The Hope Jar by Wanda Brunstetter

Mary Ruth and Willis Lapp live a simple live in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Their daughter, Rhoda, however, left the community many years ago and unbeknownst to Mary Ruth and Willis, Rhoda had a baby. 

Sara Murray is grieving her mother, Rhoda at home. Rhoda recently died from an illness and Sara is devastated. While going through her mother's things, she finds a note explaining to Sara that her grandparents, Mary Ruth and Willis live in Lancaster County, grandparents Sara never knew. Sara immediately wants them to know that Rhoda has passed away and hopes for the chance to go and visit to get to know the grandparents she has never met. 

Mary Ruth and Willis are thrilled. They go to the bus station when they think Sara will arrive and see a young woman that Mary Ruth is convinced is their Rhoda's daughter. Unfortunately, that woman is Michelle Taylor, a woman who is down on her luck in more ways than one. Seeing the chance of having a place to stay, Michelle jumps at the chance and starts posing as Sara. 

How long can this charade go on? Won't the real Sara turn up? Well, I won't get into in where I give anything away, but Michelle starts living a life full of love and laughter. This is something she has never had and she finds in difficult to give it up or come clean to the Lapps.  While there, she makes new friends: Ezekiel, a young Amish man, trying to come to terms with his place in the Amish community, Brad, who is driving for the Amish but getting ready to leave for seminary school, and with Lenore, who is actually the real Sara's cousin. 

The reason it is called The Hope Jar, is because Michelle finds two jars on the Lapps' property filled with thoughts, scriptures and words of the heart. She doesn't know who wrote them, but she finds comfort in them, even in the middle of her charade. 

I liked this book. I am a little biased because I automatically read anything by Wanda Brunstetter. She is my favorite author of Amish fiction. I thought this book was a good story of one of the most important things we can offer one another and that is forgiveness. This is book one of a set, and it is a good thing because there were unanswered questions at the end. This book is due out August 1st, so pick it up then! I think you will enjoy this easy flowing story, but also appreciate the lessons in it. 

Thank you to NetGalley for the Advance Reader's Copy. My review and opinions are my own. 

As the Tide Comes In by Cindy and Erin Woodsmall

If you like Cindy Woodsmall, you're in for another treat. I think this book had an original premise. Tara is thrown into a situation that she doesn't want to be in. She has been asked to step in as guardians for her two half brothers, Darryl and Sean, siblings she has never been close to. All three were not close with their mother, who battled drug addiction. 

Tara hesitantly steps into the role of mom to the boys and over the years, realizes that she was meant to do this. Then, just when the boys are leaving the nest, an unimaginable tragedy happens and Tara's world is thrown into upheaval once again. 

Tara, in her grief, takes a trip to Saint Simon's Island, Georgia, where she knows she has some roots. While there, she meets Gavin and his mother, Julep, along with Julep's three other friends who have dubbed themselves the Glynn Girls, after the county they live in. 

Tara can't imagine making a new start after all she's been through. But, she finally allows herself to be helped through her grief by Gavin and the Glynn Girls, who are going through their own troubles. Can they help each other back to a more solid path? 

I won't go too much into the whole link to Saint Simon's Island. I don't want to give too much away. This book is pretty heavy hitting with pulling the heartstrings and some parts are heartbreaking. Haven't we all been through something? Something we don't think we are going to come out the other side of? 

That's one of the things this book is good for. Anyone can really relate to going through personal tragedy. Don't we always ask God sometimes why? Don't we even wonder if HE is doing something TO us when things go bad? Well, one of my favorite conversations in the book is when Gavin tells Tara that God IS love, and if He is love, love doesn't do or cause bad things to people. I took great comfort in that. 

So, all that said, this book comes out August 21, 2018. I was so honored to be part of the launch team for this book from WaterBrook Multnomah. However, all opinions are my own. Thank you to WaterBrook and to Cindy and Erin Woodsmall.