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Tender Vow
Michigan–born brothers John and Jason Evans took a ski trip in the Rockies, but only one came home alive–John was tragically killed on a daring descent down Devil's Run, an infamously dangerous slope.
In an attempt to soothe his guilt and grief, Jason sets out to make amends with his widowed sister–in–law, Rachel, by offering to help with her two small children, doing odd jobs around her house, and trying to ease her own heavy burden of grief. A new Christian, he is bent on growing his faith and helping Rachel see her way through the fog of pain and confusion.
Left to raise her three–year–old daughter and newborn son on her own, Rachel Evans is anything but willing to become her brother–in–law's charity case, particularly since they have a history she'd rather forget. She's determined to make it on her own but soon finds that God has other plans for her–and for Jason. Can she accept the Lord's leading and still honor her late husband's memory?
In an attempt to soothe his guilt and grief, Jason sets out to make amends with his widowed sister–in–law, Rachel, by offering to help with her two small children, doing odd jobs around her house, and trying to ease her own heavy burden of grief. A new Christian, he is bent on growing his faith and helping Rachel see her way through the fog of pain and confusion.
Left to raise her three–year–old daughter and newborn son on her own, Rachel Evans is anything but willing to become her brother–in–law's charity case, particularly since they have a history she'd rather forget. She's determined to make it on her own but soon finds that God has other plans for her–and for Jason. Can she accept the Lord's leading and still honor her late husband's memory?
360 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2010
6 people are currently reading
84 people want to read
About the author
Sharlene MacLaren
35 books225 followersAfter 31 years of teaching second and fourth grades, Shar decided to say, "Bye-bye, Students!" and "Hello, Writing World!" and it's been an interesting, exciting, challenging, and inspiring adventure. One thing she knows for certain—God dropped a seed of passion for writing in her heart back in the summer of 2000, and He's been growing it ever since. She signed on with Whitaker House Publishers in early 2006 and in December of that same year released Through Every Storm, a general fiction title that finaled in the American Christian Fiction Writers Book-of-the-Year. Another general fiction title, Long Journey Home, hit shelves in 2008. (It is her pleasure to announce that both of these titles are also available in SPANISH.)
Sharlene’s beloved, bestselling “Little Hickman Creek Series” released in 2007-08. This 3-book series set in 1895 KENTUCKY won the “Road to Romance” Reviewers’ Choice Award and a third place standing in the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest in 2008 and 2009. Also, in 2009, her historical series, “The Daughters of Jacob Kane”, began hitting bookshelves in stores countrywide. In late summer of 2010, Tender Vow, another general fiction stand-alone, will release, and following that, a 1920s 3-book set called “River of Hope”. The first in that series, River Song, should become available in the spring of 2011. Yep, you guessed it – Shar is BUSY!!!
Shar has done numerous book-signings across the country, appeared on many national television and radio shows, and participated in countless interviews. She has been married to the love of her life since December of 1975, has two wonderful daughters and two handsome sons-in-law. The joys of her life, however, are her adorable grandchildren. Besides her involvement in music at her local church, Shar has been a speaker for the local MOPS organization, is involved in KIDS’ HOPE, USA, a mentoring program for at-risk children, counsels young women in the international APPLES OF GOLD program, and attends two bi-weekly Bible studies. She and her darling husband, Cecil, live in Spring Lake, Michigan with Peyton, their loveable collie, and Mocha, their big, lazy cat.
Sharlene’s beloved, bestselling “Little Hickman Creek Series” released in 2007-08. This 3-book series set in 1895 KENTUCKY won the “Road to Romance” Reviewers’ Choice Award and a third place standing in the Inspirational Readers’ Choice Contest in 2008 and 2009. Also, in 2009, her historical series, “The Daughters of Jacob Kane”, began hitting bookshelves in stores countrywide. In late summer of 2010, Tender Vow, another general fiction stand-alone, will release, and following that, a 1920s 3-book set called “River of Hope”. The first in that series, River Song, should become available in the spring of 2011. Yep, you guessed it – Shar is BUSY!!!
Shar has done numerous book-signings across the country, appeared on many national television and radio shows, and participated in countless interviews. She has been married to the love of her life since December of 1975, has two wonderful daughters and two handsome sons-in-law. The joys of her life, however, are her adorable grandchildren. Besides her involvement in music at her local church, Shar has been a speaker for the local MOPS organization, is involved in KIDS’ HOPE, USA, a mentoring program for at-risk children, counsels young women in the international APPLES OF GOLD program, and attends two bi-weekly Bible studies. She and her darling husband, Cecil, live in Spring Lake, Michigan with Peyton, their loveable collie, and Mocha, their big, lazy cat.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 23, 2025
Loved it! Sharlene MacLaren is an amazing storyteller, really getting at the heart and hesitations of human emotion. I have loved every single one of her books that I’ve read but this one is my favorite so far!
May 13, 2020
𝒊 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒔𝒐𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉, 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕
February 28, 2017
The first time I have read anything by her. I like her writing style.
September 6, 2010
After reading Sharlene MacLaren's Daughters of Jacob Kane series, she has quickly made a place for herself on my "must read" author list. I was thrilled to get a copy of Tender Vow thru FIRST Wild Card Tours, and am really glad I did. I fell in love with all of the characters from page one (with the exception of Candace!), but I especially loved Rachel's 3-year-old daughter, Meagan. She's a real hoot! You never know what will come out of her mouth next, just like my 3-year-old nephew. :)
Tender Vow covers quite a range of emotions, from Rachel's heart-break over the tragic loss of her husband at such a young age, to Jason's deep-seated love for his sister-in-law. Anger and hurt feeling also play a large part in the Evans family's healing process -- it seems as though Jason's dad blames him for his brother's death, and they have a tough time repairing their relationship. God really does bring something good out of tragedy, as we see Jason find his way back to His heavenly Father as he continuously deals with his guilt over the death of his brother, John.
We get to see God's hand at work as Jason tries his best to take care of Rachel and her children, but at the same time, give her the space she needs to properly deal with her loss. In the end, God sees fit to bless them both with the desires of their hearts, but in His own time.
Tender Vow covers quite a range of emotions, from Rachel's heart-break over the tragic loss of her husband at such a young age, to Jason's deep-seated love for his sister-in-law. Anger and hurt feeling also play a large part in the Evans family's healing process -- it seems as though Jason's dad blames him for his brother's death, and they have a tough time repairing their relationship. God really does bring something good out of tragedy, as we see Jason find his way back to His heavenly Father as he continuously deals with his guilt over the death of his brother, John.
We get to see God's hand at work as Jason tries his best to take care of Rachel and her children, but at the same time, give her the space she needs to properly deal with her loss. In the end, God sees fit to bless them both with the desires of their hearts, but in His own time.
September 6, 2010
3.5 stars
I'm a huge fan of Sharlene MacLaren and her historical series'. She has a terrific writing style and a way of making you feel connected to the characters. I thought that I would really enjoy her latest contemporary romance, Tender Vow. Unfortunately it was a little hard for me to get into this book. Don't get me wrong, it was worth reading but something was missing! I'm not sure what though, it just didn't set right with me. I'm not usually like this when I read, I can pick out clear cut reasons as to why I did or did not like a book. It was excellent as far as a great Christian message of a family relying more strongly upon God after a tragedy. It also had some romantic moments that sizzled. Maybe it was the rather abrupt ending that bugged me. In spite of that I still recommend Sharlene MacLaren to everyone who is looking for sweet romances (my review of her latest historical, Abbie Ann). She is still one of my very favorite authors. I can't wait for her next historical series, River of Hope coming in 2011!
Special thanks to Cathy Hickling of Whitaker House for sending me a review copy.
I'm a huge fan of Sharlene MacLaren and her historical series'. She has a terrific writing style and a way of making you feel connected to the characters. I thought that I would really enjoy her latest contemporary romance, Tender Vow. Unfortunately it was a little hard for me to get into this book. Don't get me wrong, it was worth reading but something was missing! I'm not sure what though, it just didn't set right with me. I'm not usually like this when I read, I can pick out clear cut reasons as to why I did or did not like a book. It was excellent as far as a great Christian message of a family relying more strongly upon God after a tragedy. It also had some romantic moments that sizzled. Maybe it was the rather abrupt ending that bugged me. In spite of that I still recommend Sharlene MacLaren to everyone who is looking for sweet romances (my review of her latest historical, Abbie Ann). She is still one of my very favorite authors. I can't wait for her next historical series, River of Hope coming in 2011!
Special thanks to Cathy Hickling of Whitaker House for sending me a review copy.
February 9, 2011
A Christian story of grief, hope, redemption and mostly love. The story is told from two points of view, switching between the male and female protagonists. For the most part this works well.
Rachel has just lost her husband, John, to a skiing accident. Both families are devastated, including John's brother Jason who was on the ski trip when the tragedy occurred. Guilt ridden, Jason wants to help Rachel any way he can. Old feelings surface. Jason wants to rekindle old feelings and Rachel does not, but with a 3-year-old precocious daughter and a newborn son, Rachel needs Jason's help.
Reluctantly, feelings surface on both sides. What will the families say? Is this even "right?" Can Rachel and Jason figure out what is the best thing to so: follow their hearts or keep an appropriate distance? This is a page-turner which both those who like Christian books and those that do not will surely enjoy.
"Tender Vows" is a classic love story with interesting twists. A most enjoyable read. You won't want to put the book down and when finished will want a sequel detailing the future of both these families.
Received from Publisher
Rachel has just lost her husband, John, to a skiing accident. Both families are devastated, including John's brother Jason who was on the ski trip when the tragedy occurred. Guilt ridden, Jason wants to help Rachel any way he can. Old feelings surface. Jason wants to rekindle old feelings and Rachel does not, but with a 3-year-old precocious daughter and a newborn son, Rachel needs Jason's help.
Reluctantly, feelings surface on both sides. What will the families say? Is this even "right?" Can Rachel and Jason figure out what is the best thing to so: follow their hearts or keep an appropriate distance? This is a page-turner which both those who like Christian books and those that do not will surely enjoy.
"Tender Vows" is a classic love story with interesting twists. A most enjoyable read. You won't want to put the book down and when finished will want a sequel detailing the future of both these families.
Received from Publisher
September 27, 2010
Shar Maclaren has written some of my favorite historical romance books of all time. She has 2 separate series that were so good I was always on the edge of my seat waiting for the next one to come out (Daughters of Jacob Kane series and Little Hickman Creek series). While her historical books capture the essence of the time periods and places to me, her contemporary romances don't pack the same punch for me. Tender Vow is a nice story with nice characters and some little twists in the plot (nothing too big) but the whole concept of the widow of one man falling in love with her husband's brother just didn't sit quite right with me. It was probably a personal thing and there will be tons of people that love this book. For me, I will continue to be first in line for every historical book Sharlane Maclaren writes, but I won't be in as a big a hurry to get the contemporary books.
February 11, 2011
I loved Sharlene's Daughters of Jacob Kane series and so I was curious about reading more from her. This is a sweet story about love and forgiveness. Sharlene did a great job of capturing the grief that surrounds loss and the exploration of new feelings as people move forward. The Christian elements are strong, with Rachel and Jason both learning how to listen to the voice of God in their lives. The novel is somewhat light and a bit predictable, despite the subject matter, but it is still a sweet story. Perfect for an afternoon escape.
December 27, 2015
This was my introduction to Sharlene MacLaren back in 2012 (before I started reviewing everything I read.) :) This was an amazing book. The story telling style of this lady is amazing. I really hated when the story ended, but was glad to see that she had written other books I hadn't read yet and my journey began. Today I eagerly await her next book coming out and am really glad I decided to read Tender Vow. It's lead to a lot of other great stories, both historical and contemporary.
September 8, 2010
Tender Vow definitely captured my emotions! I felt like I was connected to the characters, and I really was interested in their story. This is a sweet, gives-you-happy-feelings kind of book. It has a great plot, with characters that are deep and you really get to find out about them more as people than just characters. Sharlene did a great job. I can’t wait to see what she has coming next!!
August 21, 2013
Five stars for a Christian romance novel? Absolutely. Sharlene MacLaren's ability to weave a story full of believable experiences with realistic dialogue is amazing. A tragic death, sibling rivalry, suffocating grief, single parenting, and redeeming love; it's all in "Tender Vow". It's the kind of book that you want to read again. . . . . . . . just as soon as you finish it the first time!
December 3, 2010
This book was sad but heart warming at the same time. It makes me believe that love will overcome! Sharlene has a way of writing that makes you feel that you personally know the characters in her book.
December 4, 2013
This book is romantic. Especially being a Christian love story. It just was too mushy and passionate for me. But still, I'd recommend it to my Christian girl friends. The story shows a good example of how God works in matters of the heart. Very lovely and insightful indeed.
Want to read
August 21, 2010*Thanks to Whitaker House for providing a copy for review through FIRST Wild Card Tours.*
-- Look for a preview in September
-- Look for a preview in September
December 31, 2010
Sweet story about forgiveness and a new start. Fairly predictable plot but with likeable characters and a great message.
February 5, 2013
This was an excellent story.
November 9, 2012
Great book. The author did a great job with realism in the childs personality and the grieving of the mother.
August 19, 2013
Forgiveness is a theme.
Read
June 9, 2014Loved it!
November 4, 2016
So, I enjoyed this. The first half was really good. Us then it just dragged on and on so the second half was more2 stars. Overall ok read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2015
MacLaren is an amazing author. She knows how to keep her reader's attention! I couldn't put this books down until it was finished!
April 22, 2011
Sweet and inspiring. Definitely a touching story.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews