The Amish Quiltmaker's Unlikely Match

The Amish Quiltmaker's Unlikely Match was published last month on January 23, 2024. It is the 4th book in the author's Amish Quiltmaker series. I read the first book, The Amish Quiltmaker's Unexpected Baby, and loved it so I requested this new title from Net Galley and was lucky to receive a copy of the book.

The publisher's summary:

Though Mary Yoder longs to marry someday, she finds caring for her community’s injured and sick is much easier than courting. But when Englischer Clay Markham crashes his car nearby, Mary’s nursing shows her his hidden wounds are more painful than his injuries. Though she’s irresistibly drawn to his kind nature, can she risk letting him into her heart?

On the run from his troubled past, ex-pro baseball player Clay can’t believe the quiet sanctuary he’s found under Mary’s care. Her gentle faith and knowledge are somehow giving him hope he can change his life—and offer her the love she truly deserves. But when his secrets catch up with him, can he and Mary find the courage to face the truth, set things to rights . . . and make way for a future together?

I mainly read Amish fiction written by the two icons of the genre: Wanda Brunstetter and Beverly Lewis. These two ladies are so outstanding that it is difficult for me to trust that another author can write just as well and that I will enjoy their books. I have a theory that the plots from other authors are simple in comparison. I still think that this theory is correct but without reading additional authors I can never really know. I should be trying new, to me, authors. For Jennifer Beckstrand, author of this book, I believe that her plot was simpler. Unlikely Match is a straightforward Amish romance story without any of the modern subplots that you see with Brunstetter and Lewis. 

After saying all of the above, I must admit that I enjoyed Unlikely Match. I enjoyed it immensely. There was some mystery to the story. The reader doesn't know how long Clay and Mary can remain to be friends given that Clay was not Amish. I kept waiting to read that they stopped seeing each other. However, one thing after another happened to Clay that brought him and Mary together. As with all Amish fiction, there is a happy ending. The suspension of belief that you see with cozy mysteries is evident here. I believe that suspension of belief went a little too far to be believable but hey, at least it's a happy ending. This is why I read Amish fiction. When I buy one of them I am looking for a light read and a book that I will enjoy. To date, I have enjoyed every Amish fiction novel that I have read so I will keep reading.

4 out of 5 stars.

Letters of Wisdom

I was surprised when I opened up my Net Galley app a few days ago and found a new book by Wanda Brunstetter. I was even more surprised that it is part the Friendship Letters series which I thought was just a duology. Letters of Comfort and Letters of Trust were both published last year and I loved reading them.  The new book will be published on February 29, 2024.

The publisher's summary:

Friendship Letters Series — Doretta Schwartz has always enjoyed writing letters and feels her letters can be a bit of a ministry to her friends. In this series, exchanging letters that contain open and honest feelings and struggles helps Doretta and two of her best friends through the darkest challenges of their lives.

 

Letters and Prayers Between Friends Become a Balm for Healing

 

Irma Miller thought having a family of her own would bring her joy and a sense of accomplishment, but she struggles with memories of the abuse she suffered as a child at the hand of her stepfather. When she becomes physically and emotionally abusive to her own children, she reaches out to her friend Doretta for prayer and wisdom. But Irma may find herself at an even darker emotional place before she will admit she needs professional help to heal the past traumas. Will Doretta’s letters of wisdom help Irma and her family, or will too much be broken to ever be repaired?

 

Find out in the third book of The Friendship Letters series by New York Times Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter.

 

I love Wanda Brunstetter's books. When I obtained the book I deliberately read slowly because I knew that it would be done in a flash and I wanted to savor every word. I loved reading about all that baking that the female characters were doing and wish they were baking for me! The topic of the story is child abuse, both physical and emotional. The author stated at the end of the story that she was a victim of child abuse as was her husband. I did not see that coming. She seems so well adjusted because she pumps out multiple books each year.  

As for our main character Irma, she suffered severe physical and emotional abuse from her stepfather and she began behaving the same way toward her own children.  She was not aware that abuse can be handed down the generations if the victims don't receive counseling. As the story continued, Irma became more and more abusive to her kids. I could tell that this was where the story was going and that the author was going to be sympathetic to her. However, I felt that her kids were brats just as she accused them of being. They never did what they were told and even caused accidents among themselves. 

The letters between Irma and her friends Doretta and Eleanor are a source of healing for her. They address her current struggles and past traumas. The Scripture references given to her were spot on and I must admit that the ones concerning anger touched my own heart.

The advanced review copy (ARC) that I read had three mistakes. Doretta was referred to as Irma in these places. It was easy to figure this out though. As this is an ARC errors are to be expected.  I am sure that they will be corrected before publication.  

5 out of 5 stars.

Sisters by the Sea

Sisters by the Sea consists of four short Amish fiction stories.  All are written by Wanda Brunstetter or a family member of hers.  Each story is about one of four sisters who move to Sarasota, Florida from Middlebury, Indiana. The book was published last month. 

My favorite story was the first. The Seashell Cake was written by Wanda E. Brunstetter and features Leora Lambright as the main character.  Leora is the first to leave home, seeking a warmer climate because she has seasonal affective disorder (SAD).  While on a winter holiday, roofer John Miller meets Leora in the bakery where she is expressing herself through cake decorating.  John has a successful roofing business in Clare, Michigan. The two are instantly attracted to each other and spend several days bike riding, fishing, playing shuffleboard, and trying local restaurants.  Leora, however, makes it clear she’ll never again live in the Midwest without explaining why.

 

The second story, The Beach Ball, was written by Jean Brunstetter.  This story features the youngest Lambright daughter, Violet.  Violet has always been a bit wild. She moves to Florida to live with her sister Leora as she seeks her independence and considers leaving the Amish way of life. Violet meets an Amish man named Levi but later meets a Mennonite man who competes for her attention.

 

Fragments of a Sand Dollar by Richelle Brunstetter is the third story. It was my least favorite. Here we have Francine Lambright who is heartbroken that her longtime boyfriend, Matthew, is thinking of leaving the Amish faith in order to become a missionary.  Their two year courtship ended abruptly after his decision.  Francine is ready to join the church, but her sister Leora invites her to Florida for an extended visit before taking the pledge of faith. While shell hunting at Lido Beach, Francine meets Lucas Hayes, and they soon begin seeing each other, despite him being an Englisher. When Matthew shows up in Pinecraft unexpectedly, Francine finds herself in a quandary.

 

The fourth story, A Sarasota Sunset, was written by Lorine Brunstetter Van Corbach.  Another sister, Alana Lambright, has suffered a series of unfortunate accidents and emotional traumas that have left her plagued by anxiety. She turns to art for peace and healing. While on a visit to Leora in Florida, she takes up seashell artwork and accepts a job in a gift shop. James Miller, a recent college graduate, meets Alana, and, due to his own past, he is initially turned off by the fact that she is Amish. Still he invites Alana on adventurous outings. Alana tries to tamp her anxiety to try the activities but fails and feels like it pushes James away.

Each story is 100 pages in length so they are quick reads. The expertise in writing that we have come to expect from the Brunstetter family was met once again with this book. It's fantastic. The writing style of each author is so similar that you cannot see any difference from one story to the next. If you like Amish fiction you should pick up the book.

5 out of 5 stars.

Letters of Comfort

Doretta Schwartz used to be a happy person and passed her positive attitude along to her friends in several letters that she wrote each month. All that changed the day she learned of her fiance William’s death and a heavy weight of depression fell upon her. Feeling empty, she puts away her letter writing and won’t even respond to calls from friends. William’s twin brother, Warren, is also grieving his loss, while at the same time, trying to be supportive to his parents and Doretta. Doretta responds to Warren’s friendship, but the question is has he just becoming a replacement for the once-in-a-lifetime love she lost?

Letters of Comfort is the second book in the author's Friendship Letters duology. While we all know Amish fiction ends on a positive note, don't let that make you believe that the plot is simple. Brunstetter gives us several twists and turns in Doretta's recovery as well as showing how deep someone can fall into depression. In many ways it is a medical mystery novel albeit one that is light and in which you can predict a lovely ending. The Author's Note tells us that she intended to write a book with depression as a theme. 

I was surprised to learn that Doretta's boyfriend William was not as good a person that she originally thought he was. Was it necessary to show this in order to make his twin Warren look good? I kind of wish he remained the perfect person. Nevertheless, Letters of Comfort is a primer on what lies beneath a person's exterior.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Heirloom

The Heirloom is Beverly Lewis' newest Amish fiction novel. It will be published next month on September 12, 2023.  I received an advanced review copy (ARC) through Librarything's Early Reviewer's Club in exchange for an honest review. This story is a prequel to Lewis's The Shunning.

The publisher's summary:

After her widowed father remarries, nineteen-year-old Clara Bender is no longer needed to run his household. Marriage seems like her best hope of moving out, but there are few young men in her tiny Indiana Amish community. When she comes across letters from her mother's aunt Ella Mae Cook, she sets off to visit Lancaster County's Hickory Hollow to decide where her future lies. Ella Mae is not quite ready to move from the farmhouse where she and her recently deceased husband spent over fifty happy years, but her children are eager to resettle her, making Clara's visit seem like an answer to prayer. The two women form a warm bond while restoring an heirloom wedding quilt and sharing their lives, with Ella Mae confiding about a tragedy from her courting years. Eventually, Ella Mae suggests Clara stay for the summer, allowing Ella Mae more time with her and giving Clara an opportunity to meet the area's eligible young men. 

This book has a simple plot with a slow pace. I was distracted by the ARC's full justification for the paragraphs so perhaps that is why I felt the pace was slow. Sometimes there were only 2 to 3 words per line. It seemed that no matter how long I read at a stretch, I made little progress toward finishing the book. The justification was much improved by the midpoint of the story and that is where the plot became interesting. There were several mysteries and problems for Clara to resolve and the food descriptions were scrumptious. The pace also picked up nicely. Still, it took me two days to finish this short 190 page book. Unheard of for someone like me who can read three 300 page books in a day. 

The justification clearly impacted my enjoyment of the novel and I would expect that by the time it is published the justification will be corrected and my comments irrelevant. Let's just say the second half of the book is worth reading.

An Evil Heart

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I was able to get a copy of Linda Castillo's newest book An Evil Heart from my public library.  I recently discovered this author and love her take on Amish fiction. Her sleuth is a police detective who investigates murders. This is not your typical Amish story but it has an Amish flavor. Painter's Mill Police Chief Kate Burkholder receives a call one autumn morning about a DB, "dead body," abandoned on a dirt road. The victim is an Amish boy named Aden Karn, just twenty years old and from an upstanding Amish family. As Kate delves into his past, she begins to hear whispers about a dark side of him.  Her investigation spirals out of control when a young Amish woman comes forward with a horrific story that pits Kate against a dangerous opponent. When the truth is uncovered, Kate comes face to face with the consequences of a life that has been lived in all of the dark places.

This story is unputdownable. It kept me on the edge of my seat, trying to figure out who the killer was. I was not too surprised but the whydunnit was interesting. Interspersed with the police investigation are scenes concerning Kate's upcoming wedding to her fellow officer Tomasetti. Tomasetti works for the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the two of them have worked on cases together in the past. Most of these scenes were with Kate and her Amish sister Sarah. Sarah sewed Kate's wedding dress which was an Amish dress. Since Kate left the Amish way of life almost twenty years ago it was a little surprising that this is the wedding dress she wanted to wear. After the murder has been completely resolved, we see Kate's Amish family baking up a storm for the wedding. 

The investigation of the murder itself was suspenseful and fast paced. While I do not typically like police procedurals, this series has captured my attention. I have only read one other book in this 15 book series but plan on getting through them all at some point in the future.

5 out of 5 stars.

Letters of Trust

Letters of Trust is the first book in The Friendship Letters duology by Wanda Brunstetter. The series features Doretta Schwartz as the letter writer. Doretta has always loved writing and receiving letters and she believes that letter writing could be a ministry for her. 

The publisher's summary:

Life is good on their Pennsylvania Amish farm for newlyweds Vic and Eleanor Lapp—until the day Vic’s youngest brother drowns in their pond and Vic turns to alcohol to numb the pain. Things get so bad that Vic loses his job and their marriage is coming apart. Eleanor is desperate to help her husband and writes letters to her friend, Doretta, living in Indiana for advice. The trust Eleanor places in her friend and the gentle words she receives in return are a balm for even darker days to come.

There wasn't much action in this novel. At the conclusion of the first third of the book I found myself questioning what was the point of this novel. Then Vic's brother Eddie died and the pace picked up little. This story has a simple plot though that is centered around character growth, not actual plot action. 

The author tackles grief, alcoholism and depression here. These are not normal plots for Amish fiction but it shows how the genre has grown over the years. It was obvious how the story would end but I enjoyed the ride. The reader sees first hand how an unexpected death within a family affects each family member. For Vic Lapp it meant becoming addicted to alcohol. He used beer to ease the pain he felt from his young brother's death. 

Eleanor seemed like a doormat to me. She was too sweet and easy going given the poor treatment that she received from her husband. She reminded me of the wives of the fundamentalist polygamy sects in the western states who are trained to "keep sweet."  When Eleanor finally got angry I was so happy.

I prefer stories with more action and am only rating the book 3 out of 5 stars.

Murder in Plain Sight

Murder in Plain Sight is the first book in the Brotherhood of the Raven trilogy that takes place in Amish country. It is different from the usual Amish fiction as this one is a murder mystery. Author Marta Perry has published 118 novels! All of them are Amish fiction. I enjoyed this book so I think I will be very busy reading some of her novels this year. 

The publisher's summary:  

Did a sweet-faced Amish teenager brutally murder a young woman? To save her career, big-city lawyer Jessica Langdon is determined to defend him—against the community's bitter and even violent outrage. Yet without an understanding of Amish culture, Jessica must rely on arrogant businessman Trey Morgan, who has ties to the Amish community… and believes in the boy's guilt.

Jessica has threats coming from all sides: a local fanatic, stirred up by the biased publicity of the case; the dead girl's boyfriend; even from the person she's learned to trust the most, Trey Morgan. But just when Jessica fears she's placed her trust in the wrong man, Trey saves her life. And now they must both reach into a dangerous past to protect everyone's future—including their own.

The mystery concerning who killed Cherry Wilson was expertly plotted. However, our protagonist Jessica Langdon is a lousy attorney. No, this is not stated in the story but it is obvious that she is incompetent because she was sharing confidential information about the case with most of the characters in the story. She let herself be guided by them.

Jessica's character is the only character I didn't like much. She is not plausible as an attorney. Trey is interesting in that he is an Englischer who is fully trusted by his Amish neighbors. His mother Geneva is a sweet, wise woman and I would love to read more stories that include them both. The Amish Bishop was portrayed as a kindly old soul. He was not the usual ornery, stay away from the English, boss that I am accustomed to read about. All of these characters would make awesome series characters. Jessica needs work though. The budding romance between Jessica and Trey was hard for me to accept. While opposites attract, I felt that the author was telling the reader and not showing the reader how their relationship developed.

Despite the negatives I described above, the solving of the crime was suspenseful and kept me reading. 3 out of 5 stars.

The Apple Creek Announcement

 

The Apple Creek Announcement is the third book in Wanda Brunstetter's Creektown Discoveries trilogy.  It is light reading and hit the spot for me as I was reading while recovering from a COVID-19 vaccine. Yes, vaccine. In this installment of the series piano teacher and artist, Andrea Wagner, has a fascination with painting the rural Amish landscapes around her home. She has made it to her thirties feeling like she has had a charmed life and finally has fallen in love with Brandon Prentice, a local veterinarian. But then she discovers she was adopted and all she thought she knew about herself has crumbled. She does not know why her adoptive parents kept the adoption a secret. Andrea becomes so fixated on finding her birth mother that she puts her wedding plans on hold and writes to the "Dear Caroline" column in the newspaper for romance advice. 

Why Apple Creek in the title? The story takes place in Apple Creek, Ohio where Andrea and her family reside. A nearby town, Walnut Creek, is where two additional characters, Orley and Lois Troyer, live and run an antique shop called Memory Keepers. The couple enjoys mentoring others and frequently pray for God to bring people into their lives that need help. In addition, Lois writes the "Dear Caroline" newspaper column. I loved these characters who led lives of simple pleasure. It takes me back to a time in my life that seemed easier. It probably wasn't, but today I look back on my life and see simplicity. Without the presence of modern conveniences, the characters' lifestyles helped them focus more on God and their faith. However they are still challenged by their circumstances. 

I also love that the story is clean romance. The subplot of Andrea's search for her birth mother added some drama that you don't normally see in Amish fiction. With a surprise twist at the end, the novel read more like a mystery than the typical Amish story. It was fantastic.

5 out of 5 stars.

The Thorn

The Thorn is the first book in The Rose Trilogy by Beverly Lewis. The trilogy is about two sisters who are on the fringes of the Amish church. Rose Kaufman and her married sister Hannah, called Hen, are struggling with their relationship with their church. Hen left the church when she married an Englisher, but wants to come back. Rose, on the other hand, is considering leaving. It was published in 2010.

The publisher's summary:  

Lancaster County, with its rolling meadows and secret byways, may seem idyllic, but it is not without its thorns. Rose Kauffman, a spirited young woman, has a close friendship with the bishop's foster son. Nick dresses Plain and works hard but stirs up plenty of trouble too. Rose's sister cautions her against becoming too involved, but Rose is being courted by a good Amish fellow, so dismisses the warnings. Meanwhile Rose keeps house for an English widower but is startled when he forbids her to ever go upstairs. What is the man hiding?

Rose's older sister, Hen, knows more than she should about falling for the wrong man. Unable to abandon her Amish ways, Hen is soon separated from her very modern husband. Mattie, their young daughter, must visit her father regularly, but Hen demands that she wear Amish attire and speak Pennsylvania Dutch, despite her husband's wishes. Will Hen be able to reestablish her place among the People she abandoned? And will she be able to convince Rose to steer clear of rogue neighbor Nick? 

The Thorn was an enjoyable novel but it did not engage me as as much as other novels by Beverly Lewis. The plot was simple and the writing did not give much mystery. At times I felt bored. That said, the characters were interesting. Both Rose and Hen were strong women that did not fit the Amish mold. Rose tried her best to fit into that mold because she knew it was expected of her. Hen, on the other hand, tried to fit into the English lifestyle that she chose for herself a few years back. While they were on different paths, Rose and Hen still retained their strong bond as sisters, unusual in the Amish community. In the other Amish fiction books that I have read there is always a broken relationship between family members who stayed in the Amish community and those who left. It was odd that these sisters resumed their relationship when Hen returned without any questions asked.

Thorn was an OK read. 3 out of 5 stars.

Threads of Hope

Threads of Hope is the 3rd book in the Plain Patterns trilogy by Leslie Gould. The story opens with Tally Smucker enjoying a quiet life of reading and quilting. She can concentrate on her hobbies because of her decision never to marry. However, she has to deal with grief over her mother's catastrophic illness as well as the physical demands of being her caregiver. When a former Plain friend, Danielle, exhibits the symptoms of PTSD from her service in the army, Tally invites her to join a group of quilters at a fabric shop called Plain Patterns. Jane Berger owns the store and Jane likes to tell true stories from yesteryear while the ladies sew. During these quilting get togethers, Tally and Danielle learn about the plight of a WWI soldier and the girl he left behind, Jane's ancestor Kate Landis. Kate was an Amish woman who had to deal with her boyfriend Amos leaving the Amish community to fight in WWI. There is also the 1918 flu pandemic that is raging at the time. The couple's story resonates with both Tally and Danielle but for different reasons.

I am a quilter so I loved the quilt shop setting for this trilogy. Also, there are several parallels to the present time. We are two years into the COVID-19 pandemic and we are dealing with the Ukraine War, which could spill into WWIII. The author gives us some insight on how these issues were dealt with in the past but, of course, she did not know at the time she wrote the novel that history would repeat itself. Danielle's treatment for PTSD is also featured and it is educational for the reader. 

When quilters gather together they tend to solve all the problems in the world by discussing them and coming up with their own solutions, always better than what the politicians decide. I certainly felt this camaraderie among the Plain Patterns group and remember conversations that I have had in the past with fellow quilters. Quilting is also a way to mull over personal problems when you are sewing by yourself. Art and crafts are an outlet for me on dealing with personal issues. This book reinforced this effect as the characters also discussed the problems of the day.

Threads of Hope is the best book in the trilogy. It has more mystery elements than the other two books which made it a fast read.  4 out of 5 stars.

The Sugarcreek Surprise

The Sugarcreek Surprise is Wanda Brunstetter's newest novel. It is the second novel in her Creektown Discoveries series and was published earlier this month. The story concerns 25 year old Lisa Miller who became an orphan when she was seven after her family was killed in an auto accident. Lisa's grandparents decide to take her to their home in Sugarcreek, Ohio and raise her themselves. Lisa, however, has trouble making friends and has never opened up to her grandparents about her loss.  She is afraid that if she ever loves anyone again, that they will die and leave her alone in the world. 

When Paul Herschberger moves into her community, Lisa has already been teaching for 7 years. She has no plans to ever marry and have children of her own. Paul is also heartbroken. His longtime girlfriend in Indiana was also dating his best friend. Paul expected to marry the girl but broke things off with her after catching her with his buddy.  Paul decides to move to Ohio and work with his uncle as a carpenter. Soon he meets Lisa and is attracted to her.  Paul thinks that he met Lisa sometime in the past but cannot remember where they could have ever met. He tries to get her to go out with him but Lisa refuses all of his advances. Eventually they become friends over their mutual love of antiques and books. The question for the reader is whether these two hurt souls can ever overcome their handicaps and become a couple.

Romance is not usually the kind of book I read.  However, these Amish romance stories get to me every time. There is something about how these stories are told that attract me. There is a mystery to them and reading them is similar to reading a mystery novel because you want to know how the characters overcome whatever personal problem that they have. The Sugarcreek Surprise was no different. I was captivated from the first page until the ending. The religious aspect of the story is also intriguing for me. It is always fascinating to see how other people deal with their problems. We all have problems and the Amish are no different from the rest of us. Having a faith tradition of my own, I enjoy reading how the characters resolve their conflicts by using their faith. The answer is always the same, regardless of your faith tradition: will you allow God to change you so that you can overcome negative circumstances? 

This novel is appropriate for all ages and women in particular will enjoy it. 5 out of 5 stars.

Piecing It All Together

Piecing It All Together is the first book in the author's Plain Patterns trilogy. I reviewed the second book here. The story opens with Savannah Mast's fiance dumping her a week before their wedding. She flees California for the safety of her Amish grandmother's farm near Nappanee, Indiana. Savannah is not planning on staying long but becomes unexpectedly entangled in the search for a missing Amish girl. She can't leave, especially not when her childhood friend Tommy Miller is implicated as a suspect.

When Savannah accompanies her grandmother to Plain Patterns, a nearby quilt shop, the owner and local historian, Jane Berger, relates a tale about another woman's disappearance back in the 1800s that has curious echoes to today. Inspired by the story, Savannah does all she can to find the Amish girl and clear Tommy's name. But when her former fiance shows up, begging her to return to California and marry him after all, she must choose between accepting the security of what he has to offer or continuing the complicated legacy of her family's faith.

I enjoyed the current era subplot, Savannah's story, but was bored by the other one, the story of Emma Fisher. There wasn't much of a connection between the two and the reader is told early on that two of the characters are related. The Emma Fisher subplot does not explain the relation or what characteristics Savannah and Jane inherited from Emma. I found myself skipping pages when Emma's story was being told.

2 out of 5 stars.

A Patchwork Past

A Patchwork Past is book two of the Plain Patterns trilogy. It is about former Amish girl Sophie Deiner, daughter of a bishop, who left her home in Napanee, Indiana while she was pregnant with her boyfriend's child. Three years later Sophie is suffering from lupus and must rest for two weeks per doctor's orders. She decides to return to her parent's home because she knows that she will be able to get alot of rest as well as eat her mother's fabulous home cooked meals. As Sophie heals, she befriends a group of migrant workers who work in Amish owned farms in Napanee. The farm owners rely on them to work their fields. None of them would survive without the migrants. Sophie is shocked when she learns how bad their living conditions are and begins to advocate on their behalf. However, that ex-boyfriend who got her pregnant opposes her ideas. Lyle is the foreman of a farm in the area and bullies his help as well as Sophie. He wants to know about the baby. Lyle is afraid that one day a kid will land on his doorstep and accuse him of being their father. Sophie has never told anyone about her miscarriage and does not plan to. Friend Jane who runs a local newsletter also runs a quilting bee. During the weekly quiltings Jane relays the history of an Amish couple who rescued survivors of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. This encourages Sophie to become more involved in fighting for the migrants in her region.

As a Chicagoan, I thought it was interesting that members of the Sullivan family met Sophie's ancestors in Chicago before the fire began. They are mentioned in passing. The traditional story concerning the start of the fire is that a cow owned by an immigrant Irish woman, Mrs. O'Leary, knocked over a lantern which resulted in the entire city being burned to the ground. However, as most Chicagoans know, this is a myth. This story began as an anti-immigrant story directed at America's newest immigrants, the Irish. The person who really started the Great Fire was Pegleg Sullivan who was drunk when he tripped over the lantern. It is also interesting how the author was able to create a story based on immigration. Both the 1870s plot and the current era plot deal with the issue of immigrants. This is pretty unusual in Amish fiction but the author pulled it off amazingly. The book had an Amish fiction feel to it, not a political feel. I must admit, though, that at times it seemed that the author was preaching her politics. While my politics appears to match the author's, I prefer not to read about it in fiction.

The main character, Sophie, was presented well. The reader learns how her anguish over deciding to run away and live as an Englisher affected both her and her family. While reading I thought that Sophie might stay in Napanee and return to living the Amish lifestyle. However, there won't be a spoilers here. Most of the book was about the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 which also makes the book historical fiction. I loved this plot. It was a trip down history lane for me but I think everyone will enjoy reading about the Fire, including how the Amish were involved. 

All in all, A Patchwork Past was a great read. 4 out of 5 stars.

The Beginning

It has always amazed me how Beverly Lewis can continue to come up with great stories to tell.  41 adult fiction novels has not slowed down her imagination. The Beginning is another one that is especially poignant. While her readers will expect a romance story that always ends well, the reason for the title has nothing to do with courting and marriage. I won't be a spoiler. You will want to read the book to find out.

The story begins with Susie Mast wondering if she will ever have any boy interested enough in her to want to marry her. She hopes that Obie Yoder has romantic feelings for her but she never expresses her feelings to him.  Suffering from the death of her brother several years earlier, Susie has found that the best way to cope is to keep busy. She is always cleaning, working in her mother's store or selling her family tree embroideries. She rarely relaxes or socializes. Susie's mother, Aquilla, has been in declining health since the death of her husband and son in an auto accident. Her adopted sister, Britta, is a big help to her with chores but has begun to ask alot of questions about her birth parents. Susie knows a little about Britta's past but is afraid to tell her anything about her adoption.  She fears more loss will occur if Britta gets the answers she is seeking.  

The Beginning is one of my favorite books that Lewis has written. The ending gathers and clarifies all the loose ends written in to the story.  While I haven't read all of her books, this type of ending seemed more complex than the ones that I have previously read.  It made the book much more satisfying than the usual girl finally gets the boy.  The wisdom issued from the lips of the elderly women in this Amish district was amazing and the foods the ladies prepared made me hungry.  I ended up ordering in on the day that I read the book.  If there is anything unusual about the story  it was how often they made tea. Someone was making tea on almost every page. The characters must have spent alot of time in the outhouse.

Beverly Lewis is the reason that I read Amish fiction.  She is the gold standard for these types of stories and I highly recommend this novel.  5 out of 5 stars.

The Amish Quilter's Unexpected Baby

This is the first book in a series about fictional character Esther Zook, an Amish quiltmaker who moves from Pennsylvania to a new settlement in Colorado. Esther is starting over after her father’s death, piecing together a new life with as much care as she puts into her intricate quilts. When her wayward sister abandons her five month old baby on Esther's doorstep, it throws all those plans for a fresh start asunder. Esther had accepted her status as an old maid. She is thirty and has no plans to be a mother, or a single mother at that. Levi Kiem, the eligible young man who’s making repairs in her house, has attracted her attention. Esther believes that he cannot have any interest in her other than as friends because of their age difference.  Levi is 24. Levi has plenty of marriage prospects. His dat has even offered to send him to Ohio to find a wife. Yet the more time he spends with Esther, the more intrigued he becomes. Feisty and independent, she’s nothing like the wife he once imagined for himself. Yet just as a quilt is crafted from contrasting cloth, they might find that together, they can create a family.

The book was an enjoyable read, although all the writing about the baby screaming started to get on my nerves. I could literally hear that kid through the pages and started thinking about all the screaming babies I have listened to while riding on a bus. Esther and Levi are both compelling characters. Their so-called romance was one of those he thinks, she thinks stories. Neither of them are able to express their true feelings to each other until the very end of the story. I must admit that all of the missed connections between them also got on my nerves. I think there were too many of them. It would have been nice if they became romantic with each other sooner in the plot so that we could see more of how the romance developed.  

 

Amish Quilter was an OK book.  3 out of 5 stars.

Return to the Big Valley

This book shares three novellas about Amish women and their boyfriends. The stories take place in Big Valley, PA where the Brides of Big Valley novel occurred. Each story is a standalone and is written by a member of the Brunstetter family. Wanda wrote Wilma's Wish, her daughter-in-law Jean wrote Martha's Miracle and Wanda's granddaughter Richelle wrote Alma's Acceptance. Each one is about 120 pages long and are easy reads. 

In Wilma's Wish we see engaged couple Israel Zook and Wilma Hostetler struggling to care for Israel's five nephews. The boys are orphans and a little rambunctious. Israel has decided to adopt them but is not sure if Wilma will still marry him. The boys do not get along with her and are trying to discourage her from marrying Israel by behaving badly. Martha Yoder, of Martha's Wish, is an unusual Amish girl. She prefers hunting and fishing to cooking and cleaning. Her parents worry that she will never find someone to marry her if she continues in her tomboy ways. In Alma's Acceptance, Alma Wengerd is a widow after only one year of marriage. She decides to visit a friend in Big Valley where she lived when she was younger. There she reunites with a friend who she once thought of marrying  Elias also wanted to marry her but never got up the courage to ask her out. All of these stories deal with grief, romance, and those wonderful, always caring parents. 

I enjoyed Wilma's Wish and Alma's Acceptance. Martha's Wish was too simplistic and the characters were not interesting. There was no tension in the plot and I got bored reading this story. I would have to say, though, that all three stories were lacking the usual amount of tension and character development that readers are used to seeing with full length Amish fiction.  However, the book as a whole was a relaxing read and I will rate it 3 out of 5 stars.

The Hawaiian Discovery

This is the second book in a three part series. I have already read books 1 and 3. I was not aware that these 3 novels were connected and read them out of order. It was easy to follow the story though.

On this installment of the series Ellen Lambright, an Amish girl living in Middlebury, IN, receives permission from her church to fly to Kaui in order to help a friend deal with her husband's accident. Ken Williams was attacked by a shark while surfing and might not survive. His wife Mandy, also from Middlebury, is Ellen's best friend so after the accident happened Ellen knew Mandy would need support.  When she arrives Ellen meets Rob Smith, a farm hand working on the organic farm owned by the Williams family. Sparks fly between them and both try to ignore their mutual attraction. With Ellen having joined the Amish Church she cannot marry an Englisher and it is best not to become involved with one. Both of them know this and try to resist the temptation.

I love Amish fiction and I also love Hawaii. Put the two together and you have a winning novel. I love reading about these characters and hope Brunstetter continues their story in another book. However, it is the setting that grabs my attention most. With every description of the scenery I feel as though I have been transported there.  Yes, I feel that warm sun even though I am living in a cold climate. While these characters are hard workers, I have some problems relating to their fatigue after a day's work. They have the sunshine when the day is over which gives me a disconnect. I cannot imagine feeling tired in such a glorious setting. My personal issues do not affect my enjoyment of the story. It was well written and I read it this morning before I went to work.

5 our of 5 stars.

The Blended Quilt

The Blended Quilt is Wanda Brunstetter's 56th novel.  She created the Amish fiction genre in 1997 with the publication of her first book A Merry Heart.  She was 60 years old when that book was published! Although her ancestors were of the Anabaptist faith, her fascination with the Amish began when she married her husband, who had been raised as a Mennonite.  She is so well thought of in the Amish community that they read her books.  In addition to her Amish fiction series, Ms. Brunstetter has published 8 novellas, 7 cookbooks, 3 devotionals, 4 gift books and 14 middle grade children's novels, all set among the Amish.  She publishes between 3 and 8 books per year and began writing with her daughter-in-law Jean Brunstetter in 2016.  The Robin's Greeting was published earlier this month and next month An Amish Barn Raising will be published.

The Blended Quilt follows the life of Sadie Kuhns.  A year after returning to Indiana from a trip to Hawaii (see The Hawaiian Quilt) Sadie wants to create a quilt that blends the traditional Amish quilt with a Hawaiian quilt.  When she finishes it, a friend suggests that she write a book on the quilt. While she is writing her book, her boyfriend Wyman Kauffman becomes distant as she spends more time writing and talking about it than in paying attention to him.  He is jealous of the time that she spends with her personal pursuits and wonders if she is marriage material.  However, Sadie had concerns about their relationship before she even thought about making the quilt.  Wyman does not seem to be able to a job or profession.  Without a secure profession, Sadie doubts that he can support a wife and family.  Both wonder if there is any reason to continue their courtship.  

I have only read 4 other books by Wanda Brunstetter.  I am not sure why since her books are so well written.  At one time I was only interested in political mysteries but I believe I have let myself down by not reading her entire bibliography of books.  I loved The Blended Quilt and must make a determination to read through her book list.  As a feminist I was put off by Wyman's insistence on being center stage in Sadie's life.  Perhaps that is impractical given Sadie's Amish life but he annoyed me. Sadie, however, is a woman after my own heart.  Wanting to create a new type of quilt is impressive.  Writing a book about it is even better (in my view). Being a strong woman was not looked upon well in her community. Neither was travel, something Sadie has done while single.  She would like to return to Hawaii but never expects to be able to afford it.  While I realize that this is Amish fiction, I cannot wrap my head around the fact that being strong and proactive is considered a negative trait in a woman. 

5 our of 5 stars.

The Crow's Call

It's been awhile since I have read Wanda Brunstetter.  I have been wanting to read something different and thought that an Amish mystery would do the trick.  The Crow's Call is Book 1 in the Amish Greenhouse Mystery series which I think is going to be a trilogy.

The publisher's summary:

"When Vernon King, his son, and son-in-law are involved in a terrible accident, three women are left to cope with their deaths, as they become the sole providers of the family they have left.  The women's only income must come from the family greenhouse, but someone seems to be trying to force them out of business.   

Amy King has just lost her father and brother and her mother needs her to help run the family's greenhouse.  It doesn't seem fair to ask her to leave a job she loves, when there is still a sister and brother to help.  But Sylvia is also greiving for her husband while left to raise three children, and Henry, just out of school, is saddled with all the jobs his father and older brother used to do.  As Amy assumes her new role, she also asks Jared Riehl to put their courtship on hold."

The book has an interesting plot but I feel that the pace was rather slow.  There are only so many pages a reader can stand of the characters doing the same things over and over. Amy was always having angry thoughts about her lazy brother Henry and Henry was always angry over nothing in particular. This went on for over 100 pages. I became bored but kept reading because I wanted to know how Amy and Jared resolved their relationship problems. Also, if there had been a few more twists and turns in the plot the book would have been more interesting and there probably would have been a lot less of the character's angry thoughts. Providing the reader with a resolution of the vandalism of the greenhouse would have been nice since it was mentioned in the blurb.

3 out of 5 stars.