Book Spotlight: A Search for Redemption by Jo Ann Brown

 Joel’s return to Bliss Valley—and the Plain people—is his last chance to redeem a life filled with missteps. Yet in Grace, Joel finds something he never imagined: trust, courage and even the possibility of hope. When Grace suddenly finds herself the guardian of her nephews, Joel sees an opportunity to keep two wayward boys from repeating his mistakes. But Joel’s dark past isn’t quite finished with him. And now he must pray that his new life is strong enough to withstand the pending storm of trouble…and secrets.

“Brown is a gifted writer who makes unforgettable characters that invite the reader to join them on their journey.” —Publishers Weekly bestselling author Marie E. Bast

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READ AN EXCERPT FROM A SEARCH FOR REDEMPTION

Now he was back in Bliss Valley, and he was wearing the broadfall trousers Grace’s mamm had had waiting in the dawdi haus last night. His fingers had fumbled buttoning them closed. Before he’d left home, he would have buttoned them up without thinking. He’d become too accustomed to zippers. His cotton shirt in a purple that he would never have chosen himself was looser and allowed more air circulation than the T-shirts he was used to. At first, he’d disdained the suspenders lying next to them, but after having to hold on to the waist of his trousers to keep them from dropping, he’d hooked them in place. 

Setting the paint can on the ground, he touched his goatee. Did he look as if he was straddling two worlds that had little in common? Like he felt? 

He’d waited in the dawdi haus until Grace had left for the shop. He wasn’t sure if she’d be amused or appalled to see him in such clothing. He’d been astonished how important it had become for her to think well of him. For a moment, he allowed himself the special delight of thinking about her. Her pretty smile, her sparkling green eyes, her fiery hair that he longed to see loose along her back as he let his fingers sift through its rich silk. 

Two things hadn’t changed since the first time he’d seen her. He still yearned to draw her close and sample her soft lips. Yet, even if he hadn’t been a convicted felon, she was plain and he was… He wasn’t sure what he was any longer, but even a single kiss would mean something different to Grace than it did to an Englisch woman. For an Amish woman, a kiss was a pledge of one’s heart. 

His fingers tightened around the paintbrush he held as he took a deep, deep breath of the fragrant air. Smells from the neighboring farms and the heat off the asphalt road flavored it. Cheerful voices reached him, and he noticed a group of scholars walking toward the school building that was hidden by a sharp corner in the road. The same school he’d attended in what seemed like someone else’s life. He must once have sounded as carefree as the kinder passing this farm on his way to school, but he couldn’t recall now. By cutting his connections to Bliss Valley, he’d ripped away so much of his childhood. 

Joel pried open the can and stirred its contents before dipping his brush in the thick, white paint. He’d already washed the fence with a dripping sponge, getting rid of spiderwebs as well as debris. It hadn’t taken long for the wood to dry in the hot sunshine. The calendar might have turned over to September, but summer wasn’t ready to give them any surcease from the heat and humidity.

ISBN-13: 978-1-335-53003-5 

A Search for Redemption 

Copyright © 2022 by Jo Ann Ferguson 

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. 

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental. 

For questions and comments about the quality of this book, please contact us at [email protected]. Love Inspired 22 Adelaide St. West, 41st Floor Toronto, Ontario M5H 4E3, Canada www.LoveInspired.com Printed in U.S.A

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jo Ann Brown has published over 100 titles under a variety of pen names. A former military officer, she enjoys taking pictures and traveling. She has taught creative writing for more than 20 years and is always excited when one of her students sells a project. She has been married for more than 40 years and has three children and two rambunctious cats. She lives in Amish Country in southeastern Pennsylvania. She enjoys hearing from her readers.

Connect with Jo Ann by visiting joannbrownbooks.com to subscribe to email newsletter updates.

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TOUR GIVEAWAY

(1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight August 1, 2022 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on August 8, 2022. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US/CAN only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

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