STILL WATERS by Patricia Johns, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt #ReleaseDay

The Amish of Shepherd's Hill Series #2

An Amish Christian Fiction Romance About Family Secrets, Faith, and Community

TRIXI'S REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this story by a new-to-me author! First of all, Amish is a favorite genre I like to read in and secondly, I love the message of trying to find our place in the world but discovering the truth that wherever God has placed us is where we’ll find home.

Beth Peachy has a lot of unanswered questions that make her feel restless for something she thinks she longs for: freedom and opportunities in the English world she doesn’t have being Amish. Her family has never shared stories of her family, especially her Daet (dad), and she longs to know his history. She’s determined to find those answers when she stays with her Mammi (grandma) for the summer to help care for her. But will those answers satisfy her, especially when she begins to harbor feelings for a certain Amish man she’s known since childhood. Will love be enough to make her stay?

Danny Lapp is wholeheartedly Amish and content with Gott’s (God) lot in his life. He loves his family, his place within his community, and is firm in his faith. There’s only one thing he longs for; the love of a good woman and eventual kinner (children). That woman happens to be Beth—his childhood friend who visited with her family during the summer months. Can he convince her to commit to the Amish faith and his heart before it’s too late?

There’s also Danny’s brother Zach who has left the Amish faith and Tabitha the Amish veterinarian who came back to her Amish faith and life after her English husband died. These made for great secondary characters who added so much to the story! I didn’t read the first book, but I had no trouble keeping up because the author gave enough backstory to Green Pastures. The ending was so surprising and satisfying that I can’t wait for the next installment! This certainly won’t be my last book by Patricia Johns; I already love her writing voice. She kept me engaged the entire book and longing for more.
*I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishers & Interviews and Reviews through Netgalley. No favorable review was required and all opinions here are mine alone. *

BackCover Blurb
Their hidden past brings questions about their future . . . together.

Unsure of her future within the Amish community, Beth Peachy arrives in Lancaster County for the summer to care for her ailing grandmother. Yet with dementia threatening to steal away Mammi's memories, Beth's visit quickly evolves into an urgent search for answers to questions that her relatives seem determined to avoid. How can Beth possibly make a lifelong vow to the Amish church when her own family is concealing so much of the past from her?

Beth's childhood friend Danny Lapp faces his own dilemma as his ex-Amish older brother turns his back on their family upbringing, dishonoring his Plain heritage. Struggling to find some sort of connection with his brother despite their deep difference of opinion, Danny is determined to find a solution before church leadership becomes involved. As Beth and Danny reconnect and seek to help each other in their search for answers, they find themselves stirring up not only surprising revelations about the past, but questions about a possible future--together.

Bethany House Publishing, November, 2025

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:

Buy STILL WATERS at Amazon, Christianbook .com, or Baker Book House

MATCHED AND MARRIED by Kathleen Fuller, Reviewed by Kim

Matched and Married by Kathleen Fuller is the second book of this series. It can easily be read as a standalone, though. I have not read the first story and I was not lost at all.

I have to admit that I struggled a bit with this story. Well, mostly, I had trouble connecting with Margaret. Basically, for the first half of the story, she’s all about how a person looks on the outside, not who they are on the inside. And as far as Owen was concerned, she was very negative. While I know that she changes, I felt like it was just a bit much and it made me dislike her. I did enjoy the second part of the story more when Margaret and Owen strike up their friendship and she begins to change.

This is a quick sweet read and I would say if you like Amish stories, give this one a try!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. 

BackCover Blurb:
Neither Margaret nor Owen has any interest in getting married. But in the small Amish town of Birch Creek, where marriage is on everyone’s mind, their plans don’t stand a chance.

Margaret Yoder can’t seem to catch a break. Even though she’s dedicated to her Amish faith, her wild rumspringa won’t stay in the past, and her mother keeps pressuring her to get married. To placate her mother and get away from former “friends”, she decides to return to Birch Creek to visit family—and pretend to find a husband.

Like Margaret, Owen Bontrager isn’t looking for a spouse, something that’s hard to avoid in Birch Creek, where an ad for brides in the local paper has brought a swarm of single women to the thriving town. When he meets Margaret in an unexpected way, they discover they have more in common than they ever expected. In some ways, they are a perfect match.

Margaret struggles to keep her goal of avoiding romance in order to focus on being a faithful member of the Amish church, and it doesn’t help that she finds Owen intriguing. Knowing they don’t have a future together; she returns home and gives in to her mother’s insistence that she get married.

Can Margaret betray her feelings for Owen and become a dutiful daughter and wife to the man of her mother’s choosing? Or will Owen find a way to free Margaret of her past by giving her the future they both are surprised to find they desire?

Zondervan Publishing, September 2021

Available in digital ebook, paperback, library binding, and audiobook:

Buy Matched and Married at Amazon

Buy Matched and Married at Christianbook.com

Buy Matched and Married at Baker Book House

THE WALNUT CREEK WISH by Wanda Brunstetter, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt #ReleaseDay

Struggling to find common ground in their marriage, Jeff and Rhonda Davis move to Walnut Creek when the perfect house opens up. Desiring to get back the love that once burned bright, they hope spending quality time in an ideal town will be the solution. When Jeff meets Orley and Lois Troyer in their Amish-owned antique store, it's as if God orchestrated the perfect couple to befriend them.

This was a heart-warming story of lasting friendships, relationship restoration, and a return to a faith both Jeff and Rhonda had years before. I enjoyed the mentorship Orley and Lois extended, and the demonstration of what a Godly marriage looks like. In spite of past heartaches and trials for both couples, I really like the wisdom Lois shared with Rhonda: “I had to be willing to accept life with its conditions and on its terms not my own...I decided that my life was a gift from God and was not dependent on any of the things I had once thought were the source of happiness. It's about being able to accept the bitter and sweet parts of life.” ~pg 238

Wanda Brunstetter has a way of creating characters you come to care about and a gentle faith to guide them. I think the epilogue was my favorite part! Watching God work in Jeff and Rhonda's heart to bond them closer together and find their way back to each other was the highlight for me. Fans of Brunstetter will hopefully enjoy this as much as I did! I love that it's her first contemporary and a great start to a new series.
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. *

#ReleaseDay

BackCover Blurb:

Book 1 in the Creektown Discoveries Series from NYT Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter

An Antique Store Becomes a Place of Healing for Broken Hearts
 
Welcome to Walnut Creek, Ohio, where Orley and Lois Troyer own an antique store they call “Memory Keepers.” Though knowledgeable in antiques and their repair, their real talent is in mentoring folks who are hurting and don’t even know it. Enter Jeff, a restaurateur, and Rhonda, a hotel manager, who recently moved to Amish country for the slow pace, but the change of scenery puts even more stress on their already strained marriage. Will an antique sled be the last straw, or will it lead to unexpected revelations and the fulfillment of dreams?

 

Barbour Publishing, August, 2021

Available in digital ebook, paperback, library binding, and audiobook:

Buy The Walnut Creek Wish at Amazon

Buy The Walnut Creek Wish at Christianbook.com

 

 

 

THE STONE WALL by Beverly Lewis, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

Beverly Lewis is the author that first introduced me to Amish fiction years ago when I discovered her Abram's Daughters series from my library. She hooked me with that first book and I've since found many other wonderful authors who write in this genre. I'll always credit her to falling in love with my first Christian Fiction stories!

So it was with great pleasure and anticipation that I read The Stone Wall! What I loved about it is that Anna is a young Amish woman who's trying to find her way in the world. When an opportunity comes up to visit distant family, she eagerly embarks spending time with her Old Order Amish relatives. The promise of a new direction for her life renews her spirit and refreshes her heart. I also love the mysterious memories her elderly grandma shares that involve a stone wall and a long ago forbidden love. Lastly, I enjoyed the developing love interests from two different men and couldn't wait to find out which one Anna would end up with. I normally don't care for love triangles because they can be frustrating for me to read, but Lewis wrote this in a way that was interesting without all the angst. Now, I'd really like to see a book featuring the one that didn't get his happily-ever-after! I'm a hopeless romantic like that.

I loved getting to know Anna and her extended family, the community she quickly feels a part of, the friendships she'd made, watching how her strong faith guided her every step, and the depth of love she had for her grandma. Someone described this as classic Beverly Lewis and I would have to agree!

 
“Tis a waste of time to look back with regret,” Mammi Eliza Slaubaugh once told me. “Though we might fret and stew, the past simply can’t be changed,” she’d added, leaning closer, as if to share a secret. “Besides, if we could change our past, Anna, would we want to?”
*I received a complimentary digital copy from Netgalley and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *

 

BackCover Blurb:
Anna is eager to begin a new chapter in her life as a Lancaster County tour guide in the picturesque area where her Plain grandmother once stayed. Anna wishes she could talk with her grandmother about those long-ago days, but the elderly woman suffers from Alzheimer's, and beyond a vague hint about an old stone wall, much about that time is a mystery. Thankfully, Martin Nolt, a handsome Mennonite, takes the young Beachy Amish woman under his wing for her training, familiarizing her with the many local highlights, including Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat, which serves children with special needs. The retreat's mission so inspires Anna that she returns to volunteer, and she quickly strikes up a friendship with Gabe Allgyer, the young Amish widower who manages it. 

As Anna grows closer to both Martin and Gabe, she finds herself faced with a difficult choice--one in potential conflict with the expectations of her parents. Will Anna find true love and the truth about her grandmother's past in Lancaster County? Or will she find only heartbreak? 

 

Bethany House Publishers, September 2020

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover and audiobook:

Buy The Stone Wall at Amazon

Buy The Stone Wall at Christianbook.com

Buy The Stone Wall at Baker Book House

THE BLENDED QUILT by Wanda and Jean Brunstetter, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

“I have learned that whatsoever state I am in, therewith to be content. Philippians 4:11”

 

Wanda Brunstetter is one of my favorite Amish fiction writers, I always look forward to reading her books. For me, The Blended Quilt was a delightful read and blended two beautiful and differing Amish communities into one quilt. The end result of Sadie's work was exquisite just from the authors description!

 

What I really loved was how the above scripture set the tone for this story. Both Sadie and Wyman struggled to find contentment in the ordinary and every day stuff—ie: jobs, money, material things. They were both looking for outside things to satisfy them, when in reality, God was calling them to find joy in what He had already given them. I think when we try to find our satisfaction in every day things, we often miss what's right in front of us....the importance of family, friends, community, love and real joy that's deeper than anything we can gain. They learned this lesson as the story played out. I really enjoyed watching their character growth in how they changed and matured.

I liked getting to know the other characters in this story as well; each one struggled with their own problems and came to grips with what really matters in the end. They often reminded each other of the importance of praying for God's direction in their decisions and supporting each other in hard times. That's one thing I especially love in the Amish families, how they pull together when a need arises and help each other through it. Wyman and Sadie certainly stepped up to be there for their families when the time came, I rejoiced in watching it!

 

If you like Amish fiction, I recommend this timeless story of family, community, seeking God's direction, and the importance of true contentment. You can count on Brunstetter to write a faith-filled story and bring this genre to life!

*I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing and was not required to leave a review. All opinions are mine. *

 

BackCover Blurb:
Will pursuing Sadie’s dreams mean leaving a romance behind?

Sadie Kuhns has a lot happening in her life. She is creating a unique quilt by blending a traditional Amish pattern with a Hawaiian pattern as a tribute to her time spent in the islands, and she is working on a self-published book. But her relationship with Wyman Kauffman has stagnated after six months of courtship. He can’t seem to commit to a profession that would secure a future, and he is jealous of the time Sadie gives to her own pursuits. Is there really any reason to drag this courtship out? Only time will tell in this new novel from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, writing with her daughter-in-law Jean Brunstetter.

Barbour Publishing, November 2020

Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook:

Buy The Blended Quilt at Amazon

Buy The Blended Quilt at Christianbook.com

 

AMISH CHRISTMAS MIRACLES Collection, an INTERVIEW with Mary Alford by Trixi Oberembt

Amish Christmas Miracles is a novella collection out on November 10

from some of your favorite Christian Authors! Preorder Today!

 

Reviewer Trixi Oberembt had a few questions for Mary!

Trixi: I really love collections like this with various authors and stories. Who first came up with the idea of "Amish Christmas Miracles"?

Mary Alford

Mary: First off, thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your blog today. I’m happy to be here.

The idea for Amish Christmas Miracles came from a joint effort between Rachel J. Good, Jennifer Beckstrand, and Jennifer Spredemann. These three ladies have worked tirelessly to organize this collection made up of some very talented Amish authors. We are all so excited for readers to read this collection and I truly hope the stories are enjoyed by all. I am blessed to be part of Amish Christmas Miracles.

Trixi Oberembt

Trixi: Was there any particular thing that sparked your story in this book?

Mary: I love writing about second chance romances. There’s just something about two people getting another chance at the love they thought was lost that reminds me of the forgiveness of God. No matter how many times we mess things up, God still loves us and welcomes us back.

Trixi: I know you've written for Love Inspired Suspense and have some independently published series books. What made you decide to also write Amish fiction? Can you also tell me what were some of your favorite things to learn about the Amish?

Mary: I’ve been a fan of Amish fiction for many years. I love the simple way of life focusing on faith and family that gets woven into each story. In this hectic world we live in, I think most of us wish we could slow things down a bit. Go back to a time when life was simpler. I know I do.

One of my favorite things about the Amish are their willingness to forgive even when they are hurt deeply. The biggest incident that comes to mind is the West Nickel Mines Amish school shooting in 2006. The grace and forgiveness they showed to the shooter was amazing.

Even though the world around them is focused on material things, the Amish live their lives with very little worldly possessions.

And some of my favorite recipes come from the Amish. Each year at the holidays, I use the Amish White Bread recipe to make rolls for the meal. 

 

Trixi: Finally, when you aren't writing, what do you like to do for fun? Any hobbies or interests?

Mary: I love to read. Though I don’t have as much time as I would like, I love reading, and I read many different genres including Amish, Christian Suspense, Romantic Suspense as well as non-fiction books to name a few.

I play the piano. Although I am not very good at it, I find it immensely relaxing. I also dabble in crafting, and love to do Christmas crafts as they holiday approaches. I could literally fill my home with Christmas. It is a special time of the year.

About A Christmas Homecoming – My Amish Christmas Miracles Story:

A Sinner. A Saint. A Homecoming No One Expected!

 

Simon Lambright has plenty to be sorry for. A prideful mistake that almost destroyed three lives. A rebellious youth that led him away from his faith. A fatal decision that ended in his best friend’s death.

Simon spent most of his youth trying to prove he was the opposite of the obedient one his name conveyed. But this Christmas, after losing everything, Simon is determined to become the person his mamm and daed believed him to be.

 

With mistakes weighing heavily on his heart, can Simon overcome the past and the impression his former community still has of him, and be the man he was meant to be?

 

Widow Abigail Petersheim is embracing the future she hopes is waiting for her and her daughter Lyddie this holiday season when she returns to the tiny Amish community of St. Ignatius, Montana.

Everyone knows Abigail was a gut wife and mother, but no one knew of the nightmare she endured.

 

Now, after years of living with the secret, Abigail is ready to be free of the past and find the fresh start she so desires. When her cousin asks for her help at the family bakery in St. Ignatius, Abigail is convinced the job offer comes straight from Gott and will be the Christmas miracle she and Lyddie so desperately need. Yet nothing about her homecoming is as she envisioned, and the childhood farm she once cherished is about as broken as Abigail’s life.

 

Abigail enlists the help of her neighbor and carpenter Simon Lambright to repair her home, but soon discovers a friendship from long ago will turn into something worth cherishing. And the past that brought two wounded souls back to St. Ignatius, will become a homecoming neither expected.

Links to buy the book:
Amazon 
Barnes and Noble
Apple


USA Today Bestselling Author Mary Alford, loves giving her readers the un-expected, whether it be in a rugged mountain setting or a peaceful Amish community.

Her titles have appeared on the USA Today Bestselling List, Publisher’s Weekly Bestselling List, and have been finalists in the Daphne Du Maurier award of excellence, The Beverly, The Maggie, and The Selah Awards.

Mary is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest 
Bookbub
Or any social platforms listed at www.maryalford.net.

Thank you again for letting me join you today.
Blessings always,
Mary Alford

Amish Christmas Miracles Collection - BackCover Blurb:

Spend Christmas in Amish country.

As snow falls softly outside the window, curl up by the fire with this collection of 14 stories by your favorite Amish fiction authors. Let them transport you to Amish communities all across the country.

Travel to small towns where horses clip-clop down the road, farms dot the snow-covered landscape, and families gather to celebrate the real meaning of Christmas.

Sigh over sweet stories that touch your heart. Laugh, cry, rejoice, and smile as couples renew their faith and find their perfect soul mates.

These heartwarming tales of faith, hope, love, and Christmas miracles are a special gift to you from Kathleen Fuller, Lenora Worth, Adina Senft, Laura Bradford, Jennifer Beckstrand, Jennifer (J.E.B.) Spredemann, Rachel J. Good, Serena B. Miller, Mary Alford, Loree Lough, Dana R. Lynn, Susan Simpson, Tracy Fredrychowski, and Ashley Emma.

May you be richly blessed this holiday season!

 

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Jolina Petersheim, Reviewed by Rebecca Maney

"There is a crack, a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."

Ruth Neufield's life has not only cracked, but there is a gaping hole where her future used to be. Travelling to Wisconsin with her two young daughters, she buries her husband's remains alongside those of her father-in-law, after the two were tragically killed in an overseas act of terroism. Settling into a Mennonite community there, Ruth and her widowed mother-in-law try to overcome sadness and grief, while accepting the hospitality of Elam Albrecht, her husband's cousin and a prosperous cranberry farmer.
 
It's in this quiet little corner of the world that Ruth begins to walk the road of recovery, not only away from the wounds of a disappointing marriage, but towards the hope of a new kind of tomorrow . . . and then it happens. . . . the unthinkable theft of her happiness.

To say that this book bulges with emotional triggers is an understatement, for the unique plot structure leads the reader along a path that seems almost impossible to navigate, and yet too captivating to abandon. And then the light comes in, shining its brightest through all the cracks and broken places. What a stunning story! 
*I purchased this book and was under no obligation to review it. 

SEE THIS BOOK AND MORE IN REBECCA'S FAVORITE READS LIST OF 2019

BackCover Blurb:
From the highly acclaimed author of The Outcast and The Alliance comes an engrossing novel about marriage and motherhood, loss and moving on.

When Ruth Neufeld's husband and father-in-law are killed working for a relief organization overseas, she travels to Wisconsin with her young daughters and mother-in-law Mabel to bury her husband. She hopes the Mennonite community will be a quiet place to grieve and piece together next steps.

Ruth and her family are welcomed by Elam, her husband's cousin, who invites them to stay at his cranberry farm through the harvest. Sifting through fields of berries and memories of a marriage that was broken long before her husband died, Ruth finds solace in the beauty of the land and healing through hard work and budding friendship. She also encounters the possibility of new love with Elam, whose gentle encouragement awakens hopes and dreams she thought she'd lost forever.

But an unexpected twist threatens to unseat the happy ending Ruth is about to write for herself. On the precipice of a fresh start and a new marriage, Ruth must make an impossible decision: which path to choose if her husband isn't dead after all.

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover and audiobook:
Buy How the Light Gets In at Amazon
Buy How the Light Gets in at Christianbook.com

AMISH FRONT PORCH STORIES by the Brunstetters, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

18 Short Tales of Simple Faith and Wisdom

I am a serious Brunstetter fan from way back when I first discovered Christian fiction and Amish fiction. She has added many heartwarming books to my most treasured stories. I know I will find simple faith and wisdom not only in the pages, but in the characters as well. I think I’ve learned quite a few valuable lessons from them!

First off, this cover just draws me in! I can see myself sitting on that porch on a lazy summer afternoon chatting away with a friendly Amish neighbor. Maybe even shucking peas while we talk, and sipping homemade tea or lemonade to pass the time. Those rocking chairs look so inviting! Can you picture it in your head too? Secondly, I was amazed at how quickly I read these eighteen stories. Each one of them quickly drew me into the lives of the characters; like stepping into their shoes and glimpsing a slice of what everyday life is for them. Just because they are simple Amish folk, doesn’t mean they aren’t without troubles or struggles of their own too! I think my most favorite thing about these, how each story relates to the Fruit of the Spirit; Love, Joy, Peace, Long-suffering (patience), Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance. The characters come to learn how to deal with life using each of these “fruits”, which in turn, helped me to remember how to deal with these in my own life—by praying more, talking to other Christians when I struggle, delving into God’s word when I need guidance, and showing kindness always in all situations. I really believe that everyone can benefit from being reminded of these truths! Living out God’s ways of doing things can shine the light of Christ in our world and I think the authors did a perfect job of portraying that in their characters.

“A simple action is all that is needed to show God’s love to a neighbor.” ~Simple Actions by Wanda Brunstetter

If you are an Amish fiction reader or a Brunstetter fan, I think you will enjoy this collection of stories just as I did. Each one is a small bite size tale packed with faith, truth and sometimes even love!
* I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. *

BackCover Blurb:
Come and sit awhile as you enjoy 18 fictional short stories of love, joy, and the peace found in Amish country.
Amish Country is known for an atmosphere of peace and quiet, perfect for front-porch sitting with a good book. Join New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, her daughter-in-law, and granddaughter, as they share 18 heartwarming stories from Amish Country. These fictional short stories include journeys we can all relate to as we seek how to live led by love, joy, peace, patience, and other Fruits of the Spirit. Meet Anna, who struggles to show love to a cantankerous neighbor; Laura, who endures infertility; Nora, whose pride threatens to consume her life; and other women who walk in their faith each day.

Available in digital ebook and paperback:
Buy Amish Front Porch Stories at Amazon
Buy Amish Front Porch Stories at Christianbook.com
 

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN by Jolina Petersheim, Reviewed by Kim

This story is heart-wrenchingly beautiful and, honestly, it completely wrecked me emotionally. Seriously, you might need a box of Kleenex, or three, while reading this, and l would also suggest that you don’t read it in a public place -ugly crying might happen. 

This is the first book that I have read by Jolina Petersheim. I really wanted to take my time and savor the writing, but I couldn’t because I was immediately sucked into this story and I only looked up when I absolutely had to. I literally felt the emotions of Ruth, Elam (definitely my favorite character!) and everyone affected by the events that transpire - the pain, the grief, the choices that needed to be made - all of it. I was so invested in these characters and their story that even when I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about them and the choices they made. This story is not to be missed! 

*I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.  

BackCover Blurb:
From the highly acclaimed author of The Outcast and The Alliance comes an engrossing novel about marriage and motherhood, loss and moving on.

When Ruth Neufeld’s husband and father-in-law are killed working for a relief organization overseas, she travels to Wisconsin with her young daughters and mother-in-law Mabel to bury her husband. She hopes the Mennonite community will be a quiet place to grieve and piece together next steps.

Ruth and her family are welcomed by Elam, her husband’s cousin, who invites them to stay at his cranberry farm through the harvest. Sifting through fields of berries and memories of a marriage that was broken long before her husband died, Ruth finds solace in the beauty of the land and healing through hard work and budding friendship. She also encounters the possibility of new love with Elam, whose gentle encouragement awakens hopes and dreams she thought she’d lost forever.

But an unexpected twist threatens to unseat the happy ending Ruth is about to write for herself. On the precipice of a fresh start and a new marriage, Ruth must make an impossible decision: which path to choose if her husband isn’t dead after all.

Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover and audiobook:
Buy How The Light Gets In at Amazon
Buy How The Light Gets In at Christianbook.com
 

THE TINDERBOX by Beverly Lewis, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

Sylvia Miller snoops in her father’s Tinderbox, setting the course for a twenty-year-old secret to threaten to tear apart her family, her parents’ marriage and her community. It shakes the very core of everything she’s believed and has the potential to implode her relationship with her Dat. How can they all weather the coming storm?

When I first discovered Amish fiction early in my Christian fiction reading, Beverly Lewis was the author who introduced me this whole new world. I had devoured everything I could find by her!  She’s always written with passion and a healthy respect for the Amish lifestyle. Therefore, I eagerly read this latest novel, barely wanting to put it down lest I miss something happening in the pages. And there’s a whole lot happening here to make your head spin! My heart ached for each hurt the characters experienced, for each doubt and fear and for strained relationships where there had been peaceful harmony. I think what I admired the most, is how they clung even closer to God and His promises in His word.  Their faith never wavered and their struggle with their human emotions is something we all deal with from time to time.

Sylvia, Earnest and Rhoda Miller are characters that I could easily see meeting if I ever visited the Amish community they were a part of. Though they went through fiery trials, each took it with a measure of grace and grew in faith as they depended on God to help them through it. I know I hate to see characters go through hard things, but I love seeing their growth in the end as it gives me hope in my own trials! Forgiveness, redemption, and restoration are strong themes in this one. 

Lastly, though I don’t like cliffhangers at the end of a book, there was enough closure to satisfy me and looking forward to “The Timepiece” coming September 2019.  

This one’s for Beverly Lewis fans, Amish fiction fans and those who want an emotionally charged, faith-filled book with characters to care about.

*I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via Netgalley and was not required to leave a favorable review.  All opinions are my own. *

BackCover Blurb:

 
With her Amish parents' twentieth anniversary approaching, eighteen-year-old Sylvia Miller stumbles across a surprise--the old brass tinderbox her clockmaker father keeps in his Lancaster County shop has been left unlocked. Against her better judgment, Sylvia opens the cherished heirloom, not realizing that what she is about to discover will splinter apart her happy life.

Sylvia's bewilderment grows when her father confronts her about snooping in the box. To her amazement, the respected convert to the Old Order reacts as if he has something to hide.

Burdened by the weight of his deception, Earnest Miller decides he must reveal the details about his past to his beloved wife, Rhoda. The long-kept secret alters everything for the close-knit family, jeopardizing Earnest and Rhoda's relationship, as well as threatening Sylvia's recent engagement to the preacher's grandson.

Can the Millers find a way forward through the turmoil to a place of forgiveness and acceptance?

Available in digital ebook, paperback and hardcover:

Buy The Tinderbox at Amazon

Buy The Tinderbox at Christianbook.com

 

THE SOUND OF DISTANT THUNDER by Jan Drexler, Reviewed by Trixi Oberembt

What I liked: The characters! Jan Drexler created characters that become real people with real lives in my mind. I found myself caring about the community of Weaver's Creek. I've read many Amish books over the years and admire their lifestyle and principles; their sense of community is strong and family ties are tight. What one family may go through, the whole community does and you can see this in the story. 

When the threat of the Civil War comes knocking on their back door, they must decide what the right thing to do is. Being Old Order Amish, fighting goes against their very beliefs and way of separating themselves from the world. I watched this play out in each of the characters; how they felt, thought and acted. Secondly, I loved watching the love story unfold between Jonas Weaver and Katie Stuckey. Already committed to each other and ready to marry once they join the church. I also saw Jonas struggle with both wanting to stay true to his roots and wanting to fight in the war to free slaves. Sometimes wanting to do the right thing or making the right choice never comes easy. Katie is ready to settle down and be a wife and someday a mother. She has a bright future in front of her but with Jonas's increasing talk of wanting to join the army, she struggles too. There's just a whole lot of other elements to keep the reader interested!

What I didn't like: For me, the story started slow. The characters were introduced at a rapid fire pace and I had a hard time (at first) keeping them straight. But press on I did because I've read many great reviews on Drexler's writing, and I'm glad I stuck it out! Lastly, I really dislike how this ended. There was not a satisfying enough conclusion for me. It brought up more questions than answers and had too many loose strings for my taste. Yes, it leads me to want to read the next book, of course! It's just frustrating to me as a reader to get to the end of a great story and be left hanging on some important elements.

In conclusion: It's a great story on how a person struggles with his or her own principles, beliefs and how these shape their lives. It's also about how, even in those struggles and uncertainties, we need to leave things in God's hand and trust Him to work things out in His own timing and way. A lesson each of the characters learn and great reminders to apply to our own lives. In spite of the things I didn't like, I will be reading the rest of this series. Jan deeply involved me in her characters lives and there are questions yet to be answered!

*I received a complimentary copy from Revell and Netgalley and was under no obligation to leave a positive review. All opinions are my own. *

Back Cover Blurb:
Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are both romantics. Seventeen-year-old Katie is starry-eyed, in love with the idea of being in love, and does not want to wait to marry Jonas until she is eighteen, despite her parents' insistence. So much can happen in a year. Twenty-year-old Jonas is taken in by the romance of soldiering, especially in defense of anti-slavery, even though he knows war is at odds with the teachings of the church. When his married brother's name comes up in the draft list, he volunteers to take his brother's place. But can the commitment Katie and Jonas have made to each other survive the separation?

From the talented pen of Jan Drexler comes this brand new Amish series set against the backdrop of the Civil War. She puts her characters to the test as they struggle to reconcile their convictions and desires while the national conflict threatens to undermine and engulf their community.


Available in paperback, digital ebook and hardcover:
Buy The Sound of Distant Thunder at Amazon
Buy The Sound of Distant Thunder at Christianbook.com 
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THE HOPE JAR by Wanda Brunstetter, Review by Trixi Oberembt

A desperate young woman in hard times embarks on a path that she's filled with deception and lies. What she finds is unconditional love, the kind of family she's never had, and the first stirrings of faith.

THE PRAYER JARS BOOK 1 

This blends both Amish and contemporary fiction together, unlike many Brunstetter books which are strictly Amish. I found this story to have quickly drawn me into the lives of Michelle, Willis and Mary Ruth Lapp, Ezekiel, Brad, and the Amish community of Strasburg, Pennsylvania. I like that Wanda Brunstetter told this from multiple people and points of view, you knew how each person felt and what they thought at any given moment. I already enjoy this authors stories and love her writing voice. She writes characters you come to care about, and a community that feels like family. My heart went out to Michelle and her situation in life. I don't think she set out to hurt the Lapps but found it difficult to untangle herself from the lies she's told the longer she was with them. She began to see them as the grandparents she never had and they exemplified what love does for those you care about. Eventually those lies will be found and and the truth will be told; Michelle knows it's only a matter of time! Then there were Ezekiel and Brad, one an unbaptized Amish man and one studying to become a minister, both cared deeply about Michelle. It was fun to guess which one she might end up with. I especially loved getting a glimpse into the Amish life through this story. I've read many different fiction books, so I knew most of the Amish ways, but I did learn some new things as well. I have to agree with many other reviewers on this being one of the best books Brunstetter has written, and I've read several over the years!

The one drawback I have about this, it leaves too many open-ended questions not being answered for me at the end. I like my stories to be neatly tied up in a bow and this leaves me unsatisfied with many dangling threads. I'm positive the next Prayer Jar installment will cover these, but I would have loved to at least read an epilogue to have some closure on my questions. And we have to wait a whole year to get them! Next one is called The Forgiving Jar coming August 2019.

I would recommend this to Wanda Brunstetter fans, Amish/contemporary fiction fans, and those looking for a story to draw them in and keep them there until the last page!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. *

BACK COVER BLURB:

A Brand-New Series from New York Times Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter.
 
What happens when making an elderly Amish couple very happy means going along with a lie that gets bigger by the day?

Michelle Taylor is not who her new family in Lancaster County believes her to be. The Lapps were looking for their long-lost granddaughter when they met Michelle and she assumed the identity of Sara Murray. Once homeless and hopeless, Michelle has come to love her new Amish friends and even considers the idea of romance among them.
Finding an old blue jar in the barn that is filled with slips of paper containing thoughts, quotes, and prayers by an unknown author becomes a boost to Michelle’s budding faith— but also convicting. How can she tell the truth without hurting the ones she has truly come to love?

Available in paperback, hardcover, digital ebook and audiobook:
BUY The Hope Jar at Amazon
BUY The Hope Jar at Christianbook.com