The Best We’ve Been

Three sisters overcome personal differences and rediscover family bonds in the excellent finale to Vogt’s Thatcher Sisters series (after Moments We Forget). Eldest sister Johanna is unexpectedly pregnant and, unmarried and not ready for a baby, plans to get an abortion—but hearing the baby’s heartbeat and seeing ultrasound pictures cause her to have second thoughts. Middle sister Jillian, who is infertile, overhears Johanna discussing the pregnancy with their youngest sister, Payton, and the news devastates her. A new believer, Jillian has been begging God for a child and pleads with Johanna to allow her to adopt the baby, but Johanna decides to raise the child herself. Jillian then runs away across the country to stay with a friend. Meanwhile, Johanna navigates a cordial relationship with her unfaithful former fiancé, deals with her runaway sister, and copes with prenatal medical complications. Being pregnant also forces her to revisit her past and reconsider long-held beliefs. Vogt paints a realistic portrait of a messy family struggling to deal with the pressures and pains of life. Series fans will be overjoyed by how things wrap up. (May)