Their True Home by Amy Clipston
When Marlene Bawell moved from Bird-in-Hand ten years ago, she was in the deepest of mourning for her mother. Now her family has moved back so her father can seek employment after being laid off. To help save money, Marlene works at the hardware store owned by Rudy Swarey's father. She knew Rudy growing up and had a secret crush on him, though he never seemed to notice her. But just as a friendship between them begins to blossom, her life is once again turned upside down. Will Marlene ever have a chance to find her own true home?
A Reunion of Hearts by Beth Wiseman
Ruth and Gideon Beiler experienced one of life's most tragic events. Unable to get past their grief, the couple abandoned their Amish faith and went in different directions, though neither could bear to formally dissolve the marriage. When their loved ones reach out to them to come home for a family reunion, Ruth has reason to believe that Gideon won't be there. Gideon also thinks that Ruth has declined the invitation. Family and friends are rooting for them to reunite, but will it all be enough for Ruth and Gideon to get past their grief and recapture a time when they were in love and had a bright future ahead of them?
A Chance to Remember by Kathleen Fuller
Cevilla Schlabach, Birch Creek's resident octogenarian matchmaker, is surprised when Richard, a man from her Englisch past, arrives in Birch Creek for a visit. While he and Cevilla take several walks down memory lane, they wonder what the future holds for them at this stage of lifeâfriendship, or the possibility of something else?
Mended Hearts by Kelly Irvin
At 16 Hannah Kauffman made a terrible mistake. Her parents and members of her Jamesport Amish community say they've forgiven her. But she feels their eyes following her everywhere she goes with eighteen-month-old Evie. Thaddeus, Evie's father, escaped this fate by running away from Jamesport. Now that Thaddeus is gone, Hannah's old friend Phillip is stepping up to be by her side. He has waited patiently for Hannah to realize just how much he cares for her. But when Thaddeus returns after two years, Hannah can't deny the love she feels for him. Does the fact that Phillip has waited patiently for her all this time mean that she owes him something? Can she trust either one of them? Can she trust herself? She has repented and been forgiven by the One who is most importanther heavenly Father. But is she willing to risk making more mistakes by opening herself up to love? I do not knows she used very poor judgment.
When Marlene Bawell moved from Bird-in-Hand ten years ago, she was in the deepest of mourning for her mother. Now her family has moved back so her father can seek employment after being laid off. To help save money, Marlene works at the hardware store owned by Rudy Swarey's father. She knew Rudy growing up and had a secret crush on him, though he never seemed to notice her. But just as a friendship between them begins to blossom, her life is once again turned upside down. Will Marlene ever have a chance to find her own true home?
A Reunion of Hearts by Beth Wiseman
Ruth and Gideon Beiler experienced one of life's most tragic events. Unable to get past their grief, the couple abandoned their Amish faith and went in different directions, though neither could bear to formally dissolve the marriage. When their loved ones reach out to them to come home for a family reunion, Ruth has reason to believe that Gideon won't be there. Gideon also thinks that Ruth has declined the invitation. Family and friends are rooting for them to reunite, but will it all be enough for Ruth and Gideon to get past their grief and recapture a time when they were in love and had a bright future ahead of them?
A Chance to Remember by Kathleen Fuller
Cevilla Schlabach, Birch Creek's resident octogenarian matchmaker, is surprised when Richard, a man from her Englisch past, arrives in Birch Creek for a visit. While he and Cevilla take several walks down memory lane, they wonder what the future holds for them at this stage of lifeâfriendship, or the possibility of something else?
Mended Hearts by Kelly Irvin
At 16 Hannah Kauffman made a terrible mistake. Her parents and members of her Jamesport Amish community say they've forgiven her. But she feels their eyes following her everywhere she goes with eighteen-month-old Evie. Thaddeus, Evie's father, escaped this fate by running away from Jamesport. Now that Thaddeus is gone, Hannah's old friend Phillip is stepping up to be by her side. He has waited patiently for Hannah to realize just how much he cares for her. But when Thaddeus returns after two years, Hannah can't deny the love she feels for him. Does the fact that Phillip has waited patiently for her all this time mean that she owes him something? Can she trust either one of them? Can she trust herself? She has repented and been forgiven by the One who is most importanther heavenly Father. But is she willing to risk making more mistakes by opening herself up to love? I do not knows she used very poor judgment.
I love reading novellas, specifically Amish novellas. They are short, quick reads full of life, love, beautiful characters and inspirational messages. Each author creates a story that is different, yet within the collections they blend beautifully.
I loved all four of these novellas but my favorite was Amy Clipston's Their True Home. I love Clipston's writing style and how she instantly hooks you into the story. Her characters are flawed, yet perfect. Her messages flow magnificently within the story and by the time you realize you're at the end of the story, you want more.
In Their True Home, Marlene returns home, and reconnects with old friends, especially Rudy. But, it's not easy, and God truly is felt through this story of renewal, faith, and hope. Clipston had me hooked from page one, and I felt myself being transported to Bird-In-Hand, working along side Rudy and Marlene, feeling the emotional roller coaster they went through. The connection between Rudy and Marlene is powerful, and I loved watching them find their true place in life!
If you love the simplicity of the Amish life, the way they love with all they have and the way they believe in hope and forgiveness, then order this book now. It's filled with tender characters, hope filled messages and beautiful writing styles. Definitely 4 star worthy!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, Zondervan and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
I loved all four of these novellas but my favorite was Amy Clipston's Their True Home. I love Clipston's writing style and how she instantly hooks you into the story. Her characters are flawed, yet perfect. Her messages flow magnificently within the story and by the time you realize you're at the end of the story, you want more.
In Their True Home, Marlene returns home, and reconnects with old friends, especially Rudy. But, it's not easy, and God truly is felt through this story of renewal, faith, and hope. Clipston had me hooked from page one, and I felt myself being transported to Bird-In-Hand, working along side Rudy and Marlene, feeling the emotional roller coaster they went through. The connection between Rudy and Marlene is powerful, and I loved watching them find their true place in life!
If you love the simplicity of the Amish life, the way they love with all they have and the way they believe in hope and forgiveness, then order this book now. It's filled with tender characters, hope filled messages and beautiful writing styles. Definitely 4 star worthy!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley, Zondervan and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
First story: Their True Home, by Amy Clipston. Let me say, if this had been the first book I'd ever read by Mrs. Clipston, I wouldn't have read any more. Now, with that being out in the open, this short story was barely Christian, in my opinion. Sexually suggestive phrases were constantly being used. This story just doesn't help anyone draw closer to Jesus.  I don't recommend it.  What I don't understand is why did Amy Clipston go so far away from decent Christian writing in this story? It's about 2 young adults, Marlene and Rudy, who develop a friendship that becomes more. You can tell they are "falling in love" by the increased sexual innuendos. The characters had no depth. Not much of a plot, either. Second story: A Reunion of Hearts, by Beth Wiseman.Gideon and Ruth, formerly Amish, have returned to their Amish hometown for a family reunion. Beth Wiseman did a good job of exploring SOME the depths of depression, sadness, anger, and denial, that must go along with the loss of a child. Yes, it was a serious book, to a point, but then it rather unraveled when the author decided to talk about the sexual attraction the husband and wife still had for each other. Kind of a bizarre turn to take from the path I thought she was on in this story. It could have accomplished so much more if she had stayed true to the original storyline.  Most of her story is decent, but I don't recommend it for anyone but MARRIED adult women, because of the focus on the sexuality between husband and wife, who had been separated but not divorced, for about 5 years. Mrs. Wiseman could have taken a cleaner path, but kept focusing on the fleshly nature, instead of the spiritual nature. So far, this book has left me feeling cheated out of a good read.   Let's see if A Chance to Remember, by Kathleen Fuller, is better than these two.Third story: A Chance to Remember, by Kathleen FullerSuch a good story, I didn't want it to end so soon! Clean Christian fiction about the Amish and an Englishcher.  This is about an 80 year old Amish woman living in Birch Creek, and a man from her past, who comes by for a visit, after not having seen each other for decades. Cevilla and Richard enjoy old memories, and find they have an attraction for each other, after many visits. Meghan, Richard's granddaughter, watches over him and drives him to see Cevilla. They are on a little vacation away from California, and Meghan has some issues of her own she needs to settle. All in all, this novella was highly enjoyable, and the characters had depth, and real personality. I hope to be able to read more books by Kathleen Fuller. Fourth Story in "An Amish Reunion"Mended Hearts, by Kelly Irvin I was very happy to see this story is a continuation of some of the character's stories I read in "With Winter's First Frost".So nicely written, and clean! Kelly Irvin really does a good job of writing Amish fiction. She did a great job of writing about the struggles of a young unwed mother, who, after going through a bann, repented and was forgiven by most of her community, although as we know, there will always be those who like to keep gossiping about someone, and tearing them up. Such was the case in this story too, but it wasn't the main focus. The main story is about Hannah, the unwed mother, her friend Philip, and her ex-boyfriend, Thaddeus, the father of her child. Thaddeus refused to marry Hannah, and he skipped town, which embittered Hannah towards him. The story is truly about forgiveness, remembering how Christ forgave us, and about recognizing that we sin, when we refuse to forgive others. It's a great story.
An Amish Reunion contains four heartwarming and appealing stories. I found them to be well-written with steady pacing. All four stories contain relatable characters and situations. They deal with grief, heartbreak, self-doubt, loss of faith, and trust issues. Grief affects each one of us differently. As one of the characters said in Reunion of the Hearts âpeople say all kinds of things when they are grievingâ. People say things they do not mean and later regret. We get to see how it affected our characters and changed their lives. I enjoyed getting the stories on characters I have come to know and love from these authors series. Cevilla is known for playing matchmaker and now the tables are turned. Hannah was shunned for her disobedience, but while she has been forgiven, no one has forgotten. I have wanted to know what happened to Hannah after her shunning (and now I do). One of the phrases I appreciated from this novella was âit is never too late to right a wrongâ. The Christian elements are woven throughout each story. We see the importance of faith and prayer in one's life. Amy Clipston's Their True Home was an engaging story. I am drawn in immediately, read too quickly and am sorry when the story ends (best kind of books). My favorite story was A Chance to Remember featuring Cevilla. It was such a sweet story that reminds us it is never too late to reconnect with a friend or to find love. My favorite phrase from that story is from Cevilla âI always put my trust in God and always willâ. One expression that is especially meaningful is âlove is a home where your heart can live foreverâ. There are discussion questions after each novella. I delighted in reading these four heartfelt and impactful Amish novellas.
