Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray

Book Summary:

In the Amish town of Sugarcreek, love comes in many forms. But will it come at all for Miriam?

Miriam Zehr has worked at the Sugarcreek Inn longer than she cares to admit. The restaurant is a favorite of town residents as well as the many tourists who come to taste the famous Amish fare. Though she always tries to have a smile for every customer, deep down Miriam knows something’s missing: a family of her own.

Miriam has never felt particularly beautiful, especially because she’s always been a bit heavier than other girls her age. When Junior, the man she’s pined for all her life, suddenly seeks her out, she’s thrilled to be noticed . . . until she realizes he’s only asking her to help get the attention of Mary Kathryn Hershberger, her pretty friend.

If Miriam helps Junior court Mary Kathryn, she’ll get to spend a lot of time with him, but she might lose him in the process. Are these few stolen moments worth a lifetime of sacrifice? Is Miriam right to even hope for the life she dreams of?

My Thoughts:

This is Book 1 in the new Return to Sugarcreek series. I am already looking forward to Book 2. What I loved most about this book was the truths it told, and followed a story everyone can relate to in some way. 

What would you do if the person you loved wanted you to help them find love with someone else? Although not everyone will experience this, I'm sure most people can relate to "the one that got away".  It was encouraging to see how Miriam handled herself in this situation and watch how she put others ahead of herself. Now, I'm not sure I could have done what she did, but I admired the Christ like way she treated others. 

The relationships between Miriam and Junior and Mary Kathryn were shown in a deep and creative way. I felt drawn in to the story and became a part of it myself. The characters were brought to life in unique and creative ways which allow the reader to really relate to each one.

You can find this book for yourself at amazon.com. 

Disclosure: I received a print copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own and may differ from others

The Secret Keeper by Beverly Lewis

The Secret Keeper is Book 4 in the Home to Hickory Hollow series. Although it's Book 4, you can read it independently of the other books. I have read the entire series from the beginning and recommend them all.

Jenny is an Englisher, but in her heart she has always seen herself as Plain. She has never felt like she belonged in her world and thanks to an Amish friend, finds herself being mentored in her "proving period" by Rebecca and Samuel Lapp.  Although things are more difficult then they appeared at first, Jenny is determined to fit in and prove she has what it takes to become a baptized member of the Amish church. People in the community have a variety of thoughts of this worldly person wanting to join the Amish church, especially at the same time many of the youth are seeking to leave the community.

As Jenny strives to learn the correct ways to conduct herself and learn how to be a true Amishwoman, she also finds herself struggling with her interest in Andrew. Jenny is not supposed to court until she is a member of the church, but she finds herself drawing closer to him and his trust in her.

When a secret threatens to destroy her chances of finishing her proving time, she decides she will never be Amish and leaves to go home. What she finds is that although she is back in the English world, her heart is with the Amish.

What I love about this story is that it brings in a theme that is common to people no matter where they are or who they are. The struggle to find where you fit in. Following your heart may not be the accepted choice or the most popular, but how important it is to follow your heart and God's leading.

The families and individual characters in the story draw you in. They feel like family.  If you have read any of the Heritage of Lancaster County books, you will love hearing more about Katie Lapp and her journey outside the Amish faith, and learn about the struggles and changes occuring in that family.

I love reading Amish fiction. Although the lifestyle is strict and difficult, the idea of living simple without all the stress of "keeping up" with everyone makes reading about it very enjoyable.
Beverly Lewis never disappoints with her books. I highly recommend finding this book fast! You can find it HERE.


Disclosure: I received a print copy of the book from Bethany House in exchange for an honest review.

Rosemary Cottage by Colleen Coble

Amy has decided to return to Hope Beach to investigate the death of her brother Ben. Although reports have his death listed as a surfing accident, Amy is sure there is more to it. She is determined to find out the truth.  When she meets Curtis, she finds that he also has lost a loved one. He lost his sister in an accident and is now raising his niece for her.
Curtis agrees to help Amy in her investigation which leads them into dangerous territory. What they find is not at all what they could have imagined. Finding themselves on opposite sides of the situation causes them to really look into their new found relationship. Can they manage to work together, and  trust each other enough to survive the truth that they find?


MY THOUGHTS:

My first thought is WOW! This book was better than I could have imagined. Rosemary Cottage is book 2 in the Hope Beach series. I already had read book 1 so I had a little knowledge of the area and some characters I hoped would be woven into the story somehow.
This book is full of wonderfully created characters. There is great depth into the characters pasts and lives creating people we can view as relatable and come to love.
The mystery surrounding the deaths of Amy and Curtis's loved ones is of course the center of the story. All I can say is you won't be disappointed. I was surprised by the twists and turns within the search for the truth. I was drawn in to the story and didn't want to stop reading!
There were some great characters who were not the main focus but whom I would love to see if future books. These are ones I found myself wondering what their futures would be and how the truths found would affect all the characters later on.
Although I recommend reading the books in order, it's not necessary to understand what is going on. You will however get a better sense overall of Hope Beach by seeing it from the beginning.


You can find the book for yourself at amazon.com

Disclosure: I received a print copy of this book from www.booksneeze.com in exchange for a review of the book. I was not required to give a positive review. My reviews are always honest and my opinions my own.