Thursday’s Bride

A man’s death forces his widow to confront her past in this enjoyable romance from Johns (The Bishop’s Daughter). After Rosmanda Lapp’s husband, Wayne, dies in a highway hit-and-run, she becomes a newly widowed mother of twin babies on the farm where she lives with her parents-in-law in the Amish community of Abundance. While her marriage had been happy, Rosmanda married Wayne primarily in an effort to repair her reputation after a scandal she tried to hide from her hometown. Her guilt eats away at her as she tries her best to meet the high expectations for a respectable Amish daughter-in-law and mother, and she knows she must marry again soon or find a way to earn an income to care for herself and her daughters. When her brother-in-law, Levi, arrives to help with the family farm, Rosmanda is terrified of her feelings for him, as he is stubborn, competitive, and has a history of drinking. Meanwhile, Levi is drawn to Rosmanda, but struggles with his own sins and does not believe he is good enough for her. As they begin to trust each other, each must face the spiritual task of forgiveness. Readers will be quickly drawn in to the push-and-pull of shifting emotions and unfolding relationships. Fans of Wanda Brunstetter will enjoy the layers of intrigue and redemptive arch. (Apr.)