Summer of Secrets

On a recent visit to Jamesport, Missouri, I was introduced to the writing of Charlotte Hubbard and decided to try out her books.  After reading Summer of Secrets, I'm glad I did.

The Lantz women may not be your typical, stereotyped Amish.  While they hold strongly to their time-honored beliefs and traditions, they also seem to have a little bit of extra spunk that adds interest to their lives and the lives of their friends and family.  The appearance of the long-lost Rebecca throws Miriam, her daughters Rachel and Rhoda, and others in their close community into a tailspin that threatens to bring severe consequences to all involved.  Trusting in God's guidance and His timing proves to be the only way to weather the storm that is almost as powerful as the flood that started an unexpected chain of events eighteen years earlier.

Charlotte Hubbard has relied on her own research and the assistance of a tour guide with life-long, first-hand knowledge of Amish life in Missouri to provide a well-written, authentic story.  I look forward to reading more in this series.

About the Book

Welcome to Willow Ridge, Missouri! In this cozy Amish town along the banks of the river, the Old Ways are celebrated at the Sweet Seasons Bakery Café, and love is a gift God gives with grace…

Summer has come to Willow Ridge, but Rachel Lantz is looking forward to a whole new season in her life—marriage to strapping carpenter Micah Brenneman, her childhood sweetheart. When a strange Englischer arrives in the café claiming to be the long-lost sister of Rachel and her twin Rhoda, Rachel feels the sturdy foundation of her future crumbling—including Micah’s steadfast love. As the days heat up and tempers flare, Rachel and Micah will learn that even when God’s plan isn’t clear, it will always lead them back to each other…

About the Author

Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi, longtime Missourian Charlotte Hubbard writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle in her new Seasons of the Heart series. Like her heroine, Miriam Lantz, Charlotte considers it her personal mission to feed people—to share hearth and home. Faith and family, farming and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle, and the foundation of her earlier Angels of Mercy series. She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and when she’s not writing, she loves to try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Charlotte now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie.