A Mother's Gift
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- $5.99
Publisher Description
Charlotte Hubbard celebrates the joys and challenges of motherhood in this inspirational novel set in the warmth and tradition of an Amish Missouri farm community.
As a young girl, Leah Otto was captivated by Jude Shetler’s good looks and talent as an auctioneer. So when Jude, now a widower with three children, begins to court her, Leah doesn’t hesitate. Other men may not appreciate her tomboy ways, but Jude values Leah’s practical nature and her skill with the animals she tends, and both enter the marriage with optimism. Yet three months later, Leah feels as if her world is coming down around her.
Her twin teenage step-daughters are pushing far too many boundaries, while the five-year-old deeply misses his mother. Leah, more at ease in a barn than a kitchen, struggles with her housekeeping duties. . . . Then a baby is abandoned on their doorstep. Caring for the infant renews Leah’s strength to pull her family together. With Jude’s steadfast support, Leah finds that what she once thought of as a happy ending may be something even better—the beginning of a life rich in love, faith, and unexpected blessings.
“A satisfying story of belonging, love of family, and love for God.”
—Booklist
“Hubbard writes heartfelt books with a message.”
—RT Book Reviews, 4 stars
“Thought-provoking and fresh.”
—Publishers Weekly
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Troublesome teenagers, wary in-laws, and judgmental church members fill this enjoyable Amish romance from Hubbard (A Simple Vow). Leah Otto has been in love with Jude Shetler ever since they were teenagers, even resigning herself to staying single after Jude marries someone else. When Jude's wife dies and he is left with three children to care for, he begins to court Leah. Ignoring the naysayers from her church, Leah decides to marry Jude. But in the excitement of realizing her dream, she fails to realize that she may be woefully ill-equipped for the job of wife and stepmother. Her twin teenage stepdaughters, Alice and Adeline, are not comfortable with Plain life and question their way of living. When Jude reveals his darkest secret to Leah and his daughters overhear the revelation, the family looks like it will never recover. But, during this turmoil, an infant abruptly shows up on their doorstep, making all the Shetlers reconsider what is really important. Although the plot is at times outlandish, the quandaries that arise make this Amish romance thought-provoking and fresh.
