Review: A Reluctant Bride by Kathleen Fuller

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

Sadie Schrock swore she would never marry. All of her other Amish friends could court and marry she was content to manage the family business and eventually take it over when her parents are ready to retire. But all of that changes when a reckless driver kills both of her parents and seriously injures her younger sister. With mounting hospital bills adding to the pile of debt her parents left behind, Sadie is left with no choice: she must marry. And not just any man the man who saw her at her weakest and walked away.

Aden knows what his brother did to Sadie years ago was inexcusable. And every day since that incident, Aden has lived with the guilt for not intervening sooner. When he is faced with the chance to protect Sadie once again, he can t let her down even if it means living with the scorn of the woman he loves for the rest of his life.

Working alongside Aden at the store, Sadie realizes he isn't the same boy who once betrayed her. Just when Sadie starts to let her guard down and perhaps develop feelings for her new husband, dangerous secrets are revealed. Now everything Sadie has worked so hard to protect is threatened, and she must find a way to save her family and herself.

My Review

This is an excellent marriage of convenience story! The circumstances leading to Sadie and Aden's union are tragic, and the author did a wonderful job endearing the characters to us in the beginning so that when the shift occurred, I was completely immersed and connected to the high emotion. The complexities of Sadie and Aden's personalities are understandable after what they have gone through in the past and present, and the way Aden dedicates himself to Sadie's happiness is healing for both of them. I loved the slow progression of their relationship with all its nuances. There is some suspense with the pressure the bishop is putting on Aden and his brother, and the resolution was one I didn't see coming but brought a satisfying conclusion. I'm so glad there are two more books in the series from Sadie's sisters' points of view, and can't wait to read them!

(Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishing for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review)