I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Love Inspired. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
A Widow's Hope by Vannetta Chapman Series: Indiana Amish Brides #1
Published by Harlequin Enterprises, Limited on July 17, 2018
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Clean & Wholesome, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 288
Source: Love Inspired
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His scars are visible. Hers are hidden... An Indiana Amish Brides match
After tragedy claimed her husband's life and her son's ability to walk, Hannah King doesn't want a new man. She has her family, a home and mounting debts. Scarred Amish bachelor Jacob Schrock offers Hannah the job she desperately needs. But while Hannah helps Jacob resolve his accounting issues, can she and her little boy also heal his wounded heart?
I’ll be honest, with all the Vannetta books I’ve read I’m having the hardest time letting go of Henry (The Amish Bishop Mysteries). He wove his way into my heart and I’m just attached. I don’t feel like his story is done like I do with some of her other series. That makes it harder to let go. So, I wasn’t sure about dipping my toes into a new series so soon. However, once again Chapman weaves her magic of storytelling and takes amazing people and crafts a story that steals my heart and makes me think. . .in a good way. And I’m hoping to see more of Hannah and Jacob through the rest of the Indiana Amish Brides series. The drawback of the Harlequin lines, including Love Inspired, is that they feel like shorter books. I don’t get as much time with the characters, less pages (over all), and sometimes less depth to the story. However, Vannetta even proved that all wrong. The right writer can shine with any number of pages. Yes, I still have less time with these people (and I read pretty fast so it feels even more so) but I do have an amazing story of depth and faith and love.
‘His scares as visible. Hers are hidden. . .’ That right there from the synopsis on the back of the book tells the story. Trust me here. Yes, it’s a book about two single people, her a widow with a young child (who happens to roll through life in a wheelchair) and him with visible scars of a past he hasn’t yet forgiven himself for, but it’s also about scars. All the scars. The scars of past hurts (their disastrous first and only near date as teens that they have mostly forgotten). The scars that come from helping others (financial troubles anyone?). The scars that come from lack of forgiveness (I mean they are both rocking those pretty hardcore). The literal scars from a fire rushed into and a fire escaped. Scars, both seen and unseen, are as much a part of creating the person we are as our success and failure, or learning and our experiencing. Everything changes us, everything creates scars. The difference is whether we embrace our scars, learn their lessons, feel the hurts, and move on. Or whether we settle in with our scars and let them own our futures. We all have scars, some visible and some hidden.
Let’s face it, Chapman gives us an amazing love story about a man who loves to work with wood. He does all the side jobs to make way for his true passion, custom playhouses for children with disabilities. She gives us this amazing love story about a young woman who has lost her husband in a terrible accident that permanently changed her child’s future. She gave us a story about forgiveness, and faith, and finding love. Of embracing a future instead of holding onto a past. And all I can think about are scars. I never promised to not be weird! 😀 I fell in love with this book, with these characters, and I’m beyond excited to see where this new series takes me. Vannetta has yet to write something I haven’t loved. This book is another perfect example of that. She gives life to characters who change you in ways you didn’t see coming.
About Vannetta Chapman
She has sold more than one million copies and has written for Abingdon Press, Harvest House Publishers, Harper Collins Christian Publishing, and the Love Inspired line of Harlequin Books. She currently is focusing on her indie projects in the genres of dystopian thrillers, techno thrillers, and cozy mysteries,.
Vannetta has received numerous awards including the ACFW Carol Award for best mystery (Falling to Pieces) and Christy Award finalist (Anna’s Healing). Her recent release Against All Enemies is a finalist for the 2024 Daphne du Maurier award in mainstream mystery suspense.
Her educational background includes both a BA and MA degree in English from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has 25 years’ experience as a public-school teacher as well as an adjunct college professor. She also speaks to writing groups on how to get published, plotting your novel, what’s in a mystery, how to acquire an agent, and more.
Chapman currently writes and makes her home in the Texas Hill Country. She is represented by Nicole Resciniti of the Seymour Literary Agency.
Thanks so much for your review! (ps – I miss Henry too. lol)