Romance with the Amish and mail order brides is featured in several new books!
In the first novel in a series, New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston introduces readers to a family of several sisters and their young brothers orphaned by the Chicago fire in "Texas Bride."
When their wealthy parents were killed, Miranda Wentworth became the head of her small family, including her three teenage sisters and two young brothers. Sent to live in an orphanage where they are horribly abused by the director, Miranda's turning 18 means escape for her but possible starvation on the streets and more pain for her siblings. Her younger sister gets the idea for Miranda to answer a mail-order bride ad and hopefully be able to send for them, using her new husband's money. Miranda agrees and smuggles her two young brothers along with her, hoping her new husband will be kind and not send her away because of this.
Miranda's would-be husband is Jake Creed, a widowed man with a young daughter, a lame father-in-law, a stepfather who is trying to take over his land with his mother stuck in the middle. Needing someone to take care of his daughter and the house, Jake advertised for a bride, never expecting to fall in love with her. But he is immediately taken with the young Miranda, after getting over his initial shock, begins to care for her brothers too. But after his wife's death in childbirth, Jake isn't looking to expand his family, something Miranda wasn't aware of. And Jake still doesn't know about the siblings back home. Can the two overcome their secrets to forge a new relationship?
This was an endearing story with a resourceful young woman and her brooding hero. The chemistry between Miranda and Jake is great and this book is definitely going to be a favorite of mine. Can't wait to see what's in store for the Wentworth sisters next!
"Texas Bride" is published by Dell. It is $7.99 and 384 pages long. Look for "Wyoming Bride," "Montana Bride" and "Blackthorne's Bride" coming soon!
Article Links
An Amish girl is torn between music and her faith in "A Simple Spring" by Rosalind Lauer.
Sadie King is the middle of her Rumspringa, a time before Baptism that Amish teens can test the boundaries between their world and the rest of it. Working in a hotel has brought Sadie to Frank, a young man and his band. Sadie loves performing with them, but knows that should she choose her Amish faith, she will have to cut ties with them. Meanwhile, while helping her older brother, Adam, and his fiancee, Remy, take care of their large family after her parents' passing, Sadie meets Mike, the son of a doctor who is trying to help her sister, Susie, who was born with genetic disease. The more Sadie is around Mike, the more she begins to have feelings for him.
But Sadie knows that she can't balance between the two worlds forever, and sooner than later she will have to make a choice. What will it be?
This is another story about faith and love set in the quiet Amish community that will delight fans and will be a comforting read.
"A Simple Spring" is published by Ballantine. It is $15 and 400 pages long.
A story taking place on the cusp of 2000 follows a loner "Internet security officer," whose job it is to read tagged emails at a newspaper, falls in love with a coworker by reading her email in "Attachments" by Rainbow Rowell.
At the small Nebraskan newspaper, Lincoln's new job is making sure employees aren't wasting company time by emailing dirty jokes. When an email between Beth, the movie reviewer, and Jennifer, a copy desk member gets flagged, Lincoln reads it - and can't help but like the two women, especially Beth. Beth, whose relationship with her rocker college boyfriend is starting to cool, has plenty of wit, as she teases her friend Jennifer about her panic over getting pregnant, her great relationship with her husband and just the craziness that is the newspaper world. And Lincoln can't help but fall for Beth, even though he's never seen her.
As Lincoln's feelings for Beth continues to grow, his life begins to change for the better - he starts finally getting over his high school girlfriend cheating on him, getting in shape, socializing more with friends, and spending less time at his overbearing mom's house. And one day, his jealousy is cranked up when Beth mentions seeing a cute guy in the newsroom. Little does he know, the cute guy is him, and things are about to change...
This was a wonderfully enjoyable workplace romance novel, with two genuine and endearing characters. Readers will speed through this one, waiting to see if Lincoln and Beth will ever finally meet. As a side note, I particularly enjoyed the newspaper setting, and could definitely tell the writer worked at a newspaper. This one is definitely a keeper!
"Attachments" is published by Plume. It is $15 and 323 pages long.
Be sure to visit my blog tomorrow for a Q&A with Rowell!
Contact Amy Phelps at aphelps@newsandsentinel.com
