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’ve been waiting to get my hands on this book for so long, and my wonderful mother finally answered my prayers and bought it for me, and it was everything I hoped for and more.
Besides crafting wonderful characters that draw you in and make you root for them, Witemeyer also creates some emotionally-charged scenes that highlight God’s forgiveness and mercy. I can’t go too much into detail without giving away spoilers, but she does a great job with Abigail’s backstory. Abigail’s reaction to Zach’s past is believable because of Abigail’s own past mistakes.
So well done, Ms. Witemeyer. One of my favorites to date.
Check out my full review at:
https://justjenniferpurcell.com/2019/08/02/just-read-more-than-words-can-say-by-karen-witemeyer/
More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer is a wonderful, zany, historical romance that includes faith at its core. While it is helpful to read the preceding book in the series, it is not required to enjoy More Than Words Can Say.
Abigail Kemp and Zacharias Hamilton are well-developed, lovable characters that I quickly found myself rooting for. Witemeyer provides likable secondary characters and a villain who, the more I knew, the more I actually hoped for redemption.
It was nice to read about a heroine who was somewhat less than thin. Unfortunately, the picture on the front of the book does not accurately portray the Abby presented inside.
Secrets and shame, guilt from past hold both Abby and Zach back. I feel shades of Les Mis in my mind when Zach cannot release the past, knowing he would repeat the wrong for its benefits. What a conundrum that causes and a stumbling block in his road to total honesty and a relationship with the Father.
Quotables:
“…a wise woman never burned a bridge she might need to cross at a future date.”
”…revenge had a tendency to warp a person’s mind when allowed to fester for a long period of time.”
“These stuffy male councilmen might want to hold her down, but like a well-made bread dough, she planned to rise to the occasion.”
For a fun, faith-filled romance, all well blended, baked, and deliciously served up; I heartily recommend More than Words Can Say. I was gifted a complimentary copy of the book through NetGalley. This in no way influenced my opinions for which I am solely responsible.
Sweet story . Clean read which is easy and enjoyable to read.
I started this book with the sole intention of reading one chapter. My bath water was run and I knew I wasn’t going to stay in there long, just long enough to relax for bedtime. Or so I thought.
Once I started on this book stopping at just one chapter was out of the question. My toes turned into raisins as I turned page after page to see what was going to happen. The story had me tuned in from start to finish.
Karen Witemeyer always writes well thought out books that captivate the reader, and fortunately this one was no different.
The main character has a problem and that is sometime ago in the laws of the town, because she is woman, she cannot own her own business. She spent the last months, after her father died keeping the business strong and running and now a bunch of men are telling her that she can’t keep it any longer. What they don’t expect her to do, she does.
So we have the story of Zachary Hamilton which is essentially the continuation of the set of three adopted siblings. The focus of the story is on Abigail, yet we have Zachary and his story woven into this one. The great thing about it, is that even though I vaguely remember the setup with his sister, I didn’t need to read the previous stories to understand. Each book is solely on it’s own and can stand there with no problems.
Excellent book and as always, I look forward to the next compilation of words that Karen brings together.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
Witemeyer’s More Than Words Can Say is the epitome of what happens when an author takes a run-of-the-mill trope and turns it into something completely unexpected. The character development in this book was amazing (and I can say that even though I’ve not yet read the first book in the series) and the chemistry between Zach and Abby was equal parts heartwarming and romantic. In fact, I thought their connection was so intriguing, I felt it stole the story–in a good way. I can honestly say that if this book had had zero plot (which wasn’t the case at all), I’d have read it anyway just to “watch” Zach and Abby’s relationship. They came across as the kind of people you’d choose to surround yourself with simply because they radiate a level of joy that’s often imitated in books, but never genuine. They were the real deal, I thought. I thoroughly enjoyed their story.
” . . . . I have to choose which voices to believe. I can believe the ones that tell me I’m not good enough or brave enough or pretty enough . . . . . or I can push aside that clamor and see out the voice that tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Abigail Kemp has been listening to the wrong voices most of her life, struggling with her self-esteem on almost a daily basis; but there’s one area where even she can admit excellence; her baking ability is second to none in the little town of Honey Grove, Texas. Now some silly city ordinance is threatening to topple Abby’s future.
Zacharias Hamilton is enjoying his life of freedom; his siblings are well settled, he likes working as a lumberman in Honey Grove, and he particularly likes starting each day with a cup of black coffee and two sticky buns from the “Taste of Heaven Bakery”. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect to be propositioned by the lovely baker with an offer he could easily refuse; or could he?
This clever, and most romantic, marriage of convenience tale should have a list of life lessons tucked into its back pages, because Abby and Zach learn so much about what marriage is and what it isn’t, that it’s hard to believe they weren’t meant for each other all along. There’s far “more than words can say” about life, love, and lists of expectations in this lovely new story by Karen Witemeyer.
Marriage of Convenience Surrounding a Bakery
After viewing the cover, more than one person asked me if this was an Amish book. It is not. But the heroine, Abigail, is a successful baker and businesswoman, who is fighting to save her bakery while some unknown person seems to be planning her downfall. With Abigail and Zacharias, a lumberman and son of a famous Mississippi River gambler, Karen brings us a unique story full of hope, humor, sweet moments, and lessons learned. The food-lover in me enjoyed all the bakery references and metaphors–and the fact that Abigail isn’t your run-of-the-mill “thin and delicate” heroine. The story of Zacharias, the quietest Hamilton and the last to wed, tugs at the heartstrings, especially of readers who know his backstory from page one.
The Romance:
I enjoyed watching these characters learn how to communicate with each other and work through hard times together. The use of love languages brought interesting facets to their relationship, and the heroine’s insecurities about her body type and the circumstances of the marriage underscore the attraction with realistic conflict. I liked how Zacharias initiated open communication in their marriage from the start, leading the way to a clearer understanding between them. Prior to their wedding, they discussed everything except their compatibility in matters of faith, which serves as the main conflict in their marriage for the second half of the story. I come from a different background than either of these characters, but seems that’s the first thing I would have settled when considering marriage, no matter the circumstances. Overall, Zacharias’ quiet protectiveness and Abigail’s supportive encouragement turn this marriage of convenience into a love match where both want to honor the other and the Lord, which makes for a great story if you ask me.
The Pace:
The book keeps a pull-you-along pace and was hard to put down once I started reading. I love how Karen Witemeyer Karen gives introspection and character insight without slowing the story too much.
The Faith Element:
With her husband’s gentle leadership, Abigail grows from a place of insecurity into a woman who can focus on joyfully helping others, even while facing hard times of her own. She learns to appreciate Zach, even with all his gruff ways. Zacharias has to come to the place where he sees his sin as God sees it, no excuses, and learns to put family responsibility above his own quest for footloose “freedom.” As a whole, I enjoyed the way these threads wrapped up and brought cohesion to the story.
The More Factor:
I’ve heard tell that Abigail’s sister, Rosalind, will be featured in her own story, a Harvey House tale in the upcoming novella collection, Serving Up Love (Bethany House Publishers, November 2019). Can’t wait to read her story, More than Just a Pretty Face. The last marriage of convenience story I enjoyed this much was Romancing the Bride (Frontier Vows, #1) Romancing the Bride by Melissa Jagears.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher and have voluntarily provided my honest opinion in this review.
Another fun, sweet story!
I absolutely love Karen Witemeyer’s novels. She’s one of my favorite historical fiction authors for a reason and this book was no exception. While I thoroughly enjoyed the first Patchwork Family novel, I’ve been looking forward to More Than Words Can Say since I finished the first one. As much as I loved Evangeline and Logan, Zach was without a doubt my favorite character. Underneath the tough exterior he shows the world, he’s really just a big sweetheart looking for someone to see his past and love him anyways. And Abigail’s passion and sass were the perfect match for him. What started out as a marriage of convenience quickly turned into a sweet love story. Zach and Abigail helped each other overcome the guilt about their individual pasts and learn to see themselves as God sees them– forgiven. Throw in some mystery, adventure, and a fist fight or two along with Karen Witemeyer’s signature humor and this is a sweet, fun story that I liked just as much as the first novel, if not more.
More Than Words Can Say has skyrocketed to the top and is now probably my favorite Karen Witemeyer book! I enjoyed this story so much! It is book two in the series, yet can easily be read as a stand alone novel if you haven’t read book one.
I love marriage of convenience stories and this novel is one of the best of this type of plot that I have read. I loved the commitment that Abby and Zach made to each other when they did decide to get married. I loved the tension between this husband and wife. And I loved the way they cared about each other and wanted what was good for each other, even as they were still getting used to the idea of being married.
This story deals with being able to forgive not only others, but also yourself, and allowing yourself to accept God’s forgiveness for those things that need forgiving. There was a lot of character growth in both Zach and Abby. I liked them both at the beginning of the story, and loved the way they grew together by the end.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
More than words can say
I love reading historical fiction. This one is a really good one. Abigail is trying to save her bakery. She has to have a man’s name on the deed. So her and Zach decide for a marriage of convenience.
The author has to do a lot of research in writing historical fiction. I really admire the hard work that is put into the book. Even though the characters are fiction the town was a actual place.
I loved Abigail and Zach so much. Also there is Rosalind who is Abigail sister. They all have things from their past to work out. The characters were so real to me. Definitely would make a good movie for TV.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to write an positive review. This is my own opinion.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
From the first book I read by Karen Witemeyer, she has been one of my all time favorite authors. I love how she snatches my attention from the first page and keeps it until I read the last word! I love the sweet stories with an historical setting and enough romance and humor to give the story a good balance. And for me, More Than Words Can Say is one of the best from Ms. WITEMEYER.
It was easy for me to fall in love with the two main characters, Abigail who is owner of the bakery and Zach, a partner at the sawmill. Zach enjoyed Abby’s sticky buns for breakfast and Zach was secretly attracted to Abby, but since he was finally free to live his life as a bachelor, no one else knew this bit of news. But it was when Abby was forced to find a husband that things started to spiral out of control.
Such a sweet historical story. The characters created by Ms. Witemeyer are so adorable and loveable, as well as realistic. With things hitting them from every angle, it seemed nothing would turn out right. I like the feistiness of Abby, when she sets her mind to something, she will fight to carry it out. Abby takes readers on a journey with her that will rattle you for a good while. But it’s fun, enjoyable, and satisfying because the person with the right motives win in the end. This is a book for the historical fiction people out there, but I think anyone enjoying a good clean Christian read would love this book! I love that the gospel of Jesus is clearly in this book, but it’s in the every day lives of the characters, not in a preachy way. Author Karen Witemeyer does it best!
A copy of this book was given to me by the author or publisher. I am not required to write a positive review. The opinions here in this review are totally mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
Karen Witemeyer’s second book in the Patchwork Family series is a delight to read. Zach Hamilton, who appeared in the first book, has settled in a new town, is partner in a lumberyard, and is enjoying his life of bachelorhood. Abigail Kemp, the owner of the local bakery, however, needs a husband to keep her business and she has few options in town. (The author’s descriptions of these options provide quite a few giggles.) Although the relationship begins with a business proposal, it turns into much more.
I love discovering how the title of a book relates to the story. More Than Words can Say is the perfect title for this book. Zach is a man with deep feelings but few words. He takes care of his own and loves completely, but doesn’t always express his thoughts and feelings to Abigail with words. Does he love her or is he just filling an obligation?
As with other books by Karen Witemeyer, this story contains bits of humor and tons of swoony romance. The spiritual elements are an integral part of the story. If you have not read the first book in the series, you could read this one as a stand alone, but would miss out on the some of the relationship aspects between Zach and his “siblings” that appear in this story.
More Than Meets the Eye is a new favorite for me by this author. Don’t miss it!!!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.
This book is definitely on my best of 2019 books. I couldn’t get enough of the characters and how easy it was to relate to them. The author has charmed me with her attention to details and historical facts scattered throughout the book. It is a book about forgiveness, secrets, pride and humbleness.
Abigail was a delight to read about. Being the oldest daughter she took her role of taking care of her younger sister seriously after both parents passed away. I loved reading about the bakery she ran and could smell the delicious aromas filtering out into the street. Abigail is not very confident in her looks and I could understand her insecurity. I think a lot of women, me included have issues with out looks. The author examines this as she gently leads the character to overcome her insecurity and understand that God made her in His perfect image.
Zach is my favorite character. He is strong, independent and fiercely protective of his siblings. It was interesting to hear about his childhood and how responsible he has become. I could picture him as a tall and strong man who may intimidate people, but was really a big teddy bear. How him and Abigail become married is funny but necessary. There is no way that Abigail is going to lose her bakery and Zach is the answer to saving it.
The story has several lessons in it that I didn’t overlook. Each character had a secret from their past that prevented them from forgiving themselves . This hindrance has caused them to stray away from relationships and more importantly, forgive themselves. As I read the book, I thought about the title. It reminds me of the saying, “Actions speak louder than words.” In this book that saying is perfect as Zach and Abigail learn to trust each other by their actions rather than words. A simple act of bringing coffee to her husband, brought a deep sense of love to Zach. His commitment to always stand beside Abigail brings her to realize just how much he cares.
There is one character I \can’t forget to mention which is Rosalind. Being the pretty sister as Abigail sees her, also brings with it danger of being taken advantage of by others. What I love about Rosalind is how little she thinks of her looks and how encouraging she is to see her sister happy. She is always there to lend a hand to her sister and only wants the best for her.
It is a tug of war between love, respect and forgiveness in this wonderful story. I liked how the author took the relationship of Abigail and Zach slowly and peeled away the scabs that had never healed from their past. The author fills the story with God’s wisdom and as I finished the book, I immediately took a look at my life. How many times have I been discouraged by my looks? Have I really allowed God to be first in my life? Am I thankful for a husband who loves me unconditionally? I am thankful for an author that writes stories that not only entertain but gives us words of compassion and love through stories that highlight God and His infinite love.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
Another delightful romance by Witemeyer, this time a marriage of convenience. This one is a bit different than most marriages of this nature, in that the bride is the one negotiating the union. Abby needs a man on the deed to her bakery or she will be forced to shut it down. She cannot do this as it is her and her sister’s source of income. Although the lady needs “rescuing,” she proposes to her chosen rescuer. As there are only three prospects in the whole town, she picks the most handsome and the one that causes her heart to flutter. She fully expects to be turned down but……..This book is full of hope and love and giving and forgiving. If you’ve enjoyed Witemeyer’s other books then you will love this one……I was given a e-copy from the publisher and I am very pleased to leave a review.
My Thoughts:
Prepare to time travel. And then prepare to be spellbound in the new time and place you’re in. You may never want to come back to the present day again. I know I didn’t!
Karen Witemeyer writes excellent books. I’ve read some of her series before and was very excited to get to read this book. I made sure to grab a copy of the first book in the series and gave it a fast read before diving into this one. You don’t have to though. I recommend you do because who doesn’t want to read more than one good book? Come on, we all know we’re book-a-holics. That being said you don’t have to read book one to understand and love book two, it just makes it that much better. And I’m sure book three will seal the deal!
When I look at an author and decide if I’ll read another of their books I’m looking to see if they elicited a response from me. Did I laugh? Were there tears in my eyes? Did my kids have to ask me what was making me giggle or wipe tears away? Those are all wonderful things! Really they are. That means the author is simply amazing and I must run out and get more of their books or at the very least request them from the library.
Karen Witemeyer is one of those amazing authors that you just have to read more and more by because she makes you feel like she knows you. You feel like the main character is you at times. It’s not just the fun and the small bits of mystery and romance. Rather, it’s the reminders of God’s love and the assurances of whether we screw up a little or a lot He’s there.
There aren’t a lot of books or authors anymore that I want to keep around for my children to read as they grow older. I have teenage daughters now and one is always asking if she can read the book I just finished. This is actually one book that I’m okay with her reading. Even in the Christian fiction circles there are just some books that I don’t feel comfortable sharing with my daughter. I would share this one. That’s probably the highest praise I can give a book or an author.
I highly recommend this book and all of this author’s wonderful reads. You’ll love them.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
“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 Kemp
A lively story filled with unique, less than perfect characters! Set in the quaint town of Honey Grove, Texas in the year 1896 the book comes to life with the Kemp sisters, Abigail and Rosalind , their bakery, and a desperate plan to save the business. The desperate plan included one husband as described above. While all those criteria were important in an ideal search, when one’s time was limited the criteria might need to be adjusted.
Abigail Kemp, baker and proprietor of A Taste of Heaven Bakery, begins her search armed with a list and a contract. Her search begins and ends with Zach Hamilton, partner in the local lumber yard. A handsome, quiet man of few words, Zach agrees to Abigail’s marriage proposition. Each party has their own special requirements. Abigail, an independent, hard working businesswoman, has spent much of her recent years in the bakery learning the business and as a result, she is a bit insecure about her looks. Zack and Abigail together work to find a way to make life and a family in spite of the obstacles that get thrown in their way.
This is a delightful story that offers up a selection of witticisms and wise sayings. Faith, fiction, and historical facts are woven through the pages of this delightful read. Terrific summer book for a light, fun novel story sure to entertain readers!
I received this book from Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley. The above thoughts and opinions I have expressed are wholly my own.
I’ve read all of Karen Witemeyer’s book and this one, by far, is the very best. I love the way she took her brusque hero and softened him throughout the book. Karen did a wonderful job of developing her characters, pushing them into situations that made them grow and learn along the way. I felt like I was watching their lives through a window and was rooting for them to succeed. Well done, Karen. Great novel!
More Than Words Can Say, by Karen Witemeyer, is the second book in her Patchwork Family series but can easily be read as a stand-alone story. This book is engaging right from the beginning where readers find the heroine, Abigail, in a heap of trouble in small-town Texas during the late 1890s. She’s about to lose her bakery unless she can get a man to sign the deed. But it has to be a man she can control and will a bribe of a lifetime supply of sticky buns and a place to live be enough? Marriage-of-convenience stories like this are one of my favorites and More Than Words Can Say does not disappoint. The characters are vibrant and likable—or not—, each of their poignant histories is filled with regrets and the author expertly reveals them layer by layer, keeping interest high. The characters have depth and reality and their emotions, strengths, and foibles resonate well with readers. And what a lovely romance…reluctant at first but oh, that first kiss! The story moves quickly and I felt like I was right there in the story as the author has a delightful way with words—an easy flow of dialog, descriptive details and just the right amount of humor. I hope there is another book or two in the series. This is one book readers who love charming historical romance stories will not want to miss.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required and opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.
A marriage of convenience turns into a story of passion between Zacharias and Abigail. Wow! Karen Witemeyer really turns up the heat in More Than Words Can Say. The plot, of course, captured my attention because I wanted to know what would happen to Abigail’s bakery, but the tension and heat between the two sparked most of the story. So if you are not a fan of a lot of romantic tension between the heroine and hero than you might want to hold off on reading this book. I’m not, but overall, I enjoyed this latest book. I loved how Witemeyer showed their friends and family who supported them. I also enjoyed how she allowed the heart of both characters to shine on the page. Either through their deeds done for others or the actions they went through to woo the other person. There was a huge moment of both characters being vulnerable and laying their hearts on the line for the other person to realize what secrets from the past they were dealing with. But like any good marriage, both partners have to take the good with the bad. The marriage vow does say for better or for worse. Overall, More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer has a lot more romantic spark than most Witemeyer books I have read, and I haven’t read them all yet. But the transforming power of love is definitely worth sticking around and engrossing a reader in for a couple of hours. If you enjoy Julie Lessman’s western series, than this might be the type of book for you.
I received a complimentary copy of More Than Words Can Say by Karen Witemeyer from Bethany House Publishers, but the opinions stated are all my own.
Abigail is fighting for her future. Someone has turned up an antiquated law preventing women from operating and running a business in the city. She decides that the best choice of action is to find a man who will marry her, and yet allow her the freedom to have complete control over her bakery. Looking around at her options, she decides to ask Zach Hamilton, a man who keeps to himself, yet no one else bothers.
Zach is finally free of all responsibilities and obligations. He can come and go as he pleases and he has a job that he actually enjoys. But, what is he supposed to do when the pretty baker approaches him with a problem that she can’t solve on her own? How can he turn her away and ignore her distress?
What follows is a marriage of convenience between Zach and Abigail. The storyline follows their relationship as it develops from almost strangers to a loving relationship between a husband and wife. I loved how each of them were dedicated to learn how to be godly spouses. They turned to Scripture with their problems and allowed God to work out the details, patiently waiting for the right time.
Interspersed with their story was the story of the bakery and who was trying to see it fail. There’s really not much mystery since the villain is clearly shown. The real lesson learned is about how to allow God to solve your problems and not interfere with your own solutions. The author gives a great life lesson with this – that God is faithful to give a solution that you never dreamed possible.
All in all, it’s a solid Christian novel that gives several life lessons based on biblical principles.
Major themes: vengeance, trusting God, marriage
Romance – PG / kissing and reference to physical attraction between married couples
Language – clean
Violence – reference to someone dying, reference to blood after a fight
My rating – 5 stars