Plain Jane's Secret Admirer (The Heart of the Amish, Volume 11) by Anne Blackburne

Book Details: 

Title:  Plain Jane's Secret Admirer

Series: The Heart of the Amish, Volume 11

Author: Anne Blackburne

Publisher: Barbour

Release Date: January 1, 2026

Pages: 240  

Genre: Amish Romance

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Book Description:

Sweet, shy, and devoted Amish woman, Jane Bontrager secretly hates her childhood nickname of Plain Jane. She doesn’t know who started the ugly name back in her school days, but she can never forget how it has long made her feel.
 
Jane has a huge crush on Amish buggy maker Samuel Mast, but they are both so shy they are more likely to turn old and gray alone than to ever get together—especially since Samuel holds a secret or two of his own.
 
What can bridge the gap between two young people who both deserve love and happiness?

My Thoughts: Sweet and Captivating

This is a wonderful and sweet romance story. I loved the portrayal of the friendships between the characters and how their interactions were so true to life. They had me between smiling and wanting to shake someone, especially when they didn't step up to the plate to say what they should have said. Ah, but that was just one thing that added a special touch to the story. Well, that, and the combination of romance, mystery, and an unexpected twist made the story even more captivating.  

Jane and Sam's story is sweet, endearing, engaging, and full of faith, forgiveness, love, trust, and second chances. This blend makes this an absolute must-read. 

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and voluntary.

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About the Author:  Anne Blackburne

Anne Blackburne lives and works in Southeast Ohio as a newspaper editor and writer. She is the mother of five grown children, has one wonderful grandchild, and a spoiled poodle named Millie. For fun, when she isn’t working on Amish romance or sweet mysteries, Anne directs and acts in community theater productions and writes and directs original plays. She also enjoys reading, kayaking, swimming, searching for beach glass, and just sitting with a cup of coffee looking at large bodies of water. Her idea of the perfect vacation is cruising and seeing amazing new places with people she loves.

  

Taking a Second Shot by Leslie DeVooght

Book Details: 

Title:  Taking a Second Shot

Author: Leslie DeVooght

Publisher: Love Inspired

Release Date: December 30, 2025

Pages: 208  

Genre: Clean & Wholesome Romance

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Description:

Can he convince her
that he’s playing for keeps?

Struggling professional soccer player Rainey Allen has come to her grandparents’ small town in Georgia to train—certainly not to coach kids. But when a grief-stricken little boy gets excited about playing with her, she can’t refuse. Even if his uncle is Scott Wilcox, the source of Rainey’s worst preteen memory. Once on track to be a professional athlete himself, Scott is grappling with his new life as the high school baseball coach and guardian of his orphaned nephew. But as playing soccer puts the light back in Henry’s eyes, old wounds begin to heal. When Rainey gets her big break, will she give up on her dreams…or leave behind the family who stole her heart?

My Thoughts: Sweet Romance

This sweet romance is a wonderful story of two people with a history who end up reconnecting. Rainey and Scott's story had me smiling, laughing, pondering, and even brought a few tears to my eyes. Their story is one of faith, love, second chances, forgiveness, and new beginnings. These elements are blended in a way that kept me glued to the pages, as did Rainey's grandmother's antics and Henry's rollercoaster of emotions.

However, another element made this story extra special: a thought-provoking scenario and lesson that were woven throughout the story. In life, our human side seems to constantly be working toward various goals. Some may even take us on a lifelong journey. However, as we strive toward these goals, do we truly seek God's will and way with these goals? In the story, Scott had been through this, and Rainey is dealing with it. I love how the author presented this and how much it resonated with real life. It made the story that much more special, making it an absolute must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and voluntary.

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About the Author:  Leslie DeVooght

Leslie Kirby DeVooght writes women’s fiction inspired by romcoms, coastal Georgia, and fried okra! While Leslie and her family live in Jacksonville, Florida, they often visit her hometown of St. Simons Island, Georgia, where she loves to go for long walks on the beach. A graduate of Florida Southern College and Mercer Law School, Leslie is always revising her life from prosecutor to judge to PTA president to author of happily-ever-afters.