Product Description

When Londoner Alexander Tate is thrown from his horse, his vision that suffers most. After placing patches over his eyes in hopes that rest will restore his sight, the doctor recommends that Tate leave the city to convalesce in the fresh air of the country.

Tate’s aunt Harriet offers to go with him to Collingbourne, where she meets the Steele family. Warm and caring, the Steele siblings are surprisingly generous to the newcomers. Tate doesn’t need his vision to know that when this family reaches out, the unexpected is bound to happen. And happen it does when Tate finds himself falling in love. Just one question remains. Will one of the beautiful Steele sisters love him in return?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #482443 in Books
• Published on: 2003-02-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 312 pages

Customer Reviews

Sweet
If you've read and enjoyed any of Jane Austin's novels, you will delight in Lori Wick's "The Visitor." This is the third book in her "English Garden" series and although it easily stands alone, readers will be enticed to read book 1 and 2. Wick's characters and dialogue are realistic and appropriate for the 1812 period of time in England. This is my first Lori Wick novel but It made me a fan and I intend to seek out more from this accomplished author.
Beverly J Scott

Blind Love....
A tale of two sisters: one who falls in love with a blind man and one whose romantic interest is blind to her love. The story begins with the first sister reading daily to the man who, on his doctor's advice, has sought a quiet retreat, hoping the rest will help regain his sight. The second sister's heart throb is in Africa with a her brother. Another brother, at home with the sisters, is blind to how his shyness affects those around him. Once aware of the consequences of his shyness, he turns to God for help. Interwoven subplots reinforce the theme of God's love.

This book is written in a style that fits the historical scenario (1812 in the English countryside), but is not as interesting to me as some others by Lori Wick. My favorites by Lori Wick include The Princess, Song for Silas, and Sophie's Heart.

Typical Lori Wick...as of late
Once again, Lori Wick has provided a confusing story with many characters. Agreed, one "couple" can become tedious and a tad boring at times, but she shifts the action so many times in each chapter that I found myself turning to the front of the book to the cast of characters to confirm who they were! And I have read all of her books and am used to a big cast. The subplots were fine as subjects, but there were so many characters and so many story lines it was almost as if she couldn't come up with the main story and had to "fill" the gaps.

In my opinion, her earlier work still outshines her more recent, more "mature" books with regards to plot development and execution, character development, character description, and just plain likability of the characters. I was soooo taken with the Donovan family in "The Californians" and the Cameron's in the "Fireside" series. I wanted their stories to go on! Even The Texas Trilogy left me wanting more of the life of the characters...but these "English Garden" characters leave me shrugging with indifference.

Cassie and Tate are the main focus of the story (Cassie is the "Visitor") and they fall in love as she reads to him as he recuperates from an accident that has left him blind. Will he regain his sight? And if he does, will he still want Cassie, who doesn't see herself as beautiful as her sisters? Then there are Lizzie (Cassie's sister) and Moreland. Moreland is a friend of Lizzie's brother Edward, and she has loved him from afar. Moreland, blind to Lizzie's feelings, is certain she doesn't care for him! Once he finds out her true feelings, the gentle chase is on.

I found Lizzie and Moreland to be more fun than Cassie and Tate. And I thought Henry, who struggled with quietness (I didn't see him as shy, but rather someone who didn't like to interact with others), to be realistic as he overcame his selfishness. He finally realized that "living" his Christian life was not enough, and that by being quiet he was failing to tell others about his Lord. He asked God to change him and, althought he struggled and suffered through it, he began to turn around and become the family leader he should.

If you are a Lori Wick fan, and don't get me wrong, I am (I love the way she always presents the plan of salvation in her stories and the way her characters work on their prayer lives!), then this book will be appealing. If you are new to Mrs. Wick, read this book, but investigate her earlier publications. I promise, you won't be sorry you went on the treasure hunt.