Thursday's Bride by Patricia Johns (2020)

Synopsis:

Overwhelmed by grief and tending twin baby daughters, Rosmanda Lapp is without options. She still blames her brother-in-law, Levi, for her husband's accidental death--but she and her aging in-laws need him to keep their farm going. Yet as Levi takes on his responsibilities with a new determination and steadiness, she can't help but regret that she chose his serious-minded brother over him. For Levi is still very much the passionate man she loved--and Rosmanda now has even more reasons to keep him at arm's length . . .

Levi can't blame Rosmanda for staying clear of him. He has mistakes to make up for and must finally do right by his parents. Still, he never got over his brother stealing Rosmanda away. And he can't deny the feelings that even now tempt them back to each other. And when a mistake from her past threatens her reputation, Levi will do whatever it takes to help her--and trust that faith and courage will at last help them claim a future together...

Review: 

We met Rosie (aka Rosmanda) in ‘The Bishop’s Daughter.’ There she was 16 and foolish, particularly in her choice to date Jonathan Yoder, an Amish boy who was engaged to someone else (Mary). It didn't end well. Jonathan married Mary when it's revealed that Mary's pregnant. Her heart broken, Rosie went to live with her aunt to escape the scandal and have a fresh start.

Beginning again, Rosie was determined to be a good Amish woman but her heart was caught by Levi Lapp. Because Levi had a rebellious reputation, Rosie chose to marry Wayne, a good, solid man who happened to be Levi’s brother. Levi had a hard time with that rejection.

Our story picks up after Wayne is killed by a drunk driver. Rosie is left caring for their very young twin girls. Rosie is overwhelmed and struggles with feeling she’s a burden on her in-laws. Things get complicated when Levi returns home to help his dat with the farm. There’s bitter feelings on both sides: Rosie's husband was killed on his way to get a drunk Levi and Levi can’t get over Rosie's marrying his brother becuase he wasn't good enough.

The Amish Marriage Pact by Samantha Price (2021)

I was hoping that this latest story wouldn’t suffer from Price’s problem of slapping the Amish name on a LHOTP story (Little House on the Prairie), but no. Her characters used modern lingo and the boyfriend was a dog. I mean, the guy ran around with not only her sister (and got the sister pregnant!) but also her best friend. Any time he felt guilty, he’d make the other person feel badly. At least it ended well for the people who deserved it.

As far as her usual fare, it was a nice little romance. I won’t go into some of my problems with her, because I’ve expressed them before and Price hasn’t changed. Since I don’t expect her to, I take it for what it is. That said, Price left the story undercut this time. Kate was a doormat for most of it and there wasn’t really any character development for anyone. I don’t call Kate a doormat because she whines and cries all the time — she doesn’t get emotional (except for occasionally crying). I call her a doormat because she gets manipulated so often and is constantly trying to make everyone around her happy to the point that she ignores any of her negative emotions. When her boyfriend treats her badly, she wonders what she could change so he won’t be upset, rather than asking what’s really going on. 

The Amish Girl Who Never Belonged (Amish Misfits #1) by Samantha Price (2020)

Sweet story that needed an editor (and more research)

I said that it’s a sweet story, and it is. Emma was orphaned at 7.  She went to live with her bitter grandmother and then was sent to live with her aunt and uncle. They showed preference for their daughter. This left Emma feeling utterly alone and wanted by no one. Scattered in between were stints working for the Esh household. The mother was sick and convalescing, so Emma cooked and cleaned for the Esh family.

Thomas Esh may have grown up Amish, his youth was wayward indeed. He gambled and became drunk. It was even said that he got a girl in the family way. Now grown, he has left that life behind and is looking for a wife. When he heard that Emma’s uncle was looking for a husband for his niece, he jumped at the chance to marry her. Unfortunately, things don’t get off to a good start. 

Emma is given no warning about Uncle’s plan and she doesn’t know that Thomas is coming until he arrives. She remembers him and how Mrs. Esh used to fret over him. He makes things worse by pretending not to remember her. Emma is so upset over being forced to marry someone with questionable character that she storms upstairs and then later runs away.