Sarah Schwerin's debut novel delves into the early 1950's and the era of rampant polio infections. When one couple's daughter contracts the disease, their family fragments, with each parent pulling in a different direction. Just when things start looking up, something else pushes the couple apart. They alternately blame the other and then themselves for its failure. Only God can restore their marriage, but they must stop their struggle and turn to Him. 

Similar to her previous book, Starr Ayers gives us two stories in one and the origin of the lavender bicycle introduced in Waiting for Sunset. The two romances share the theme of believing in someone despite the circumstances, but one is a sweet first love story, and the other involves a more mature couple. In both, the characters must find a way to move beyond past hurts to forge a better future.

Gracie has convinced her family to let her pursue her ministry as an orphanage worker. She has no intention of marrying and rather pours all her love into the children. Unfortunately, the orphanage director, Matthew, falls in love with Gracie and finds her a distraction to his own devotion. Although he feels God has chosen Gracie for his lifelong partner, he's at a loss as how to convince her that they can do this ministry together.

A young woman who is resigned to becoming a spinster librarian in her small town is surprised that a temporary citizen takes an interest in her as well as in the historical library where she works. The newcomer plumbs her knowledge about the area and learns that the town council plans to raze the library to avoid pouring more money into it. In this story, the secondary characters--mostly senior citizens--keep the plot moving forward while the unlikely romance grows between a wanderer and a home-body.