Includes preview of: An Amish man of Ice Mountain (pages [341]-346).

This tale of an Amish woman who marries an outsider “delivers a sense of escape from today’s hustle and bustle into a gentler and simpler world” (Publishers Weekly). Like most Mountain Amish girls, Mary King has always dreamed of her wedding day. But she never imagined that a sudden, irresistible kiss would result in marriage to the handsome Englischer professor studying her unique community. Or that doing the truly honorable thing means keeping their relationship chaste so both she and Dr. Jude Lyons can someday go their separate ways. But when Mary accompanies her husband-in-name-only to Atlanta to meet his wealthy, overbearing family, she’s tempted more than ever by Jude’s kindness, humor—and vulnerability. And when a wrenching misunderstanding causes her to return heartbroken to her remote Appalachian home, she’s certain she’s lost the real love they have found . . . and the shared future she's come to want so much. But a crisis of more than faith will work surprising miracles—and show Mary that love is strong enough to make the impossible come true. “Long creates storylines that captivate her readers.” —RT Book Reviews “An authenticity that showcases her own spirituality.” —Beth Wiseman

Forced to marry a man she no longer recognizes who has returned from working Englischer oil rigs, young healer Sarah Mast and her new husband, Edward King, surrounded by the love and faith of the mountain Amish, have a chance to get to truly know each other for the first time.

Joseph King admits homeless waitress Priscilla Allen and her four-year-old daughter into his home, but wonders what will happen as their lives begin to intertwine.

Grace’s beauty almost cost her everything. This new start is all she has left. When Grace Beiler was only a girl, she was married off to an older Amish man in order to save her family’s farm. Years later, she finds herself newly widowed and a mother to a young son. She has finally fled her sad past and plans to settle into a quiet life in Pennsylvania. As soon as she arrives, she captures the attention of Seth Wyse, the most eligible bachelor in Pine Creek. Seth is candid about his feelings for her, and for her son Abel, but Grace is determined to protect her heart. Her determination falters when her brother-in-law reveals the troubling contents of her late husband’s will. Seth offers Grace his hand in marriage, and thus a means of escape. But despite his having saved her from another loveless marriage, Grace is slow to trust her new husband. And as the months wear on, Seth wonders if he has made a mistake. But God is quietly at work in their hearts, and Seth and Grace soon discover that threads of grace bind them together in a tapestry rich in hope and love. Sweet and thoughtful contemporary Amish romance Part of the Patch of Heaven novels—Book 1: Sarah’s Garden; Book 2: Lilly’s Wedding Quilt; Book 3: Threads of Grace Book length: 85,000 words Includes discussion questions for book clubs

7 Optimistic Women Walk Various Roads to Reach Their Dreams Connected to nature and carefree of heart seven historical women would prefer to travel through life without shoes, especially if giving away their only pair would comfort someone else in need. Will these women of faith change their ways under society’s pressures and the lure of romance? Barefoot Hearts by Lori Copeland Edgar’s Cove, Arkansas, 1876 Annie Lawson was perfectly content with her life on the banks of the muddy Mississippi—or so she thought until the man of her dreams, Doctor Gabe Jones, agreed to temporarily fill a void in Edgar’s Cove—but it turned out the void was in Annie’s heart. Could a simple baseball score decide the answer to a lifetime dream? Castles in the Sand by CJ Dunham Victoria, Vancouver Island, 1899 Carefree Jennie Farrow befriends an orphaned baby seal and a crusty old fisherman. When the seal brings gifts from the sea, they recognize something from a missing boat and set out to find the wreck. A man found on a beach has no memory, and Jennie helps to nurse him back to health. But what will become of a budding love when his wealthy family come and whisk him away? A Teacher’s Heart by Cynthia Hickey Ozark Mountains, 1932 Small Town teacher Mary Jo Stevens yearns to make a difference in her community. As a Demonstration Agent for the Arkansas Welfare Department, Bill Wright travels to every hill and hollow in the Ozarks to teach men and women how to make the best of their situations. But he needs the assistance of someone like Mary Jo. Can she trust an outsider who thinks he knows best? Between the Moments by Maureen Lang Kansas, 1879 Everyone in town knows Eddie Tucker who lived with the Apache for seven years as a child and now keeps to himself—until Mary Elliot arrives in town. As the daughter of missionaries, Mary rejects her grandfather’s wealth, preferring to spend time with the poor. The two outsiders have much in common, but will Mary’s family and Eddie’s deep wounds keep them apart? Promise Me Sunday by Cathy Liggett Boston, 1890 Adeline McClain’s mother always preached “to thine own self be true.” But when Adeline is orphaned and brought East to live with well-to-do relatives, being herself—caring, down-to-earth, and often barefoot—is getting her into trouble. When it comes to love, could Adeline’s eccentricities cause Everett Brighton to have to choose between Adeline or his inheritance? Lady Slipper by Kelly Long Pennsylvanian Appalachia, 1922 Local resident Fern Summerson agrees to help a young missionary distribute shoes to her people, but the journey becomes fraught with tension as Jacob Reynold falls in love with his guide and discovers that her connection with nature is more beautiful than any well shod foot. Hope’s Horizon by Carolyn Zane Oregon Trail, 1843 Hope Dawson agrees to become engaged to an older man in order to relieve her family of one more mouth to feed. But on the Trail, she is forced to walk while Julius and his mother ride in the wagon. Fellow traveler, William Bradshaw sees her plight, but can he help without losing his heart?

The man she loved has changed—but will they have another chance? “Kelly understands the human heart and writes about it with beauty and resonance.” —Beth Wiseman Young healer Sarah Mast always hopes for the best. But her betrothed’s return from working Englischer oil rigs is confirming her worst fears. She no longer recognizes Edward King as the honorable man who’s been courting her—someone who now wants his people to sell their precious mountain land to a drilling company. And no matter how appealing his touch, she can’t see a future for them. Until a misunderstanding and the laws of the Old Order leave them no choice but to wed. Now, living together in Sarah’s simple log cabin, surrounded by the love and faith of the mountain Amish, Sarah and Edward will have a heaven-sent chance to truly know each other for the first time . . . “A fascinating tale of redemption and growth.” —Publishers Weekly