The Amish are known for their large families and Elizabeth Bontragers family was no exception. She was the oldest of nine children! Her mother had trouble managing her supersize family so Elizabeth does the lions share of caring for the little ones and doing the housework, and thats after returning home from a full days 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.
Shes 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 familys 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
Shes 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 familys 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
