"Unforgiven" by Shelley Shepard Gray

Unforgiven (May 21, 2024) by Shelley Shepard Gray.*

<This is the first book in a series.>

Two former Amish live in the Amish community they grew up in. Seth Zimmerman is an ex-con, having served time for a death most know was an accident, in which he was fighting off Bethanne Hostetler’s attacker. These three years later, Bethanne is withdrawn from others due to the trauma. Tabitha Yoder, while not excommunicated from the church, was still shunned by many for divorcing Leon, even though her ex was so horribly abusive that she landed in the hospital with critical injuries. Their unborn baby didn’t make it. Seth has been helping Tabitha. Three years her junior, he had a crush on her as a 14-year-old schoolboy when Tabitha was their school teacher. He chops wood, drops off food and clears her driveway. He helps take care of her where others won’t. Slowly, Tabitha opens up to Seth, and an uneasy friendship emerges. Around this time, gifts begin appearing on her porch, and it’s obvious that they’re from her abusive ex. She’s fought through fire and has worked hard to maintain her freedom, and she intends to keep that freedom to live her best life.
        This is only the second story I’ve read by Gray, but I’ve already found that it’s easy to get swept up in her stories. I rooted for Tabitha and Seth right away, reading as they found happiness, redemption and forgiveness. I enjoyed the suspense element in this Amish contemporary romance novel. There is a refreshing blend of idyll and danger with the hesitancy of opening one’s heart to another and the power of faith and hopefulness. Her writing is charming and magnetic. Gray excels at her storytelling craft, and I look forward to reading more of her stories, including those in this new series set in Crittenden County, Kentucky.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”