cover image When the Morning Glory Blooms

When the Morning Glory Blooms

Cynthia Ruchti. Abingdon, $14.99 trade paper (340p) ISBN 978-1-4267-3543-1

Anna, Ivy, and Becky are from three different generations of women but are linked by the same stigma attached to unplanned pregnancy. Ivy fears her fianc%C3%A9 will not accept their child when%E2%80%94and if%E2%80%94he returns from the Korean War. She meets elderly Anna and learns about Morning Glory, Anna's 60-year-old refuge for unwed mothers, a place where scores of desperate women have retreated to heal and rest. Can Ivy benefit from Anna's memories? And, in the present, Becky struggles with the myriad repercussions of her daughter's unplanned pregnancy. Times may change, but condemnation and judgment are constants. Yet each woman dares to hope in the power of grace, and to believe in the One who redeems all things. Ruchti (They Almost Always Come Home) weaves a potentially confusing storyline involving different eras into an intricate tapestry. She keeps it real, not wrapping up every conflict with a pretty bow of resolution. She also displays superb comedic timing in breaking the tension of emotionally heavy scenes. Readers will enjoy her delightful sense of humor and the richly developed secondary characters. Agent: Wendy Lawton, Books & Such Literary Agency. (Apr.)