As a fan of Amish fiction I have to say this was a very different book!  The year is 1863 and Elizabeth Kaufman’s husband has died in the Civil War.  Unlike most widows she is not grieved but relieved. She is freed from marriage vows that brought emotional, physical and spiritual pain.  His physical and verbal abusiveness has left their scars.  She is determined never to marry again and risk being put in the same situation.  After the war ends, her brother returns home with a broken and wounded fellow soldier, Aaron Zook.  Solomon Mast suddenly appears in the community, handsome, wealthy, Amish and out to win Elizabeth and marry her A.S.A.P. I didn’t like him from the get go!

I loved the thread that ran through the book of the community’s gentle, patient, faith-filled way of dealing with even the most horrible situations.   There were so many lessons to be learned about how people are not always as they appear.  I felt the struggles of Elizabeth and Aaron with their previous lives and the damage that had been wrought.  While they had very different pasts, both fought healing, forgiving, running from their pain and even God’s plan.  I loved the suspense and surprises along the way.  A great read!