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.
Series: Amish Mercies #2
Published by Thomas Nelson on June 5, 2018
Source: The Publisher
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Clean & Wholesome, Fiction, Romance, Small Town & Rural
Pages: 352
He lost her once to a rash decision.
He will not lose her again.On the eve of a new year, Catherine Glick is expecting her bu of five years to propose. Instead, the unexpected arrival of an old boyfriend, Elijah, sends her life spiraling out of control. When a rash decision damages her current relationship, Catherine leaves for Florida to work in her cousin’s bakery—anything to flee the source of her shame.
Elijah Graber knows he hurt Catherine when he left their Amish district six years ago. He’s determined to explain his actions, even if it means following her to Florida. Perhaps their two-day bus trip together will provide enough time for him to make his case and win her back.
Just when Elijah is starting to tear down the walls Catherine has built, their bus skids on an icy road—and amid the mayhem and tragedy that follow, Catherine disappears. Elijah’s friends urge him to prepare for the worst, but Elijah holds on to his hope in God and refuses to give up his search for Catherine. With supernatural nudging from the most unexpected places, Elijah sets out to find the love he once lost—no matter the cost.
Arms of Mercy is book #2 in the Amish Mercies series by Ruth Reid. Once again, this author delivered a unique Amish book that included the supernatural element of angels. This is one of my favorite things about this author. I truly feel as if this unique addition of the spiritual realm sets these novels apart from others in the same genre.
The characters in this novel were so well-developed. I felt a connection with each character, Amish, and English alike. These were the type of characters you just can’t help but like.
The spiritual element is subtle and reminds us of the ways in which we may entertain angels, unaware. The spiritual encounters were so flawlessly woven into this story in a believable way. There wasn’t any tacky, “I’m an angel sent by God,” moments that so make me cringe in Christian novels.
Overall, this book is a solid 4-4.5 read. The only reason I’m not giving it a five is that I felt slightly bogged down during parts of the story involving a lawyer. I felt his presence distracted me from what was going on with the story and then because time was spent on lawyer involvement, the ending was a bit rushed. I would have liked to have seen more romance between the main characters and less time wasted with some lawyer trying to get Elijah to hire him. Still, this book was almost perfect and it’s definitely worth having in my collection. I would recommend this book to others who love Amish fiction but want something fresh and new from the genre.
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. However, there is mention of a horrible accident that resulted in the death of many. I do not feel that it was written in a “disturbing” manner.
Themes: Romance, Redemption, Overcoming odds
Suggested Age: 15+
About Ruth Reid
Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA best-selling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She’s a full-time pharmacist who resides in Florida with her husband and three children.
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