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 revie

This story was a page turner. Not because there was a mystery or murder but because of how well written It was. The story had all the highlights I wanted in a book, such as love, understanding, and relatable characters. This is a good story and I am so grateful I was chosen to read it.

Loved a mother's love it draws me right in to the story loved the covers and title story line and cover. She's one of my favorite authors!!

One book that has your rooting for Rose and her daughter. A surprise find and blessing end.

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.

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.

Rose’s mother Lydia was dying from cancer and Rose prayed all night for God to heal her. Gracie was Rose’s five year old precious daughter. Rose and her family were Amish. It had been very hard and sad this fall and winter as last summer there had been a fire at the sawmill that took Rose’s father and husbands- Nathan’s- lives. Rose’s mother had been in remission from breast cancer as a young woman for the last thirty years. After losing her husband Lydia’s cancer seem to come back with a vengeance. Lydia told Rise there was a stationary box in her drawer that would explain everything. Lydia also added not to try to find her they had promised Rose wouldn’t After her mother passed away rose went and got the box and she found out Lydia and Myron were not her biological parents. She had been born of a sixteen year old girl during her rumspringa - Roseanne and a boy named Joel had left the Amish as he was an artist. Lydia had been crying when Roseanne’s great aunt seen her and found out because of the cancer Lydia would never be able to have her own child. Afew hours after Rose was born it was set up for Lydia and Myron to adopt baby Rose. Roseanne stayed with Lydia and Myron for eight months until Rose had been weaned. After she had left she went by Anne as she had left her Rose behind. Rose went to the store owned by Sam. Rose and a man collided as he came into the shop. Sam told rose the man’s name was Matthias and he had a harness shop in Willow Ridge. Matthias asked what he could do for Rose Matthias thought about a date and he was shocked as he had not thought about another woman since Sadie his wife had died with their unborn first child three years ago. As Matthias was moving to Morning Star he realized this was the first time he had lived alone in his life’ He also thought how Gracie would bring this house to life. He also thought about Rose. Rose went around to neighboring time and left index cards on the message board at the plain stores asking for work as she needed to support herself and Gracie. She got a call from the Senior Center in Morning Star to cook. They had a plain woman before and the people living there had loved her cooking. But the woman had to leave. Rose was offered the job and Gracie could be with her. After a rain storm Sherrie Rose an vacant apartment where her and Gracie could stay during the week instead of going back and forth every day. Gracie made friends with the people that lived at the center. Mathias said he would keep their horse and buggy. Rose also met her biological mother Anne and Anne’s mother in law Martha Meade.
I loved this book it showed a lot about the Amish way of life and how the Amish still sin and have to ask God to forgive them and to trust God to lead them in his will. I loved Rose and Matthias together and felt Gracie was the star of this book. I loved Anne and her mother in law and Sherrie also. This was just an enjoyable easy read. I couldn’t find anything to criticize in this book and that was of course absolutely great!!! At times I smiled and at times I choked up while reading this book. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend.

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.

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.

Charlotte Hubbard writes compelling Amish Fiction that grab the reader and doesn't let go until the very last page. A Mother's Love is just such a novel. Rose and Gracie live with Rose's mother, Lydia, who is dying of cancer. As Lydia grows closer to death, she tells Rose about a box of letters and tells Rose not to do anything about the letters once she reads them. When Rose does get to read them, she finds out that she's adopted and it tilts her world sideways in the midst of her grief. Just three years earlier she lost her husband and her father in an accident at the sawmill.

Rose can't get past the fact that she needs to find a job to support herself and her daughter, Gracie. Her bishop advises her to let the community support her for a while. Her independence won't allow her to sit idle. She posts notices and gets a phone call the same day for an interview. She gets the job cooking for a Senior Center that puts her right in the path of meeting her birth mother.

The drama of meeting her mother is one of the biggest ties that hold this book together. In the midst of this situation, she meets Matthias Wagler, who stands beside her to wade through this conundrum.

The book not only entertains, it also teaches grace, humility, and forgiveness.

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a homecooked meal.

My thanks to Kensington Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

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.

A sweet story about love and forgiveness. The author has made the characters so believable, each having their own flaws that are relatable. I love the way the author portrayed the bishops, both godly and reasonable. Gracie was such a ray of sunshine. Thoroughly enjoyed the book!

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.

I loved this sweet story and when the last page was turned, I wanted to continue on and live with these people that I had come to care for, especially little Gracie.
Can you imagine sitting at the deathbed of you mother, and learning that all you have believed all your life is a lie, or is it? This is basically what happened to our main character, and how she handles this information is really not in her hands. She is told by both her mother and her Bishop not to pursue finding her mother, and God sure seemed to have other ideas, but in the end are the Bishop and her mother really right.
What a heart breaking topic, but told with such compassion and love, and with so much tragedy in their young lives, Rose and Gracie seem to pull up their boots and move on with their lives.
If you enjoy Amish stories this is one read you don’t want to miss, filled with love and compassion, and for some life lessons, and I finished in no time, but found the story lingering with me.

I received this book through the Publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.

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.
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for a review copy for my honest opinion. (less)