Senator's Bride: 12

In this chapter of Peart's Brides of Montclair series, the next generation of the Montroses and Camerons are looking for love and fulfillment. The Montrose children, who have been split up since the untimely death of their mother on the Titanic, finally reunite at the home of their grandmother in Virginia. The youngest, Bryanne, who has not seen her father, grandmother, sister, or brother in the ten years since her mother's death, is deeply disappointed that her father and brother are not interested in forming a stronger relationship, and she is very hurt when her wayward artist father leaves once again. Only her relationship with older sister Lynette is renewed and becomes stronger than ever. Both sisters experience their first loves, Lynette with an up-and-coming senatorial candidate, and Bryanne, with the handsome Irish groom. Their cousin-uncle Scott Cameron, editor of the local newspaper, decides to endorse Lynette's fiance Frank, not knowing that his old friend, war-hero Kip Montrose, has also decided to throw his hat into the race. Kip's aggressive campaign is suddenly halted, however, by the sudden and near-fatal illness of his son Luc. In the meantime, Jillian, Bryanne's English companion, finds herself drawn to Scott, and Crystal, a New York photographer, is hopelessly attracted to Kip. Kip, however, is torn once again between Scott's sisters, twins Kitty and Cara, both now attractive widows with a new maturity and wisdom that comes from the trials that they have experienced. On top of the varying love interests in this book, the underlying tension between the Montrose children's grandmothers, Garnet and Blythe, which has been a part of the last several books, finally comes to the surface in Senator's Bride. The Brides of Montclair is a great series, and my only complaint about these books is that Peart should have put a comprehensive family tree in each one so that I can keep these rather complicated Montrose/Cameron relationships straight, especially when a good bit of time elapses before I read the next installment. Senator's Bride was a great Christian romance; I recommend it and the entire series to anyone who likes this type of book.