Gabriel's Bride

Another week is almost over!  Time passes so quickly the older I get.  Another hot and humid day in Florida.  Even the dogs do not want to stay outside.  They quickly do their business and hustle back through the doors.  The mosquitoes are just horrible (and I am allergic to their bites).  If they would just make a way for me to get from the house to car to stores without going outdoors, I would have it made!  A tunnel system?  

Gabriel’s Bride by Amy Lillard is the third and final book in the Clover Ridge series.  Gabriel Fisher is the father of five children and is raising them without his wife.  His wife, Rebecca died in giving birth to their youngest son, Samuel (he has Down’s syndrome).  His sister, Katie was helping him raise the children, but she has moved back home while being courted by Zane (according to Amish custom in their area).  Gabriel’s eldest daughter, Mary Elizabeth, left during the night.  She left a note stating she wanted to experience life in the Englischer world and see about getting more schooling.  Mary Elizabeth wants to be able to work with animals.   In addition, Gabriel is the new deacon and will be having more responsibilities that will keep him away from the farm and his children.  Gabriel decides to advertise for a housekeeper.

Rachel Yoder is twenty-six years old.  She lived with her Aunt Katherine since the death of her parents and brothers when she was ten years old.  Rachel had lived in Florida and was raised Beachy Amish prior to coming to Clover Ridge (which is Old Order Amish).  Rachel assumed she inherited her Aunt’s home and that is where she would stay quite happy with her goats and the business she has created (making goat cheese).  Rachel’s bubble is burst on the day of the funeral.  She is told that her aunt did a reverse mortgage on the property.  The bank now owns the home.  Rachel’s only option is to go live with a cousin in Ohio who needs help raising eleven (way, way too many) children!  Rachel would not be able to bring her goats with her. 

Gabriel needs a housekeeper and Rachel needs a place to live.  The perfect solution is for them to help each other.  Rachel will do the cooking, cleaning, and watch after the children.  Gabriel will give her a salary, a room on the second floor (his is on the first), and her goats get to come with her.  Things get off to a bumpy start when Rachel’s goats arrive and she puts them in the wrong area (three years of Gabriel’s research just went into the goat’s bellies).  Rachel’s cooking is not the best (evidently Aunt Katherine did the cooking).  Rachel forgets she has something on the stove or in the oven when an idea comes to her about goat cheese or she is out checking on the goats.  Her cookies always come out burnt.  Of course, someone may be helping her food to burn.  Looks like not all the children are happy to have Rachel in the house.  Then the Bishop and minister show up!  Poor Gabriel is not having a good month.  It seems it is not appropriate for Rachel to live in the house with Gabriel and the children (I did not quite see their reasoning, but to each his own).  Gabriel can marry Rachel or Rachel can go to Ohio (with no goats and eleven children).   Will Gabriel and Rachel get married?  Can they come to love each other?  Will the children be able to accept Rachel?

You will need to read Gabriel’s Bride to find out!  I give Gabriel’s Bride 4.25 out of 5 stars.  The series is wrapped up nicely at the end of the book (it wraps up Gideon and Anne, Zane and Katie Rose, Mary Elizabeth).  Such a lovely story with the right amount of humor mixed in.  You will not regret reading Gabriel’s Bride or any of the books in the Clover Ridge series.

I received a complimentary copy of Gabriel’s Bride from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  The review and opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you for stopping by and reading my review.  I am currently reading The Idea of Love by  Patti Callahan Henry.  Have a wonderful and relaxing weekend!  Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader