A Young Wife’s Tale

Jenny B. Jones has a great sense of humor. Every chapter of her book, Save the Date, had me laughing out loud.

It tells the story of Lucy and Alex. Lucy is a klutzy blonde who runs a group home for young women who have aged out of the foster care system. She grew up poor, and disdains people like Alex Sinclair, a wealthy former professional football player who is running for congress. He proposes they fake an engagement to help him win the election. In exchange, he promises funding for her group home.

An Amish Love is some of the best Amish fiction I’ve ever read. The book is composed of three novellas, and includes questions for reading groups and Amish recipes. In “A Marriage of the Heart” by Kelly Long, Abby Kaufman tricks Joseph Lambert into marrying her so that she can get away from her father, but Joseph ends up moving in with them. “What the Heart Sees” by Kathleen Fuller tells the story of how Christopher Miller returns to his community after leaving to escape the death of his girlfriend in an accident that also blinded Ellie Chupp. And in “Healing Hearts” by Beth Wiseman, empty nesters must try to learn to live together again after almost a year apart.

This is one of the best books I’ve read in quite some time. Reading the heartbreaking story behind Now Thank We All Our God so close to Thanksgiving was very timely, and makes me feel ashamed for not giving thanks more often. Another hymn of Thanksgiving, We Gather Together, had a surprising story behind it. It was written in 1597 to celebrate Holland’s freedom from Spain. There were so many hymns written during times of religious persecution. It was truly inspiring to read of the faith of Christian brothers and sisters.

Faithful, by Kim Cash Tate, is a about three Christian women who are best friends. Cydney or “Cyd” has remained pure, patiently waiting for God to send her a husband. She spends her 40th birthday as her baby sister’s maid of honor. Dana discovers her husband is having an affair. Phyllis grows discouraged that her husband has not become a Christian. Unfortunately, about halfway through the book, I started having issues with the story. First, the church the women attend has a topical sermon series on intimacy. That means that families can’t worship together. Of course I believe the Bible should be preached, but children should be able to sit through sermons.

Anne Bradstreet by D.B. Kellogg is one of several biographies in the Christian Encounters series from Thomas Nelson Publishers. Anne Bradstreet came from England to Massachusetts in 1630 when she was 18. She was a devout Christian and Puritan. Although she was a busy wife and mother of eight in the New World, she found time to write poetry. A volume of her poems, The Tenth Muse Lately Sprung Up in America, was published in 1650. It was very well received, and is still celebrated today.