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Showing posts with the label Beth Wiseman

Book Review: "The Wonder of Your Love" by Beth Wiseman

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Summary from BN .com: Katie Ann Stolzfus lives in the small Amish community of Canaan, Colorado. At forty she is widowed and raising her first child. But baby Jonas will never know his father, and Katie Ann wonders if her Heavenly Father hasn't forgotten about her as well. Is it really God's plan for her to be a single parent? Eli Detweiler has come to Canaan for a wedding and a long vacation. Having raised six children following the death of his young wife, Eli is finally an empty- nester . He's enjoying the slower pace of having no one to care for but himself. When Katie Ann and Eli meet, there is an instant connection. Yet as strong as the attraction is, they both acknowledge that a romance would never work. He is done parenting, while she has just begun. But as their friendship slowly blossoms into feelings that are as frightening as they are intoxicating, Katie Ann and Eli question if the plans they made for themselves are in line with God's plans. Can Katie Ann...

Book Review: "Plain Paradise" by Beth Wiseman

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Josephine Dronberger was a scared teenager when she left her baby in the care of an Old Order Amish couple. But seventeen years have passed and Josie longs to reconnect with her daughter.Linda--as the couple named the child--is promised to Stephen Ebersol, the bishop's grandson. They plan to marry in the fall. When her birth mother comes to Paradise, Linda is drawn to a world she's never known. Will the direction she's been heading since birth be suddenly derailed, and who will stand by her convictions--mother or daughter? Adoption stories tend to be very predictable in Christian fiction and they seem to be prevalent in Amish fiction. Usually what happens is a kid who's birth parents were not Amish, grows up in an Amish household, meets birth parents who are totally the opposite of what they grew up with and then get tempted to leave the Amish world. I could usually tell you the ending of the book by the end of the first chapter. Luckily, this book is not ...

Book Review: "An Amish Gathering" by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller and Barbara Cameron

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Three heartwarming tales of old friends and new beginnings that span one year in an Amish community. A Change of Heart by Beth Wiseman Leah is no good at cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening—the skills that young women need to make a proper Amish wife. All she wants to do is write stories, but she's sincerely tired of being a dissappointment. Will she ever find someone who accepts her just as she is? And can an almost-Amish angel in red polka dots help her find her way? A Place of His Own by Kathleen Fuller When Josiah left Paradise the first time, he didn't even say good-bye. Now he's back, ten years later, and he's changed. Why is he so distant and bitter? Where is the boy who used to be Amanda's best friend? Amanda is learning that there are things even a capable Amish girl can't fix. But can she stand there and watch him walk away...again? When Winter Comes by Barbara Cameron It's been too long since Rebecca has done what she loves—put on her skates and ...

Book Review: "Plain Promise" by Beth Wiseman

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Sadie Fisher wonders if she'll ever find true love again after the death of her husband. When wealthy Englischer Kade Saunders rents her guest cottage for a month, Sadie's world is turned upside-down. Kade has a five-year old autistic son who is unexpectedly left in his permanent care. As Sadie's feelings for the child grow, so do her feelings for Kade. But is this man suitable for anything more than friendship? One would think that after a while all Amish stories start to blend together. While that may be the case, the trick is to write a good and unique story to make it stand apart. I think that's what Beth Wiseman has done with her books, because so far I've really enjoyed all of them. Sadie is unique because not only is she a widow, she rents out her cottage (that has electricity!) to an Englisch single man, and she's writing letters to another Amish guy in another state. That's quite a bit of excitement for people who are supposed to be living simple...

Book Review: "Plain Pursuit" by Beth Wiseman

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Carley Marek experiences culture shock when she visits her friend Lillian's family on their farm deep in Amish country. She will get an article out of the visit--and maybe some of Lillian's newfound peace will somehow rub off on her. Just when Carley is getting used to the quiet nature of the Plain community, Lillian and Samuel's son falls ill. But the local doctor who can offer the most help has been shunned by the community and forbidden to intervene. As David's condition deteriorates, Dr. Noah determines to do whatever it takes to save the boy's life. Carley is caught in the middle--drawn to Noah, wanting to be helpful in the crisis--and confused by all their talk about a God she neither knows nor trusts. Carley must decide what in life is worth pursuing . . . and what to do when she's pursued by a love she never expected. I can't help it. Amish books are my weakness. I know, I know. However I have no desire to become Amish nor do I agree with all their b...

Book Review: "Plain Perfect" by Beth Wiseman

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On the rolling plains of Lancaster County, PA., Lillian Miller is searching for her grandparents' house...and so much more. After years of neglect and abuse, she's turning to a lifestyle of simplicity among the Amish to find herself. As she discards the distractions of her former life, she befriends the young boy working on her family's farm and his attractive widowed father, Samuel Stoltzfus. Despite Lillian's best efforts to the contrary, her feelings for Samuel--and his for her--deepen. Will Lillian find her faith in Plain living, or will she be forced to return to her former life? I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Lancaster County this past summer and finally got to experience what the Amish lifestyle really was about. It was wonderful to see all the books I've read come to life. I was able to fully appreciate and understand everything I had read about the culture. Therefore I was excited when I read this book because I recognized the settings because I h...

Book Review: "An Amish Christmas" by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller and Barbara Cameron

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Follow the lives of three Amish families through the Christmas season. A Miracle for Miriam: Miriam fell for Seth, but he broke her heart. Years later, after he's nearly killed in an accident, Miriam sees him at a Christmas party and notices something is different about him-not just how he looks, but how he acts. When Seth pursues her, she must decide whether to guard her heart or accept his love. A Choice to Forgive: Lydia has loved two men in her life. Daniel disappeared one Christmas Eve long ago, leaving only a note saying he wanted to live in the Englisch world. And Elam, Daniel's brother, to whom she has been happily married for 15 years. When Elam dies, Lydia gives up on ever loving again. But she is shocked when Daniel wants to return to the Order and her life. One Child: The birth of one child forever changed the world two thousand years ago. On this snowy Lancaster Christmas Eve, another child will change the world of two couples. As you know, Amish fiction is hit or ...