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 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.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher and have voluntarily provided my honest opinion in this review.
