Review_FICTION
car accident the year before, but immediately recognizes her
daughter, Leah, at the farmer’s market where he is helping his best
friend, Ben. Sebastian is smitten—until he discovers she is the
same Leah that Ben has pining for the last two years. Even though
Sebastian has vowed to avoid her, the two become friends when
Leah reaches out to enlist his help investigating hospital records
about her switched at birth theory. The more time they spend
together, the stronger their attraction grows, and Leah prays on
whether to open up her heart to Sebastian. Sebastian, meanwhile,
with Ben’s support and blessing, releases his own anger at God for
the death of his mother at a young age. Leah’s logical, solutions-
oriented mind and Sebastien’s guarded, moody personality make
for a quirky and exciting match. This is Wade’s most powerful
work yet. (May)An Amish Surprise
Shelley Shepard Gray. Gallery, $16 trade paper (320p) ISBN 978-1-
982148-45-4
Gray’s lovely second in her Berlin Bookmobile series (A Perfect
Amish Romance) sees Sarah Anne Miller helping another family as
she volunteers as a traveling librarian delivering books to the
Amish community. When Sarah Anne is courted by handsome
widower Pete Cannon, she worries that pursuing the romance will
dishonor the memory of her late husband, who died of cancer a
few years before. Meanwhile, she does her best dealing with the
Miller family, who frequent the bookmobile with six rowdy chil-
dren. The oldest boy, Miles, is a 10-year-old foster child. A young
married farmer, Calvin, takes a special interest in the child since
he and his wife, Miriam, have been unable to have their own chil-
dren. Calvin longs to adopt Miles but Miriam is initially against
the idea. When Miriam becomes pregnant, she chooses to keep it
a secret, because she’s afraid of losing the baby and disappointing
Calvin. As Calvin grows closer to Miles, Miriam learns to release
her pride, trust in God, and open her heart to the boy. Sarah Anne
also realizes that she needs to trust God’s plan instead of her own,
with ramification for her relationship with Pete. Gray’s fully real-
ized characters, believable situations, and delicately woven bib-
lical themes make this a standout. Gray’s fans will be thrilled. (May)Comics
Penny: A Graphic Memoir
Karl Stevens. Chronicle, $19.95 trade paper (156p) ISBN 978-1-4521-8305-3
“Am I in denial that I am living in a prison?” muses Penny, the
pet cat of Stevens (The Winner), in this gracefully drawn, intermit-
tently amusing “graphic memoir” imagined from the feline’s per-
spective. Penny reveals her philosophical inner life along with her
deeply mercurial nature, and the humor
stems from this duality. She contrasts
her days living on the streets as a stray
with her present life as a seemingly
domesticated house cat, forever torn
between longing for the “glory of the
next grand adventure” and her comfort-
able day-to-day with her humans
(whom she observes with mild disdain).Put Your
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