Courting Emily, Wells Landing, Book 2, by Amy Lillard

About Book

Return to Wells Landing, the close-knit Amish community in Oklahoma, where a hopeful young woman struggles to find true love while staying true to her faith. . .

Emily Ebersol is the bishop's daughter, and everyone--including Emily--assumes she'll marry a faithful Amish man and live out her days within the community. But her childhood sweetheart, Luke Lambright, fell in love with racing cars during his rumspringa and decided to leave Wells Landing. Emily prays for his return, but as the months go by, she begins spending time with another young man--a man who may not be as exciting as Luke, but perhaps he's exactly what she needs. . .

Elam Rhiel knows that Emily has always been in love with Luke--but he is certain he could be the loyal, steady husband Emily deserves. Then, just as Emily begins to fall for him, Luke returns and complicates her feelings. Now, they all must learn that the greatest love requires the greatest sacrifice. . .

Paperback, 368 pages

Published January 6th 2015 by Zebra/Kensington

ISBN

1420134558 (ISBN13: 9781420134551)

series

Wells Landing #2

About Amy

I’m a wife, mother, and bona fide Southern belle. Published author, expert corn bread maker, and Squirrel

Princess.

I live in Tulsa, though I was born in Mississippi. I moved to the Sooner State when I was seventeen and met my soul mate and best friend not long after. I’ve retained a little of my Mississippi accent though most people think I’m from Texas. (?) Rob and I have been married for over twenty-five years and have a son–a mom proclaimed prodigy, of course!

I love homemade tacos, nail polish, and romance novels–not necessarily in that order. I’m a big fan of country music, a staunch proponent of saving the Oxford comma, and I’m shamefully obsessed with all things Harry Potter.

I dislike people trying to convince me to read the Twlight series (I’ll get to it or I won’t, either way I’m good with it), gratuitous violence, and strawberry ice cream. (I know I’m alone on this last one, and again, I’m good with it.)

Favorite movies–(besides HP) French Kiss, Maid of Honor, A Lot Like Love, Just Married, and Sweet Home Alabama. Oh, and Miss Congeniality, Sabrina (both versions) and a 1940’s movie called Dear Ruth. If you haven’t seen it, you should! A-dorable. Anything with Doris Day and most all of Marilyn’s and Audrey’s.

Squirrel Princess (a definition)– A God fearing Southern Belle who is easily distracted by the beauty of the world around her.

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway.” Eleanor Roosevelt

*****
RATED 5 OUT OF 5!

2014 Laurel Award Feature

On October 22, 2014, A Miracle of Hope won Clash of the Titles'Laurel Award. During a six-week period, the novel's first 3,500 words wereread and judged by avid readers of Christian fiction who determined it tobe the worthiest to receive the 2014 Laurel Award.

Clash of the Titles extends a heartfelt congratulations to author Ruth Reidfor her commendable work. We wish God's abundant blessings on her futureprojects.

“A Miracle of Hope quickens a reader’s heart in hope that one child’s faithwill be miracle enough.” –Alan Daugherty, News-Banner columnist

About A Miracle of Hope

Lindie Wyse thinks an arranged marriage is the only way to preserve afuture for herself and her unborn child. Josiah Plank is certain he’llnever love again, but he needs someone to care for his deaf eight-year-olddaughter, Hannah. The two take on their arrangement tentatively at firstbut soon realize they are each in for more than they imagined. After ashort time, Lindie experiences a breakthrough with Hannah when sherecognizes the child’s special gifts, but a risky pregnancy and serioushealth issues threaten to demolish the foundation Josiah and Lindie arebuilding—and the love that is growing between them.

Will their marriage survive their struggles, or will their hearts become ascold as the northern winter?

PURCHASEYOUR COPY

“A beautifully written love story, A Miracle of Hope is both heartwarmingand heartbreaking and features believable, charming characters who arewilling to do whatever it takes for love.” 4 stars, RT Book Reviews 

Listen to Cynthia L.Simmon's" Heartof the Matter" radio interview of Laurel Award Winner,Ruth Reid!

About Ruth:
Ruth is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earthand Amish Wonders series. When attending Ferris State University School ofPharmacy in Big Rapids, Michigan, she lived on the outskirts of an Amishcommunity and had several occasions to visit the Amish farms. Her interestgrew into love as she saw the beauty in living a simple life. Ruth residesin Florida with her husband and three children. 

She can be reached HERE.

“…Ruth’s descriptions of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula during the winter arevivid and almost hauntingly beautiful—yet the hardship and “cabin fever”element are very real. But it’s character depth that is this story’sstrength…” –Carole Jarvis, Amazon Review

Ruth's Upcoming Projects:

HerChristmas Pen Pal, a novella in An Amish Second Christmas collectionreleasedOctober 2014.

AWoodland Miracle will be released in January2015

She is currentlyworking on book three of the Amish Wonders Series (untitled at thistime; release is planned for 2016). 

****

OLYMPIA OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS!

Authors, take note! 

Clash of the Titles has opened its doors forsubmissions to the 2015 Olympia.

TheOlympia is COTT's yearly contest for unpublished writers. Thesubmissions are judged by their audience—readers well versedinChristian fiction yet not associated with the CBA industry.

Authors write for readers, so why not have readers bethe judges?

Finalists in the contest will also have their work read and judgedby three industry professionals!

With a submission fee of only $15, easy electronic submission, abevy of prizes, and judges devoted to Christian fiction and authorencouragement, the Olympia is a contest like no other.

Butonce our doors are open, you'll need to act quick! Slots are limited.

To avoid overburdening our volunteerjudges, we are limited in the number of submissions we canaccept.

Submissions:

Oct. 31, 2014-Dec 12,2014 

For more details, please visit oursite.

Stay tuned for updates by 

subscribingto COTT's blog and “liking” ourFacebook page.

Minding Molly, The Courtships of Lancaster County #3 by Leslie Gould

About Book

Molly Zook Has Everything Planned Just Right.
Or So She Thinks!
Molly Zook's always liked being in control, so she's struggling with her mother's wish that, to save the family farm, she marry Mervin Mosier. Especially after Molly meets Leon Fisher. He's from Montana but is now training horses at a nearby ranch. He's tall and muscular and confident--Molly has never met anyone like him and she's sure he feels the same about her.

Determined to let nothing get between them, Molly tries to coax Mervin into falling back in love with Molly's best friend, Hannah. A weekend camping trip in the Poconos could be just the place...but things quickly go awry, and it seems Leon and Hannah might be falling for each other instead! Will Molly keep struggling to control everyone and everything around her? Or will she learn to let God handle the twists and turns of her life?

Resources

• Excerpt Download PDF

• Where to Purchase

  • Baker Retail
  • Amazon.com
  • Barnes & Noble
  • Christianbook.com

About Author

Leslie Gould is the coauthor, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 CBA bestseller The Amish Midwife, a 2012 Christy Award winner; ECPA bestseller Courting Cate, first in the Courtships of Lancaster County series; and Beyond the Blue, winner of the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice for Best Inspirational Novel, 2006. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor. She and her husband and four children live in Portland, Oregon.

Where to find Leslie:

Twitter

@lesliejeangould

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/lesliegouldauthor

Website

http://www.lesliegould.com

My Thoughts

Molly Zook is an Amish woman confident in herself and the family business she helped build alongside her father. It all seems precarious since her father's recent death.  How was her father keep the financial problems from her and her mother.  Her mother's solution to all their problems seems to be Mervin Mosier neighbor and employee and is adamant that Molly must marry Mervin. At first Molly thought this might be a good idea since she has known and liked Mervin since they were children and he loved the business. But could she marry him without love.  This all changed when she met Leon Fisher.  Now Molly must convince her mother and Mervin that Leon is the man she loves and wishes to spend her life with.  But at all cost she must find a way to save the farm and business. 

The author wrote of the trials and tribulations that can tear a person's life to pieces. Death brought a family together but also uncovered hidden problems such as financial, health, emotional along with mistrust. All things that can destroy the unity of any family. With God as the center along with hope and faith in His will for their lives they come together ready to face their future. 

I loved the sweet patience and understanding Leon Fisher had for Molly and her family.  Then there is Molly so dedicated to her families needs. The character of Molly is a wonderful role model for her feisty younger sister Beatrice. 

I highly recommend this book and am looking forward to reading BECOMING BEA, book 4 in this series.

I rated this review a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers for an honest review.

Plain Peace, A Daughters of the Promise Novel by Melissa Jagears

About Book

Anna's grandfather seems determined to ruin her Rumspringa . . . and any hopes she has of finding a husband.

Anna Byler should be enjoying her Rumspringa as allowed by her faith. But because of the strict rules enforced by her grandfather—the bishop—the available suitors in town are afraid to court her. Even Anna’s grandmother is keeping a big secret from Anna’s grandfather in an effort to keep the peace. Under her grandfather’s oppressive watch, Anna begins to feel her faith slipping and wonders if God has forsaken her.

Jacob Hostetler and his family have relocated to Lancaster County following a family tragedy in Ohio. As his family struggles to rebuild their lives, Jacob is forced to act as head of the household when his father is unable to cope with recent events. It’s been a long time since Jacob has felt any joy. Until he meets Anna Byler. But will Anna’s grandfather succeed at keeping them apart? And can Jacob put the past behind him and open his heart?

Publication Date	November 12, 2013
Company	Thomas Nelson
ISBN-10	1401685943
ISBN-13	9781401685942

For Preview: http://www.thomasnelson.com/fiction/amish-fiction/plain-peace.html

Beth Wiseman is an award-winning and best-selling author who is best known for her Amish novels, but she is now spreading her wings in other genres as well.  Her two latest releases—Need You Now and The House that Love Built—are non-Amish contemporaries set in small Texas towns, both of which have garnished glowing reviews.  However, her current project will take readers far away from Amish Country and small Texas towns to a dangerous place on the other side of the world.  Inspired by a true story, Beth believes this is the book she’s been working toward for a long time.   More information on this exciting project will be coming soon!  

Visit Beth's website: https://bethwiseman.com/

Follow her Facebook Fan Page  and Twitter Page

My Thoughts

Anna Byler's is raised by her grandparents. In her opinion they are the best  grandparents ever. Although to the young men that would like to invite her to the singing are give her a ride in their buggy her grandfather is unapproachable on the subject. Anna is totally ignorant of the young men's problem with her grandfather. That is until she overhears them talking about this very thing.  She gave them a good tongue lashing and informed them  they were wrong.  To her disappointment they were right. On top of this other people in their Amish community had problems with her grandfather being so strict when it came to the Old Order Ways of the Amish. You see her grandfather is the Bishop for their Amish Community.  

Anna even found out her grandmother was hiding things from her grandfather.  So, why is he being so strict? Doesn't he know he is alienating himself from the community?

When Jacob Hosetler moves to Paradise he is determined to change the Bishop's mind and court Anna.  With Anna, her grandmother and Jacob taking a stand to change the Bishop's strict ways they find they may have gotten in deeper than they ever expected. The Bishop is determined to stand his ground.

This was a fun read.  So much love in this family but the author has managed to create in them a very dysfunctional family.  She shows how seeds of deceit can tear not only a family apart but the whole community.  A tender loving man yet hard as a rock when it came to Old Order Ways. The character of the grandmother was so sweet yet she had a compulsive disorder.  The author has a wonderful and humorous  imagination when it comes to creating her characters.  

I wonder if we can see any of ourselves in any of these characters.  Like the seamstress that hoards fabric or the person that is obsessed with shoes.   I must admit I do see myself in that  I can not have enough books.  So you leave know wiggle room when it comes to the rules of house or church? 

I gladly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5+ out of 5.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from Booksneeze/Thomas Nelson for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.

Promise to Return A Novel (Part of Promise of Sunrise) By Elizabeth Byler Younts

About Book

When World War II breaks out, Miriam Coblentz’s peaceful Amish world is turned upside down... 

It’s 1943, and Miriam Coblentz and Henry Mast are nearing their wed­ding day when the unthinkable happens—Henry is drafted. However, since he is a part of the pacifist Amish tradition, Henry is sent to a conscientious objector Civilian Public Service camp. When he leaves for the work camp, his gaping absence turns Miriam’s life upside down. Little does she know it’s only the beginning... When Henry returns home, he brings news that shakes Miriam and their Amish community to the core. Henry believes God has called him to enlist in the army and fight for his country, leaving her to make an impor­tant decision: whether to choose loyalty to the peaceful life she’s always known or her love for Henry. Two worlds collide in this unforgettable debut novel, providing a fasci­nating and rare look into Amish culture during World War II. While Henry is battling enemies across the ocean, Miriam struggles between her devotion to Henry and her love of the Amish way of life. One question is at the bottom of it all: will she follow the rules of her religion or the leading of her heart?  

See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Promise-to-Return/Elizabeth-Byler-Younts/Promise-of-Sunrise/9781476735016#sthash.XkC78CLI.dpuf

 Where to buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, CBD


About Author

Elizabeth Byler Younts is a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers. She is an Air Force officer’s wife and a homeschooling mom with two young daughters. She makes her home wherever her family is stationed. Elizabeth was Amish as a child and after her parents left the church she still grew up among her Amish family and continues to speak Pennsylvania Dutch.

Where to find Elizabeth:
Website: http://elizabethbyleryounts.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/AuthorElizabethBylerYounts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElizabethYounts
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/ElizabethYounts/

My Thoughts

Miriam Coblentz can't seem to stop thinking about her intended Henry Mast.  Henry has been drafted into the military and sent to a camp for conscientious objectors.  The Amish have always been pacifist.  When he returns home Miriam is shocked to find out he has decide to leave the camp and join the military and the war.  He feels as if God has called him to fight  in World War II.  Miriam can not turn her back on her family and most importantly the her Amish beliefs.  Will she turn her back on Henry the man she loves?

I have read many Amish books but this is the first where I get a better look at the Pacifist side during World War II.  To me it is apparent men are bred to defend their families and country.  Yet I understand the Amish's belief and the pacifist.  Women want to nurture and prevent harm coming to anyone.  But in times of war we have no choice but to defend.  The author has done a wonderful job in depicting the Amish stand of remaining pacifist.  

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Howard Publishing/Simon & Schuster for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ROSE by TRICIA GOYER

About the book: 

Rose turned her back on the man she loves after he assisted the Englisch during World War II---only to discover she's an Englischer herself. Born in the midst of the hardships of The Great Depression, Rose grew up in Berlin, Ohio, in the arms of a loving Amish family. But she is overwhelmed by self-doubt when she learns that she was born Englisch and abandoned when her family moved West in search of work. Was she meant to be Amish or would she have been better off growing up with her own kind---Englischers? When the man she loves leaves her behind, Rose is certain he left for good. Yet Rose discovers sometimes our greatest gifts are the ones we fear.

Purchase a copy: http://ow.ly/pfhBl

About Tricia: 

USA Today best-selling author Tricia Goyer is the author of over 35 books, including the three-book Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and "Lead Your Family Like Jesus," (co-written with Ken Blanchard). She has written over 500 articles for national publications and blogs for high traffic sites like TheBetterMom.com andMomLifeToday.com. She is the host of Living Inspired, a weekly radio show. Tricia and family live in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have six children. 

You can find out more about Tricia atwww.TriciaGoyer.com.


My Thoughts:

Rose was certain that when her intended left to join the military he would not return.  She had assumed he had left not only her but the Amish community.  She just knew he had turned away from the Amish beliefs. When he did return she did not want to see him because he had done the unforgivable by choosing to live among the Englisch.

When she uncovers a secret about her past she fears her own place in the Amish community may b e under scrutiny.

The cover image drew me in and once I opened the book I did not want to put it down.  The author held my attention with the suspense and heartache of so many that surrounded Rose.  The love of her family was far stronger that she gave them credit.  Her beau loved her deeply and was so patient with her many doubts and fears of her future. Loved the book from beginning to end.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan/Lifuse Publicity Group for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.  This is review is my honest opinion.

EVENTIDE, The Days of Redemption, #3 by SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY ~ Litfuse Publicity Group Tour

Excerpt From Eventide by Shelley Shepard Gray by WilliamMorrowBooks

About Book: 

A young Amish woman harbors a difficult secret. Does she dare share the truth with the man she hopes to marry?

Elsie Keim doesn’t want to be left behind. Her twin sister, Viola, and her older brother, Roman, have both found love and are building lives of their own. But Elsie? She’s still stuck at home, being treated like a child. No one seems to consider her a capable woman—all they see are the thick lenses of her glasses, constant reminders that Elsie suffers from keratoconus and is slowly going blind.

Elsie knows there’s much more to her than her disease. That’s why when a new neighbor, Landon Troyer, shows some interest in her, she doesn’t want anything to scare him away . . . even if it means keeping her condition a secret.

Landon is ready to start a new life and feels like Elsie may just be the right woman to start it with. But when Roman steps in and shares the truth about Elsie’s illness, Landon is floored. His job is demanding and takes him away from home, sometimes for days at a time. How could he keep up with his responsibilities and take care of Elsie?

Purchase a copy here.

Learn more at Shelley’s website.

Meet Shelley:

Shelley Shepard Gray is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the "Sisters of the Heart", "Seasons of Sugarcreek", "Secrets of Crittenden County", and Families of Honor series. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.

Shelley Shepard Gray is celebrating the release of the final book in The Days of Redemption series, Eventide, by giving away FIVE sets of the series. 

Five winners will receive:

• Daybreak, Ray of Light and Eventide by Shelley Shepard Gray

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 21st. All winners will be announced September 23rd at Shelley's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Shelley's blog on the 23rd to see if you won one of the book sets!

My Thoughts

At first glance you would never know, other than the thick glass she wears, that Elie Keim was near blind. She desires to be as independent as her twin sister and her brother.  They both have found their soul mates but if her family has anything to do with it she will become the blind alt madeal that will be forever dependent on her family.  What the family isn't aware of is Elsie prays for a life with her own home, husband and children.  She dares not discuss this with anyone.  Until Landon Troyer, a new neighbor, starts helping out around the family farm and making a point to seek out Elsie to strike up a conversation with her causing her family to become even more protective of Elsie.  She fears if Landon finds out about her eye disease he will turn his attention away from her,even if he was a kind and considerate man.

The author writes about a sensitive subject that most do not want to think about and that is a disability.  She also points out through the character of Elsie that a disability does not have to weight you down thinking you are a oddity or not normal.  What is not normal to someone may be normal for someone else.  God has made us in his image and our soul is what shines through to others.  Don't we all have some form of disability? I have to wear glasses and I suffer from migraines.  I could go on and on.   So look past ones disabilities and find out who the person really is don't be caught up with labels.it blinds ones judgement.  

I say kudos to Shelley for writing this beautiful character into this series!

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Harper Collins Publishers and Litfuse Pulicity Group Tour for review.  I was in no way compensated for this review.

  

COTT's Feb Releases Champion!

The Winner of our February New Release Clash is:

 Love' s Journey Home , by Kelly Irvin

Huge congrats to Kelly!

And a special thank-you to the competing authors for taking part in this sparring match:

Traci Hilton , author of Good, Clean, Murder: A Plain Jane Mystery 

Lena Nelson Dooley , author of Catherine's Pursuit

Anne Patrick, author of Wounded Heroes Book Three: Betrayal 

 Matthew Horn , author of Nothing Good is Free      

Believe me when I say, it was a tight race! Everyone did great!

Comments from voters: 

Keep up the good work. Love to read about the Amish.

Love Amish reads and mysteries, but the Amish is my personal winner!!!

Love the way Kelly Irvin makes her characters so real! No cookie cutter Amish here.

Kelly is one of my favorite authors. She has an interesting, informative and entertaining style.

I love reading Kelly Irvin's books.

RT Reviews calls Kelly Irvin's new book Love's Journey Home a delight!
"Irvin's warmth and authenticity shines through in her latest novel. She brings back her heartwarming characters that reside in the Amish community of Bliss Creek. She touches on values that bind family and community together and the conflicts that arise when individuals rebel against them. Irvin's knack for good storytelling makes this book a delight."

About Love's Journey Home:

It’s been seven years since her husband died, but Helen Crouch is doing just fine. She’s selling her jams and canned goods at the bakery and making a tidy living. But her whole world goes topsy-turvy when a new family moves to town. Gabriel Gless has brought his children to Bliss Creek to escape the worldly influences in Indiana. Helen and Gabriel have so much in common—the loss of their beloved spouses, the experience of raising their families alone, their rock-solid faith—so why can’t they seem to speak without arguing?

And that’s not all that’s going on in Bliss Creek this summer. In the middle of a punishing drought, the community is faced with the decision to uproot their families and establish a new settlement. As families struggle to say goodbye, each one must find the faith to follow the Lord’s direction.< br />
Join the families of Bliss Creek in the dramatic conclusion to their story, and discover with them the joy of finding home.

***

About the author: 

Kelly Irvin is the author of the Bliss Creek Amish series, which includes To Love and To Cherish, A Heart Made New , and Love’ s Journey Home , published by Harvest House. Her new series, New Hope Amish, debuts with Love Still Stands , on September 1.
Kelly has also penned two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine , published by Five Star Gale in 2010 and 2011.

The Kansas native is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Sisters in Crime. She also serves as secretary of the ACFW San Antonio local chapter Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers.

A graduate of the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, Kelly has been writing nonfiction professionally for thirty years. She studied for three semesters at the University of Costa Rica, learning the Spanish language. As a journalist, she worked six years in the border towns of Laredo and El Paso.

She has worked in public relations for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department for 19 years. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-five years, and they have two young adult children. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and read books by her favorite authors.

Goodbye to Yesterday ~ The Discovery, Part 1 ~ by Wanda E. Brunstetter

About Book

Join Meredith and Luke Stoltzfus, an Amish couple who are faced with the greatest challenge of their young lives. Financial struggles. Arguments. A suspected pregnancy. A last-minute trip to Middlebury, Indiana. A deadly encounter at a Philadelphia bus station. Will their love and faith be enough to bring them back together again, against all odds?  

Book 1 of the 6-part serial novel--The Discovery-A Lancaster County Saga.

Visit The Discovery Saga Facebook page here for more information.

Where to buy: Barnes&Noble, CBD

• ISBN-13: 9781616260859
• Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Incorporated
• Publication date: 2/5/2013
• Series: The Discovery
• Pages: 128

About Author


Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 60 books with more than 6 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today. Wanda’s books have been translated into four foreign languages.

Wanda’s fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda’s desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.
All of Wanda’s novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

Wanda’s primary attraction to the Amish is their desire to live a devout Christian life that strives to honor God, work hard, and maintain close family ties. Whenever she visits her Amish friends, Wanda finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties, which is in stark contrast to the chaos and busyness that plagues so many modern “Englishers.” Time and time again, Wanda loses her heart in the Amish life, and she hopes her readers will, too.

Wanda's official website:  http://www.wandabrunstetter.com/


My Thoughts

Luke Stoltzfus has lost his job, with no offers of another on the horizon in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  He has become depressed, distant and on more than one occasion a little snappy at his wife Meredith.  What will they do they do not want to ask their parents for assistance. Their parents need what money they have coming in to support there families. Then when things look hopeless Luke gets an offer from his uncle  to learn a new trade and take over his uncle's business. But that means leaving his wife and going to Indiana for a few weeks.  Meredith does not feel comfortable about him leaving because there is a bad winter storm moving in and she does not want him traveling by bus until the storm passes.  Luke makes the final decision to make the trip anyway.  Meredith will have to pray and put her faith and trust in God to protect Luke.

This is a good story but I felt it was written for middle grade rather than adult.  If that were the case it would then be a good read for that age level.  I do not like that is only 128 pages and part one of six.  In my opinion if it had been in one book not six it would have meet with better reviews and an older readers.  Like I said before the story seemed to be a good read but was very frustrating to get to a climax in the book and then you have to wait for the next book and the next.  Sorry this was a bad idea splitting it in parts!  

Buying each of the six parts make an expensive book to read.  I don't see to many people unless they are just die hard fans spending that kind of money. 

This was difficult for me to give my honest opinion because I very rarely give negative reviews.  Put it all in one book then I will more that likely to have a good review.

I do not recommend this book the way it is presented in parts 1-6.

With a heavy heart I rated this book a 3 out of 5.

Disclosure:  I received a free copy of this book from Barbour Publishers/Handlebar Central for review.  This is my honest opinion.

I would have asked you to vote on whether you liked my review or not but Amazon is not taking reviews on this book.  Not sure what's the problem! I did post reviews on Barnes&Noble and CBD.