I received a complimentary copy of this book from The Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review. No compensation was received for sharing this review and all opinions are my own.
Published by Zondervan on April 10, 2018
Source: The Publisher
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Clean & Wholesome, Fiction, Romance, Small Town & Rural
Pages: 400
A Legacy of Love by Amy Clipston
Local volunteer fire fighter Leon King agrees to repair his ex-girlfriend Susie Bontrager’s grandparents’ antique rocking chairs for her future home with her fiance and is forced to acknowledge that his feelings for her have not quite gone away. As Susie spends time with Leon, she begins to recognize she is marrying the wrong man for all the wrong reasons.
The Cedar Chest by Beth Wiseman
Decades after inheriting her great grandmother’s cedar chest, Emma Fisher decides to pry it open only to discover a beautiful love story in the form of letters between her great grandparents. But as Emma immerses herself in their story, family secrets are revealed, and she must decide whether to share them to preserve family history or honor her great grandparents’ decision to leave them hidden.
The Treasured Book by Kathleen Fuller
For the past two years, Shane Broyles has felt God leading him to join the Amish. He’s staying with his friends Noah and Ivy Schlabach in Birch Creek, OH, where he is reunited with Lucy Fisher, an old friend of Noah’s family. Shane and Lucy have never revealed their feelings for each other, but when they stumble upon an antique Bible at a flea market, they feel drawn to each other and to the mystery of the contents found within.
The Midwife’s Dream by Kelly Irvin
Iris Beachy serves as a midwife in her district where she longs for a family of her own. When her friend’s brother Mahon Kurtz seeks her help in delivering the baby of two young teenagers who have sought refuge in their town, they begin to see each other in a different light. Unprepared for parenthood, the young couple leave their baby girl behind in an antique crib quilt resembling the one destined for Iris when she becomes a mother. Mahon and Iris come together to take care of the baby as they try to find her parents, and they begin to see new possibilities for their future.
Note: Kristin reads and reviews both Christian and secular fiction on A Simply Enchanted Life. Out of respect for my readers, I am including a content review. This content review will help you decide whether this book is suitable for you.
Christian or Secular: Christian
ASEL Rating: no profanity, violence, bedroom scenes, or other content that could otherwise be considered disturbing
Content to be aware of: None
Suggested Age: 15+ (Best enjoyed by adults or older teens. This suggested age is not due to inappropriate content.)
You know how I usually break down my reviews of these novella collections story by story? Well, it ain’t happenin’.
I’m just going to be honest…I liked the book. I liked all four stories. But, I also didn’t feel that the book as a whole was completely sensational. Being neither here nor there leaves me somewhere in the middle which makes it hard for me to do my usual book ramble.
Here is what I did love:
1. The heirlooms. Each person in this story has an heirloom in their possession. An old cradle, rocking chairs, a cedar chest and an old quilt—there’s just something so nostalgic about heirlooms. It links past to present in a way that makes me feel as if I better understand my place in the world and how I’ll affect future generations.
2. I loved that for the most part this book didn’t have insta-love. I’m just feeling so over that trope lately. It’s 2018, we need to find something new because insta-love is so overrated.
3. Cevilla. If you’re an avid reader of Kathleen Fuller, you’ll recognize this precious old woman. If you’re not familiar with this character already, you’re in for a treat!
Overall, I loved all four stories in this collection. I’ve not yet made up my mind how I feel about what my friend Fizzy referred to as “cheating” in the first novella. On one hand I want to say that its open game until there’s a ring on it…but then she reminded me that the Amish don’t even wear rings. Doh.
I felt that this collection was a solid read. If you’re looking for sweet Amish love stories that are quick to read, then I really think you’d like this collection.
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