This is a wonderful story filled with rip-roarin' action and lots of gunfire but its real strength is the wonderful romance between Dr. Josephine Burkett and Matthew Hanger. Yes, the new Doc in Purgatory Springs, Texas is a woman who has to constantly fight for respect so she is both shocked and grateful when a handsome ex-Calvary man accepts her skills so readily after bringing an injured friend into her office for treatment. From then on, you just know that there's great promise for this strong, independent career woman and a man who had chosen to live a solitary life after losing his family at a young age. Will Matthew Hanger recognize his budding feelings for Josie? Is there a future for a man who often runs toward death and a woman who works to prevent it?

Josie and Matthew are fascinating individual characters but together.....well, in today's culture, they would be known as a super couple. A female who is dedicated to treating illnesses and saving lives and a cowboy/soldier/mercenary who wants to help those unable to help themselves. And then there is the chemistry between these two. This is Christian fiction so author Karen Witemeyer allows us to imagine what might happen but there are some kissing scenes that left me breathless, as in "kisses that heated her blood and curled her toes".   

I truly loved this first book of the Hanger's Horsemen series and I'm anxious to learn what Witemeyer plans for the future books. Corporal Luke Davenport, also known as Preach, is a man very knowledgeable of the Bible and I am hoping that he will have his own story in the near future. The Horsemen are supposedly "keeping their pistols holstered" but is this possible for Hanger's Horsemen?

If you are looking for Western adventure, Christian romance, and a story filled with faith, you will certainly want to read At Love's Command. 

I received a copy of this book from the author and Bethany House. I wasn't required to write a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

I have read everything Karen Witemeyer has read and she always jumps to the top of my to be read pile when she releases a new book.

At Love's Command continued that theme. Swoony hero, strong heroine, page turning plot, fabulous friendship and a great supporting cast of characters that I can't wait to see in the rest of the series!

The story begins with back-to-back battles. I almost set the book aside. So glad I didn’t because soon, we meet the doctor heroine. She’s knowledgeable and I loved the medical aspect of her expertise, which we see in her POV. She’s selfless and no-nonsense, but she’s also compassionate and strong. Determined. 

It was refreshing to read of a female doctor in a historical, and especially fun to see her scientific mind tackle mysteries like falling in love or physical attraction. So fun.

I liked the hero’s intense loyalty to his fellow soldiers. Matt is sacrificial, often putting other’s lives above his own. He’s wise, prudent, protective, and noble. His men follow him because they respect him, but also know he’d die for them. He’s earned their trust.

Karen’s writes strong prose, and her pacing kept me reading. She’s excellent at penning romantic scenes, weaving them in during otherwise simple moments. I highlighted several lines while I read the e-book. 

Just when you think things are settling down, she layers in another adventure. Readers will enjoy this historical from a true pro.

I absolutely loved this story.  The characters were great and so was the plot.  Four ex-calvary men band together known as Hanger's Horsemen to help people in need without resorting to killing, if at all possible.  Matthew Hanger meets Doctor "Joe" and in the course of the story falls in love with her while trying to rescue her brother from outlaws.  The story has action, romance, scripture, humor....I couldn't put it down and can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Captain Matthew Hangar leads a group of Mercenaries, ex calvary men, men hardened by war who wish to come to the aid of those innocent and in need of justice. When one of their own becomes severely injured, they seek help and find a lady doctor, Josephine Burkett. Matthew is dubious of her skills but soon finds her capable as well as admirable--not only for her skills but her beauty too.
Josephine respects Matthew for his loyalty to his friend and is aware of what the men are capable of. She suddenly finds herself in need of their services and begs Matthew to help her brother who has been kidnapped. Matthew puts the men to a vote and they agree to help; but when they go to help, they find things are not all what they seem and Josephine, insisting on following them, is in danger as well. 

When Matthew finds Josephine is now in the crosshairs herself, he realizes his heart is on the line as well and he must decide if he can risk his and the lives of his men to obtain what love commands.

This story reminds me of a classic western staring John Wayne or James Stewart, but with a definite Christian theme running throughout. 

Matthew Hanger and three of his men leave the cavalry after a particularly bad campaign and form the Hanger's Horsemen. After one of his men takes a bullet, Matthew rushes him to the nearest doctor. What he doesn't expect is the doctor to be female. 

Dr. Josephine Burkett is confident in her healing skills. She's also used to having to defend those skills to most men. However, when a cavalry officer gives her respect and assistance, she takes a second look at the man behind the stiff code of conduct. Therefore, when she learns that her brother is in danger, she immediately turns to Matthew and the Hanger's Horsemen for help. 

What follows is an edge of your seat, nail biting story with bullets flying, cruel outlaws, betrayal, and near death encounters. But when God is for you, who can be against you? Both Matthew and Dr. Jo must learn the difficult lesson to let God have control of the situation. Can they trust God enough and let Him lead?  The story also shows the harsh consequences for poor decisions. 

Thankfully, this is much more than a romance. As a romance, it wasn't as satisfying as some of the author's previous works. But, as a life lesson on trust in God, this is a sure winner. I loved the use of Bible verses sprinkled through the story. 

Romance - PG / kissing
Language - PG / clean
Violence - PG13 - lots of violence such as recounting of a real historic battle, gun fights, bullet injuries, death, etc.
My rating - 5 stars - based on the Christian theme of trust and dependence on God.

Mini Review: This was another good Christian Historical Fiction from Karen Witemeyer (If you want to read my favorite by her, I highly recommend A Worthy Pursuit!). If you think this book sounds interesting, I would recommend trying it!

When Dr. Jo Blake meets Matthew Hanger while treating one of his good friends, an unlikely romance seems to start. Matthew finds this hard to take, a lady Doctor in charge, as he is the leader of a gang of mercenaries called the Hangers Horsemen and always is in charge. Interesting to see how each of them comes to terms with what the other does. Definitely an interesting romance!

At Love's command is an old fashioned western romance that satisfies a need to read of cowboys and frontiers. I loved Dr. Jo and Matthew Hanger is a hero worth drooling over. I really enjoyed the interaction and banter between these two characters. Both were witty and they had real depth. The setting of the old west is always fun. I loved the fact that Dr.Jo and Matthew were not ashamed of their faith. Karen Witemeyer is to be commended for another great book!. I hope to read more about Hanger's Horsemen in the future.

I was given a copy of this book with no expectations. All thoughts are my own

I loved this book! Karen has such a wonderful, enjoyable style of writing that I love. This is a delightful western to pick up and read.

Love Karen's books, just don't have time to write a review. Love the tension between the main characters, the clean romance, and the setting. It's what I look for in a book when I need to relax.

This is book one in the Hanger's Horsemen series. I look forward to reading more from this series. Karen Witemeyer has a fun, spunky, detailed writing style. If you enjoy historical romance books you will like this one.
We are introduced to Hanger's horsemen in this book with the main focus being on Capitan Matthew Hanger. When Matthew meets the beautiful independent Dr. Josephine Burkett their worlds are forever changed.

At Love’s Command, by Karen Witemeyer, is book one in the Hanger’s Horsemen series. This is a fun Christian Historical Romance story to read. The story takes place in the 1890’s in Texas. The Hanger’s Horsemen are made up of four ex-Calvary men who hire out to help where other help is not available. They try to take care of the situations and capture the outlaws without fatally injuring them. When one of the Horsemen needs medical attention, Dr. Jo is there to treat him. When she finds out her brother is held hostage and their father refuses to pay the ransom, she gets the Horsemen to help.

I really enjoyed reading this story. It moved along steadily without lag in action. It had action, suspense, and nice clean romance. The parts I enjoyed most about this story was the way the Horsemen got the outlaws and the Bible verses chosen before the Horsemen would start their travels. I also enjoyed the character of the cook, a minor yet caring character in the story. I enjoyed the humor written into the story as well, especially the references to Jo’s vocabulary.

I received an e-book copy of this story from the publisher through NetGalley, this is my honest review.

4.5 stars for this witty, suspenseful, action packed, romantic novel. This is a clean Christian romance set in Texas in late 1800. The main characters are easy to love and root for. It will keep your interest as you try to understand the mystery and how the action will play out! I am excited for the rest of the series! I love all of Hanger's Horsemen!

This book was the adventure I was looking for!

Road trips are my favorite vacation, but I’m not so sure I’d love it if the transportation options were horses and trains. Then again, I might. This book featured both, but not in a vacation sort of sense. Rather, they were on a manhunt that involved outlaw gangs, kidnappings, rescue missions, and a female doctor.

Let’s chat about this female doctor. Her spunkiness and gumption and stick-her-nose-in-where-it-isn’t-wanted personality were very reminiscent of one of my favorite shows: Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. I couldn’t help but wonder if the author had recently binge-watched that show as inspiration for Josephine, because I very much saw parallels between that show and this book. Either way, I adored Josephine. With this lead, as with most, if not all, of Mrs. Witemeyer’s others, there was a splash of feminism. However, this did not come with an abrasive, in-your-face voice. Thankfully, it was delivered with respect for men while also standing up for her own rights. It’s so refreshing to see that a strong woman is still willing to accept assistance from a man. This type of mutual respect for one another is something I can actually get behind, unlike the abrasive, derogatory-to-men type of feminism that is so prevalent today.

That the story opened up with the massacre of Wounded Knee was a shock. A good shock, but a shock just the same. I wasn’t expecting that (clearly). The author wrote this very well, and I love how the emotions of that event plagued the leading man throughout the remainder of the book… but that his part in the massacre also drove him to become a better man, to help the downtrodden and abused rather than take further part in annihilating a certain group of people on any of his commanders’ whims.

Grit, spunk, gumption—name it what you will, but these characters all have it. One thing to know about a Witemeyer book: This personality trait will always be featured, and it will be done in spectacular fashion under a master artist’s hand.

I love so much that the characters leaned on God for help in facing their enemies. The victory belongs to God that way, and all the glory is His. This was expressed so beautifully on the pages of this book, and it made the journey with the characters so much richer, because they knew the Source for their aid and victory.

I can hardly wait to find out what happens next with Hanger’s Horsemen. Please tell me the other three will all be getting a book in this series!

At Loves Command by Karen Witemeyer is an absolute must read.  Witemeyer once again brings depth to her characters and produces another page turner.  In fact, a few cups of coffee went cold because of that.  We are first introduced to our male lead character, Matthew Hanger and his friends, later to be known as Hanger’s Horsemen.  We see the bond that he has with his friends, Mark, Luke and Jonah.  These men are not afraid to put God first in all of their endeavors and lots of scripture is quoted throughout the book.  Dr. Josephine Burkett is trying to start her medical practice in Purgatory Springs, TX.  She tends to one of the Horsemen after he is hurt on one of their missions and she meets Matthew Hanger.  Witemeyer beautifully writes the attraction between the two in this period piece and I like that Matthew starts calling her Josie.  In typical Witemeyer writing, sparks fly and sparring words are exchanged, even some ten dollar words on Dr. Jo’s part.  There is plenty of action in this book set in Texas.  It is a perfect first book in this series.  I can’t wait for the next installment.  I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley and my opinion is my own.  #NetGalley #AtLovesCommand #KarenWitemeyer

This series might just be my new favorite of Karen Witemeyer’s! I loved this first book-it was full of the perfect combination of adventure and romance. Five solid stars!

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

Karen Witemeyer can be counted on for several hours of enjoyable historical fiction. At Love’s Command, #1 Hanger’s Horsemen, is no exception. Captain Matthew Hanger and 3 other men are so disillusioned with the atrocities of victory at Wounded Knee (1890) that they leave the military and join to form a vigilante service to solve crimes the local lawmen can’t. But this group, Hanger’s Horsemen, agrees not to use their guns to kill unless absolutely necessary.
This is the story of how Matt Hanger and Josephine Burkett meet. This novel proves that adage, “There’s somebody for everyone.”
Matthew seems so grief and conscience-stricken that he is only able to be a commanding military figure, kind and caring to his comrades, but otherwise without emotions or entanglements. He just isn’t the type to go soft in the head over some female.
It takes someone like Jo who isn’t cowed by his “I’m in-charge” demeanor, but who is also abundantly capable in her field to catch his attention. While I appreciated Matt’s growing admiration for Jo, I felt like her lack of listening to him at times could have been downright dangerous. I wanted her to respect him a little more in his area of expertise. Just my opinion.
I look forward to reading the stories of the other Horsemen, but especially Jonah, who is a man of color. He already promises to be a very unique and interesting person, who might educate a few of us.
Another point of interest in the novel for me is the faith element. It is an integral part, without being drawn-out or preachy. Just shown as the basis for life.
Redemption and growing up are also themes of this book, thank goodness. Our God is a God of second chances, but sometimes it is hard to know if you dare trust a promise-breaker again.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. These are my own thoughts, voluntarily submitted.

"He's fought through ruthless outlaws and injury. 
But with her, he's tempted to surrender."


I really loved the connection between the Horsemen! I feel like we don't see a ton of this kind of relationship between guys in Christian fiction, so it's definitely a refreshing theme to see! 
I CANNOT wait to read the rest of the Horsemen's stories!

I liked the main characters! Both characters were strong, a just a smidge stubborn, but in a way that worked with the other. They complemented each other.

The romance was super quick in this story, but the whole book was fast paced! From the first page until the last, it was an action packed book. I'm kind of glad the romance kept up with the rest of the story. it didn't bog it down at all. 

As always Karen wove a STRONG Christian message into the book, and I LOVED IT! I love reading her books to see what lesson she's going to remind me of. This one had strong "let go & let God" message for me. It's a reminder we all need from time to time. (I might need it day to day sometimes)

I hope we see Charlie get a bit of a love story. (Novella, Karen? 😉)

Overall, it was a great introduction into this new series! I cannot wait to see how it goes! 
I rated this a 4/5 stars.

*I received this book from the author**All opinions are my own*

If you were to ask me who my favorite hero is, I would have to say my husband. He isn't perfect, but he is a hard worker, caring, and so handsome too. Fictional heroes can't really come close to my hero, but who would I say is a perfect fictional hero? Well, I'm sure I could come up with a list from the many books I've read, but one of the fictional heroes I've read about recently comes to mind first, Matthew Hanger from At Love's Command by Karen Witemeyer. 
This book was fun with dangerous outlaws, a doctor who loves her family even when they are not the most loveable, and a man who is the perfect hero. There is adventure, romance and a little bit of humor. I enjoyed reading the interactions between Matt and his men. They were brave and kind, and the care they showed for each other was truly admirable. Matt was willing to sacrifice his life to help others, which is what a hero does. I also really liked how Josephine wanted to protect her brother even though he was the one that had caused the trouble he got them into. This book is an excellent book if you want to escape to another place and time to read about a perfect fictional hero and his perfect fictional heroine . I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.