Another "Charming" story -- A Sister's Wish

Shelley Shepard Gray takes us for a third visit to Charm, Ohio, in A Sister's Wish.  Once again, she has provided a delightful story filled with "charming" characters.

The Kinsinger family have been in the forefront in this Charmed Amish Life series, and they are characters so well portrayed that you care for them as close friends.  Amelia's story is not all pleasant and easy; she has faced some struggles while attempting to take care of her family and putting many of her own desires away.  Simon has a past with lots of baggage, some of which he still carries around.  Shelley presents their story beautifully as one of forgiveness, reconciliation and dealing with the hard stuff of life.

Fans of great Amish fiction should enjoy A Sister's Wish, as well as the first two books in the series.  Thanks to Shelley and her publisher for providing a copy of this book.  I was delighted to write an honest review.

About the Book:

 

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s third book in her Charmed Amish Life series, a respectable young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks.

Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman—at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she’s also harboring a secret: She’s been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he’s about as far from “perfect” as an Amish man could get… but that’s exactly why she’s so drawn to him.

Life hasn’t been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he’s determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past…unless it pertains to Amelia.

He’s loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas—who just happens to be Simon’s best friend—has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he’s the only one who can truly make her happy.

But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together—and face their past mistakes. There’s a chance for love… but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.

A Visit to Charm:

As schedules would work out, my husband and I had the opportunity to visit Charm, Ohio, just this week, our fourth time to have that pleasure.  I thought for a little fun, I would share in this post a few pictures I snapped that just might represent some of Shelley's inspiration for A Sister's Wish.  As is mentioned in her book, Shelley mixes real and imagined locations in her story; these pictures represent some of both.

One of our first stops just before entering Charm was Hershberger's Farm and Bakery -- which, by the way, has the best fry pies I have ever eaten.  In their petting zoo, you can find several goats.  I can't help but wonder if some of them are relatives of Amelia's pet goat, Princess.

One of the major businesses in Shelley's version of Charm, of course, is Kinsinger Lumber Company.  Is it possible that Kinsinger just might have been designed around the real-life Keim Lumber Company?

And what about a meal Simon has with someone special at Grandma's Restaurant in Charm?  Maybe it is similar to the Charm Family Restaurant.  In fact, I think Charm Family Restaurant was once Grandma's Homestead.



About the Author:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.