Seeking justice 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?"
Author: Karen Witemeyer
Length: 352 pages
Format: paperback, hardcover, e-book, audio book
An unwanted orphan.
A man bent on vengeance.
Can joy and love heal old wounds?
Karen, oh Karen, oh Karen.
I'm tellin' y'all, be prepared to cry! Whether it's from laughing or from being kicked in the feels. Karen BROUGHT IT with this book.
The prologue was a perfect set-up to an amazing story. We meet Evangeline when she's just 4 years old and constantly being looked over because of her mismatched eyes. Tragedy forces 3 orphans to build a patchwork family and try to survive on their own. HOW SAD IS THAT?!
Evangeline was such a spunky, kind of chaotic character that instantly brought a smile to everyone's face. She always saw the best even people, even if it was buried WAAAYY down deep inside. I loved her attitude and how she took on life. She took her past traumas and past insecurities and harnessed them, using them to help other people! And she had a pet hog...she was AWESOME!
Logan's drive to seek vengeance quickly became an afterthought once he met and started spending time with Evangeline. Yes he might have set off to use her, but he quickly fell under the spell that was "Evie Hamilton" . I loved seeing the affect she had on him, how she challenged his reasons for vengeance and just made him a better man.
There is always some sort of mystery tied into Karen's stories, and this one was great! AND TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.
The puns and banter in this book brought me SO MUCH joy!! It felt like I was right there in the middle of this odd patchwork family and I loved every minute of it. I loved seeing Seth and Zach's protectiveness over Evangeline. It really just solidified that they were a family of the heart.
There was so much hope and encouragement in this story, you could see God moving in their lives. One of my favorite things is being to SEE the change in characters. Where they learned to FULLY trust God.
So many memorable moments and laughs. I rated this a 5/5 stars. I adored this story and cannot wait for Zach's story. 😉
Quotes:
"I heard your caterwauling all the way in the house." Seth grinned as he leaned against the doorframe.
"The potatoes don't seem to mind," she quipped.
Seth rolled his eyes. "The potatoes don't have ears."
"Well, the corn plants do, and they didn't complain, either," she sassed.
"Probably because their ears are still covered." He raised a brow waiting for her comeback.
"Shucks, Seth. You know those stalk are experts in hominy. They adore my singing."
"Let them see you, Eva. The real you. The brave, cheerful wood sprite who spreads joy wherever she goes. Once they do, the surface differences will fade from their notice."
"Vengeance doesn't heal pain, Logan. Love heals pain. That's why God tells us to leave the vengeance to him and instead focus on loving each other, including our enemies."
*I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review**I was not required to give a positive review**All opinions are my own*
No comments:
Post a Comment