Frank Carlson Library

Hannah Ryan is the mother of two adorable little girls and the wife of a doting husband. Her life is perfect -- until the night her husband and eldest daughter are ripped away from her by a drunken driver. Torn by grief and rage, Hannah finds her faith -- like that of Jeremiah weeping over Jerusalem -- tested to the limits. As she walks the long road of her own modern-day Lamentations, she must learn to forgive... and finally discover that God's mercies...

Returning home for the annual family reunion, Laura Bartone and her brother, Steve, are stunned by their sister, Caroline, and her allegations of shocking behavior on the part of their mother, and are forced to come to terms with the truth and lies within their family, as well as painful cycle of denial, blame, repression, and forgiveness.

After her seven-year-old niece, Holly, becomes the ward of an Amish aunt, Rachel Milligan sets out to do whatever it takes to ensure that Holly has the loving family she needs. Rachel never imagined that she and her seven-year-old niece would spend the week before Christmas on a quaint Amish farm in Ohio. But with so many unexpected occurrences of late, perhaps she shouldn't have been surprised. With her young niece Holly in tow, Rachel anxiously...

An experienced psychologist, Maggie carefully maintains emotional distance from her patients. But when she meets a young Indian woman who tried to kill herself, her professional detachment disintegrates. Cut off from her family in India, Lakshmi is desperately lonely and trapped in a loveless marriage to a domineering man who limits her world to their small restaurant and grocery store. Determined to empower Lakshmi as a woman who feels valued in...

"For abandoned wife Annabelle Beachey, Promise Lodge is a refuge where she's gained confidence and self-sufficiency. But she and others are dismayed when newly arrived Bishop Clayton King claims the community is too progressive and sets out to change its ways. Worse, her husband, Phineas returns, expecting her to give up her faith as he has. And he won't leave Promise Lodge without her . . . But little by little, Annabelle's determination and new...

When an energetic child inadvertently upsets one of his classmates, everyone is reminded that it is important to take responsibility for a mistake, and it is equally important to be ready to forgive. Includes information about apologies and forgiveness.

"Anna Stoltzfus lives a quiet but fulfilling life in Promise Glen. Though she lost her beloved brother in a tragic accident, her family is supportive and close-knit, and her job as a cherished teacher at the Orchard Hill Amish School fills her heart with joy each day. Anna knows one day she'll find someone she can love and marry, but she's perfectly happy with the life she created. Anna's comfort is quickly dashed, however, when the man Anna deemed...

Jo Marie Rose first arrives in Cedar Cove seeking a sense of peace and a fresh start. Coping with the death of her husband, she purchases a local bed-and-breakfast--the newly christened Rose Harbor Inn--ready to begin her life anew. Yet the inn holds more surprises than Jo Marie can imagine. Her first guest is Joshua Weaver, who has come home to care for his ailing stepfather. The two have never seen eye to eye, and Joshua has little hope that they...

When Beverly Overholt's beloved Orange Blossom Inn is broken into, she's shaken to her core. After all, the inn has been her whole life since her fiance left her for her best friend. In the face of repairing what's been lost, Beverly calls Eric Wagler, the inn's handsome owner. To her surprise, he promises to be on the next flight out to Sarasota. Beverly's been closed off to love for years, but with Eric, she can't help seeing a glimmer of hope -...

"Emotionally wounded single mom Sarah Price has come home to Serenity, South Carolina, for a fresh start. With support from her two best friends -- the newest generation of the Sweet Magnolias -- she can face any crisis. But sometimes a woman needs more than treasured friends can provide. Sexy Travis McDonald may be exactly what Sarah's battered self-confidence requires. The newcomer is intent on getting Sarah to work at his fledgling radio station...