"More Than Meets the Eye" by Karen Witemeyer

Evangeline Hamilton's mismatched eyes - one brown, one blue - have scared people away ever since she was a child. Orphaned at a very young age, Evie and her brother were sent on the Orphan Train to try to find a home. Her brother was always wanted, but Evie was not. He insisted they stay together, and eventually Evie found herself growing up in a family of ragtag but determined children who forged together to make their own family despite all the odds against them.

Now a young woman, Evangeline and the Hamilton men have a quiet homestead in North Texas. Zach is the gruff face of the family, the one who does business in town. Quiet Seth, who suffers from asthma, keeps the books and works around the house. Evie has a generous, delightful spirit but is reserved in public to avoid the teasing and scorn that her eyes tend to bring out.

Logan Fowler returns to the area where he grew up with one goal in mind: Find Zach Hamilton and make him pay for the way he cheated his father at a card game seven years earlier. Logan's father committed suicide because he couldn't handle losing his property, devastating the lives of Logan and his mother. Now that he's old enough to find Hamilton, Logan has crafted a plan to win back their land and restore his mother to the home she had to vacate in sorrow.

One thing Logan didn't count on was becoming captivated with Evangeline Hamilton. Her openness and love of life despite her public castigation quickly wins Logan over. He's torn between using Evie as a device against her brother and enjoying the genuine friendship that is blossoming between them. Is it possible that he can get justice on Zach and keep Evie safe from harm at the same time? When a threat makes itself known in the community of Pecan Gap, Logan will have to face his motives and choose his side in the battle.

This was a great story from Karen Witemeyer! Evie has a charming pureness about her, and readers will feel Logan's conflict. While the early parts of the book focus on Evie and Logan almost exclusively, there is plenty of danger and page-turning adventure in the second half. This is definitely my new favorite novel from this author, and I look forward to the next book in this series!