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The Spring Promise of Briar Glen

Book 5 in The Briar Glen series

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by Mary Ann Thursby

Saying yes to love doesn’t have to mean saying yes to everyone else’s expectations. Spring has finally settled over Briar Glen, thawing the valley and opening the windows of Sugar Maple & Sage to the sweet scent of lilacs and fresh beginnings. With an engagement ring on her finger and her beloved bakery thriving, fifty-one-year-old Claire Whitmore should feel completely settled. Instead, she’s facing an affectionate crisis. Her well-meaning community has taken hold of her upcoming wedding to Jonah Vale, turning what was meant to be an intimate ceremony beneath a budding pear tree into an elaborate town celebration. For a woman who spent decades finding her self-worth in being needed, Claire must learn that saying no to other people’s plans isn’t a rejection of love—it’s the only way to protect her own. Meanwhile, an unexpected arrival stirs long-buried memories in Briar Glen. Evelyn Hartwell has returned after thirty years away, carrying a battered suitcase, an unsent letter, and the quiet hope of settling an old family matter. But her younger sister, Lydia, has spent three decades building a quiet, independent life, and she has no intention of pretending the past never happened. As Jonah is offered a demanding historical restoration project along the coast and the sisters confront the truth of why their family fractured, the town learns that welcome cannot be forced, forgiveness cannot be hurried, and a shared future requires room for both people to grow. Return to Briar Glen for a warm, emotionally layered later-in-life romance about healthy boundaries, second chances, and the courage to choose a promise of your own. Perfect for readers who cherish small-town warmth, mature love stories, and the comforting atmosphere of women's fiction by authors like Jenny Colgan, Maeve Binchy, and Debbie Macomber.

Publication date: October 18, 2026