Love's First Bloom by Delia Parr

Under the cover of darkness, Ruth Livingstone is ferried to a new home, under a new name, with a new charge under her care. Scandalous accusations have been raised against her father - a minister! She leaves town with a small baby in her care under the name Widow Malloy until her father's name is cleared and she can be free to be herself again and find a real home for sweet Baby Lily.

When things don't go well with the trial, Ruth finds herself feeling lost and alone. She finds comfort tending a old forsaken garden until Jake Spencer arrives. Can she trust this stranger? Finally, a friendship forms between them which starts to blossom into more. But when the secrets they each hold finally come to the surface, their love is in danger of being lost forever.

I found this book a little slow, but I still enjoyed it. Although it had a little mystery behind it, it didn't grab me til near the end. The concept was good though and the love story was sweet. I'll probably read it again some time in the future.

Thanks to Bethany House Publishers for a free copy of this book to Review.