A Mother's Love

by Charlotte Hubbard

Faith, tenderness, security there's nothing a mother won't give. Now beloved author Charlotte Hubbard brings you an unforgettable tale of hope, courage, discovery...and the most precious gift of all."
For widow Rose Raber, it s been a year of tragic loss and difficult decisions. She thought providing for her young daughter was the greatest challenge she faced. Until her dying mother revealed that Rose was adopted and her birth mother is someone with much to lose if the secret comes out. As Rose struggles to reconcile the truth with her faith and her troubling curiosity outgoing newcomer Matthias Wagler is another surprise she didn't expect. His optimism and easy understanding inspires her. And his prospective partnership with wealthy deacon Saul Hartzler promises a possible new life for them together. But with this second chance comes yet another revelation for all involved.
When Saul s wife unexpectedly turns up at Rose s new job, their bond as mother and daughter is instant and unmistakable. And it isn't long before an unforgiving Saul discovers the truth, threatening Matthias s livelihood and Rose s future. Now with more than just their happiness at stake, Rose and Matthias must find the strength and courage to stand strong and trust God's enduring miracles of motherhood, forgiveness, and love.

Genres: Amish, Romance, Fiction, Amish Fiction, Christian, Adoption, Family

368 pages, Hardcover

Published March 28, 2017

About the author

Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi, longtime Missourian Charlotte Hubbard (a.k.a. Naomi King) writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle in her new Seasons of the Heart series. Like her heroine, Miriam Lantz, Charlotte considers it her personal mission to feed people—to share hearth and home. Faith and family, farming and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle, and the foundation of her earlier Angels of Mercy series. She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and when she’s not writing, she loves to try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Charlotte now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie.

Reviews

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had no slow spots at all. It really grabbed my attention so that I had to keep reading to find out what would happen next. How would you feel if what you thought was true your whole life turned out not to be. As her mother lay dying she bared her soul to her daughter,Rose. In the past year,Rose's father and husband passed away and her mother's cancer returns due to the stress of the deaths. Before her mother passes she tells her daughter a monumental secret that her and her father have kept from her. Living with Rose is her young daughter, Gracie. While Rose is quiet and reserved, Gracie is talkative,bubbly and outgoing. Things are off to a rocky start when Rose meets newcomer,Matthias Wagler. Who can resist,Gracie though? Matthias can't and her friendliness brings them together. After Rose tells Matthias what she finds out,Gracie overhears and the results are stressful and chaotic. This is a down to earth book. The people are flawed and rules are not always followed. None of us are perfect though and it goes to show how beautifully it ends with love,forgiveness and redemption.
Pub Date 28 Mar 2017.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a review copy for my honest opinion.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mother's Love

Charlotte Hubbard

Received from Netgalley


Rose Raber lost her father and husband in a barn fire less than a year ago. Now she is sitting at her mom's bedside, as the cancer has returned due to the stress from the tragedy of losing her husband and son in law. A MOTHER'S LOVE now has her mom telling her the biggest secret of Rose's life. Everything that she thought about her life has not been true. Hold on, because you won't believe what happens next. A MOTHER'S LOVE isn't your usual Amish story and is filled with twists and turns. Once I started reading, it was very hard to put down.


Her mom tells Rose about a box that she needs to find that will explain everything. A MOTHER'S LOVE broke my heart for Rose and all she had to deal with. Thankfully her five year old daughter, Gracie, keeps her grounded and gives her the will to get up everyday. How much can a heart take before it breaks for good? Rose's definitely takes hit after hit but still she manages to try and move ahead. She doesn't want the church to take care of her so she gets a job as a cook at a senior center and this is where her life completely changes.


Matthias Wagler grabbed my heart from the very beginning. Rose tries to resist him but we all know how that goes. Gracie has Mathias wrapped around her finger almost instantly and he really tries to do all he can to help her and Rose. One night while telling Matthias what Rose has found out, Gracie over hears them and things turn very stressful. Rose tries to explain to Gracie that it is Rose's story tell and she must not tell anyone yet, but come on, she's five years old. Something is going to spill out of her adorable mouth! A MOTHER'S LOVE is filled with redemption, love, forgiveness, and second chances. There are no slow spots in this heart warming story and before I knew it, I had finished. Charlotte Hubbard pulls her readers right in, grabs their hearts and never lets them go! I can not wait to read more by Charlotte Hubbard.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, sweet, love story!

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful story of love, redemption, and forgiveness.
I too am very glad that I received this Advanced reader's copy and be able to review it.
I sure do love Charlotte's style of writing. I was hooked from page one!
Gracie is a delightful little girl. Id sure love to have energy! My how she was always bubbling and talkative.
Rose is just the opposite. Shy and quiet Rose sets the course their lives and I loved how she allowed God to take charge. But, as always curiosity kills the cat they say.
I think my fave scene was when Rose realized God has a plan in his own timing.
I held my breath in another scene as I waited to see if forgiveness wluld be forthcoming and yay!!!!!
God truly is a miracle worker if only We'd listen to him. Sometimes we try to work stuff out on our own as the bishop says and it often goes wrong or is not meant to be.
Pride goeth before a fall but only if we let it happen. Im so glad that Saul practiced what he preached and I know that it wasn't easy for him to do. As his mother said "it wasn't about him".
Matthias is a wonderful man. I liked him from the get go. He has faith, determination and wants a family most of all

[Diamond Jones-Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a sweet and touching story. I have to admit there were times when my eyes watered up. I can't believe how much happened in this book. No one is perfect and this book shows that. I recommend this book if you are looking for a great read with loving characters.

[Sunnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good.  It starts out so interestingly and continues throughout the entire book.  There was not one slow spot at all.  It was so well written.  I was sad to see that it came to an end.  I wanted it to continue.  It was so engaging and so touching.  The story was about people that weren't perfect, didn't follow all the Amish rules exactly and had to work through this with love, patience, forgiveness and understanding.  Such a great Christian read!  I hope that I can read more from this author.  I can't say it's often that books bring tears to my eyes, but this one so touched me and I could relate to quite a bit of the events that happened and also the feelings that it brought out.  

Four wonderful mothers are featured in this book.  Their feelings were so well expressed by the author, that you knew exactly their thoughts and knew how they were struggling to find ways to work through everything.  I absolutely loved this book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author for my honest review.  All thoughts are my own.

[Carla · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful second chance story. Rose Raber lost her father and husband in a barn fire less than a year ago. Her mother is dying of cancer and she has sent her daughter to stay with the bishop and his wife so they can have a final time together. As she sits by her bedside, she finds out that she needs to find a box that will give her some information that her mother has kept from her. As Rose finds out that everything she has believed about her life is a lie, she must figure out how to deal with this new information. Rose's five year old daughter Grace is absolutely adorable. She keeps her mother grounded and helps her to carry on. She doesn't want the church to take care of her so she gets a job as a cook at a senior center and this is where her life completely changes. When she meets Matthias Wagler he falls in love with little Grace and she wraps him around her little finger. Rose tries to resist him but he is handsome, caring, has a great career and seems to want Grace and Rose in his life. When Grace hears her mother telling Matthias what she knows, it is really hard for her not to accidentally let anything slip. Tension, angst and recriminations ensue.

A MOTHER'S LOVE is filled with redemption, love, forgiveness, and second chances. This story was well paced and the plot moved steadily through the story. I felt the feelings that the various characters were dealing with and wanted them to sort things out. Being a Christian, I knew that forgiveness and redemption would win out, but it was heartbreaking to see the sadness and fear as the story played out. I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Susan Boyce. I have listened to several books narrated by Susan and I can say that I do enjoy her narration. I am able to distinguish between characters using the intonation and style of voice she uses. Charlotte Hubbard pulled me in from the beginning of this story and I was invested until the end. I definitely recommend this book and author to anyone who enjoys good clean romance, Christian Fiction or Amish Fiction. 4.5 Stars rounded up to 5.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, the disclaimer. "I was provided a free copy of this book. All opinions are my own." That done, A MOTHER'S LOVE is a sweet story, of mother's -- with a romance tied in. :) Rose's mamm is dying of cancer and with her final breath she tells Rose she was adopted, and she can find letters from her birthmom in a tin box in another room. Rose reads the letter, and finds out that her birthmom was unmarried when Rose was born, and please don't ever contact her because she's married to a man who doesn't know she ever had a baby. Rose is a mother herself to a precious little girl.

There a lot of characters from previous series in this story but I think it's safe to say that even if you haven't read the other series you won't be lost in this book. I recognized some of the other characters because I've read most all of Ms. Hubbard's book, but the stories are not really intermingled.

Ms. Hubbard is an acclaimed Amish author and quite creative and fans of Amish fiction will devour this new book. I liked Rose and Matthias, and the way all the different mothers in Rose's life were representative and played out.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Mother’s Love by Charlotte Hubbard is a heartwarming Amish novel. Rose Raber lives in Cedar Creek with her daughter, Gracie and her mother, Lydia. The previous fall Rose lost her father and her husband in a fire at their sawmill. Now, Rose is losing her mother to cancer. Before her mother passes away she tells Rose about a stationery box in her dresser which contains letters addressed to Rose. When Rose reads the letters, she discovers that she was adopted. In the last letter in the box, Anne (her birth mother) requests that Rose not look for her. Rose does not know if she can honor that request. Rose and Gracie are at the local mercantile when they run into (literally) Matthias Wagler. Matthias is a widower who is opening a harness shop in nearby Morning Star. Rose is fortunate in obtaining a position as a cook at Morning Star Senior Center. Rose and Matthias spend more time together (thanks to Gracie), and Rose finds Matthias easy to talk to. She ends up confiding in him about her birth mother and how Anne was being courted by Saul Hartzler at the time. This information puts Matthias in a sticky situation. He is familiar with Saul Hartzler of the Hartzler Carriage Company and is entering into a partnership with him. Should he tell Rose that her birth mother is nearby? The decision is taken out of Matthias hands when Anne Hartzler walks into the senior center and encounters Rose. Rose lost one mother, but she is getting a wonderful opportunity to know the woman who gave her life. They must be discrete, so Saul does not discover Anne’s secret. Morning Star is a small town, though, and it is inevitable that Saul will encounter Rose who is the spitting image of her mother. What happens when a thirty-year-old secret springs forth disrupting several lives?

A Mother’s Love is well-written and has a nice steady pace which makes for easy to read and engaging novel. I found A Mother’s Love to be an emotional novel (you might need to keep a tissue handy). I give A Mother’s Love 4 out of 5 stars. The characters are developed and realistic. Rose is going through a rough time and we can feel her emotions (the turmoil, confusion, concern, doubt, love). I did feel that she worried too much about what others would think about her actions. Gracie is a gregarious, curious and active child who easily charms every person she encounters. She will be handful when she is a teenager. A Mother’s Love is full of activity. It is amazing at how much the author packed into one story. I thought A Mother’s Love had several good messages. They include that none of us are perfect (all of us have flaws), God has a plan for our lives, good things come to those that wait (aka God’s timing not our own), and the power of prayer. We see how important it is to forgive a person, to have love in our lives, and the importance of faith. The ending is very special and leaves a person with a good feeling in their heart. A Mother’s Love is a thoughtful and heartfelt novel.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mother's Love by Charlotte Hubbard Another fabulous read from Charlotte Hubbard. This story takes off immediately and doesn't slow down even on the last page. I couldn't put it down once I picked it up. This book is great for anyone there are no curse words and no sex. It does have some religion to it, but the sayings are straight from the bible, it does not try to push religion on you though.
 
My favorite genre of books is paranormal the more ghosts the better. But anytime I see anything from Charlotte I happily lay the ghosts to rest to read one of her books. Charlotte really takes you by the heart with her writing. She knows how to grab you on page one and make you wish the book never ends. Her endings never feel rushed, her story line never goes off cue, and she does not drown you in useless information or description. I have read several of her books and have not found one yet I didn't fall in love with.
 
In this book we meet Rose Raber. She has suffered loss more then anyone should have to int he past year. Her father and husband were both killed in a saw mill fire and her mother's cancer has come back, and she slips away as well. Left alone with her 5 year old daughter Grace, Rose must decide how to provide for her and her child. Her pastor tells her not to worry their Amish group will make sure she does not do without but Rose will not be a charity case.
 
Grace is 5 and way to smart for her age. She also never meets a stranger and can have even the hardest of men wrapped around her finger in an instant.
 
Matthias Wagler is a newcomer to town he runs is own Leather and harness. He has lost his wife and unborn baby recently. He runs smack into Rose and Grace at the store almost trampling them both. Grace instantly takes to him.
 
On the night before her mother's death the last lucid thing she tells Rose is to get stationary box from her bottom drawer. She did not give reasons before she slipped into a coma, just told her not to find her, which leaves Rose confused. After her mother passes she retrieves the box and is stunned by the letters inside from her birth mother. Rose never knew she was adopted. Rose cannot put this out of her mind, even though her mother's have both stated not to try and find her. She talks to her pastor who tells her not to try and her new friend Matthias.
 
Grace has put out cards in all the shops in the area looking for work. One day she gets a call from a Senior Service Center looking for a cook. This is a blessing for Rose and Grace. It puts her int he same town with Mathias and unbeknownst to Rose her birth mother Anne. Even though she is bit reluctant to fall for Mathias Grace is thrilled to find out he is here. Rose runs across Anne by accident at the Senior Center when she brings lap blankets in to donate to the residents. They know immediately who each other are even after 30 years.
 
Now comes the trouble how can Anne and Rose have a relationship and keep it from Saul, Anne's husband?

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mother's love is a love to hold onto

Rose Raber is now a widow and an orphan with a little girl of her own. As Rose says goodbye to her mother, her mother shares a secret of Rose's past. She was actually adopted and her biological mother is now married with an Amish family of her own. The mother that she has always known as kept letters of her mother to her in hopes that she would come to understand her decision to give her up but it only leaves Rose broken and with questions.

A kind widower Matthias Wagler meets up with Rose as she is getting ready to bury her mother. Seeing her need and being totally enraptured with Rose's daughter Gracie, he offers to help. There is an Amish chemistry between them including Rose's daughter that is for me pure delight.

Rose takes a job as a cook at Health Care center in the town that Matthias lives in and also where her biological mother's family lives. It is there that hearts begin to mend with the help of a precocious little girl and how motherhood heals wounds. There is a contrast between forgiveness and pride that reveals our own hearts as you share in the story. I loved it.

A Special Thank You to Kensington Books and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Cynthia Egbert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Every once in awhile we just need something sweet. This one is definitely that, more sweet than usually works for me but I needed something positive to just make me see the world in a bit of a better light. This Amish romance holds a number of emotional situations but they all wrap up for a happy ending.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I was reading the 'Maidels of Morning Star' series earlier in the year, I began to suspect that there might be other novels set in Morning Star, and when I looked, I found this one (as well as 'A Mother's Gift').
Even though this book is set before the aforementioned series, I'm actually glad I read that series first, so I could know that things worked out for the best for Rose, and Anne, even if I didn't know *how* they would work out. Knowing Saul's conservative, and sometimes grumpy nature also helped understand his portion of the story.
As to this story, I thought it was lovely how both Rose and Anne (and Matthias!) came to understand that even the hardest, most unexpected circumstances, can be redeemed by the Lord of us all!
3.5 stars

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is one of the best amish books I have read in a long time

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is lovely and tender, even through the rough patches. I have never read anything set in an Amish society before and I loved it. I definitely want to learn more about the Amish after reading this. I found myself very connected to several of the characters, even if we didn’t get their perspective in the narrative. Gracie is the sweetest little girl and I was squealing in delight along with the rest of them when she did or said anything at all. I really loved Martha, she is the one character I appreciated the most and would have looked up to if I were part of this community. She is a great mother and also turns out to be an advocate for women in a society that clearly favors men, which I didn’t expect from her given what we learn about her from others earlier in the story.

The book has a huge overarching religious theme and while I’m not familiar with the Amish way of life and their view of their faith, I can still relate to many aspects (being from a very different but similarly faith-based profoundly religious culture).

The juxtaposition of Amish society against a modern world threw me for a loop at the beginning, but I think that’s just because I’m not too familiar with the community besides having heard the basics. Also, I mostly read fantasy novels set in medieval style societies, so that likely had something to do with my difficulties in grasping the stark contrast of the 2 different worlds existing side by side.

I will say I found Saul’s change of heart to be a bit unbelievable given how angry he was at first. And especially how quickly it all happened. I’m not sure if this is common in Amish society, but I’ve never really known anyone with such strong convictions and a personal sense of righteousness to come around so completely so fast.

My favorite scene was when they were all gathered with the bishops and mom was spilling the tea and putting her son in line. I loved Martha even more at that moment, but I also enjoyed reading about the presence of the bishops and how they mediated the talks. I felt a sense of calm and almost holiness whenever either of them spoke at that meeting (but anytime outside of the meeting as well). It’s uplifting to read religious figures who are painted in a good, “practicing what they preach” light as opposed to always being depicted as hypocrites and monsters in other works of fiction.

[Frank Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

One might wonder how anybody could tell a deeply felt, exciting story about modern-day Amish. After all, the Amish don’t live as most of us these days. They exist in a slow-paced, insular world, steeped in old-fashioned Christianity, devoid of modern technology that most of us call necessities (such as automobiles). How interesting could that be?

Charlotte Hubbard brilliantly answers that question in A MOTHER’S LOVE. She does this by stripping away the miasma that clogs most of our lives and explores essential shared humanity. (Note I did not say simple people: Hubbard’s characters are as complex as any of us.) This allows their inherent qualities – and flaws – to become the story.

And Hubbard knows how to tell a good story.

It opens with what is surely a universal experience: the mother of Rose Raber, the main character, is dying of cancer. It is told in matter-of-fact style, without false sentimentality, which makes it all the more powerful. The story then proceeds to the main plot conflict when Rose learns that her mother is not her birth mother. She has been adopted.

This is not an experience most of us have had, but it is told in such a way that we identify with the emotions. Shock that the reality is different than what had been believed. Gratitude of having a birth parent who loved enough to place you with a family who loved you. Curiosity about who you “really” are what your birth parents were like.

Other circumstances make it more complicated. In the Amish community having a child out of wedlock is a sign of shame. Add to that the birth mother still lives in the community and married to a leading citizen. Even now, many years later, if this secret becomes known it could destroy reputations and lives.

To reveal more of the plot might risk spoiling it for the reader. Suffice it to say that Rose is faced with an apparently insoluble conflict, which becomes more difficult as the story progresses.

Another element I like is how the author shows living in a close-knit community with old-fashioned ways can be both appealing and claustrophobic.

Hubbard wisely chooses not to over-sentimentalize the story, which makes it all the more powerful. In so doing she has delivered a deeply felt, exciting story about modern-day Amish.

[Angela (Kentuckybooklover) Brocato-Skaggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rose has suffered a terrible year full of tragedy. First, her dad and husband die in a fire at the family mill, her mother's breast cancer comes back after being in remission for thirty years, as her mother lays dying she confesses to Rose that Rose was adopted and her birth mother's letters are in the dresser. Rose is determined to move forward after her mother's death for the sake of her daughter, Grace and has accepted a job in a nearby town cooking for the senior center. As she starts her job and gets acclimated it seems God has his own plans when it comes to meeting her birth mom and finding romance.

I absolutely loved that this book talked about the forbidden subject of having a baby out of wedlock. It shows that the Amish are just like us "Englishers" and have forbidden feelings before marriage. Yes, I am old fashioned and believe one should wait but I am in touch with the times and knows it happens. Unfortunately, I see it everyday taking my son to high school. Babies are never mistakes, sometimes they just come earlier than one would like. It was heartwarming to read how wonderful her life was with her adoptive parents. Never in her thirty years did she guess she was adopted. They treated just like she was their own and my wish is every adopted child was able to experience that kind of love.

Rose's determination to not depend on her church district and on herself was admirable. She had the option to let them take care of her for as long as needed but she wanted to be self-sufficient. What a beautiful trait to show her daughter. You can be true to your faith and to raising your kids as you want and still be able to work and provide for what is needed. You may not always be able to get what you want but your needs are met.

I hope you pick up a copy of this beautiful book and enjoyed it as much as I did. It is a wonderful "gut" book to show love and devotion. It is the perfect gift for the mothers in your life.

Thank you to Kensington Books/Zebra and NetGalley for a copy to read in exchange for my honest review written in my own words.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Add This to Your TBR Pile!

When you find a novel by Charlotte Hubbard, you know you are in for a treat. Each one is chock-full of romance, intrigue, and of course, Amish! What more could a reader want? Her latest release, A Mother’s Love, is no exception.

A Mother’s Love tells the story of Rose Raber – widowed with a precocious five-year-old and now caring for her widowed mother who is in her last days of her life. When Rose’s mother reveals a shocking secret on her deathbed, how will she be able to move on?

When Matthias Wagler literally runs into Rose at the local mercantile, he is immediately smitten with Rose’s daughter Gracie. When they keep running into one another, it seems like something more than chance is involved. And when Rose confides in Matthias, oh what a turn of events!

Will Rose and Matthias get together? How does Gracie fit into the picture? What is this secret? And is a mother’s love enough to handle all of these challenges? Read and find out!

I was given A Mother’s Love in exchange for my honest review. While storylines from previous novels are mentioned, it can easily be read as a stand-alone and they are not distracting. There were a couple of inconsistencies between the novel and actual Old Order Amish traditions that were a bit frustrating. One example of this was the fact that Gracie so well-spoken, speaking and understanding English – in real life, most Amish children at that age do not even learn English until they start school. Additionally, some of the Bible passages seemed forced (note that I am an evangelical Christian and love the Word, but it was a bit much.) All of that being said, A Mother’s Love was a fantastic read. Hubbard’s storylines were intricate and fascinating. The characters were tremendous: one meek, one charming, one stern, one bubbly, and one frightening! Definitely add this novel to your TBR pile.

[Maria Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read a lot of Amish books. I tend to read more Regency era England so in a lot of ways I was confused while reading this book. It felt like the language of the book swung back and forth between old fashion & Amish to incredibly modern and not Amish? Maybe it is all accurate but I kept feeling like I was reading in two different time periods. I just don't know enough about Amish to judge accuracy.

There is a lot of angst in the book. Loss of loved ones is a big theme. The main character has lost both her parents and her husband in less than a year and then finds out she was adopted so that was the loss of an additional mother. So, much of the book feels sad. The love interest has also lost his spouse but his loss is a little less angst-y.

The religious elements of the book felt real and natural. Not a lot of preaching but an obvious theme of following God's lead.

I'm not really sure about Saul's turnaround perhaps because we aren't watching him the whole time during the three days as he processes the whole situation. It is more that we see him incredibly angry and self righteous willing to see his wife shunned and then when we next see him he is willing to reconcile and close to willing to forgive. By the next day he was awfully chipper and accepting of those who have upended his life. I was glad to see him come around. I just don't know if it would really happen that quickly.

I really liked Saul's mother. And I loved how she was more than willing to put Saul in his place.

I liked the book better at the end than I did through the rest of it. Everyone gets a HEA obviously. But it was a little bit of an angst-ridden roller coaster getting to the HEA.

Clean-no sex, language or violence except a little verbal abuse.

[Julie Zimmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books I was sad to have come to an end. I wanted to keep reading about Rose, Gracie, Matthias and Anne. "A Mothers' Love" is simply such a beautiful and touching story! From page one, it is one of those books I could not put down. At the beginning, Rose is faced with losing her mother who is dying from cancer. Both women have recently mourned their husbands, who died together in a fire. Rose is also now raising her young daughter Gracie alone. Her mother's dying words about Rose being adopted are a huge shock to Rose. As Rose starts to look through old letters from her birth mother and seek support from her bishop and others in the community she faces resistance to finding her birth mother. Meanwhile, she is receiving attention from a newcomer to town, Matthias. He is a widow also, and is extremely drawn to Rose and her little girl Gracie. Gracie is adored by all in the community. Rose eventually seeks employment to help support herself and Gracie, and in her new job, relocates to a nearby town to work at a nursing home. She and Gracie are embraced with love by the people working and living there, and one day encounters the very birth mother she was hoping to meet. Unfortunately her birth mother's husband and his reaction and anger may keep her and her birth mother from having a relationship. To avoid any spoilers, I will simply highly recommend this beautiful story to all Charlotte Hubbard fans and all Amish genre fans. Amazing and moving!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mother's Love, what can I say about such a heart rendering, tear dropping, love squeezing, GOD trusting and people depending book. heart rendering (when someone loses their father and husband at the same time then they lose their mother because of the loss of their father and husband - oiy vey), tear dropping (when you have your mother on her death bed telling you a deep dark secret about your self and it is life altering - yeah that is tear dropping), love squeezing (when you have someone who is in your life that you love so much and has brought you meaning that brings you squeezes and love especially when you need it when you are depressed etc. that is love squeezing.) GOD trusting (when you are hurting in your life - and GOD is the master of your life - you trust in HIM for everything - He takes care of you - in ways that you do not realize - like sending you a man in your way - a very special man - wink wink - GOD always knows what HE is doing.) and people depending (when you start to trust in people again like Matthias, whom GOD has placed in yours and Gracies way, and you slowly start to depend on.). Yes this book is incredible to read. You get touched on so many levels, as well as be Blessed. I received a copy of this book from the Publisher and Netgalley; all the opinions expressed in this review are all my own.

If you would like to read more of my Christian book reviews go to christianlybookreviewers.blogspot.com

[Lisa Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this story from start to finish! I intended to read 100 pages today, but devoured the entire book to see how it ended. A MOTHER'S LOVE is much more than good entertainment; it carries strong life messages. I felt for Rose, Anne, and Gracie; at the same time, I sympathized with Saul and his mother. As I poured through the pages, I wondered what become of Rose, Anne, Gracie, and the other characters. Something that happened years ago strongly impacted everyone in the story on an individual level. All the while, I was fully aware that the truth could destroy an entire family...or, it could pave the road for something miraculous. Until the denouement, I wasn't sure which it would be. The author did an incredible job of making the story seem real, and I'm still thinking of the characters as if I know them. I don't want to reveal too much, but if you're up for an exciting journey of love, faith, and forgiveness, you must read this inspiring story! I was giving an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review. Five stars!!

[Cecilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mother’s Love by Charlotte Hubbard grabbed my attention from the start. It was hard to put the book down to get on with my everyday life.
Rose Raber has been taking care of her mother after her cancer has returned. Not even a year after her father and husband lost their lives in a fire that destroyed the family business. Now she is faced with a secret that her mother shares on her deathbed. Now struggling to find a way to take care of herself and daughter Gracie, Rose must also adapt to life alone and the big family secret.
Gracie hits it off with Matthias Wagler and he quickly takes interest in Rose as well. As Rose and Matthias’ friendship deepens, he tries to assist her with her secret while maintaining his new business partnership.
Wonderfully written and easy to fall in love with the characters, another great book by Hubbard.
I received an advance reader copy of this book from netgalley and Kensington Books in return for my honest opinion of the book. All opinions and statements expressed are strictly my own.

[Connie Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I had to describe this book "A Mother's Love" in one word it would be delightful. I enjoyed every minute. Losing a parent is very hard, but losing a spouse and parent just six months earlier is definitely life changing. Rose is a very determined widow with a young daughter, with the passing of her mother she realizes the need to provide for her small family and move on she does not have the luxury of just giving up. At her mother's passing Rose finds a family secret and is torn to find the truth. Her journey to build a new life brings Matthias into her life, he is a widower and starting a new life also, she finds a job in a neighboring town, makes new caring friends and her family secret begins to unravel. Charlotte has created wonderful characters and brought them to life in this amazing book. I have read this as an ARC in return for an honest review of the book. Reading this has been my honor and pleasure. Please do not miss meeting Rose, Matthias, and Gracie and finding the depths of A Mother's Love.

[Mave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another incredible and delicate story about the wonderful mother-daughter relationship by Charlotte Hubbard, will capture you from the first page and you can't put it down. I was very upset when I arrived at the end, I wished would never end.
Rose is destroyed, in a year has lost her parents and her husband. She also discovers that her life is based on a huge lie: she was adopted. She is very tight, feels the desire and curiosity to know her real mother but at the same time doesn't want to betray who had loved her as a true daughter. Matthias also needs to start a new life after losing his wife. He and Rose will help each other to take back their lives.
Rose is a very likeable character, determined, strong, loyal, a wonderful mother, impossible not to become attached to her and to her sweet little girl.
It's written really well, romantic, exciting, funny and moving.
If you are looking for an intense and full of emotions reading Charlotte Hubbard will not disappoint you.

[Lola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rose's husband and her father died when they were trapped inside when their sawmill was on fire.
Then her mother died of cancer. Rose's only remaining relative was her young daughter, Gracie.
Before she died, Rose's mother told her where to look to find some letters but she must wait until after her mother's death to read them. Through those letters, Rose learned that she had been adopted and her birth mother was a young, unmarried teenager who didn't want to be contacted.
She did give some information about herself, including her name.
In order to support herself and Gracie, Rose took a job cooking at a senior center. One day, two women came in with slippers and lap robes they had crocheted for the residents. The younger woman looked like Rose and her name was the same as Rose's birth daughter. It was her! There would be big trouble if the truth came out that she'd had a child before she was married.

[Mayda · Rating 5 out of 5]

In less than a year, Rose has lost her husband and her father in a tragic fire and her mother to illness. On her death bed, Rose’s mother reveals to her that Rose was adopted 30 years ago, and that some correspondence long concealed would explain more. Now knowing the name of her birth mother, but admonished never to search for her, Rose is devastated, and wondering what really is God’s will in her life. Faced with a need to support herself and young daughter, she becomes a cook in a senior center, and the decision-making dilemma is taken out of her hands. This tightly-written and intriguing tale may seem a bit farfetched, but nevertheless, it is a heartwarming story. The characters come alive on the page, and it won’t take long for readers to become engrossed with Rose’s story and hoping for her happily-ever-after ending as she struggles with all the difficulties she has encountered.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Mother's Love is a wonderful book which captures the love that a mother has for her child. Charlotte Hubbard writes in such a way that she brings the reader along on the adventure. Rose Raber has had a devastating year. Losing both her husband and father in a tragic accident, Rose tries to move forward. However, the her mother dies from cancer but not before telling her a long buried secret. Matthias Wagler comes to town. He is also trying to recover from losing his wife. Will these two be able to find a life together? Or will the long held secret destroy them?
If you are looking for a book to truly show a mother's love then look no further. I am a fan of Charlotte Hubbard's work and with each book she continues to show why. I highly recommend this novel. I received a copy through Netgalley. The review is my own thoughts.

[Kari Dalrymple · Rating 5 out of 5]

Widowed Rose with her daughter Gracie must find a way to pay bills even thought Rose has been told the church district will help her so she can be just a mother for 5 months after her mother passes away. In her last words to her daughter Rose's mother Lydia tells her about some letters that will explain everything to her... Rose finds the box of letters and learns her mother and father had adopted her and her bio mom had married a deacon and Rose wasn't to go looking for her but God had other plans including a handsome widower who falls head over heels for Gracie & Rose. This is such a sweet story like always from Charlotte if you have never read her books you will love them if you like feel good stories

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! The story is great and Gracie is just adorable!

I would like to go buy a copy of this and go back and reread it so I can highlight my favorite quotes.

While this is worthy of five stars, there is one complaint I have. There is a part of the book where Saul says to Anne, "if you weren't hiding anything, you wouldn't be shaking like a leaf." While yes, Anne was hiding something, I feel like what Saul said isn't correct especially for people who are victims of domestic and/or child abuse. They don't do anything wrong yet they are always scared of their abuser because they look for something to get mad about. Just saying. Actually, Saul's anger could be a trigger for people.

Content Warning: Death, Cancer, Saul's Anger