I enjoyed this a lot more this time I read it. I think it was because I wasn't surprised by where the plot went like the first time I read it. (It turns into an adventure/survival type of story).

Tropes: (nearly) divorced couple, second chance romance

Content: remembering multiple rapes, mentions MC's romantic past, PTSD

4 Stars ( )

This was a pretty good book! I liked how the author tied faith in God throughout the whole book! ( )

4.5 stars.

With a gentle undercurrent of faith, Sweetbriar Cottage by Denise Hunter is an emotional second chance at love romance.

Noah Mitchell is stunned, dismayed and angry to learn that his divorce from his wife, Josephine, was never finalized.  The discovery stirs up all of his unresolved feelings about the demise of his marriage. Readily accepting responsibility for both the divorce and the paperwork mix-up, Josephine wants to fix the mistake as soon as possible. When an unexpected situation forces Noah and Josephine to spend time together, will they take advantage of this opportunity to heal the wounds from their past?

When Noah and Josephine first meet, neither of them is looking for a relationship.  Noah is well-adjusted with a loving family and although Josephine is new to town, she has a bit of a reputation.  Noah does not give any credence to this gossip and over the next several months, the two enjoy several sweet dates. Although his family and friends try to convince him to wait, he and Josephine marry after a bit of whirlwind courtship and there is no reason to doubt their love for one another.  While Noah does not know much about his new wife’s past, they are very happy together which is why he is so shocked when Josephine betrays him.  Devastated, Noah refuses to discuss what happened and immediately files for divorce.

Fast forward eighteen months and Noah is living on an isolated ranch where he raises horses. Josephine is still living in town but the two have managed to stay out of each other’s way since they split up. Their unexpected reunion is fraught with tension, hurt and anger. Unbeknownst to Noah, Josephine has taken steps to understand how her painful and unresolved past was still influencing her actions after she moved to town and throughout their marriage. Noah remains deeply conflicted over why their marriage ended, but is he finally ready to discuss the events that precipitated their divorce? And if he can understand what motivated Josephine’s behavior, will he, at long last, find it within his heart to forgive her? Although they make considerable progress working through their unresolved issues, is it possible for Noah and Josephine to truly leave their past behind and heal their fractured relationship?

Sweetbriar Cottage is a deeply moving story that deals with some very difficult subject matter. Denise Hunter deftly explores these complex topics with sensitivity and she never downplays the lasting effects of childhood abuse.  Noah and Josephine are multi-faceted characters whose flaws, weaknesses and insecurities are easy to relate to.  The storyline is richly developed with complicated and all too realistic issues that are addressed in a forthright and delicate manner. The resolution of Noah and Josephine’s problems is believable and readers will love the novel’s heartwarming conclusion. ( )

A friend asked me to read this story because she started reading it and didn't think it belonged in a church library. She told me about the premise - a couple who recently found out their divorced had been foiled got stuck in a snowstorm - and convinced me it was distasteful.

I'm SO glad she asked me to read this story. Not because it's inappropriate, but because it is a wonderful story with a very important Christ-honoring message. I didn't find any inappropriate parts in it, and will recommend it to our ADULT library patrons without hesitation.

Yes, the premise was a dangerous one. I'm impressed with how well Denise handled it.

Noah and Josephine thought they had put their unhappy marriage behind them - only to discover that through a technicality they had never actually divorced. There is a lot of pain and defensiveness between them at the beginning of this story, but when events conspire to keep them together and in danger, the love that they thought was gone resurfaces - along with the opportunity to talk through all that drove them apart in the first place. 2019 ( )