Fairest of Heart (2023)

About the Book

Title: Fairest of Heart

Series: Texas Ever After #1

Author: Karen Witemeyer

Genre: Historical Fiction

Release Date: June 6, 2023

Beauty has been nothing but a curse to Penelope Snow. When she becomes a personal maid for a famous actress whose troupe is leaving Chicago to tour the West, she hides her figure beneath shapeless dresses and keeps her head down. But she still manages to attract the wrong attention, leaving her prospects in tatters–and her jealous mistress plotting her demise.

After his brother lost his life over a woman, Texas ranger Titus Kingsley has learned to expect the worst from women and is rarely disappointed. So when a young woman found in suspicious circumstances takes up residence with the seven old drovers living at his grandfather’s ranch, Titus is determined to keep a close eye on her.

With a promotion hanging in the balance, Titus is assigned to investigate a robbery case tied to Penelope’s acting troupe. The evidence points to her guilt, but Titus’s heart divines a different truth–one that might just get Penelope killed.

An enchanting Western take on the classic Snow White fairy tale, Fairest of Heart will sweep you away from once upon a time to happily ever after.

Click HERE to purchase your copy!

My Thoughts

Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer is a fun and engaging Christian Western. I’ve been a fan of Witemeyer’s novels for a long time now, so when I heard she was going to do a series around classic fairytales I knew it would be fantastic. This first book does not disappoint. I love the way Witemeyer takes the classic Snow White story and makes it wholly her own. Hands down, I loved the seven grandpas the best. They make this story. I love how each grandpa resembles a famous seven dwarf, but is also unique and endearing in his own right. I love how they take Penelope in and love, nurture, and protect her as if she really was their grandchild. As far as the other characters go, Penelope and Titus are a fun couple. They each play their Snow White role well. Penelope is the perfect fairytale princess, and Titus is an excellent prince-in-Ranger clothing. There is instant attraction between the two, but there is no acting on those feelings until much later in the story. I would definitely call their relationship a slow burn. On their way to love, however, Penny and Titus have quite an adventure. Madam LaBelle is a nasty villain. She actually makes the evil queen in Snow White seem tame. I appreciate that we get to see her point of view, but, man, is she a villainous and vain and vile person. The way she sees the world — that it owes her something — is really hard to handle. I wanted to slap her a few times. As with every Witmeyer novel, there are many themes discussed. My favorite topic is about blame and where we focus it. Humans have an odd tendency to forget where blame lies, and, instead, take blame away from the villain and put it upon themselves. We are not responsible for the evil actions of others. That’s it. Period! Bad guys do bad things and the icky, ugly fallout of their choices is their fault.

Fairest of Heart is an enjoyable read that I highly recommend. If you are a fan of Westerns, if you love a highly engaging story, and if you like a well-done fairytale variant then I recommend you purchase a copy of this story ASAP. You will not be disappointed you did.

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the publisher, Bethany House Publishers, via NetGalley in order to read and review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.