Being the baby of five in an Amish family of all girls and the last to marry, Tessie Miller was in a hurry to start a new life. She had just the beau in mind. She was head over heels in love with Marcus King. For some reason Tessie’s father is adamantly against her marrying him, but won’t ever tell her why. She obstinately refuses to allow him to pick her spouse, as her sister’s match was not a happy one.
Marcus and Tessie decide to elope and hide their marriage. They want to wait till the right time and when they reveal it to her parents, hopefully they will accept their union. The couple meets secretly every chance they can get. Before they can share the news with her parents, Marcus dies tragically in an accident. Not long after Tessie find’s out she is expecting. She hides her pregnancy as long as possible. When she confesses her condition and tells of her marriage no one believes her. Her marriage certificate has disappeared and she has no way of proving she is telling the truth. Tessie is shocked when she accidently finds out that her father was not just being stubborn and controlling. There was a very serious and legitimate reason he did not want them marrying, and rightfully so. During that time a kind and gentle Amish man named Levi Smucker becomes interested in her and begins asking her out. When he finds out she is pregnant will he still want to court her? Will any Amish man ever want her?
This book carries a strong message about taking things into our own hands and acting under the cloak of deceit. It also reveals that the painful consequences we face will not only affect us but all those who love and care about us. There is no escaping it. We will have to pay the price and sometimes at greater cost than we ever imagined. While it is a story of mistakes and regrets, it also beautifully shows forgiveness, true love, and courage to take responsibility for one’s mistakes. I enjoyed this book very much!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Beth Thatcher was a beautiful young woman who had grown up in an extremely wealthy family. She had been very sheltered all her life from the world. All the pomp and splendor of high society did not interest her. Her parents wanted her to marry well and take her place as among the elite. Beth had other plans; she wanted to do a great work for God. She loved Him with all her heart.
Being young and believing there was nothing she could not do, she jumped at the chance to serve as a teacher in a very remote region in Western Canada. Her mother is very against her going as Beth has always been sickly. Her father supported her desire and understood.
She was understandably nervous about this venture, but nothing prepared her for what she found when she arrived. Coal Valley was the direct opposite of her home in Toronto. There was no electricity or indoor plumbing. The houses were battered and sparsely furnished. It never came to her mind that these things would be missing. The town was mostly widows due to a terrible accident at the mine. These poor women had given of the little they had a paid to have Beth come as their children’s teacher for a year. So much rode on her succeeding: proving to her family and those back home that she was capable, carrying out the mission God had sent her on, and not letting the women down that had sacrificially brought her there. While her confidence was shaken, she was determined to keep her commitment no matter what.
She moved into Molly’s boarding house, where she paid for her room and meals. Molly was a loving, wise, and simple woman that treated Beth as a daughter. Beth relied on her in many ways. Both were women of great faith. I loved Molly’s wisdom and scripture applications to life. I learned from her too!
There was no school house or supplies! The children and their families broke her heart with the poverty they lived in. This was no straight forward teaching job! She began organizing ways to meet the children’s needs both physical and spiritual. While at first some of her efforts were met with misgiving and opposition, gradually she began to make a difference in the lives of everyone in the town.
Beth faced many problems involving things she never dealt with nor even knew existed. She may cry and feel like a failure but she never quit and always looked to God for the answers. She also faced the challenge of unexpected romance as she had had no interest in marrying. This involved two handsome Mounties vying for her affection. One was a family friend from her childhood that she always found annoying and the other she met through Molly. She surprised herself by developing feelings for both of them.
The story was incredibly entertaining and well written. I was inspired by Beth’s dedication and faith. There were so many surprises that I found the book to be a real page turner. You always know it will be a good book if it is by Janet Oke!
I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Every time I read a book by Ms. Kirkpatrick, I always say the same thing, “I love it!” Her books are so amazing, and if it is even possible it seems she continues to outdo herself with each new one! I had a couple sleepless nights because of this book; I couldn’t put it down!
The author is a master at writing historical fiction. Letitia and many other characters are real people that Ms. Kirkpatrick intensely researched. It makes the book even more enjoyable knowing these people really existed. As with her other books, the story seems as if it was written by the characters. I found myself forgetting many of the details are fiction.
Letitia is a black woman that has been freed by her master. She treasured and guarded the parchment paper that declared her legally a free woman. The word freedom she knew was used loosely as there were still many dangers, prejudices, and restrictions imposed by society. Not everyone acknowledged her as free, and certainly not an equal with a white person.
Her family was gone and her cow Charity was her prized possession. She took great pride in the fact she had paid for her, but also Charity was more than that. She was the only living breathing thing that Letitia could love and draw comfort from.
In 1842 she leaves front Kentucky, heading to Missouri with the Bowman family as a paid employee. Mrs. Bowman still treated her like a slave in most ways. They were heading to Oregon and Letitia had heard it was a state that wanted to join the Free states. She hoped to start a life of her own there. A large group of people are gathering in Missouri to go in groups with special guides to help them make the difficult journey.
There an Irish immigrant named Davey Carson took her in to work for him after she lost her job at the hotel. He was a man of compassion and loved Letitia. He asked her to be his wife and she accepted. Whites could not legally marry blacks then, so both being Christians they had their own ceremony before the Lord. Their relationship is definitely rocky at times.
I saw through her eyes the life of a freed black woman of that time. It wasn’t a pretty picture. People were so cruel and condescending; it is hard to imagine anyone treating another person that way. She found a true friend in Nancy Hawkins who was also heading to Oregon with her large family. Nancy and her husband Zach, a doctor, accepted Letitia as a person and saw her value.
As if being black was not enough of a challenge, the trip to Oregon was arduous, exhausting and grueling. Just surviving was extremely difficult without adding the unexpected problems that arose. It took a huge amount of faith, courage, and perseverance to make the journey. Many died but there was no time to grieve for their loved one as they had to bury them and move on. I was shocked at how hard daily existence was on the trail. All she had to do to simply cook, bath, wash clothes, try to sleep, take care of her family when they were sick, exhausted me just reading it. All this done in the wilderness in or around a wagon!
The spitefulness and rejection of the other women was unreal. There wasn’t even simple kindness. I remember one part where they ladies spread their skirts and turned their backs so they could take turns getting in the middle of the circle and use the bathroom unexposed. Poor Letitia had to go out away into bushes alone, risking being attacked by a wild animal or Indians!! It really made me think about the conditions the settlers endured. I can’t imagine having to use the bathroom like that and many women gave birth while on the trail!
More adversities and suffering met them in Oregon. There a Kalapuya Indian grandmother, named Betsy, and her grandson befriended Letitia. Giving her not only friendship but helping her when she had no one. Betsy understood the condemning attitude from society because the Indians were look down upon as were the blacks.
Letitia’s remarkable strength in facing anything life dealt her really made an impression on me. She never gave up or backed down in spite of disappointment, pain, or setbacks. Knowing she really lived such a life was inspiring. I thought of how easily we give up now. This is an amazing, amazing story! It is constantly moving and developing with such intensity and many surprises. You WILL want to read it! Thank you Jane Kirkpatrick for another incredible book!
I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

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When I saw this book had 52 devotionals I thought, “Oh one for each week of the year.” Well when I started reading it was more like 3 or 4 a day! They were like potato chips, I couldn’t stop with just one!! I have been having many hard days since the death of my husband and all life’s “extra’s” to face alone. I truly found this book very encouraging.
Each devotional draws its encouragement from a scripture in Psalms. The Bible is the true source of all of our encouragement. The titles of every one of them spoke to my heart. They were worded perfectly to catch my attention. I found them to be exactly the thought or questions I might be consciously or unconsciously thinking about my situation. Holley’s stories and thoughts that followed helped me look outside of my “hard day” and focus on my loving Heavenly Father and His Word. I know sometimes when I have dealing with difficulties I tend to concentrate on the problem looming before and forget to give all my attention to the Lord. I found myself thinking, “Yes! I am not alone. God has this under control. I can make it with Him!
The devotionals are only 2 to 3 pages each. I appreciated this because when I am troubled I find myself having difficulty concentrating on things for a prolonged length of time. There is also a prayer at the end of the devotional and a place to write down how God spoke to you. This is special to me because then I can refer back again and again to His comfort and guidance. I also liked the contents at the front of the book. It made it easy to skim the titles and find just the one I needed at that moment. The book is the perfect size to fit in a purse, or backpack, and easily fits in your hand when you are reading. You will want to have one for you and several to give to friends who are struggling with “hard days”.
I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Elderly couple, Emma and Lamar Miller, were not only starting a new life together as a married couple, but also in a new winter home in Florida. The frigid winters of Indiana had proven too much for Lamar’s arthritis. This was a solution until warmer weather came and they could return home. In the meantime, Lamar is happy combing the beaches for shells and enjoying feeling better. All this leisure time, on the other hand, is making Emma restless. She wants to be busy doing something with purpose.
One thing she enjoyed doing in Indiana was teaching quilting classes. These classes were more than just passing on her skills; they were a ministry to her. Lamar suggests she have one at their new home. Both were anxious to see who God sent to them this time. The Lord sent 6 very different people, each facing their own heartache, to spend 6 weeks together in Emma’s class.
Erika, a teenager recently paralyzed, is learning to live life in a wheelchair. She is filled with bitterness and anger and is being force by her father to take the class. Mike is a workaholic whose business is on hold due to his charter boat needing repairs. He takes his wife’s place in the class when she is called away with a family emergency. He is another not so willing student.
B.J is retired artist who is dying of cancer. He wants to enjoy the time he has left and decides to paint pictures of Emma’s quilts
Noreen is has been a widow for 5 years and tired of being alone.
Jennifer is a young woman expecting her first child, but her husband is without a job, and they are facing financial problems.
Kim, bless her heart, is a klutzy waitress who is afraid she might lose her job.
As the Millers come to know the students and learn of their hardships, they not only prayed for each individual, but also allowed God guide them in how to minister to them. This made me think of how anything we do that brings people into our lives can be a ministry. We just have to be open to the Lord’s leading and looking for opportunities to do His work. A beautiful story unfolds showing how God worked in each student’s life in exactly the way he or she needed. There are several surprises along the way where their lives are touched in ways they never imagined.
The Millers also showed that you can stay true to your beliefs and God no matter where you are or who you meet. They were Amish and certainly had little in common with the people they taught, yet they accepted the students for who they were. They welcomed them as friends and simply loved them. In Florida, they were not living among their brethren in a protected society, but with Englishers out in the world. Not once did they appear uncomfortable or compromised in situations with people or out in public. I saw this as such a testimony of being secure in one’s faith and living what you believe. This book was very entertaining and a beautiful story.
I received this book free from Handlebar. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Amish are known for their large families and Elizabeth Bontrager’s family was no exception. She was the oldest of nine children! Her mother had trouble managing her supersized family so Elizabeth does the lion’s share of caring for the little ones and doing the housework, and that’s after returning home from a full day’s work! She loves her family deeply and strongly desires to honor her parents but at the age of 20, feels she is missing the chance to have a life and family of her own. An English pen pal she met opens the door of opportunity by asking her leave her home in Goshen, Indiana and come live with her in Paradise, Pennsylvania.
She’s never had a rumspringa. Her wish is not to go wild as some Amish youth do during their rumspringa, but to truly seek what God would have her do, not what the church tells her to do. Her question is not to leave the Amish church; her roots run deep. Her confusion comes as to whether she would be dishonoring her parents by leaving home to start a life of her own.
After she embarks on the bus to Paradise, she meets a handsome Amish man named Saul Miller. Little did she know he would become her boss when she gets a job working in his family’s store.
Elizabeth has many new experiences in the English world. I knew the Amish lived very simple lives without modern conveniences, but I never thought about the confusion and surprises they might have if they were exposed to them. Seeing the modern world through her eyes for the first time gave me a new perspective. While Elizabeth holds fast to the foundation of her Amish beliefs, she also embraces the new experiences her adventure offers. Her common sense and experience in caring for her family enables her to help several people in emergency situations.
I loved her innocence and integrity. Her love for her family, and her feeling of responsibility beckons her to go home, but her love for her new life and Saul make her want to stay. What should she do? She must make a choice.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and anxiously await book 2 of which there is an excerpt is included. I love recipes and was delighted to see some of the recipes from the story are shared. A wonderful book!
I received this book free from the Abingdon Press. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Carolyn Lapp made a youthful mistake in her teens and had a child out of wedlock, a great shame in the Amish community. She refuses to reveal who the father is. While she loves her son Benjamin, now 15, with all her heart, she feels she will never have a husband and home of her own. She feels trapped in her past mistake. The church and her parents, whom they live with, have completely forgiven her, but her brother never lets her forget her sin. He reminds her at every turn. He even plays matchmaker insisting she settle for an older widower with a daughter, but Carolyn dreams of marrying for love.
Her brother has two sons that are real rascals and constantly blaming her son for their misdeeds. At a local auction, his cousins throw a rock and injure a horse belonging to Joshua Glick. When he catches up with them they blame Benjamin. Only his mother believes in his innocence. As punishment and to pay for the vet bill, Benjamin is forced to work on Joshua’s horse farm. The silver lining is that he will least be free of his cousins tormenting him.
Benjamin begins to enjoy his work and being there. Joshua seems to be a hard man. He is still grieving the loss of his brother who ran the farm with him. To make things worse, his heart is broken when his brother’s widow refuses to marry him and marries an Englisher. Believing he can never love again, he has put a wall around his heart.
Carolyn makes visits to the farm to bring Benjamin’s lunch and sometimes confront Joshua on what she deems unfair treatment of her son. The two begin to develop feelings they thought they would never have. The problem is Joshua thinks Benjamin is Carolyn’s brother.
Carolyn’s older brother has the widower courting her, and Joshua shows an interest too. Which should she choose? The one that will accept her or risk telling the one she loves the truth and possibly lose him. Joshua’s mother is pushing him to court a young woman she feels is “perfect” for him but whom he has no interest in. Trials, misunderstandings, and doubts cause many problems for the couple.
A big lesson is to be learned is how assumptions cause many relationship problems while open, honest communication strengthens them. This is a beautiful story of forgiveness and learning to trust God with your future, no matter what your past has been.
I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Fond memories of her perfectly behaved childhood boxer, spurns Erin Young to purchase a boxer puppy for their family. He has charisma, is a fantastic example of the boxer breed, and turns everyone’s head with his stunning good looks. The Young’s are sure they have the perfect pet. It didn’t take long for them to realize Henry was anything but perfect!
His antics are off the charts! From endangering his life more than once with his exploits, to barely passing obedience school, along with many other crazy hi-jinks, he puts his owners through. There is never a dull moment with Henry. In fact someone has to watch him at all times to keep him out of trouble! There is no doubt he has an extreme case of doggie ADHD!
This is hands down the BEST book about a dog I have ever read! Ms. Young is an artist and comedian with words. I have never laughed so hard in such a long time! I was reading it while waiting in the doctor’s office and kept bursting out laughing.
The author’s sense of humor is impeccable. The book is so well written. I couldn’t put it down!
It is also the story of the deep, committed love of a family for their “fur baby”. Their devotion in caring for him, in spite of his challenging and eccentric behavior was very touching. Most people would have just given up and taken him to a shelter but they love Henry for who he is mishaps and all. Through her dealings with Henry, Ms. Young begins to realize the unconditional love God has for her.
I enjoyed this book so much I am going to read it again! If I could I would give it a 10 star rating! This book is a MUST read!
Be sure to go to http://survivinghenry.com/ to see videos of Henry in action and learn more about his amazing family.
I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Every detail was in place for Amanda Pearson’s wedding to Nathan Lane. Filled with nervousness and joy Amanda received a shock when the afternoon before the wedding Nathan broke their engagement and professed his love for another. To escape her heartache and focus on serving God she sets off on an arduous and dangerous 3000 mile journey from New York to the Oregon territory to help a missionary couple and teach the Nez Perce Indians about the Lord. It was the mid 1800’s and horseback was their only option to cross the Rockies. Her father insists on accompanying her and hiring a seasoned guide to go with them.
Amanda is sure her strong Quaker beliefs and trust in God will carry her through. Her faith does exactly that but it is tested in painful and unexpected ways she never dreamed of. Dangers of fierce Indians, the elements, the rough wilderness and illness challenge her at every turn. Her commitment to God is also tested when she falls in love with an unbeliever that wants nothing to do with God.
This was an outstanding book and story! Historical facts set the background for the reader. The many details of survival and aspects of living and traveling through uncharted wilderness brought the story to life. I also learned many things about the Quaker belief. I liked the numerous Bible scriptures used throughout the book as Amanda applied them to what she was facing. Her zeal to lead others to Christ was not something you usually do not find in a Christian novel. She was completely out of her comfort zone and element (not to mention being faced with horrific trials) yet she continued stay strong as a Christian and stand alone.
I found this book very exciting! The plot constantly surprised me with something totally unpredictable. I was truly amazed at the hardships the characters faced, yet continued to persevere. I wish I could give you more details but so many wonderful surprises await you in this book that I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you! This really is a book about a woman of Courage!
I received this book free from Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

This is a beautiful story of a close community and a family, starting over after the war. World War II is finally ended and the residents of Rosey Corner are very excited. While some anxiously await the return of their loved ones, others grieve the loss of theirs. The Merritt’s are facing both of these situations.
Kate and Evie’s husbands both return. While the men have been away fighting the sisters have dreamed of their new lives with their husbands when they returned. Those dreams kept their hope alive, but war changes men, and that changes the plans their women have envisioned. The wives long for everything to be the way it was, but the men know they will never be the same. Tori’s husband died fighting for his country. She is left a very young widow to raise her daughter alone. Even with the support of her loving family, she struggles with going on. The youngest sister, Lorena, is just blossoming into a young lady. She is ecstatic at about the return of her brother-in-laws. Her focus is on pursuing the singing career she dreams about and her youthful enthusiasm is uplifting to the family.
I love the way the author vividly captures all the emotions each character is feeling. In the midst of such happiness is confusion and struggles. As challenges unfold it is interesting to see how each sister’s personality affects her response. These things brought the people to life and made them real to me. One of the things that impressed me the most about the book is how strong the faith of the family was. Each trial the people encountered always drew them to God and His Word. There were so many lessons about how to view one’s situation from God’s point of view, and submitting to His plans. Lessons that can be applied to our lives. Ms. Gabhart also includes other people in the community. She beautifully weaves them into the fabric of the family’s lives where we learn their stories and hardships too. There is lots of excitement and surprises along the way. This is my first book of Ann Gabhart’s to read and I was very impressed.
I received this book free from Revell Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.