Saturday, July 9, 2011

A trio of Amish stories -- The Judgment, Lilly's Wedding Quilt, Sarah's Garden

My reading has slowed down during the last few weeks.  I guess you could say I've been distracted by a new love.  Traveling out of state to visit my first grandson and scrapbooking his pictures have taken much of my time and interest lately.

I have managed to read a little, though, and some of my most recent reads have been three Amish stories -- one by well-known Beverly Lewis and two by a new face on the Amish scene, Kelly Long.

The Judgment by Beverly Lewis is the second in her Rose Trilogy.  This book allows a return visit with Rose Kauffman and her sister Hannah "Hen" Orringer. 

Rose is torn between her feelings for Silas Good and those for her long-time friend and confidante Nick -- the bishop's wayward foster son who has run away from the community.  Her mother's health and her sister's troubled marriage with her English husband, Brandon, also deeply concern Rose.

This was a great installment in the trilogy.  It didn't provide many answers to the challenges of the characters -- in fact, it seemed to add more questions.  But it was a great set up for the conclusion due to come out this fall!

Sarah's Garden and Lilly's Wedding Quilt, Patch of Heaven novels, are the first two Amish books by Kelly Long. The stories are great and add a slightly different element from the norm. Kelly writes more open expression of desire and passion into her Amish characters than any others I've read. While the stories are very enjoyable and there is certainly nothing inappropriate in them, it was definitely unexpected.

In Sarah’s Garden, Sarah King expects to join the church, marry an Amish man, and live her life as an Amish wife. It appears that Jacob Wyse may be the one she will live that predictable life with. But when Englisher Grant Williams moves next door and sets up a veterinary practice among the Amish community, her feelings and plans take twists and turns she never expected.

In Lilly’s Wedding Quilt, Lilly Lapp finds herself in a marriage based on a series of misunderstandings. She is uncertain whether the relationship will bloom into real love but commits herself to giving it her best effort. Lilly resigns herself to the fact that she has missed out on the traditional gift of a wedding quilt, something very important to her, and is quite surprised to see how that longing is finally resolved.

I hope there are more Patch of Heaven stories yet to come!

No comments:

Post a Comment