I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
An Amish Heirloom by Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Kelly Irvin Published by Zondervan on April 10th 2018
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Clean & Wholesome, Fiction, Romance, Small Town & Rural
Pages: 400
Source: NetGalley
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A Legacy of Love by Amy Clipston
Local volunteer fire fighter Leon King agrees to repair his ex-girlfriend Susie Bontrager’s grandparents’ antique rocking chairs for her future home with her fiance and is forced to acknowledge that his feelings for her have not quite gone away. As Susie spends time with Leon, she begins to recognize she is marrying the wrong man for all the wrong reasons.
The Cedar Chest by Beth Wiseman
Decades after inheriting her great grandmother’s cedar chest, Emma Fisher decides to pry it open only to discover a beautiful love story in the form of letters between her great grandparents. But as Emma immerses herself in their story, family secrets are revealed, and she must decide whether to share them to preserve family history or honor her great grandparents’ decision to leave them hidden.
The Treasured Book by Kathleen Fuller
For the past two years, Shane Broyles has felt God leading him to join the Amish. He’s staying with his friends Noah and Ivy Schlabach in Birch Creek, OH, where he is reunited with Lucy Fisher, an old friend of Noah’s family. Shane and Lucy have never revealed their feelings for each other, but when they stumble upon an antique Bible at a flea market, they feel drawn to each other and to the mystery of the contents found within.
The Midwife’s Dream by Kelly Irvin
Iris Beachy serves as a midwife in her district where she longs for a family of her own. When her friend’s brother Mahon Kurtz seeks her help in delivering the baby of two young teenagers who have sought refuge in their town, they begin to see each other in a different light. Unprepared for parenthood, the young couple leave their baby girl behind in an antique crib quilt resembling the one destined for Iris when she becomes a mother. Mahon and Iris come together to take care of the baby as they try to find her parents, and they begin to see new possibilities for their future.
A Legacy of Love by Amy Clipston
Local volunteer fire fighter Leon King agrees to repair his ex-girlfriend Susie Bontrager’s grandparents’ antique rocking chairs for her future home with her fiance and is forced to acknowledge that his feelings for her have not quite gone away. As Susie spends time with Leon, she begins to recognize she is marrying the wrong man for all the wrong reasons.
Let me tell ya a story about how this novella is killin’ me. First, it was nice to seem some familiar names and character’s from Amy’s current series Amish Homestead. That being said, I’m not entirely sure I was emotionally ready to read about firefighters and the mention of individuals that had lost their life in a fire, even as a firefighter, I think it’s just too raw yet. I didn’t let that influence my rating on this novella but reading this first one was so hard and emotionally draining. It’s partly why I’m putting off reading ‘Room on the Porch Swing’ as long as possible. I’m not ready. There’s another aspect here that I can’t chalk up to my own emotions or personal issues, it was how Leon and Susie came together. I don’t know how to proceed without spoilers, so consider yourself warned. They had dated, and broken up about four years prior. They came into contact at a funeral (see what I mean. . . emotional turmoil!. . . and re-something their friendship. She was engaged to a neighbor boy she had fallen for, he was single. They start spending time together as ‘frienden’ which in and of itself seems innocent right? However, she finds herself being drawn back to him, and vice vercea. She put herself in a position to be emotionally cheating on her finance. Yes, people will say that there was no ring, no ceremony, no commitment. I very strong disagree. There is a commitment in an engagement, there is a promise of forever. If you feel like you are making a mistake you don’t put yourself in a position to cheat (emotionally or otherwise). She didn’t need to be sneaking around (because the truth is she kinda was) with her ex in order to determine that her fiance wasn’t the one for her. She didn’t need to get ‘caught’ (because that’s how it really played out) to come to the realization and then have the conversation to end the engagement. She most assuredly didn’t need to turn around and get engaged the next time she sees Leon. They are both at fault, lest you take my she’s as pointing fingers only at the girl. If their relationship rekindles through cheating how can they ever truly develop trust that will last a lifetime? This just bothered me. Strongly. I felt the need to come back to this after I slept on it a minute. I appreciated and loved the the realistic approach to this topic, let’s face it the Amish are no more immune to human foibles than the rest of us. My concern lies in the feel that this was glorified the idea of emotional infidelity.
The Cedar Chest by Beth Wiseman
Decades after inheriting her great grandmother’s cedar chest, Emma Fisher decides to pry it open only to discover a beautiful love story in the form of letters between her great grandparents. But as Emma immerses herself in their story, family secrets are revealed, and she must decide whether to share them to preserve family history or honor her great grandparents’ decision to leave them hidden.
Written in a way that only Beth Wiseman can, blending the saltiness of jaded reality with the wholesome outlook of the Amish, this novella packs a lot of punch. A duel timeline, some shady history, a lot of self-doubt, and the redemption that love always wins. I have to admit that there was always this wisp of something just outside my grasp throughout reading this story. Some fact, some truth, some subtle plot point that I just couldn’t quite put my finger on. I never really did figure out that wisp (and it still bugs me!) but I’ll be OK. Rich characters with a plot that ended entirely too quickly this story was truly amazing.
The Treasured Book by Kathleen Fuller
For the past two years, Shane Broyles has felt God leading him to join the Amish. He is staying with his friends Noah and Ivy Schlabach in Birch Creek, OH, where he is reunited with Lucy Fisher, an old friend of Noah’s family. Shane and Lucy have never revealed their feelings for each other, but when they stumble upon an antique Bible at a flea market, they feel drawn to each other and to the mystery of the contents found within.
Cevilla! This woman needs to come live in my neighborhood. Cevilla is back and I couldn’t be happier. Seriously, I adore this woman. And she’s not changed one bit. It was lovely getting to go back to Birch Creek for a minute and see not only Cevilla, but Ivy and Noah as well. Cevilla is one of those older honorary aunts in your life that tends to meddle because she cares, she has life experience, and she’s bored. But she’s so endearing and sweet that while you want to tell her off you don’t because you love her. That is Cevilla. It was interesting to see her doubt herself for a minute in this story, something you NEVER see in your honorary aunt (not because she doesn’t feel it but because she doesn’t admit it). Even with new character’s, they fit into Birch Creek so well and the story was so blended that I didn’t care it was short and sweet, it had a fullness that is hard to capture in a novella.
The Midwife’s Dream by Kelly Irvin
Iris Beachy serves as a midwife in her district where she longs for a family of her own. When her friend’s brother Mahon Kurtz seeks her help in delivering the baby of two young teenagers who have sought refuge in their town, they begin to see each other in a different light. Unprepared for parenthood, the young couple leave their baby girl behind in an antique crib quilt resembling the one destined for Iris when she becomes a mother. Mahon and Iris come together to take care of the baby as they try to find her parents, and they begin to see new possibilities for their future.
Maybe I’m biased as a Missouri Girl who has family that lives near Jamesport (Trenton). Maybe I’m not biased because I’ve not read the author’s previous novels based out of Jamesport. Either way I really enjoyed this story. I have to tell you in the least spoiler-ish way possible that I loved that there wasn’t a perfectly glittered bow of happily ever after. I mean some things were completely wrapped up but there was no guarantee that it would all be gravy. A promise of the potential was perfect for me. I also have to admit that there were parts of me that felt a little like Iris was a tad whiny, a slight bit annoying, and had a touch of a martyr complex. I admire her strength to desire to do what is right but I think she let other people’s happiness cloud her own possibilities. I’ll be honest, I feel like there were possibly little threads where these individuals had other adventures (if you will) that I feel like would have rounded them out for me more, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything. These were strong well-developed people wrapped up in a sweet and heart enveloping story that was truly enjoyable and encompassing and very worth the read.
About Amy Clipston
Amy Clipston is an award-winning bestselling author and has been writing for as long as she can remember. She’s sold more than one million books, and her fiction writing “career” began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan University and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. Amy works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC, and lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and six spoiled rotten cats. You can find Amy at AmyClipston.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks, on Instagram at @amy_clipston, and on Tiktok at @amyclipstonofficial.
About Beth Wiseman
Beth has a deep affection for the Amish and their simpler way of life, and while she plans to continue writing Amish love stories, she is also branching out into other areas. Her first non-Amish, contemporary—Need You Now—released in April 2012 and landed on the CBA Bestseller List. She enjoyed writing the story based in a town near where she lives, and she chose another small Texas town for her next non-Amish contemporary—The House that Love Built—which is based in Smithville, the same quaint town where movies such as Hope Floats and Tree of Life were filmed. Beth continued to spread her wings when she released The Promise in October 2014. Inspired by actual events, The Promise follows Beth’s characters all the way to Pakistan. Beth was involved in the real-life rescue when her friend was held captive in Pakistan. Beth is currently working on book #2 in her new Amish Secrets series, tentatively titled Jacob’s Ladder. Book #1—Her Brother’s Keeper—recently released and was chosen as a Top Pick by RT Reviews Magazine.
Beth and her husband are empty nesters enjoying the country life in Texas with three dogs and a rooster. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel, paint, and enjoy time with friends and family.
About Kathleen Fuller
Kathleen Fuller is the best-selling author of over thirty books, including the Hearts of Middlefield series.
1. I started writing January 1, 2000. New year, new millenium, new career.
2. I’m a former special education teacher, specializing in teaching the blind and visually impaired.
3. I was born in New Orleans, LA, raised in Little Rock, AR, and call Geneva, OH my home.
4. On June 12, 2013, my husband and I will celebrate twenty years of marriage.
5. We have three awesome kids.
6. I love chocolate. ‘Nuff said.
7. I’ve written and published over twenty-five novels and novellas.
8. I also write nonfiction–interviews, devotionals, Bible studies, essays, blog posts…
9. We have three dogs–Biscuit, Mollie, and Chief. And one cat, creatively named Kitty.
10. If I could go anywhere in the world I would go to Ireland.
About Kelly Irvin
The Kansas native is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She has been writing nonfiction professionally for more than thirty years, including ten years as a newspaper reporter. She recently retired after working 22 years in public relations for the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) and Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers.
Kelly is married to photographer Tim Irvin. They make their home in San Antonio, Texas. They have two young adult children, two grandchildren, and two ornery cats. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and read books by her favorite authors, especially mysteries and romantic suspense novels.
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