by Beverly Lewis
Why did you choose this book? I won this copy
When did you read this book? June 2013
Who should read this book? readers of Amish fiction
Source: won from FaithfulReaders.com
When schoolteacher Jodi Winfield goes for a morning run, the last thing she expects is to find a disheveled little girl all alone on the side of the Pennsylvania road, clad only in her undergarments, her chubby cheeks streaked with tears. Jodi takes the preschooler home with her, intending to find out where she belongs. But Jodi is mystified when no one seems to know of a missing child, and the girl herself is no help, since she can't speak a word of English. It's as if the child appeared out of nowhere.
As the days pass, Jodi becomes increasingly attached to the mysterious girl, yet she is no closer to learning her identity. Then an unexpected opportunity brings Jodi to Hickory Hollow--and into the cloistered world of the Lancaster Old Order Amish. Might the answers lie there?
My Review
I don’t read a lot of Amish fiction, but I do enjoy reading it occasionally. While it can be a bit predictable at times, it is usually a light read with a happy ending, and I learn a bit about the Amish way of life. There is usually a romance involved and at least one of the parties is toying with the idea of leaving the ‘plain people’ ways behind and setting off for the world of the ‘English’.
This book was a little bit different. This time there is no Amish person in crises, considering leaving their community. There is a bit of romance and a lot of conflicting emotions however. The main character in the story, Jodi, is an ‘english woman’ who is housesitting for two weekd for her cousin and his wife, who live in Lancaster County near the Amish. Jodi is going through a bit of a crisis emotionally. She is grieving the loss of her only sibling, a sister who died of cancer 6 months earlier. In addition, her fiance is about to take off to teach in Japan for a year, right after telling her he has changed his mind, and may want children after all. Jodi does NOT want children to be part of her marriage.
Maryanna, an Amish woman, is going through a crisis of her own. She is still grieving the husband she lost 3 years ago. Her husband’s best friend lives on the next farm and has suffered a recent loss of his own, when his young wife died in childbirth, along with the baby. One night Maryanna is returning home after dark with her four children. When they arrive home, she discovers the youngest daughter has gone missing from the cart.
Meanwhile, Jodi is out running the next morning and discovers a beautiful young child abandoned. And the child does not speak English so can not communicate with her. This is, of course, the missing daughter of Maryanna. There is no big suspense here, but it is a fun, entertaining story with a happy ending, and might even have you guess a bit about who ends up where.
You can see a trailer with Beverly Lewis discussing the setting of the book below.
Enjoy!
My Rating: ★★★1/2 3-1/2 Stars
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