About the Book
Neither wants to relive the past, but they need each other to face the future.
Connor Murphy lives by a code of honor and service. Dignified, duty-bound, and responsible, he’s spent the past eight years as a single enlisted airman, determined never to mess up another person’s life the way he did Sadie’s. As long as he follows orders, does his job well, and avoids romantic entanglements, he’ll do just fine. Of course, that last part was easier before Sadie rolled back into town.
Sadie Allen never intended to return to Sugar Pine—her hometown hosts too much regret—but she can’t face her health crisis alone. Not with a four-year-old depending on her. Even so, Connor Murphy’s proposal of a marriage of convenience wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. She can’t fault his reasoning—her prognosis is grim and her son could use a father—but her heart aches at the thought of a marriage without romance. Especially to the one man she’s never gotten over.
The day-to-day challenges of Sadie’s illness are enough to strain the strongest relationships, let alone one hastily conceived in the shadow of past mistakes. Will the pressure be too much for their marriage to withstand, or will they allow God to forge something beautiful through their pain?
Excerpt
Sadie froze, her heart crashing into a painful stall. Connor? Connor Murphy? She’d made it no farther than to stand beside the card table, and she found that she’d been rendered immobile in a world that spun around her.
“Good morning, Mrs. Allen.” A deep, quiet voice reached Sadie’s hearing. The sound of it was vaguely familiar, yet changed. Nine years would do that to a teenager who was now a full-grown man. “Merry Christmas.”
Gooseflesh rippled along Sadie’s arm as she imagined why Connor Murphy would be at her parents’ house.
“Merry Christmas to you too, Connor.” Mom’s cheerful greeting held unmistakable strain. “Please come in.”
“Thank you, ma’am.” A hollow clomping sound filled the space as Connor must have stomped his feet. “Sure smells good in here.”
And then he was there. All six-foot-four inches of him, wearing a hooded US Air Force sweatshirt, sporting his sandy-brown hair in a groomed military cut, turning those dark-green eyes to her. Sadie held her breath.
“Sadie.” His lips closed after he breathed her name, and he stilled, his intense stare pinned on her.
Sometimes she’d wondered what it would be like to see him again. Would the girlish crush she’d had on him since they were eight make her heart mushy? Or would regret make her want to disappear? What would he say, do? What did he think of her now, after everything?
She felt mostly numb. And by his silence, he didn’t know what to think or do either.
Review
Jennifer Rodewald’s books always clench my heart in a fist—sometimes gently, other times not so gently!—but this story has a particularly poignant quality of vulnerability and tenderness due to both the situation and the personalities of the characters. Marriage of convenience is one of my favourite tropes, and until recently it’s been almost exclusively the domain of historical romance, but this story is a shining example of how well it can work in a modern setting.
I formed an attachment to Connor Murphy the first time I met him. He fits right in to his family of jokesters but also quickly impressed me as the Murphy brother you would want behind you in a crisis. And that’s exactly where Sadie is at the beginning of this story: A single mother facing the fact that she may not be around to see her four-year-old son grow up. Is it any surprise Connor steps up with a literal proposal to support her through her crisis?
The beauty of this story lies in Connor’s absolute commitment to Sadie and his love and care for her even before that developed into a romantic attachment. It’s also in the way Sadie and Connor worked through the very real and complex emotions that came with their situation—both their current circumstances and the history that lay between them. As is so often the case with Rodewald’s stories, this isn’t just a romance; it’s a love story. And it’s a beautiful antithesis to the dominant narratives about romance and marriage found in our contemporary culture.
The Murphy Brothers series is quickly becoming one of my all-time favourite romance series!
I received a copy of this novel from the author. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.
Previous Books in the Series
About the Author
Jennifer Rodewald/J. Rodes lives on the wide plains somewhere near the middle of Nowhere. A coffee addict, pickleball enthusiast, and storyteller, she also wears the hats of mom, teacher, and friend. Mostly, she loves Jesus and wants to see others fall in love with Him too.
Connect with Jen: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Superb review! I will have to add this book to my ever-growing TBR pile. 😀
I love Jen’s books, but I’m way behind in reading them. I must catch up soon! Thanks for the review!
I’m so glad you loved Connor and Sadie! Thank you for reading and for this lovely review!