Book picks similar to
Ruth's Dilemma by June Bryan Belfie


pennsylvania
amish
family-issues
amish-menno

Amish Knitting Circle Christmas: Granny & Jeb's Love Story


Karen Anna Vogel - 2012
    But she was young once with her own struggles. In 1963 Deborah Byler is twenty-one and has turned down seven marriage proposals from hopeful suitors in Millersburg, Ohio. At her parent’s request, she goes to live with relatives in the new Amish settlement in Smicksburg, Pennsylvania, praying she’ll find a match.Jeb Weaver lives in a strict Swartzentruber Amish settlement, and he can no longer abide under the rules of the Ordnung. His older brother left the family farm and settled in Smicksburg, and convinces Jeb to do the same. When Jeb meets Deborah, he finds her too liberal and outspoken. Deborah thinks Jeb’s judgmental and a complete stick in the mud. Their constant clashing makes sparks fly. Will an African American man, who hitchhikes around the country to attend Martin Luther King Jr. marches, help Jeb and Deborah see their own prejudices?

Home to Pebble Creek


Vannetta Chapman - 2013
    Fans of the series will enjoy this chance to briefly revisit Pebble Creek, and new readers will be introduced to an Amish community that is more deeply explored in the three full novels, A Promise for Miriam, A Home for Lydia, and A Wedding for Julia. When Joseph Bontrager left Pebble Creek, all of Esther Schrock’s dreams and hopes for the future went with him. Bravely picking up the pieces of her broken heart, she resumed her life teaching at the schoolhouse with Miriam King. Now, nineteen months later, Joseph has returned. Despite her initial excitement, Esther feels anger rise up instead of love. Will she be able to forgive him for leaving? Forgive him for more than a year and a half of silence without a single letter? With Miriam’s encouraging words, and despite ominous clouds on the horizon, will Esther be able to replace the bitterness in her heart with affection for Joseph once more?

Perfect Husband: A Fake Marriage Romance


Leslie Johnson - 2018
    Sorry, Tiff. It’s over. My ex dumped me with a text. That's okay, I met a hot blonde. Yep, he was hot all right. Enough to make me forget about Andy as I ran my gaze over his godlike features. Strong jaw. Muscles that were evident even beneath the expensive material of his suit. He needs a favor. What do I have to lose?

In God's Eyes


Chris M. Hibbard - 2013
    Though they pray for a solution, they find themselves unprepared for the transformation God has in store. Short story, 6,000 words, about 20 pages.

Paradise Valley


Dale Cramer - 2010
    Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the children's home.Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. Since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation. Caleb's daughters are thrown into turmoil. Rachel doesn't want to leave Jake. Her sister, Emma, who has been courting Levi Mullet, fears her dreams of marriage will be dashed. Miriam has never had a beau and is acutely aware there will be no prospects in Mexico. Once there, they meet Domingo, a young man and guide who takes a liking to Miriam, something her father would never approve. While Paradise Valley is everything they'd hoped it would be, it isn't long before the bandits start giving them trouble, threatening to upset the fledgling Amish settlement, even putting their lives in danger. Thankfully no one has been harmed so far, anyway.

Claire's Not-So-Gothic Romance


Bonnie Blythe - 2008
    (Christian romance)

Second Harmony


Barbara Bretton - 1987
    . . But will love tear them apart?He was the bad boy with the raging heartShe was the good girl with the big dreamsNow he is a master stone cutter with a broken marriage and a son he would move heaven and earth to keep safe from harm, while she is a success at everything she touches . . . everything except loveAnd then, seven years after they said goodbye forever, fate finally found a way to bring them back together and give them one last chance to get it right.

When the Black Roses Grow


Angela Christina Archer - 2015
    Nineteen hung to their death on Gallow Hills. One suffocated under bone-crushing stones. All believed to possess the power of witchcraft. In 1692 the fear of witchcraft is spreading around Salem Village. While those who are accused and sentenced face death, everyone else faces the risk of accusations placed upon them. As Emmalynn Hawthorne, the daughter of a woman hung for witchcraft, places a bouquet of flowers upon her mother’s grave, a circle of black roses sprouts out of thin air. Dark magic, the roses strike fear through her heart when Mary Pruett and the handsome newcomer, James DeKane, spy upon her as they pass along the traveling road. Emmalynn flees and her panic soon turns into terror as another vine of black roses sprouts and grows throughout the inside of her home. Is she a witch? Will she be the next accused? James DeKane has secrets of his own—ones that could prove deadly for him and anyone he holds dear. At fault for the untimely death of his parents, he must protect his hidden brother and dying sister, all while fearing that the haunting prophecy bestowed upon him at birth will come to pass. Desperate and fighting the monster deep inside of him, he’s searching for the one love who can alter his destiny.

Always With You


Andrea Hurst - 2014
    Since the devastating failure of her short-lived marriage, Cathy has buried herself in her work and kept men at an arm’s length. But after Pam and Jamie arrive at Cathy’s door for a short stay, Cathy’s stone walls begin to crumble when she meets Jamie. Jamie, whose compassion and warmth slowly break down her defenses. Jamie, whose devotion to his four-year-old daughter melts Cathy's heart and makes her desperate for a family of her own. Jamie… who is married to Cathy's high school friend.A profound love that transcends time and place is impossible to resist. But is love more important than friendship? Are loyalty and fidelity the foundation or the anchor? In the end, it’s all about choices – tough ones that can break hearts. And now Cathy must make the most difficult choice of her life.

Forever Is Over


Calvin Wade - 2011
    He has terminal cancer.Through the eyes of several characters, we are taken back through the lives of Richie and Jemma.Richie is from a large middle class family. His father is a gambler, his younger brother Jim, a constant irritant and his older sister Caroline provides an unusual insight into her romantic world.Jemma is from a working class, one parent family. As her mother, who she refers to as "Vomit Breath," is far more interested in partying than parenthood, Jemma establishes a strong bond with her sister, Kelly, until one day their worlds are torn apart.Kelly was Richie's first love. The idyllic, countryside setting where Richie and Kelly used to escape they called their "Sunny Road." When Kelly disappears, Richie is forced to move on, but several years later, not knowing that Richie is now married to her sister, Jemma, Kelly writes a letter to Richie, stating her intention to return and suggests they rekindle their romance .The novel was initially inspired by the song "Sunny Road" by Emiliana Torrini.

The Lake


AnnaLisa Grant - 2013
    Having lost both her parents and grandparents, and with nowhere else to go, Layla is moving from Florida to a small town in North Carolina to live with the only family she has left: her estranged uncle and aunt.The last five years of Layla’s life were spent appeasing her less-than-loving grandmother, followed by being her grandfather’s caretaker. Growing old before her time, Layla lost her identity. Now she must learn how to allow herself to be the one cared for and loved.Life takes an unexpected turn when Layla meets Will Meyer. His breathtaking good looks are enough to catch her eye, but his sincerity and passion are everything she needs to find the strength and confidence she lost — and lead her into love.When tragedy once again strikes Layla’s life, her hope is all but completely crushed. Through it all, Layla learns what it means to truly love and be loved.

Sunset's Dawn (Christian Romance) (Sunset Series)


J. Brent Eaton - 2013
    Can Jake Jennings, a man who has suffered unspeakable loss find peace and God's grace in his new home town of Sunset, or will the woman he never hoped to find be the answer to his prayers? Jacob Jennings Jake escapes the emotional entanglements of Houston, where he lost his wife and baby over a decade ago, to start a new life in Central Texas. His desire is to live in solitude on a quiet ranch and continue his ministry as a chaplain:From the Prologue:   "Mindy, I'm starting my new job in Sunset in two days. I've talked to you about the reasons   for my move for a long time. I only hope you understand why I'm leaving Houston. You would    love the log cabin I built there. It's a lot bigger than what we dreamed of raising Adam in, but   it really doesn't feel like home without the two of you.   "I know I wanted to get away from a lot of things here and move to a smaller and quieter   place, but the way I feel right now, I don't know if I'm really leaving anything behind. Sunset is   the kind of town I was looking for when I decided to make a move. Maybe I just need to give   myself more time.   "Just because I've moved three hours away doesn't mean I won't come to visit. Your Mom says   I'm abandoning you and Adam by moving. That's not it at all. You know I'll be back to see the   two of you. I miss you... I love, Mindy."   The Reverend Jacob Jennings stood motionless for a moment, then turned toward his truck and   walked over the green manicured lawn past the rows of carved stones, each a gray granite   reminder of the same sadness and loss he suffered thirteen years before. Jennifer Lawson Jen is a nurse, a single mother, and wants nothing more than to rid herself of ties to her ex-husband, the man who wrecked her dream of a loving family for her children. The last thing she wants is an attraction to another man:   It seems like I am just getting Steve out of my hair, and poof! Jake appears. This ain't fair,   God. It just ain't fair. I asked you to make it so that I could manage my life and be happy,   not make it more complicated. Now I find myself drawn to this guy like a mosquito to a bug   light and we both know how that ends. Why, Lord? Why? Then they meet... It's Jake's first day on the job.Can Jake overcome his fear of loving again and risk sharing his soul with another woman? Is it safe for Jennifer to be close to another man? How will a relationship affect her children?Sometimes, God's grace is difficult to accept. Jake and Jen learn that grace can overcome even the most difficult circumstances and pain. Author's Note I'm writing from experience as a hospice chaplain and a hopeless romantic. I hope you fall in love with the story of Jen and Jake and what they do to make life better for the people they serve. It's a deeply emotional and spiritual journey that I know will touch your heart and your soul.While this is a Christian romance novel and romantic religious fiction, the patient-related events are real with some details altered to protect privacy.There will be future stories about Jen and Jake as well as other wonderful people from Sunset, Texas. I'm committed to bringing you high quality romance under $3.

The Enchanted Orchards


Kristin Maddock - 2012
    But she is haunted by the tragic secret of her sister’s death and even her beloved orchards can’t seem to save her. Refusing to give into sorrow, a desperate Fern goes in search of the courage she once had in order to live and dream again. She gets more than she bargained for when she finds friendship, understanding—and even love—in unexpected places. Soon, her summer of hopeless grief turns into an enchanted journey of healing that will be life-altering and unforgettable. Sometimes all of life’s answers can be wrapped up in one hot summer. Especially if peaches are involved…

Year of the Chick


Romi Moondi - 2011
    It's the sort of thing that would turn almost anyone into a man-crazy freak with romance tunnel-vision, and that's exactly what happens to her. All the while, a lack of inspiration in her corporate job leads Romi to her love of writing, in what quickly becomes a man-quest play-by-play.From whiskey-breath scum bags to uni-brow creeps and everything in between, Romi and her wingmen come up empty time after time. And that's when she meets a fellow writer.On the Internet.So will it be arranged marriage doom, or an Internet affair that's not as creepy as "To Catch a Predator"?Time will tell in the "year of the chick," a twelve-month quest to find love.Tick-tock.

Younger


Suzanne Munshower - 2015
    Desperate to prove she is still relevant, the fiftysomething accepts a shady job offer from Pierre Barton, secretive billionaire owner of Barton Pharmaceuticals. Isolated in a facility outside London, she agrees to test a new top-secret product guaranteed to make her look thirty years younger. Anna is starting to look on the outside the way she feels on the inside: ageless. But she soon discovers that her predecessor died under mysterious circumstances, leading her to research just who stands to gain—and lose—with this miraculous product. When Pierre drops dead in front of her, she takes off on a dangerous journey across Europe hoping to stay alive long enough to uncover the truth.With the hard-won knowledge that younger isn’t always better, Anna is determined to escape and reclaim her life before it’s too late.