A Picture of Love by Beth Wiseman

A Picture of Love by Beth Wiseman

Book Summary

A Picture of Love by Beth Wiseman has Naomi Byler working as housekeeper and cook at The Peony Inn.  The bed and breakfast is owned by widowed sisters, Esther and Lizzie who consider Naomi a granddaughter.  Naomi had her heart broken when her fiancé, Thomas broke off their engagement and left town without an explanation.  Amos Lantz and his mother, Anna Mae come to town for a family wedding.  Amos lost his fiancé to cancer a year ago and the last thing he wishes to do is attend a wedding.  When Amos sees Naomi for the first time, he notices her beauty and recognizes that she is grieving as well. The pair begin chatting and discover they have several things in common including painting.  Neither one has painted since their loss and they decide to take time each evening to paint a sunset scene.  As they spend time together, Amos and Naomi become friends.  Lizzie and Esther love playing matchmaker.  They feel Naomi and Amos are perfect for each and so does Amos’ mother, Anna Mae.   They finagle ways for the pair to spend time together.  But then Naomi’s ex-fiancé, Thomas returns to town and he wants Naomi back.  It is what Naomi has dreamed of since the day Thomas broke her heart.  But is it what her heart still wants?

My Thoughts

A Picture of Love by Beth Wiseman is the debut of The Amish Inn Novels.  This was an entertaining Amish story.  I found it to be well-written with the story moving along at a steady pace.  The characters are developed and lively.  Lizzie and Esther are a hoot.  I just love the widowed sisters who know each other’s foibles and bicker frequently.  They are as opposite as two sisters can be (remind me of my sister and myself).  Neither one had children and they consider Naomi Byler a granddaughter.  They care for her dearly and want to see her happy again.  There are some things Lizzie would love to do to Thomas, Naomi’s ex-fiancé.  When Amos arrives, the sisters notice how he looks at Naomi.  The sisters decide to give the pair a little push (sometimes a shove) towards love. There are a couple of side stories in A Picture of Love.  Esther is having some physical symptoms that have her worried. As much as she dislikes doctor’s, Esther knows she must bite the bullet.  Esther gets help from their grumpy renter, Gus Owens.  She works a deal out for his help.  Lizzie cannot stand Gus Owens.  Lizzie and Gus trade verbal barbs quite often (they are hilarious).  It turns out that Gus has a daughter he has not seen in over thirty years.  She has decided to visit, so Gus wants to spruce up his appearance (it needs it).    Mary and John Lapp rent the Dawdi Haus on the property.  They have been married five years and unable to conceive.  It has begun to affect their marriage. The Thomas situation left me with a few questions that I wish had been answered.  I loved the humor in the story.  I liked that A Picture of Love was not a traditional Amish romance.   I laughed often while reading this amusing tale especially the scene with Lizzie and the kitten.  Lizzie provided several laugh-out-loud moments for me.  I liked that in A Picture of Love we get to see that you never know what God has in store for you.   A Picture of Love is a story of forgiveness, second chances, faith, God’s timing, and love.  This was a delightful and engaging story, and I am eager to read the next book in The Amish Inn Novels.  A Picture of Love is a diverting Amish story with picture painting, merry matchmaking, pie payment, a cute kitten, hair help, and sister shenanigans. 

A Picture of Love is available from Amazon* along with other major booksellers.  You can find Beth Wiseman's other novels here.  Thank you for reading my review today.  Tomorrow I am featuring A Page Marked for Murder by Lauren Elliott.  It is the 5th A Beyond the Page Bookstore Mystery.  I am heading back to my cleaning.  I learned that you need to remove pictures and dust behind them periodically (never thought about it before).  The same goes for books on the shelves.  I knew I owned hundreds of books, but I now believe it is a much higher number.  I keep finding books in a variety of locations (under a bench, a chair, the couch, etc.). As much as it pains me to do it, I am weeding down my collection. I hope that you have a productive day.  Be sure to vote today.  Every vote counts in this important election.  I sent my mail in ballot in over two weeks ago.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

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