, clever book with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments! I can’t believe this is the first full-length novel by Karen Witemeyer I have read! She has definitely moved into my “must-read historical romance” list. The author’s fluid and easy-to-read writing style effortlessly creates a cozy small town atmosphere of Honey Grove, TX in 1896 as Abigail fights to keep her bakery and her father’s legacy alive in the midst of stiff opposition. There is delightful dialogue and great humor as the passionate, astute and stubborn Abigail forges a marriage of convenience with the reticent, loyal, grudgingly compassionate and hard-working Zacharias as a last ditch effort to keep her bakery in business.
The entertaining plot is girded by beautifully complex and real characters in Abby and Zach. Despite his reluctance at first to the proposed marriage, Zach becomes the protector who “might not understand what was going on in her head, but a mighty squall was battering her hull, and if he couldn’t figure out how to shelter her from it, he aimed to be her anchor until it passed.” Both have wounds from their past – Zach’s more upfront and Abby’s somewhat surprising when it’s revealed – and they both need to let God heal those wounds so that they can move on to live life fully.
This is book 2 in the Patchwork Family series but can absolutely be read as a stand-alone. I didn’t read More Than Meets the Eye (book 1) prior to reading this book and didn’t feel that I missed anything. This book is a must-read for all fans of historical romance. I’m hoping there will be a third book in the series about Abby’s younger sister Rosie. And I’m definitely going back to read the first book about Zach’s adoptive younger sister Evie.
I received a copy of the book from Bethany House via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
“Choosing a husband was much like choosing a good baguette. One looked for a strong outer shell, a tender interior, and most importantly, a tractability of dough to hold whatever shape the baker deemed appropriate. Abigail needed a good baguette by the end of the week.”
With writing like that, it didn’t take long to remember why Karen Witemeyer remains one of my favorite Christian historical romance authors.I have to admit I’m a sucker for a good marriage-of-convenience story and this one was just thoroughly entertaining. I loved that Abby found herself doing the asking so she could get a man’s name on the deed to her bakery in order to save her family business. Right from the beginning the subtle attraction between these two lit curiosity in me wondering how in the world they’d find love inside their hasty marriage. Witemeyer delighted me with witty and often charmingly-awkward moments between Abby & Zach and I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning.
But if you want to know my favorite part of this book, it’s that the heroine, Abigail Kemp, had a less than perfect figure. As a woman who has had a life-long struggle with this issue, I definitely related to Abby’s self-doubts and insecurities. And Witemeyer’s hero, Zacharias Hamilton, endeared himself to me immediately because he never minded Abby’s fuller curves. Instead, he relished them. I think we often put too much emphasis on the physical appearance of the opposite sex and don’t concern ourselves enough with our potential spouse’s character. Zacharias saw both in Abby and helped her see that about herself. My only regret is that Bethany House publishers didn’t choose a cover model that more accurately represented the heroine.
In More Than Words Can Say, Witemeyer has the perfect blend of well-developed characters and an intriguing plot, then she tosses in a hearty helping of humor, hope, and love which just might mean that More Than Words Can Say is the perfect recipe for a wonderful read!
I received a copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
In More Than Words Can Say, Karen Witemeyer brings us a story about forgiveness. We need to bring it to God, forgive others, and forgive ourselves. As Zach stated, we also need to make sure we are not going in circles by keeping one foot in the past. Furthermore, it is a story about learning to always put God first in our life.
Zacharias Hamilton grew up as an orphan and at thirteen made a patchwork family with fellow orphans Evangeline and Seth. After Evangeline and Seth each find their spouses, Zach sets out on his own. Zach is known to communicate in nods and grunts and never share his emotions. However, he is an incredible listener, and when he knows that someone is upset he wants to talk it out before the sun goes down. I love how he wants to make the most of his marriage and how fiercely protective he is of his family. Zach being terrified of crying women is hilarious. Though it’s sweet that he actually stays to talk even when he is scared.
Abigail Kemp grew up learning to be a baker under her father. After his death, the city council informs her that only a man is allowed to own a business. She is afraid of someone else having control over her bakery, so she looks for a marriage of convenience.
Abigail works hard, and she doesn’t complain. She is very practical and just does what needs to be done. While she may have a negative thought about someone, she tries to see the best in them.
Zach is good for Abigail. While Abby is a hard worker, she really lacks self confidence. Zach helps her really she who she is on the inside and out.
As a Martha myself, I found the biblical talk on Martha very interesting. While God’s word must always come first, practicality is very important.
While Zach and Abby are confessing their pasts, there is also a powerful speech about not living life as a hypocrite.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. However, while Zach’s take on the “benefits” conversation was lighthearted and funny, there was too much talk about the physical side of marriage. There were thoughts by both characters that were repeated too often.
The cover is cute with some traditional Witemeyer quirkiness to it, but the cover is missing a lot of Abigail’s correct characteristics.
More Than Words Can Say is the sequel to Evangeline Hamilton’s story in More Than Meets the Eye. I highly suggest reading them in order to know more about Zach’s history. And the prologue in More Than Meets the Eye is not to be missed!
I don’t even know how to put into words how much I loved this book. There are many, many stories that I wish would go on several more chapters because I don’t want them to end. This book is one that I wish would go on until the characters grow old and have grandchildren together after years and years – in other words, have volumes! I wasn’t ready to leave these characters then and I’m still not! I adored Zach and his character development during the book was truly heartwarming. Given his background, he could have been a curmudgeon and he almost was…but then along came his “brother and sister” (sort of adopted, you’d have to read the book to get the whole story!) to start the metamorphosis! However, it takes Abigail and her offer of a marriage of convenience to teach him about love and acceptance that completes the process. He and Abby were a great couple and I will remember them for years to come. When Abby has to “have a man’s signature” on her bakery documents, she choses the radical idea of a marriage of convenience and Zach agrees! My all-time favorite part was Zach deciding to “woo” and “court” Abby for real and have a “real” marriage. He decides that he doesn’t want a marriage of convenience but a real marriage and Abby is so flustered but secretly she adores it! Abby also has to deal with the town bully and I loved how Zach helped her stand up to her. A fantastic book that I give a hearty thumbs up! I’m just sorry that it’s over.
I loved every moment spent reading this fun, page-turning story! This story captivated my imagination and the delightful characters captured my heart. I found myself more than once laughing out loud, and talking to the book as if my new character friends could hear me.
After meeting Zacharias in the last book, I was super excited to hold his story in my hands and get to know more about this quietly brooding hero. Zach quickly found his way into my heart. He tends to keep others at arm’s length with his scowls and grunts for answers. But his heart is big and he loves much deeper than he lets on.
Abigail is just such a sweet heroine. I wanted to hug her and invite her over to put up her aching feet and enjoy a cup of tea. I just know we’d hit it off right from the start! Abigail had to grow up fast when her mother died. She has carried the weight of responsibility of her younger sister and the bakery on her shoulders for far too long.
I loved the character growth that we get to see as the story progresses, and how we can each learn and take something away from the story. Maybe you need to hear that God loves you just the way you are, dimples and all. Or Maybe you need to hear that no sin is too big for God to forgive. It could be that you, like me needed to be reminded that we need to wait on God and not run ahead and try to fix the problem.
With fun to be had, lessons to learn, and laugher to enjoy, trust me when I say that you won’t want to miss your opportunity to pick up a copy of this fully engaging story!
(I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists and/or authors, including netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)
I loved this book. Karen’s writing always delivers! It was exactly what I needed: a fun, fascinating, page-turning read!
Karen Witemeyer always delivers a beautiful story with memorable characters. Just love her books!
MORE THAN WORDS CAN SAY by Karen Witemeyer is second book in the Patchwork Family series. It’s the story of Abigail Kemp and Zacharias Hamilton – the perfect match?!?!?!?
The story takes place in Honey Grove, TX during 1896. We find Abigail Kemp the sole owner of a bakery business. She inherited it because her father had no sons. During a time that there were laws on the books stating that a woman could NOT own a business, she finds herself with three choices: sell the business she loves and has grown into a thriving establishment leaving her with no means of support for herself and her younger sister or a home to live in, sign on a partner losing control of the business of which a male partner would have the legal right to sell it right out from under her, and lastly marry someone to have a male name to use but make sure he has no rights to the business. Wracking her brain to cover all her bases, Abigail writes up a contract for such a marriage and then figures she has three likely subjects to approach for marriage.
Zacharias “Zach” Hamilton has had a rough past from a card shark father to abusive grandfather who found himself out on his own a very young age fending for himself. Ending up on an orphan train that crashes, Zach finds himself responsible for two young kids, a young boy and a younger girl when he was a mere boy himself. He’s done things that he’s not proud of, but he did it for the sake of his “family” to put a roof over their heads and food on the table. Both are grown and with families of their own so he must not have done too badly – right? For once, he has no one to answer to or worry about. He’s happy to be a bachelor with no one to answer to and plans on staying that way. He is not marriage material – period!
Zach was Abigail’s first choice. Will her dimples, ample curves and sweet buns be enough to get Zach to consider her contract and say I do before her time runs out and the council shuts her business down? She’s sure of her sweet buns, but she’s far from having confidence in herself on the other factors. Zach’s initial reactions is to run in the opposite direction, but those dimples when she smiles keep drawing him back. He can’t have her taken advantage of by either of her other two choices, but could he be happy with a marriage in name only when she looks so enticing? After a bit of matchmaking help, Zach agrees to Abigail’s marriage contract with a few alterations – one being a good night kiss every night. Once again Zach finds himself the defender for his “family” and he takes that responsibility very seriously. Can Zach protect not only Abigail from the council that is determined to put her out of business as well as from her once friend who seems determined to undermine and ruin Abigail at every turn? Along the way, can he help and shelter his new sister-in-law from some poor choices she made in the past? Can Zach and Abigail find more to their marriage than words in a contract? Will horrible events in each of their pasts bring them even closer together when exposed and they see how similar they are to each other?
Karen Witemeyer tells an absolutely marvelous Christian story about love, faith, family, forgiveness and turning all things over to God. She has us feeling Abigail’s insecurities about her ample curves and lack of experiences as well as her feelings of never being good enough because she was a girl. We know of Zach’s passion for Abigail, but see his determination to do it right – to court her and become friends before he sees to his husbandly rights. We see how our choices affect our lives and to look at the real choices we have before jumping into the only ones we think we have.
I highly recommend this book. I loved it so much that I will be checking out more books by this author.
I laughed so hard my husband came running to see what was going on. This one’s definitely going on my top ten list for this year and I bet I’ll be reading it again in the future.
Karen Witemeyer just doesn’t disappoint. Her characters are lovable and the story engaging. There’s romantic tension throughout, coupled with some tension that keeps these two love-doves apart makes for a great story.
My only quibble is not with Karen at all, but with her publisher. They took an opportunity to actually SHOW curvy girls that they are, in fact, beautiful, and proved it to be false by putting yet another beautiful, but thin, girl on the cover. Perhaps if they had used stock imagery, that would come as less of a blow, but this was obviously a picture taken for this cover. It would be nice if the message wasn’t a little muted by that fact. However, it shouldn’t prevent anyone from picking the book up. Karen has no control over the cover and the story is wonderful. I have never met the inside of a Karen Witemeyer book I didn’t love.
More Than Words Can Say, by Karen Witemeyer, is the second book in A Patchwork Family series. Infused with plenty of wit, charm, and romance, this historical fiction novel is delightfully entertaining and memorable. The small town setting, likable characters, and unconventional plot ensure that this story is thoroughly engaging and truly enjoyable from the first paragraph to the last.
The beauty of this book is wholly enriched by well-developed characters that are endearing and completely intriguing. They are flawed, authentic, and clever, and their pain, their desires, and their choices make them compelling and relatable. Even though they struggle through real trials that test their assumptions and even their faith, the power of God’s grace and mercy abounds, offering renewed hope and second chances.
More Than Words Can Say is also compelling for its strong focus on family and the myriad ways in which family members support, uplift, and protect each other. Its well-crafted scenes of heartbreak and loss are softened with glimpses of grace and forgiveness. Moments of despair lead to paths of perseverance and restoration. Faulty logic and deeply rooted fears are overcome with patience, kindness, and truth.
Well-written and rich with detail, More Than Words Can Say is an utterly satisfying novel that touched my heart page after page. Once again, Ms. Witemeyer has crafted an appealing story that is worthwhile and meaningful. I eagerly recommend it to all readers.
*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.
More Than Words Can Say is the second novel A Patchwork Family series. While I have not had the opportunity to read More Than Meets the Eye, I found that I was not lost. The author provided details from the first novel which featured Evangeline, Seth and Zach. I am looking forward to reading More Than Meets the Eye which tells the story of Evangeline Hamilton and Logan Fowler. I thought More Than Words Can Say was well-written with steady pacing. Abigail, Zach and Rosie are delightful characters. There are equally pleasing secondary characters like Reuben Sinclair and his wife. Abigail cannot believe an antiquated law requiring a man’s name on the deed will be her downfall. A marriage of convenience is the most logical solution and Abigail drafts up a contract. Abigail wants to make sure she retains control of her bakery once she marries. There are only three “eligible” men in town which consist of quiet, grumpy Zach, Elmer Beekman who has bad breath, and Clarence Ormandy with a domineering mother. Zach is the best option, but he is not willing to settle for a marriage of convenience. He finds Abigail attractive which she finds hard to believe. But Abigail must admit that when she is with Zach, she finds her heart racing and wonders what it would be like to kiss Zach. The road to happiness, though, is bumpy as they each have issues from their past that holds back from having a happy life together. I enjoyed the humor sprinkled throughout the story (I laughed so often while reading More Than Words Can Say). Zach and Abigail are cute together and I could not help but root for them. Abigail’s faith is strong, and she works on getting Zach back on speaking terms with God. Rosalind has a problem that she needs assistance with, and Zach is there to help her. I look forward to reading Rosalind’s story. I can tell that the author did her research for this book. Honey Grove is a real town and Karen Witemeyer brought it alive. I felt I was taken back in time with this charming historical novel. More Than Words Can Say mixes one independent baker with one cantankerous man which produces an entertaining and witty story.
The second book in the Patchwork Family series, I’m so glad author Karen Witemeyer gave us Zach’s story! Quiet and seemingly grumpy, Zach is a great protector and has a heart of gold. Someone just needs to go mining for it. And Abigail will do what it takes to see her dreams come true while supporting her family. Great characters that you will love!
Through the story we read about hurtful pasts causing challenges in the present, but we are reminded that God has a path for each of us to walk, and that path includes forgiveness and redemption. We also see God putting families together in unique ways, because He is all about family; whatever that looks like to you.
A rough hero, a heroine with a less than perfect body shape, and a wonderful small town full of real people make for a great, unconventional read. I highly recommend this book!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.
A marriage of convenience
My rating is 4.5 stars
Zach is one of my favorite heroes. He developed such a protective and noble character despite the circumstances of his upbringing. Yet he was filled with grief and guilt over his past, things he did to survive and to ensure his adopted sister and brother survived. Mostly for them. He was also a confirmed bachelor, figuring he was no catch – who would want him after what he had done?
Abby was such a complex character. Her larger size and the way her father made it so clear he was disappointed she wasn’t a boy combined to make her feel insignificant and yet she was confident in her abilities as a baker and had a great strength of character. I loved her generous heart and even the way she treated Sophia with kindness despite the vitriol aimed Abby’s way whenever this former friend was around.
The title ties into several themes. One being that Zach wasn’t much of a communicator, sometimes speaking more eloquently with grunts than words. Another being the need for words to be shared between the two regarding their pasts – each harbored secret shame that they dreaded having to reveal yet knew they needed to. Words and openness were also needed when gossips took an innocent situation and blew it out of proportion, preying on Abby’s self-consciousness and insecurities.
An enemy seeking to harm her, secrets from her sister’s past, and the awkwardness of being married to an- almost stranger all combined to make an interesting story with sweet spiritual encouragement throughout.
I do feel it necessary to mention that the author doesn’t hide the fact that Zach and Abby are physically attracted to one another. This ended up being a subject woven throughout the story as they determined not to consummate their relationship until they knew each other better. This was tastefully handled yet I mention it for the frequency in which it occurs. For this reason, I do not recommend it to younger teen readers.
More Than Words Can Say is a delightful story that lovers of historical Christian romance with a touch of intrigue will enjoy.
Read my review of More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer at AmongTheReads.net
Karen Witemeyer has done it again! She has written a fun, page-turning story! This story has all the laughs! “She’d tried looking in the Bible, but the majority of the marriages chronicled there consisted of Husband X taking Bride Y into the family tent and-boom-wifedom.”
Abigail Kemp was given a raw deal. Because she was a woman and her father had died, she was being forced to close her family bakery. She did not intend to go down without a fight. “These stuffy male councilmen might want to hold her down, but like a well-made bread dough, she planned to rise to the occasion.”
Zacharias Hamilton is finally free to live his life as he sees fit. After a hard upbringing and too much responsibility as a kid, he is living life on his own terms. “Freedom. That’s what he craved. More than baked goods.”
I highly recommend this story to anyone who is looking for a faith-based story. This story has it all–clean, serious moments balanced with fun and light-heartedness. However, you need to be prepared because you won’t be able to put this book down until you’ve finished the very last word.