Thursday's Bride

Thursday’s Bride by Patricia Johns is a sweet, heartwarming Amish novel. Rosmanda Lapp moved to Abundance, Pennsylvania from her hometown after a scandal ruined her chances at marriage. She was attracted to the charming and rebellious Levi Lapp, but he was not the proper Amish man she came to marry. When Levi’s older brother, Wayne proposes to Rosmanda, she accepts because he is a respectable Amish man (aka boring but kind). Rosmanda is a now a widow with twin daughters who lives with her in laws. Levi is needed to help with the farm work, so he returns home knowing that Rosmanda blames him for Wayne’s death. Disagreements begin immediately, but they need to find a way to be friends for the sake of the family and their community. There is a definite attraction between Levi and Rosmanda. The sparks fly between them especially when they are disagreeing. I thought Thursday’s Bride was well-written with developed characters. The story is told from Levi and Rosmanda’s point-of-views. It switches between them which allows readers to see things from each of their perspectives. I always find that intriguing because men and women see things differently. I liked the characters in this story. They were fleshed out and brought to life which made them feel real to me. We get to see what it is like for a widow to live with her in laws and the importance of community. Rosmanda felt like she was a burden to the Lapps. She wants to earn money, but it is not easy with twin girls to raise. I enjoyed the description of Rosmanda’s beautiful mourning quilt. After the death of a loved one, you want life to stop so you can grieve. Unfortunately, the world continues moving. Chores must be done, children taken care of, food prepared, and so much more. You continue to grieve while trying to move through each day as we see with Rosmanda. The Amish world is very different from our own. They cannot just think about themselves when making a decision. They must think how it will affect their community. A reputation can easily be tarnished at a young age. Levi and Rosmanda struggle to overcome the past and move forward with their lives. Their interactions were electric at times. I enjoyed following their journey in Thursday’s Bride. The ending was special and left me smiling. There is a preview of Patricia John’s next novel, Jeb’s Wife at the end. Thursday’s Bride focuses on forgiveness, faith and second chances. Patricia Johns provided an appealing Amish story that will keep you engaged from beginning to end. Thursday’s Bride is a heartening Amish novel with toddling twins, a headstrong horse, a cute calf, secret sins, rapid rumors, and finding forgiveness.