ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Since 2000, Shelley Sabga has sold twenty-six novels to numerous publishers. She has written a seven book contemporary series for Avalon books. She also published The Love Letter, a western for Avalon. Five Star Expressions published Suddenly, You in February of 2007. This novel is a historical western set in the mountains of Colorado.
Shelley has written nine novels for Harlequin American Romance. Cinderella Christmas, her first novel with them, reached number six on the Waldenbooks Bestseller list. Her second book with them, Simple Gifts won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice award for best Harlequin American Romance of 2006. The Mommy Bride, was chosen by Romantic Times Magazine as one of their TOP PICKS for May, 2008.
Under the name Shelley Shepard Gray, Shelley writes Amish romances for Harper Collins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. HIDDEN and WANTED the first two novels of her ‘Sisters of the Heart’ series, were chosen to be Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/ Literary Guild Book Club. FORGIVEN, book 3, has received glowing reviews. Avon Inspire is releasing four novels by Shelley this year.
Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelors and masters degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two teenagers, and is an active member of her church.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Some promises are meant to be broken…
Until Robert Miller met Lilly Allen, his world had been dark. A widower after only two years of marriage, he’d been living in a haze, feeling that, at twenty-four, his life was already over.
But thanks to his friendship with Lilly, he now has new reasons to wake up each day. He knows his connection to her doesn’t make sense. She’s only nineteen, with a past the whole town talks about. Even more, she’s not Amish, like Robert. A marriage between the two of them could never happen.
Lilly’s heart is drawn to Robert, not to his faith. No matter how much she admires his quiet strength and dependability, she doesn’t think she could ever give up her independence and reliance on the modern world. Is their love doomed before it even begins?
If you would like to read the first chapter of Autumn’s Promise, go HERE.
My Review:
I absolutely love Shelley’s work! She is a wonderfully seasoned Amish author. When she writes a series, the first installment is a wonderful one but each installment after is better than the one before. Each one also picks up right where the one before left off, bringing with it all the amazing characters from the past with it. FABULOUS!
Autumn’s Promise is beautifully done. We saw a lot of Lilly in Winter’s Awakening and Spring’s Renewal, and alot of Robert in Spring’s Renewal, as secondary characters, but this novel is created around their story. Lilly and Robert are from two VERY different worlds, one English and one Amish, but there’s sparks flying and one thing that they both share and what bonds them beyond a simple friendship: heartache. Both Lilly and Robert have been through the deepest, sorrowful heartache one could bear, and they can’t seem to let go of the past, nor can they deny the attraction they feel, despite the gossip spreading through Sugarcreek. Mixed with their heartache, the strength of family, trust and faith and a feeling of love is woven through out. These tender characters become your family, capture your heart completely and share their life’s lessons with the reader.
As you read Autumn’s Promise, you realize that this a bittersweet novel…you’re saying goodbye to fabulous friends and a feeling of peace and belonging. It’s a 5 star book that is full of lessons and is an outstanding conclusion to an incredibly penned Amish series. I highly recommend this to all Amish lovers and to those who’ve never read one, please start with Shelley’s amazing novels!
*This book was provided for review by Avon Inspire books*
