At Love’s Command (2020) — My Thoughts + A Giveaway

About the Book

Book: At Love’s Command

Author: Karen Witemeyer

Publisher: Bethany House

Release Date: June 2, 2020

Genre: Historical Fiction

Haunted by the horrors of war, ex-cavalry officer Matthew Hanger leads a band of mercenaries known as Hanger’s Horsemen who have become legends in 1890s Texas. They defend the innocent and obtain justice for the oppressed. But when a rustler’s bullet leaves one of them at death’s door, they’re the ones in need of saving.

Dr. Josephine Burkett is used to men taking one look at her skirts and discounting her medical skills. What she’s not used to is having a man change his mind in a heartbeat and offer to assist her in surgery. Matthew Hanger’s dedication to his friend during recovery earns Josephine’s respect, and when she hears of her brother’s abduction, he becomes her only hope for rescue.

Matt has stared down ruthless outlaws, betrayal, and injury, but when a bossy lady doctor crawls under his skin, his heart is tempted to surrender. And when she is caught in the crossfire, he may have to sacrifice everything—even his team—to save her.

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My Thoughts

At Love’s Command by Karen Witemeyer is one awesome story! I loved every minute, and I’m sad my time with these characters is over … for now. The plot is highly engaging; the pages flew by! The action is pretty intense; there are a couple scenes I was on the literal edge of my seat. The characters are SUPERB. The bad guys are crusty and dirty and evil. You root for them to lose the whole time! The good guys are fantastically endearing and relatable. Josie is a spitfire heroine. She is sassy, smart, and bossy. She is also exceptionally capable and brave. I found her to be the perfect match for Matthew Hanger. And, let’s talk about Matthew Hanger for just a second. How would I describe him? How about the coolest Western hero ever!!! He’s smart, strong, and very, very capable. He has a heart as big as Texas. He’s broody, but not negative. He carries the world upon his shoulders, but he’s the first to run into a burning building to save someone’s life. He’s downright sexy, yet he doesn’t know it. Most importantly, he’s just SO cool. Like James Bond cool. And, if this isn’t enough to make it a must-read novel, Witemeyer weaves beautiful and timely messages throughout her narrative. All of this coalesces into one spectacular read that I HIGHLY recommend.

Josie is a get-things-done kind of woman. She is highly intelligent, exceptionally capable, and not afraid to get in the middle of a fray if it means helping someone she loves. When she sees someone hurt, even the “bad” guys, her medical instincts kick into high gear and she cannot physically help herself — she has to fix whatever is broken. One can get caught up by such abilities and fall into the trap of feeling like she is in control. In a moment of great frustration, Josie thinks to herself that “[she hates] being outside the realm of control.” Oh my, do I completely understand this sentiment. I am a massive control freak and my OCD can skew off the charts. When life gets crazy I do my utmost to control everything. I mistakenly believe that if I can control my surroundings then the crazy I’m going through won’t drown me, and I will ultimately be able to create the outcome I want. Yes, this is foolish. The only thing I can control is how I behave in those crazy moments and if I go to God or not. But my instinct is like Josie’s — I want to fix everything. However, like Josie, I have learned the truth — I control very little and I can’t fix everything. I cannot always shield my loved ones from pain, suffering, or tragedy no matter how much I try. Only God can control everything. As Josie comes to understand in this story, I, too, understand that I have to trust that God works EVERYTHING for the good of those who love Him, and sometimes that means doing nothing myself and getting out of God’s way so He can work! Not an easy lesson to learn, but one that is of the utmost importance.

At Love’s Command is a one-of-a-kind read. Yes, many have written Westerns, and many have written very good Westerns, but there is something different about this book. Witemeyer has written a home run! If you are a fan of Westerns then At Love’s Command is a novel you do not want to miss. This is a story that will stick with the reader long after the final pages have been read.

I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from Bethany House Publishers via NetGalley in order to review. I also received a paperback copy of this novel from Bethany House Publishers as well. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

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