Heartwarming Beginning to a New Series -- A Plain Leaving

Leslie Gould's A Plain Leaving is a heartwarming story that begins a new series, The Sisters of Lancaster County.

Leslie crafted a story where the characters have to deal with some very complicated issues in their family relationships. Misunderstandings and poor communication provide realistic conflicts that keep the story flowing.

A couple of elements make this story a little different from your average Amish story. One is that instead of a character struggling with the question of whether to leave their community -- a common thread in many stories -- Jessica is struggling with whether to return to her Amish community. Her strong pull to her family's farm and desire to understand family issues drew me in to her story. Another very interesting thread in the book is a historical thread that helps paint the picture of the family's heritage for several generations.

This is a great story that I highly recommend to all fans of Amish fiction.

Thanks to Bethany House for providing a copy of this book. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.

About the Book:

Leaving Was the Hardest Thing She'd Ever Done... Until She Had to Return.

Three years ago, Jessica Bachmann walked away from everything: her family, their beloved farm, her Amish community, and Silas Kemp. After clashing with the new bishop and her brother about her role in her family and the future of the family farm, anger and restlessness wouldn't allow her to stay.

When she is forced to return home because of her beloved father's death, her arrival stirs up all kinds of emotions--sorrow, grief, and yearning alike. Jessica knows things can't return to the way they were, but, especially upon seeing Silas again, she can't help wonder what might have been--and what still could be. The stakes grow higher when she learns that her brother, Arden, is still pursuing potentially hazardous fracking on the family's land.

As Jessica wrestles with her next step, she learns the cautionary tale of Ruby Bachmann, a Revolutionary War-era ancestor who faced similar struggles. Will Ruby's decisions motivate Jessica to leave her family, the land, and her community forever? Or is there healing, love, and belonging yet to come for her in Lancaster County?

About the Author:

Leslie Gould is the coauthor, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 bestselling The Amish Midwife and The Amish Nanny. She is also the author of numerous novels including two Lancaster Amish series. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor. She resides with her husband and four children in Oregon. Learn more at www.lesliegould.com.