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Genre: Historical Christian Romance| Age: Adult (17+) | Buy: Amazon | ⭐ See star rating

RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2024

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Grace is a nurse recovering from a traumatic encounter with men she was exposing to law enforcement. Ethan is a doctor in need of a new nurse after his forceful aunt speaks her mind just one too many times.

Initial Thoughts

I was mildly nervous for this installment of the Hope House Brides. Actually, after the sneak peak we got in the last book (The Pastor’s Reckless Bride), I was super excited. The hero offering marriage to the heroine after discovering her secret is the epitome of a sweet romance for me.

The parts that threatened to trigger my anxiety had to do with the nature of our heroine’s trauma as well as a local disease outbreak that happens. Both of these could be triggering for me. But I trust Ford; she has a reputation of keeping things on the lighter side and providing a lot of hope in the midst of troubling situations.

Well, she did not disappoint. This hope-filled story has made it to the top of my list.

The Setting

We are back in the beloved town of Mud Lake, where the men are gentlemen and the women are the sweetest of friends. This time we get a detailed look inside the doctor’s clinic and his handmade bachelor pad. (Seriously, though, his house is really cool. I loved the sweet cozy vibes of its location and layout.)

The Characters

Grace, our heroine, is independent and strong in the best ways. She takes her troubling circumstances and does everything she can to make the best of things. She is great at taking care of herself emotionally, but has a tendency to push herself too far physically. I loved her get-to-it attitude and what she learned about letting people into her life enough to let them take care of her.

Ethan, our hero, comes from a background that sets him up to accept Grace and her situation without even batting an eye. I thought his story was so wonderful and I loved how it turned him into a man who could love without fear. He does have some strained relationships with his aunts and uncle, but those are redeemed along the way.

As usual for a Ford book, the side characters are just as much fun to have around as the main characters. I am starting to lose track of who I have met before, but luckily the books read as stand-alones so one does not have to remember all of their stories.

The Story

Grace did not come to Mud Lake as a mail-order bride, so her story is a little different than the other women. She gets to experience the care and attention of Ethan before she knows that she is going to marry him. She also has the opportunity to make her own way (even if just for a few weeks) by working as Ethan’s nurse.

Ethan did not send off for a wife, but he finds himself attracted to his new nurse. And when he figures out that she may need more than she can manage on her own, he doesn’t hesitate to offer her permanent love and protection.

Ethan and Grace’s marriage takes place by the halfway mark, and then they must face a smallpox outbreak together. Honestly, the stress that Grace has to endure from the moment she first steps into Ethan’s office all the way until Ethan recovers from his own physical troubles had me biting my metaphorical nails. She withstood so much (and while pregnant) with a good attitude and fortitude. I was impressed, as I can’t even tend my own kids’ bloody knees without feeling faint.

Happy reading!

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🤖 Always written and edited without the use of AI.

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