The best romance novels and women’s fiction about marriages resurrected

Why am I passionate about this?

My passion for this theme comes from my own long marriage and my passion for it. Having heard the phrase “I wouldn’t put up with that” so many times, it’s a relief to me to read that yes, many people do. Instead of giving up on something as important to them as a life partnership, they don’t give up until all hope is gone. Marriage resurrected is all about hope.


I wrote...

A Soft Place to Fall

By Liz Flaherty,

Book cover of A Soft Place to Fall

What is my book about?

Early McGrath doesn't want freedom from her thirty-year marriage to Nash, but when it's forced upon her, she does the only thing she knows to do - she goes home to the Ridge to reinvent herself.

Only, what is someone who's spent her life taking care of other people supposed to do when no one needs her anymore? Even as the threads of her life unravel, she finds new ones - reconnecting with the church of her childhood, building the quilt shop that has been a long-time dream, and forging a new friendship with her former husband. The definition of freedom changes when it's combined with faith, and through it all perhaps Early and Nash can find a Soft Place to Fall.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of Life Without You

Liz Flaherty Why did I love this book?

I recommend this because it’s hard.

Achieving happily-ever-after after betrayal isn’t for the faint of heart and this book addresses that. You get the feels and, frankly, you suffer a little bit.

The hero isn’t likable and the reader has to learn to see what she saw. His point of view gives a special “yes, this” quality to the story. 

By S.P. West,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Life Without You as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Once upon a time in a land not so far away, a man and a woman fell in love. They were very happy. Until one day they weren’t – their happily ever after disappeared.This is their story.SummerHave you ever been in love?The kind of love that leaves you breathless and makes you feel like you can fly? I have…. It was the biggest mistake of my life. I let him become my everything; my sun, moon and stars but that wasn’t enough for him.What he did nearly destroyed me.My husband’s betrayal taught me the hard way that once trust is…


Book cover of Till the Stars Fall

Liz Flaherty Why did I love this book?

I could cheerfully “pick” any one of Kathleen Gilles Seidel’s books as a recommendation.

I have read, loved, and reread them all. In my reading mind, she has the purest voice in both romantic fiction and women’s fiction. Her characters are all fascinating, all different, and all relatable. They make you care.

Within this writer’s voice lies tenderness that is never wordy, never sappy, never tired. I don’t have enough words to explain it, so by all means, read hers for yourself. 

By Kathleen Gilles Seidel,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Till the Stars Fall as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In a small Minnesota mining town, young Krissa is sheltered from her violent father by Danny, the brother she idolizes. Danny, a budding musician, is determined to escape with his sister in tow.

When the pair finally succeed, they meet Quinn, a privileged and wealthy college student. Drawn together by a passion for music, Danny and Quinn set up a successful pop group. As their stars begin to rise, Danny falls in love with fame, and Quinn and Krissa fall in love with each other. But the higher Danny, Quinn and Krissa climb, the faster their worlds crumble, until they…


Book cover of Twelve Days

Liz Flaherty Why did I love this book?

I love this story, although my heart was breaking the whole time I read it.

Sam and Rachel’s dream of a houseful of kids is going to come true, at least for 12 days, although it’s already too late to salvage their marriage. Too much has happened…or hasn’t.

Rachel and Sam have already faced more loss and disappointment than they can bear, but it’s amazing what the heart can handle when it needs to, albeit with lots of cracks and scar tissue.

And it’s Christmas, after all… 

By Teresa Hill,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Twelve Days as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The timeless holiday love story from the USA Today bestselling author


Book cover of The Rescued

Liz Flaherty Why did I love this book?

This is written by one of my favorite authors of Amish stories.

There is much heartache in this story, but that goes along with the marriage resurrected theme; regardless of what happens, the story of a marriage disintegrating is painful.

While there is never doubt that Judith and Isaac’s relationship will survive, the story of how is captivating. 

By Marta Perry,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Rescued as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As an Amish wife and mother struggles to hold her family together, a story from the past teaches her how to face her daily challenges with strength and love in the second Keepers of the Promise novel.

In modern day central Pennsylvania, Judith Wegler tries to heal the growing rift between her husband, Isaac, and his teenage brother Joseph—whom Judith and Isaac have raised as their own ever since both brothers lost their parents and siblings in a horrific fire. Meanwhile, Isaac’s hurtful silence about this tragic past has robbed Judith of any certainty of her husband’s love. But when…


Book cover of Love in a Small Town

Liz Flaherty Why did I love this book?

I love reading about long marriages gone awry, and Mrs. Matlock definitely has a way of telling the story.

Molly and Tommy Lee are both mad, and it’s the story not just of them but of their family, too, and of the town of Valentine.

It’s easy reading, and the best part is that it’s only one novel placed in Valentine—there are others!

By Curtiss Ann Matlock,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Love in a Small Town as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“Matlock writes about generous people striving to live and love well. She does it beautifully.” ~ Contra Costa Times

Molly and Tommy Lee Hayes are considered the perfect couple. They are preparing to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary at the VFW hall. However, beneath the perfection, dissatisfaction smolders—a dissatisfaction that one morning propels Molly to pack her things, including her cat and her horse, and take off for the sanctuary of Aunt Hestie’s cottage, the place reserved for all women of her family who leave their husbands. Tommy Lee is left bewildered and holding his own anger.

With her engaging…


You might also like...

God on a Budget: and other stories in dialogue

By J.M. Unrue,

Book cover of God on a Budget: and other stories in dialogue

J.M. Unrue Author Of The Festival of Sin: and other tales of fantasy

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m an old guy. I say this with a bit of cheek and a certain amount of incongruity. All the books on my list are old. That’s one area of continuity. Another, and I’ll probably stop at two, is that they all deal with ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances—those curveballs of life we flail at with an unfamiliar bat; the getting stuck on the Interstate behind a semi and some geezer in a golf cap hogging the passing lane in a Buick Le Sabre. No one makes it through this life unscathed. How we cope does more to define us than a thousand smiles when things are rosy. Thus endeth the lesson.

J.M.'s book list on showing that somebody has it worse than you do

What is my book about?

Nine Stories Told Completely in Dialogue is a unique collection of narratives, each unfolding entirely through conversations between its characters. The book opens with "God on a Budget," a tale of a man's surreal nighttime visitation that offers a blend of the mundane and the mystical. In "Doctor in the House," readers are plunged into the emotionally charged moment when an oncologist delivers a life-altering diagnosis to a patient. The collection then shifts to "Prisoner 8086," a story about the unlikely friendship that blossoms between a prison volunteer and a habitual offender, exploring themes of redemption and human connection.

The heart of the book continues with "The Reunion," a touching narrative about high school sweethearts reuniting, stirring up poignant memories and unspoken feelings. "The Therapy Session" adds a lighter touch, presenting a serio-comic exchange between a therapist and a challenging patient. In "The Fishing Trip," a father imparts crucial life lessons to his daughter during an eventful outing, leading to unexpected consequences. "Mortality" offers a deeply personal moment as a mother shares a cherished, secret story from her past with her son.

The collection then takes a romantic turn in "The Singles Cruise," where two individuals find connection amidst shared stories on a cruise for singles. Finally, "Jesus and Buddha in the Garden of Eden" provides a satirical, thought-provoking encounter in the afterlife between two spiritual figures. The book concludes with "The Breakup," a nuanced portrayal of a young couple's separation, told from both perspectives, encapsulating the complexities of relationships and the human experience.

God on a Budget: and other stories in dialogue

By J.M. Unrue,

What is this book about?

Nine Stories Told Completely in Dialogue is a unique collection of narratives, each unfolding entirely through conversations between its characters. The book opens with "God on a Budget," a tale of a man's surreal nighttime visitation that offers a blend of the mundane and the mystical. In "Doctor in the House," readers are plunged into the emotionally charged moment when an oncologist delivers a life-altering diagnosis to a patient. The collection then shifts to "Prisoner 8086," a story about the unlikely friendship that blossoms between a prison volunteer and a habitual offender, exploring themes of redemption and human connection.

The…


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in romantic love, Amish, and Minnesota?

10,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about romantic love, Amish, and Minnesota.

Romantic Love Explore 828 books about romantic love
Amish Explore 24 books about Amish
Minnesota Explore 70 books about Minnesota