Book Review~Words from the Heart

About the Book: 

Her fingertips brushed against something else in the box of doilies. She lifted a bundle of letters, neatly tied with a thin red ribbon . . .

Ivy Yoder hasn’t heard from John King in over a year. She knows it’s time to let go of the idea that they will one day marry, but she’s humiliated to be one of the oldest single women in her Amish community of Birch Creek. When quirky Cevilla Schlabach asks her to help clean out an attic, Ivy is grateful for the distraction.

Noah Schlabach isn’t from Birch Creek, or even Ohio. His job as an auctioneer takes him around the country and away from a typical Amish life, but he still remains devoted to his family. So when his aging aunt asks him to help clean out her attic, he agrees. Plus, who knows what curious items he might find up there?

As Noah and Ivy work side by side, they come across a different kind of treasure: a packet of letters written during the Korean War. Soon they are swept up in the story of two young people falling in love—even as they remain determined not to fall in love themselves.

Words from the Heart is a moving story of lost love letters, fragile fears, and the beauty of taking another step forward.

My Review: 

Words From the Heart is the third book in author Kathleen Fuller's Amish Letters series. I had read the first two in the series, Written in Love and The Promise of a Letter. They were very enjoyable, and Words from the Heart was a great addition to the series. Although these stories intertwine characters, they can be read alone. 

Ivy Yoder was a single Amish woman, old by Amish standards to not have married yet. Noah Schlabach was also older and single, with no plans for marrying anytime soon. Ivy, on the other hand, yearns for marriage and children. The two had known each other for years, and when Noah's aunt pulls them together on a project, its the perfect chance for them to get to know each other better. The discovery of old love letters brings in mystery to this sweet romance. 

I enjoyed the storyline and the characters in Words From the Heart. It is a book I recommend, along with the other two books in the Amish Letters series. Kathleen Fuller is a talented author of Amish fiction. 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review~His Risk

About the Book:

Calvin Fisher left the Amish community at fourteen and never looked back. Only his brother’s illness can bring him back to Hart County. Now, as Calvin works to make amends, he meets Alice, a local nursery school teacher, and falls hard for her. But he has a secret that could threaten the happiness he’s finally found.

Alice shouldn’t like—or want—Calvin. He’s English, has a questionable past, and an even more questionable job. Still, she can’t help being intrigued. Though Calvin assures Alice that he’s worthy of her, she’s torn between surrendering to her growing feelings and steering clear of him.

When a sudden surge of criminal activity alarms the community and even targets Alice, Calvin fears that his double life has put everyone he loves at risk. As for Alice, she can’t help but wonder if the brave and honorable man she’s lost her heart to is far more dangerous than she could ever imagine.

About the Author:
Shelley Shepard Gray is a "New York Times" and "USA Today" bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. 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.

What I Thought: 
His Risk is the third book in author Shelley Shepard Gray's series The Amish of Hart County. I read the first three books in the series and enjoyed them. The Kentucky location is different from your typical rolling farmlands of the Amish in Pennsylvania or Ohio. In this series, each book has had some sort of criminal activity that a member or members of the Amish community is affected by. 

Shelley Shepard Gray is one of my favorite Amish fiction authors. She is such a talented storyteller, and I always feel like I really get to know the characters in the book. His Risk was another great story with excitement, suspense, and a little romance. 

Something I really like in most of Shelley Shepard Gray's books are the P.S. section at the back. It contains About the Author, A Letter from the Author, Discussion Questions, and a Sneak Peak at the next book in the series. I can learn a lot of background into how the story came about and the research that went into it. 

Although His Risk is part of a series, I think it can be read by itself with no problem. For maximum enjoyment, though, I suggest reading all of The Amish of Hart County series. I highly recommend His Risk and I look forward to reading the next book in the series!

You can read more reviews of His Risk at Litfuse. 

To learn more about the book, the author, and where to purchase your own copy, visit Shelley Shepard Gray's website.



Enter to win a copy of His Risk. Five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced March 28 on the Litfuse blog!

I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review~Beneath the Summer Sun

Book Description: 

It’s been four years since Jennie’s husband died in a farming accident. Long enough that the elders in her Amish community think it’s time to marry again for the sake of her seven children. What they don’t know is that grief isn’t holding her back from a new relationship. Fear is. A terrible secret in her past keeps her from moving forward.

Mennonite book salesman Nathan Walker stops by Jennie’s farm whenever he’s in the area. Despite years of conversation and dinners together, she never seems to relax around him. He knows he should move on, but something about her keeps drawing him back.

 Meanwhile, Leo Graber nurtures a decades-long love for Jennie, but guilt plagues him—guilt for letting Jennie marry someone else and guilt for his father’s death on a hunting trip many years ago. How could anyone love him again—and how could he ever take a chance to love in return?

In this second book in the Every Amish Season series, three hearts try to discern God’s plan for the future—and find peace beneath the summer sun.

My Review: 

Beneath the Summer Sun is the second book in author Kelly Irvin's Every Amish Season series. I did not read the first book in the series-Upon a Spring Breeze-but had no problems following the story. I think Beneath the Summer Sun can be read alone. 

I felt so much compassion for the character of Jennie-she has been through so much, and is afraid to open herself to the chance to love again. With seven children to care for, one of whom is experiencing a lot of emotional pain, she barely has time for herself. She has two men interested in her who are both loving, caring men. But she also thought her husband was loving and caring before they married. Things quickly changed after their marriage vows. 

As domestic violence is a main topic in Beneath the Summer Sun, it could be a trigger for some readers, so I think its important to know upfront. Domestic Violence is not often a theme in Amish fiction, as Amish are generally thought of as non-violent, gentle people. It was an interesting story that kept my attention from start to finish. At the back of the book are Domestic Violence resources, as well as discussion questions about the story. 

I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review~A Place at our Table

About the Book: 

Along with his volunteer work at the local fire department, running his Amish farm keeps Jamie Riehl busy. He barely has time to eat at the family table, never mind find someone to date. But when he meets Kayla Dienner, he is smitten.

Kayla tries hard to deny her attraction to Jamie. After all, she’s spent the last year discouraging her younger brother, Nathan, from becoming a firefighter. The death of their older brother in a fire a year ago is fresh in her mind—she can’t bear the idea of putting her heart on the line every time the sirens blare.

Then tragedy strikes, and Jamie wants to extinguish any flame between him and Kayla. Can Kayla set aside her own fears to save the love she was determined to deny?

The first book in the Amish Homestead series, A Place at Our Table invites us to a quiet community in Lancaster County where love burns brightly no matter the cost.

What I Thought: 
A Place at our Table is the first book in author Amy Clipston's new series, An Amish Homestead. I have read several books by this author and always enjoy them. A Place at our Table was very easy to get caught up into immediately because of the action going on with the fire at the Dienner's. The story continues on with lots of activity, mostly because Jamie is a firefighter. His occupation definitely added some energy to the book. Both Kayla and Jamie's families having suffered tragedy in the loss of a close family member pulls them together. The story focused a lot on grief and the different ways people deal with it. It was inspiring that people can feel like their lives cannot go on, yet they manage to continue and even be happy. The characters' strong faith was definitely the reason for their strength.

I definitely enjoyed and recommend A Place at our Table, and I look forward to the next book in the series. Along with the story, A Place at our Table includes a helpful glossary of Amish words, a family tree relative to the story, discussion questions, and an excerpt from the author's book The Forgotten Recipe, the first book in her Amish Heirloom series.

*I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~Seeds of Hope

About the Book: 

Miriam Troyer has had a secret crush on Mark Byler since she was a teenager, but she knows they can never have a relationship: Mark is a big-city attorney and an Englischer. Her Amish community is too far removed from all he knows–and she loves her quiet way of life.

Mark has always loved his visits to his grandfather’s farm, but he’s convinced the Amish life isn’t for him. There’s so much of the world to see and experience, and the excitement of his successful law practice can’t be matched by the slow pace of life found back home in the country.

But when things go wrong and his firm distances itself from him to try to save themselves, Mark finds himself back at his grandfather’s farm. Could life in this simple world be worth living after all? Especially when the teenager he remembers has grown into a woman that could be his future. Suddenly, these two people whose lives seem so far apart may get a chance to really see each other for the first time.

About the Author: 

Barbara Cameron has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the best-selling author of more than 40 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Her books have been nominated for Carol Awards and the Inspirational Reader’s Choice Award from RWA’s Faith, Hope, and Love chapter. Barbara resides in Jacksonville, Florida.  Visit her website at http://barbaracameron.com

What I Thought: 

Seeds of Hope is the first book in author Barbara Cameron's new series, Harvest of Hope. I've read a few other books of hers and have enjoyed them, but Seeds of Hope is definitely my favorite book that this author has written. Miriam is such a sweet young Amish woman, dedicated to her family and community. She will do anything for anyone, always putting others first. She takes wonderful care of an older Amish neighbor, John, who has no family nearby. 

Miriam has always had a crush on Mark, John's grandson who would visit every summer when they were children. Now an attorney in the city, Mark doesn't have much time for visiting his grandfather. Due to unforeseen circumstances, Mark returns to the farm for an extended visit, and Miriam's crush turns into much more. 

I really enjoyed Seeds of Hope, and read it quite quickly because I had to find out what happened! When two people from different worlds fall in love and being together seems impossible, of course everyone is rooting for them to end up together. Miriam and Mark had to learn to trust God to pave the way for them to have a future together. 

Seeds of Hope was a beautiful story of love, faith, family and community. At the back of the book are a glossary, discussion questions, and a recipe. I look forward to reading more from Barbara Cameron in this new series. 

Learn more about Seeds of Hope and purchase your own copy at the author's website.  Read more reviews at Litfuse.

*I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Book Review~Home All Along

About the Book:
Charlotte, an Englisher, is living in Amish Country, and she has formed strong and lasting bonds with the people in her new community. She has even fallen in love with an Amish man. But just when she is considering a permanent conversion to the Amish way of life, her world crashes around her. An unexpected death and a mysterious visitor unsettle Charlotte, and she begins to question her faith and her choices.
Daniel loves Charlotte and wants to share his life with her, even it if means leaving the only world he’s ever known. But as he walks alongside of her through her struggles, his own world is turned upside down when a loved one receives a grim medical diagnosis and a prodigal relative returns home. Will Charlotte and Daniel’s relationship succumb to the many pressures around them, or will their faith and the strong community around them allow them to weather the storms of their own lives in order to build a life together?

What I Thought:
Home All Along is the third book in author Beth Wiseman's Amish Secrets series. I did read the first two books in the series, and have thoroughly enjoyed all three books. Charlotte and Daniel come from two very different worlds, English and Amish, but have found love together. Their lives are turned upside-down with the people they love going through life-threatening crisis, and through it all they must decide if their love is strong enough to withstand their differences. One of them has to make a life changing decision if they are willing to live a different lifestyle to stay with the person they love. Although I think Home All Along could be enjoyed by itself, the reader will get much more from the story if they read all three books in order.

There are discussion questions at the back of the book, making Home All Along a great choice for your Book Club.

*I received a copy of this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. 

Book Review~The Gift

About the Book:
A special Christmas story about love and blessings in the next book in the Amish of Hart County series. The Schwartz family is happy to be spending Christmas on their new farm in Hart County. But when Susanna Schwartz hears gunshots that causes her buggy to overturn, and then her little sister falls through a wooden bridge into the icy creek, it becomes clear from these dangerous “accidents” that someone wants them gone.
Neil Vance has been heartbroken ever since his parents lost their family farm. He knows it’s not the Schwartz family’s fault, but he can’t help but be resentful. Until he meets Susanna. She is kind-hearted and bold, and Neil can’t stop thinking about her pretty green eyes.
Neil thinks the accidents are just that, but Susanna’s father is convinced the Vance family is responsible. Susanna refuses to believe Neil would do anything to harm her. She’s fallen in love with him and knows he is a good man. But her family is ready to pack up and move, and time is running out to uncover the truth before someone gets hurt . . . or worse.

About the Author:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a "New York Times" and "USA Today" bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. 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.

What I Thought:
The Gift is the third book in author Shelley Shepard Gray's series The Amish of Hart County. The three books all take place in the same county, but do not continue a story, so they can be read on their own or out of order. I did read the first two books, Her Secret and His Guilt. The other books in the series were excellent, so I had high expectations for The Gift-and once again, the author did not disappoint. Shelley Shepard Gray has been one of my favorite authors since I began reading Amish fiction. She is a talented writer, and I always read her books quickly because I cannot put them down.

There is a great amount of suspense in The Gift. The Schwartz family is being targeted by someone in the community, and Susanna is determined to figure out who before life is lost. An unlikely romance between her and Neil Vance emerges during this time, and Neil has some hard facts to face about his own family. The Gift was a great balance of romance and suspense!

At the back of the book is a PS section, including About the Author, About the Book, Questions for Discussion, two Christmas recipes for giving, and a sneak peak into the next book in the series, to be released in March 2018.

Visit the author's website for more information and to purchase your own copy of The Gift. Visit Litfuse to read more reviews of this book.

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*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book free from Litfuse in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~Abiding Mercy by Ruth Reid

About the Book: 

Abiding Mercy is the first book in author Ruth Reid's Amish Mercies series.  

Sixteen-year-old Faith has worked full-time in her parents' restaurant since she finished eighth grade. She loves her Amish community and the romantic attentions of her longtime friend, Gideon. 

When her sister seems to be getting too friendly with Englischers, and her parents are in a buggy accident, Faith wants to escape into her dream of joining the church and getting married. 

But then a local newspaper runs a story about a child named Adriana who was kidnapped fifteen years earlier, and everything Faith has held true comes into question. 

Suddenly the community Faith has known her whole life seems unreal. Can she even trust her own family? And how will she ever find home again if she no longer belongs in the world she knows best?

About the Author: 

Ruth Reid is a full-time pharmacist who lives in Florida with her husband and three children. When attending the Ferris State University College of Pharmacy in Big Rapids, Michigan, she lived on the outskirts of an Amish community and had several occasions to visit the Amish farms. Her interest grew into love as she saw the beauty in living a simple life. Visit Ruth online at www.ruthreid.com, on Facebook at Author Ruth Reid, and Twitter at @AuthorRuthReid. 

What I Thought: 

I've read several of author Ruth Reid's books and always enjoy them. I find it especially exciting when I'm reading the very first book in a series and it turns out to be a really great story, like Abiding Mercy did. Now I know that there are more good books coming in the series!

The main character Faith is a very sweet Old Order Amish young woman. Her boyfriend, Gideon, is charming, and they have a blossoming romance. Faith is a very hard worker, and besides her rough relationship with her sister, life is full and good. After an unfortunate accident turns the family upside-down, Faith throws herself into saving her family's beloved restaurant, The Amish Table. Soon a secret is uncovered about Faith's past, and her life is forever changed. 

I enjoyed reading about the conflicting emotions everyone had regarding Faith being found by her birth parents, and how they were resolved. God definitely throws some curve balls in our lives, and this story emphasizes trusting Him to get you through these hard times and following His lead. Abiding Mercy was a heartwarming story that I really enjoyed. There are Discussion Questions at the back of the book, making it a perfect choice for a book club!

*Disclosure: I received this book free from www.booklookbloggers.com in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~The Proving by Beverly Lewis

About the Book:
After five years as an Englischer, Amanda Dienner is shocked to learn her mother has passed away and left her Lancaster County's most popular Amish bed-and-breakfast. What's more, the inn will only truly be hers if Mandy can successfully run it for twelve months. Reluctantly, Mandy accepts the challenge, no matter that it means facing the family she left behind-or that the inn's clientele expect an Amish hostess? Can Mandy fulfill the terms of her inheritance? Or will this prove a dreadful mistake?

About the Author:
Beverly Lewis penned her first story at age nine while living near Lancaster County Amish farmland, where she grew up. She welcomes her many reader-friends each day on Facebook and personally replies to fan mail. Lewis lives with her husband in Colorado near their family. Visit her website at www.beverlylewis.com .

What I Thought:
Beverly Lewis never disappoints with her Amish fiction. The Proving was no exception. This story was unique with Mandy coming back to the Amish after years away. She then pretends to be Amish to make her guests happy, but it becomes comfortable for her over time. Although so much had changed with her mother's death and her sister's estrangement, the inn seemed to bring comfort to her. I enjoyed the relationship between Mandy and her sister and watching it be repaired. Although Mandy is determined to do her twelve months and move on, God had different plans for her and she has to realize that. It is a good lesson for all of us, to be open to God's direction for our lives.

I received this book from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review..

Book Review~The Promise of a Letter

About the Book:
A letter brings him back to his Amish family. It will take someone truly extraordinary to make him stay.
Roman is on the verge of leaving the Amish ways. Feeling confined by the strict rules, he longs to do something more with his life. But when things don’t go as planned, Roman’s prospects outside of the community dwindle. Upon learning that his beloved grandmother has died and left a letter urging him to reconcile with his brother in Birch Creek, Roman decides to return home. But he doesn’t plan to stay for long.
Leanna Chupp has always made her own way in her small community of Birch Creek. Though some may call her unconventional—strange, even—Leanna is happy. Her unique outlook on life has meant she’s never had many suitors pursuing courtship, which Leanna doesn’t mind. She is content being single.
But when Roman and Leanna find themselves working together again, everything changes. Though neither fit squarely within the strictures of the Amish faith, their differences could be the very thing to help them form a deeper connection to their community and to each other. The question remains: will this strengthening bond be enough to make Roman stay for good?

What I Thought: 

The Promise of a Letter is the second book in Kathleen Fuller's Amish Letters series. I've always been a fan of the author, and she did a great job once again. I did read the first book in the series, Written in Love, which mainly focused on Jalon and Phoebe. They are still a strong presence in this book, but the focus is on Leanna and Roman mostly, with quite a bit about Daniel and Barbara as well. While readers would get the most enjoyment reading the books in order, I feel like The Promise of a Letter could be read by itself without confusion. 

Forgiveness and trusting God to make your path in life are strong themes in this story. Daniel and his brother Roman had a rough childhood and many hard feelings between them, but a letter from their grandmother asking them to reconcile tugged at their hearts. Leanna was not your typical Amish woman, and figured she would never get married. Roman had always rubbed her the wrong way. But God had his own plan and things started to change. 

I really enjoyed reading The Promise of a Letter and highly recommend it! I look forward to the third book in the series, Words from the Heart, coming out in February 2018.

*I received a copy of this book free from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~Gathering the Threads

About the Book:
Finally back in the Old Order Amish world she loves, Will Ariana’s new perspectives draw her family closer together—or completely rip them apart?

After months away in the Englisch world, Ariana Brenneman is overjoyed to be in the Old Order Amish home where she was raised. Yet her excitement is mixed with an unexpected apprehension as she reconciles all she’s learned from her biological parents with the uncompromising teachings of her Plain community. Although her childhood friend, ex-Amish Quill Schlabach, hopes to help her navigate her new role amongst her people, Ariana’s Daed doesn’t understand why his sweet daughter is suddenly questioning his authority. What will happen if she sows seeds of unrest and rebellion in the entire family? 

Meanwhile, Skylar Nash has finally found her place among the large Brenneman family, but Ariana’s arrival threatens to unravel Skylar’s new identity—and her sobriety. Both Ariana and Skylar must discover the true cords that bind a family and community together and grasp tight the One who holds their authentic identities close to His heart. 

About the Author:

Cindy Woodsmall is the New York Times and CBA best-selling author of nineteen works of fiction and non-fiction with more than a million copies sold. Her connection with the Amish community has been featured in national media outlets such as ABC’s Nightline, the Wall Street Journal, and a National Geographic documentary on Amish life. Cindy and her husband reside near the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains.

What I Thought:
From the time I opened my first Cindy Woodsmall book, I have been a fan of her work, and she is one of my favorite authors. There is something about the way she crafts a story that pulls me in and keeps me engaged until the very last page. The characters are so believable, and I feel like I know them as I read through the story. Once again, all these things are true in her latest novel, Gathering the Threads. This is the third book in the author's series The Amish of Summer Grove.

Although there is a very thorough summary of what happened in the first two books at the beginning of Gathering the Threads, I highly suggest reading the first two books, The Ties That Bind and Fraying at the Edge, first. The series follows Ariana as she discovers that she comes from a different world than she was raised in, and the conflict of being torn between those two worlds. There is a strong sense of being yourself as well as following God's path for your life. It was very interesting how it wasn't just Ariana who changed after being exposed to the Englisch world-both her Amish and Englisch families and friends were affected. They all were more open to other ideas than the ones they had believed all their lives.

I highly recommend reading Gathering the Threads! The Amish of Summer Grove series is fabulous!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~The Beloved Hope Chest

About the Book (from the back cover):

When Mattie packed her hope chest, she put away the heartache of her past. But as her daughters begin to unpack it, she discovers a healing more powerful than she ever hoped for.
Mattie Fisher’s three daughters know that she’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they’ve discovered a new clue about their mother’s past.
But there’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her history hidden, and she’s not sure she’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that preceded the last few happy decades?
Mattie’s story is one of grief and learning to love again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it's a story of love and redemption born out of heartache—and it's past time to share it.

What I Thought: 

The Beloved Hope Chest is the fourth book in author Amy Clipston's Amish Heirloom Novel series. The first three books, The Forgotten Recipe, The Courtship Basket, and The Cherished Quilt, were all based on the three Fisher sisters. I enjoyed reading all three of them. In The Beloved Hope Chest, the focus is on Mattie and Leroy Fisher, the girls' parents. It goes back in time to their childhoods and early marriage.

The Beloved Hope Chest is by far my favorite of the four books. The story was so deep and moving, it really touched my emotions. Poor Mattie had such a promising future, and then to have so much loss and grief. This story could be inspiring to someone who struggles with grief, thinking there is no way they could ever live a normal life. Mattie lost so much, but with faith in God and the love of her family and friends, she pulled through.

I highly recommend reading The Beloved Hope Chest, as well as the other three books in the series. These books can be read on their own, but I enjoyed reading them in the order they were published. At the back of the book are discussion questions, making it a great book for a book club.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review~The Divide

About the Book (from the back cover):
 In this gripping conclusion to The Alliance, nearly six months have passed since Leora Ebersole's Old Order Mennonite community fled to the mountains for refuge after an attack destroyed the power grid and altered life as they knew it. Since then, Leora has watched and waited for news of Moses Hughes, the young Englischer pilot who held off invading looters long enough for everyone to escape. Unsure Moses even survived, Leora has begun to warm to the affections of Jabil Snyder, who has courted her patiently. But she struggles to see herself as the bishop's wife, especially when she learns that Moses is alive and has now joined a local militia.

An unexpected encounter in the woods deepens Leora's crisis, as does a terrifying new threat that brings Moses' militia into the community's shaky alliance with the few Englischers left among them. When long-held beliefs are once again put to the test, Leora wrestles with the divide between having faith and taking action. Just how much will her shifting landscape change her?

What I Thought:  
The Alliance was a book I really enjoyed. I'm a big fan of Amish/Mennonite fiction, but the storyline of the EMP made the book something completely different from anything I've read before. The Divide was just as enjoyable as The Alliance, and the change of setting, up in the remote mountains, made it really fascinating.

Author Jolina Petersheim is a talented storyteller. She was able to pack so much into this story! So many emotions, conflict, romance, and just plain survival. The Divide is the kind of book you just don't want to put down-riveting. Faith and God are the main themes the story revolves around, and the characters struggle with trusting God to see them through. I highly recommend this book, but suggest you read The Alliance first. 

*Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~His Guilt

About the Book: 

A suspenseful tale of an Amish man who will risk all to protect the woman he loves.

Mark Fisher has returned home to Hart County, determined to put the past behind him. Two years ago, after being wrongly accused of assault, he left the Amish community, though never forgot his home. When the one person who had helped him through his rough times asks for help, Mark returns. But it is pretty Waneta Cain who makes him want to stay...

Neeta is one of the few people in Hart County who doesn't believe Mark is guilty of hurting anyone. However, his worldliness and tough exterior do make her uneasy. As she begins to see the real man behind all the gossip and prejudice, she wonders if he is the man for her.

Just when Mark starts to believe a new life is possible, a close friend of Neeta's is attacked. Once again, everyone in the community seems to believe he is guilty. But what hurts most is Neeta's sudden wariness around him. When another woman is hurt, a woman who is close to both Neeta and himself, Mark fears he knows the real culprit. And time is running out. Will Mark be able to find him before Neeta becomes his next victim?

About the Author: 

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. 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.

   

What I Thought:

His Guilt is the second book in The Amish of Hart County series by Shelley Shepard Gray. I really enjoyed the first book in the series, Her Secret. Sometimes in a series a second book doesn't live up to the first-not in this case. His Guilt was just as exciting and kept my attention from start to finish. Taking place in Kentucky, these stories aren't your typical Amish fiction setting of sprawling farms and farmhouses. Also, the books are a bit more edgy in their topics. Her Secret was about a stalker, and His Guilt is about women being attacked. As always, God and faith in Him is a central theme.

I read His Guilt quickly, because I wanted to find out how it ended!  Ms. Gray always does such a great job with making the characters easy to relate to, like you know them. She is also great at keeping you guessing until the very end. This is a great mystery, with some romance as well! My heart broke for Mark, as he had such a rough life so far. I highly recommend His Guilt! The books in this series are individual stories, so you don't have to read them in order. At the end of the book is a P.S. section with facts and questions for discussion.

Read more reviews of His Guilt at Litfuse.  Learn more about the author and this book, including purchasing information, at her website.

*Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Book Review and Author Giveaway~ A Letter from Lancaster County

About the Book:
Two sisters get a second chance at life and love.
Angela—Her mother’s untimely death, a struggling marriage, a strained relationship with her sister, Rose, and regrets over what might have been haunt her. Despite being a wife and mother, she feels she has little to show for her life.
Rose—Still single, she longs for a husband and children. But Angela has all that and still isn’t happy. Rose wants to be closer to her older sister, but she and Angela couldn’t be more different. Both strong women, will their sibling rivalry ever end?

When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit Aunt Silvia, their mother’s Mennonite sister, in the heart of Amish country. This vacation could provide the opportunity both sisters need to sort out their issues. And yet instead of finding a new way of connecting with each other, Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose’s romance with a new beau.
Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

About the Author: 

Kate Lloyd is a bestselling novelist whose books include "A Portrait of Marguerite" and the Legacy of Lancaster trilogy. A native of Baltimore, she enjoys spending time with friends and family in rural Pennsylvania and is a member of the Lancaster County Mennonite Historical Society. She now resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

What I Thought: 
A Letter from Lancaster County was an enjoyable read. It was not as saturated with Amish as most Amish fiction is. The main story takes place in Amish country, but is about two sisters visiting their aunt, and the different issues they are encountering in their lives. Amish people are intertwined in the story, as the girls' mother grew up among the Amish. Their mother's recent death has left the girls curious about her life before she became their mother.

I enjoyed the way A Letter from Lancaster County was written. It was written from both sisters' points of view, both Angela and Rose. The chapters alternate between the two sisters. The girls are very different, and so it was interesting to hear each of their interpretation and feelings of the same event. The story moved along at a good pace, not losing my interest at any point. There is much emotion, from grieving and sibling rivalry to romance and jealousy. Trusting God to guide towards healing is an important theme to the story. At the back of the book are discussion questions.

Read more reviews at Litfuse. Visit the author's website to learn more about this book and others, and to purchase your own copy.

*I received a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

AUTHOR GIVEAWAY!!
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Will their sibling rivalry get in the way of these two sisters' chances at life and love? Find out in Kate Lloyd's new book, A Letter from Lancaster County. When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit their mother's Mennonite sister in the heart of Amish country. Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose's romance with a new beau. Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

Celebrate the release of Kate's new book by entering to win her Two Sisters, Two Winners Giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Letter from Lancaster County
• A Kindle Fire

Another grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Letter from Lancaster County
• A queen-size Amish quilt

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on July 27. The winner will be announced July 28 on the Litfuse blog.

Book Review~The Ebb Tide

About the Book: 
From the back cover-Sallie Riehl has dreamed of traveling at least once before settling down to join church, so she is thrilled at an unexpected summer opportunity to nanny in Cape May for a well-to-do family. However, saying even a temporary good-bye to Paradise Township means forgoing baptism another year, as well as leaving behind a would-be beau. Yet the weeks in Cape May soon prove unforgettable as Sallie meets a Mennonite young man whose friendship she quickly begins to cherish. Has she been too hasty with her promises, or will she only find what her heart is longing for back home? 

About the Author: 

Beverly Lewis penned her first story at age nine while living near Lancaster County Amish farmland, where she grew up. She welcomes her many reader-friends each day on Facebook and personally replies to fan mail. Lewis lives with her husband in Colorado near their family.
Website: www.beverlylewis.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialbeverlylewis/

What I Thought: 
In my opinion, author Beverly Lewis is the best of the best when it comes to Amish fiction. She has written so many fabulous books, it amazes me each time I read her latest release. She has done it again with The Ebb Tide. It is a beautiful romance with a theme of trusting God to lead you down the path He has chosen for you in life.

I enjoyed the setting of Cape May, which was different from the farms of most Amish stories. Ms. Lewis' descriptions of the ocean made me feel like I was right there on the sand looking at the waves. I loved the character Sallie-a sweet, loving girl who wants to please her family and community, but has such a strong passion for the beauties of the world around her. Her internal struggle between the two worlds was made clear with the author's talented storytelling. I read The Ebb Tide in record time-I did not want to put it down! I highly recommend it!

Learn more about The Ebb Tide, author Beverly Lewis, and her many other titles, including purchasing information, at www.beverlylewis.com

* I received a copy of this book free from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

Book Review~Written in Love

About the Book: 
When a postal error creates pen pals of two young Amish people, can they put behind their past mistakes to see the bright future God has written for them?
Jalon Chupp has a past he isn’t proud to claim. He’s worked hard to overcome his youthful mistakes, and he has recommitted himself to his faith. When he receives a sweet note included in a piece of misdirected mail, he can’t help but write back. Soon, the letters he receives from Phoebe are the highlights of his days, and with a hopeful heart, he suggests they meet in person.
Phoebe, too, looks forward to every single one of Jalon’s letters. Living with her overbearing aunt, Phoebe doesn’t have too much to look forward to. But when Jalon suggests they meet, she panics—although she has shared some of the deepest longings of her heart with him, she hasn’t been entirely truthful about her past. But when Jalon shows up at her aunt’s doorstep, everything is revealed. And she can only pray he’ll forgive her for holding back the truth.
In order to reach beyond the errors of their pasts, both Phoebe and Jalon must put their faith in something—or Someone—bigger than either of them.

What I Thought: 
 Written in Love is the first book in author Kathleen Fuller's new An Amish Letters Novel series. I've enjoyed many books by Kathleen Fuller; she creates wonderful stories that keep me engaged. Written in Love is a sweet love story of two young Amish people who have gone through hard times in their lives and are searching for happiness. Chapter one starts out with letters written back and forth between Jalon and Phoebe over a two month time period. I liked how the author did this, it gave a good base to the story.  Written in Love was easy to read and hard to put down! Phoebe and Jalon had to learn to trust in God and each other. Included in the book are a glossary and discussion questions. 

*I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

An Amish Home

About the Book: 

A Cup Half Full by Beth Wiseman—Sarah Lantz always dreamed of the perfect home, the perfect husband, the perfect family. When she married Abram, she knew she was on her way to securing her perfect life. But all of that changes in one moment when an accident leaves her unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair, dashing all of her dreams. As Abram starts to transform their home, Sarah begins a transformation in her spirit, and she begins, once again, to see her cup as half full.
Home Sweet Home by Amy Clipston—Down on their luck and desperate after they are evicted from their small apartment, Chace and Mia O’Conner reluctantly take Chace’s Amish boss up on his offer to rent them the daadihaus located on his property. They are certain they will never feel at home in the rustic cabin without any modern conveniences, and they start to blame each other for their seemingly hopeless situation. But with the help of their new Amish friends, Chace and Mia begin to enjoy their cozy cabin and realize that home really is where the heart is.
A Flicker of Hope by Ruth Reid—Fifteen years ago, Thomas and Noreen King were blissful newlyweds. Young, naive, and in love, life was rosy . . . for a while. Then trials and tribulations rocked their foundation, shattering them emotionally, and soon, their marriage was in shards. All hope for restoring their previously unshakable union seems lost. When fire destroys their home, Thomas and Noreen are left to sift through the rubble. As uncovered items from the remains of the house shake loose memories of the past, Thomas and Noreen begin to draw closer and a flicker of hope—and love—is reignited.
Building Faith by Kathleen Fuller—Faith Miller knows that carpentry is an unlikely hobby for a young Amish woman, but she loves the work and it keeps the memory of her grandfather alive. So when her cousin asks Faith to build the cabinets in her new home, Faith is only too happy to take on the job, even if it is the most ambitious project she has ever taken on. The only catch is that she has to work with her ex-fiance, Silas. As they work to build Martha’s kitchen, can they put the past behind them and start to build faith in one another again?

What I Thought: 
I always enjoy reading books that are collections of novellas. An Amish Home is a wonderful book with four novellas from some of my favorite Amish fiction authors. Each novella is less that 100 pages, so a quick read. Each of the novellas has a glossary, discussion questions based on the story,  and at the back of the book there are two recipes from each story.  406 pages might seem like a long book, but when broken into four short stories, it goes by quickly.

All of the stories from An Amish Home have several things in common. The stories are all based on someones home,whether the main characters or someone else. It might seem like the home is the most important thing, but as they resolve the home issue they learn a lot about themselves. The characters encounter love, faith, patience, and following God's plan for their lives.

Although I don't have a favorite of the four novellas, A Flicker of Hope really touched my heart. Noreen has ached for a child for many years, and her relationship with her husband Thomas has grown cold. When their house burns to the ground, it seems all hope is lost. The couple must face their problems, and lean on God to get through this terrible time in their lives.

*I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.