Series: Hawaiian #1
Published by Barbour Publishing on September 1, 2016
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 208
Join Mandy Frey as she and three friends leave their Amish community in Indiana for the trip of a lifetime to Hawaii. But when Mandy and one of her friends miss the cruise ship after a port of call on Kauai, how will they adjust and get back home? Find out in this brand new romance from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, writing with her daughter-in-law Jean Brunstetter.
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.
Themes: Romance, Religion, Self-discovery
Suggested Age: 15+
The Hawaiian Quilt is book #1 in the Hawaiian series by Wanda and Jean Brunstetter. The Hawaiian Discovery (#2) releases on June 1st, 2018.
This book is everything I love about Wanda Brunstetter books. Don’t get me wrong, I love all of her recent releases but this one captures that depth, spiritual walk with Christ and sweet romance that I’ve come to love from this author over the years.
At first, I was worried by the multiple points of view (POV) but I quickly fell into a steady pace and I practically devoured this book. I was able to follow along and keep all of the characters straight as they were very well-developed and had their own personalities.
This story is unique in that it doesn’t take place in an Amish community. Rather, the story centers on four young women who are vacationing in Hawaii. The authors managed to capture the sights of Hawaii in a way that made me exclaim to my husband that we just HAD to visit. He rolled his eyes and said, “Thanks a lot, Wanda!” So, be sure not to read this book unless you really want to be tempted to visit the beautiful island of Hawaii!
This book had a lot of depth and themes of self-discovery. Mandy is a young woman who wonders if she should commit to the Amish faith or perhaps seek God in her own way. Her friend, however, is certain that the Amish faith is the right choice and in doing so, chose to meddle in her friend’s affairs. This made me dislike Mandy’s friend and prematurely judge her. But, isn’t that how life is? How many times have one of us meddled in the affair of our friends and loved ones when we should have let them make their own decisions? *Raises hand* Guilty!
This book is not your typical Amish Romance but it was a breath of fresh air and a lovely change of scenery. I would definitely read this book again and would recommend it to friends who enjoy romance. Though, if you’re looking for a traditional Amish Romance, this book may not fit the bill for you.
About Wanda & Jean Brunstetter
Wanda E. Brunstetter:
New York Times bestselling author, Wanda E. Brunstetter became
fascinated with the Amish way of life when she first visited her husband’s
Mennonite relatives living in Pennsylvania. Wanda and her husband, Richard,
live in Washington State but take every opportunity to visit Amish settlements
throughout the States, where they have many Amish friends.
Meet Jean Brunstetter
Jean Brunstetter became fascinated with the Amish when she first went to Pennsylvania to visit her father-in-law’s family. Since that time, Jean has become friends with several Amish families and enjoys writing about their way of life. She also likes to put some of the simple practices followed by the Amish into her daily routine. Jean lives in Washington State with her husband, Richard Jr. and their three children, but takes every opportunity to visit Amish communities in several states. In addition to writing, Jean enjoys boating, gardening, and spending time on the beach.
Great review! :)
Ty! :-)