Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer is another winner for me. I love a good fairy tale with a happily ever after and this one is just that. This is a western retelling of Snow White. I thoroughly enjoyed Penelope Snow and the Texas Ranger, Titus Kinglsley. As well as the seven old ranchers on the Double D Ranch. They were the steal of the show in my book. I loved each and everyone of them. The evil Narcissa Labelle was definitely a mean, self centered villian. The second half of the book had a lot of action and it kept me turning the pages until the end. Scripture sprinkled throughout the story for wonderful inspiration. I have to say it blessed my heart. I'm like a dry well thirsty for The Word. The author inspires in a beautiful way and the whole of the book was a pleasure to read and escape from reality for a spell. I definitely recommend anyone who loves western romance with scripture for inspiration.
*I was given a copy of the book by Bethany House Publishers and this is my honest opinion.
4.5 stars

Karen Witemeyer is off to a great start with this book as the first in her new series. It reminded me a little of Snow White, but I'm not sure if the author meant to do that even if the last name is Snow. It was fascinating to learn about how the theater world operated in 1890s, especially in the midwest and south. Karen Witemeyer has a gift of placing the reader right into the pages of her story and I felt like a part of the traveling troupe and then the Diamond D Ranch alongside Penelope.

Penelope's sweet, kind, and helpful spirit was easy to love, though she felt like a cookie-cutter heroine. Titus was a bit prickly in the beginning but his unswerving loyalty, tenderness, and sense of duty and justice won me over quickly. Their faith journeys were real with plenty of take-away lessons. Their romance was slow, sweet, and quite lovely. The secondary characters were equally remarkable and the villain was quite devious, which added depth to the plot.

If you enjoy historical romance, you will definitely enjoy this book. I received the book from Bethany House via Interviews and Reviews and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.

Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer is an excellent start to her Texas Ever After series. This creative take on the Snow White fairy tale will delight her fans.

Penelope Snow is a different version of Snow White, but one that is infinitely more relatable. Her innocent and generous nature captures the reader's attention from the first page.

I loved all the nods to the original fairytale - the huntsman and his mercy to Snow White (I mean Penelope), the wicked witch (who isn't a witch but acts like one) our handsome prince in the form of Titus. And, of course, the seven dwarves (aka grandfathers) who come to Penelope's rescue.

I loved this story from beginning to end and applaud the author for her ingenuity. I can't wait for the next one!

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest review.

Do you love fairytale retellings? What about westerns? Snow White? If you answered yes, then this book is perfect for you. I absolutely loved this story! The author follows the Disney Snow White storyline, retold of course. I love how the author gets all the characters of Snow White in the story, Snow White, the Prince, the Evil Queen, the Huntsman and the Seven Dwarves. Snow White is Penelope Snow, who is beautiful and works as a maid for a famous actress Narcissa LaBelle(The Evil Queen). Narcissa thinks Penelope is going to take her place so she sends “The Huntsman” to dispose of her. He instead takes Penelope to a tree and ties her up but leaves her with a knife. Soon the Prince, Titus Kingsley who is a Texas Ranger, finds her with help from his grandfather “Doc” and his grandfather’s 6 friends. They take her into their home. Titus is tasked with finding missing jewels that seem to missing after Narcissa LaBelle’s shows.

I really enjoyed this story!! I love the story of Snow White so when I saw a Western retelling, I was definitely interested. I loved all the characters except Narcissa but she is the bad guy so we aren’t supposed to like her. Penelope is sweet and kind. Titus is nice and smart. I love them together! I love all the old men and how they want to protect Penelope. Overall a great story and I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

Content:Narcissa uses her body to seduce men and a closed door scene is included with a little more detail than I would prefer but still okay.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Yes, this story does have a lot of greed, jealousy, and a quick reminder of your childhood story of Snow White!

The author did a wonderful job of bringing this story alive, and loved the twists she gave this read, and then surprises!

The banter often had me smiling, but there are times when you wonder if all will survive? Page turner for sure, I need answers!

We are offered some sweet romance, but I loved the compassion shown to the less fortunate here, and the home that was made for them!

Now I can't wait for the next book in this series!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

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.

Once upon a time in Texas...This is a fairytale Western retelling of Snow White, The romance between the two main characters was wholesome and clean, and based on principles of trust and faith. Penelope and Titus were just wonderful characters. They were engaging and I felt for them both as they tried to figure out life. A fun Read! with a charming and joyful heroine and a Texas Ranger imperfect hero in quest for justice. A storyline that captures your attention and emotions.

I received a complimentary copy of this book, Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a totally different take on western historical fiction. Snow White has just been upgraded. I loved everything about this book.

From Penelope with her joyful attitude even in the worst circumstances, to Titus a Texas Ranger with his imperfections and quest for justice, and finally the retired Doc and six retired cowpokes who live on the D & D Ranch. All combined to make this a most enjoyable read.

The story itself is unique. An orphan who works for a theater troop’s diva meets a Texas Ranger who is rescuing a dog. Soon he may be rescuing her. There’s romance, family, faith, and a very unlikable antagonist whose partner in crime has a few redeeming qualities.

Karen has a way with her description of each character that brings them to life painting a clear picture not just physically but also who they are on a deeper level. She pulls on your heartstrings, makes you smile, and immerses you in the story. This book was a quick read and one I highly recommend.

I was given a copy through NetGalley courtesy of Bethany House and this is my honest opinion of the book.

Penelope Snow is travelling with an acting troupe as an assistant to the lead actress, Narcissa. When Penelope starts to catch on to Narcissa's evil ways, she's abruptly taken out to pasture and left to die by Narcissa's right hand henchman.

Titus Kingsley is a Texas Ranger who's reeling from the loss of his brother, Tate. He's officially taken himself off the market after a woman led to Tate's demise. That is, until he sees HER. She's twirling around in a field with not a care in the world.

The seven men of Diamond D become super protective over Titus and Penelope when life brings them together unexpectedly. Can the lot of them keep the Evil Queen (Narcissa) away and let the Prince win his girl?

I LOVED this story!! Karen Witemeyer never disappoints with her stories! There are so many levels in this book and many raw emotions that come out. This is a loose retelling of the fairy tale of Snow White but on a much deeper level. This is a story of true forgiveness, of submission, and of love. I can't wait to read more books in this series!

Fairest of Heart
By Karen Witemeyer
Pub Date: June 6, 2023
Bethany
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netagalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
First, I loved relationship between Titus and Penelope.
Second, as a Snow White retelling there’s a contrast made between physical and inner beauty.
Third, I felt the book was slightly preachy. Generally these books are read by Christians so the preaching is grating.
4 stars

A sweet, Christian, western Snow White adaption is waiting for you to enjoy! There is even a slight connection to Odysseus. I loved the seven misfit cowboys who take the place of the seven dwarfs. Even the wicked step-mother gets replaced with her evil twin – Narcissa. Faith, scripture, forgiveness and love are interwoven into the heart of this romance. And, Penelope’s joy for life wins over everyone, except Narcissa! With the book set in Texas, who else could be Prince Charming but a Texas Ranger in the form of Titus Kingsley, hero extraordinaire!

There is one area that could be adjusted. This is definitely a Christian romance. So, I expect faith to be a huge part of it. I do feel the romance would be just as enjoyable with a bit less scripture and ‘sermonizing.’ Your reader base is already Christian. We just want a ‘clean’ romance to enjoy.

For a fairy tale romance without too much angst and with a huge dollop of fun, enjoy Fairest of Heart.

Wow! Just wow! Fairest of Heart is a classic storyline that captures your attention and emotions. Like a retelling of Snow White one character has beauty without and within, while the other has outer beauty and inner darkness. Penelope’s beautiful nature captivates those both on the page and off. I absolutely loved this book, and I recommend it wholeheartedly.


I received a complimentary copy, but all opinions are expressly my own.

That. Was. Adorable.

I found this Christian fiction Snow White retelling set in Texas to be nothing short of delightful. Yeah, our heroine, the Snow White character, was too perfect, but that's really the only complaint, since this book was just so fun. Titus was such a great hero on an important growth journey of his own. The faith message wasn't something tacked on at the end, but something Titus, Penelope, and their friends (yay for wise mentors) referred to regularly throughout the story.
The shining jewel of this story was without a doubt, our seven "dwarves" - the most adorable collection of retired cowhands I've ever seen. They were all true to themselves throughout, giving us hours of delightful banter and interactions.
As you can see, I really enjoyed this book. I read a copy provided by the publisher through Netgalley so I could write an honest review, and all opinions are my own.

This was an ok read, but it reminded me too much of Snow White and the 7 dwarfs with big huge words that didn't really need to be in there.
But that's just me. For example; tenacious. Why not simplify it? The cover is simply beautiful. Yellow is my favorite color.
I did like the theme of forgiveness, and I did end up liking Penelope at the end.
Good always wins out no matter what.
The author did an excellent job with that.
She's also set a wonderful example of teaching the characters to keep the Faith no matter what happens to them.
So, overall, a good story.
A story that will leave you thinking about it long after it is over.
Jeb is quite the character once you get to know him.
Narcissa is a great name for the selfish one.
I will still recommend this novel for both young and old.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

"Fairest of Heart" is a retelling of the Disney version of Snow White but loosely set in 1892 in Texas. This was not an attempt to make the fairy tale realistic but fitted the main parts of the tale into a new setting and filled it out some. This made some parts (especially the beginning and the end) unrealistic. For example, a dog charged a Texas Ranger during an arrest. Titus was determined to save the dog that his teammate shot. Somehow this wound ended up on the dog's abdomen. He flipped the strange, previously-aggressive dog on it's back and pressed hard on his wound, and the dog just calmly submitted to it. Titus then abandoned his duty to help take his captives (one of whom was also shot) to jail and put this injured dog on his horse to canter several miles to the nearest doctor. The dog still didn't object. Fairy-tale, yes? And, seriously, why tear up a perfectly good blanket to make "shoes" for a barefoot Penelope to wear when Titus could have just gotten a horse for her to ride.

The core story was good, though. Even after Penelope was wronged, she sweetly sorrowed for the actress who was so obsessed with her appearance. Her kindness and goodness won everyone over (except the actress). I appreciate that Titus was able to see past the accusations against Penelope and his own prejudice against beautiful women when he was presented with her side of the story (as in, the truth). I like that he sincerely apologized for his behavior toward her and fought his tendency to want to doubt her again. He slowly but steadily sorted through the clues to figure out and then prove who the true criminal was.

Everyone on the ranch were better people by the end of the story, and Titus and his grandfather worked through their guilt over the death of Titus' brother. The main characters were Christian, and Penelope's faith was why she was able to forgive and not turn bitter over how she's been wronged in life. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this story to those who enjoy the fairy tale.

Penelope is in service to an actress named Narcissa LaBelle. Narcissa is difficult to please, but Penelope has been doing her job well. That is until Narcissa throws one of her royal fits and has her henchman take Penelope out to the woods and expose her to the elements to get rid of her. That is where the men from the Diamond D ranch find Penny and rescue her.

Titus Knightley is a ranger and has no time in his life for pretty women. He is not happy about the men of the Diamond D taking in Penny. He is sure that Penny is deceitful just like all women and it is his job to expose her deceit and send her packing.

I love the romance and mystery that each story by Karen Witemeyer brings. Fairest Of Heart has such sweet characters! I love all of the grandfatherly types at the Diamond D. They have open hearts for Penny and they show her a love that her life has lacked from the time she was abandoned as a baby. It didn't take Titus too long to get over his prejudice against her, but the getting there was a little rough! He frustrated me for a little bit, but when his big heart toppled it toppled pretty good! As always, the mystery was pretty exciting and brought many tense moments. If you like romance with a added side of mystery then I highly encourage you to read this book!

Fairest of Heart
by Karen Witemeyer
Publisher: Bethany House
Series: Texas Ever After
Rated: 4
Obtain: Borrow
Back of the Book: “Once upon a time in Texas . . .
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 lady 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, and all evidence points to Penelope's guilt. But Titus might just be convinced that the fairest woman of all has a heart as pure as her last name . . . if only he can prove it.”

Impressions: This was a fun western remix of the classic, Snow White. Penelope Snow, Seven men, and an evil diva sound familiar. Don’t forget a handsome stranger to fall in love with. The characters were unique but with a faint remnant to the classic tale. One thing this story brought that the classic tale didn’t was a depth of character and faith. I enjoyed the banter of events in this plot as well. This was a great story for both adults and young adults.

Quotes: “May I honor your gift with a spirit of gratitude and compassion towards others…May I be a blessing to them as they have been to me." I liked the submission and humble prayer of Penelope here.

“Could it be that truth without mercy was like knowledge without love?” “Mercy did not negate correction. In fact, mercy often demanded correction. God sent his people into exile in order to bring them back into a relationship with him...”

“His mother tied one verse to another like clues on a treasure map.” I think family Bibles are so special. To read the notes of a loved one next to verses that held meaning and guidance to them seems to me like the perfect treasure map to follow.

I received an ARC of this book via the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review shared here. For more book reviews go to: https://thebluestockingbooknook.wordpress.com

A Western retelling of Snow White in which the girl is a servant in a travelling acting troupe whose star actress is a vain & selfish beauty with devious plans of her own and in which the "prince" figure is a jaded Texas Ranger, and that also has a lovely interpretation of the seven dwarfs: seven retired cowboys in a ranch owned by a retired doctor that made the place hospitable for their kind.

I did like the setting a lot, Westerns are always a delight as settings for fairy tale reworkings. But what made Fairest of Heart difficult to like as I'd have wanted was the two main female characters. The Snow White figure is cartoonishly good and the Evil Queen figure is cartoonishly bad, they don't feel like real people due to this lack of nuance. And on top of that, the writing is quite preachy, Bible verses thrown in like salt & pepper, and everything is solved and wrapped up too neatly for plausibility. I would've liked this more if these women weren't so clichéd, and the preachiness was toned down a bit. After all, Christian fiction is read (almost exclusively) by other Christians, so this preachiness to the choir is grating.

Karen Witemeyer is one of my favorite historical authors. She writes about an area of the country I am familiar with, but she writes about times that predate me by 50-100 years. It's all good.

Fairest of Heart was not what I expected, especially not from Karen. I was rather disappointed in the way the plot played out and I felt it was too predictable. Penelope and Titus as the main characters were a bit weak and the true stars of the show were the seven men living on Titus' grandfather's ranch. In spite of my disappointment, I will still choose to read every offering by her.

The villains in the book stand out because they are aptly named and characterized. The heroes are a bit quieter in their demeanor throughout the book, but sometimes heroes are largely unsung.

I will say there are plenty of laugh out loud parts in the plot, some very sweet parts, some particularly heinous parts, and the rest of it was rather ordinary parts. It is a good read, just not as good as her other books. Three to four stars, but I'll round up to four.

Bethany House provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer is a Snow-White remake set in Texas alongside a traveling theater troupe. Many similarities between the two, but Witemeyer took creative license with her story. With a penniless heroine with a heart of gold, Penelope Snow is a quirky character to follow and enjoy. With determination and strive, Titus is on the hunt for justice and retribution because of an episode that occurred to his brother, Tate, a long time ago. Of course, romance is a must when readers enjoy a Witemeyer novel. Nothing flashy and gushy. A little bit of feelings flying across the page the longer the two are in each other’s presence. Instead of seven dwarves, Witemeyers uses seven old ranchers. Kind of like grandfather figures. They developed a love for her because of how well she treated each individual character. Her sweetness and kind heart won over even the grumpiest old rancher. As for the plot, I liked the idea of an old theater trope crossing the countryside and having a mystery element that showed the horrible character of the villain. Maybe she should have spent more time with her maid, Penelope, and learned some behaviors. Overall, Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer was a nice twist on Snow White, but even if this was not the case, the story was nicely woven together and a delight to read.

I received a complimentary copy of Fairest of Heart by Karen Witemeyer from Bethany House Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.