Hope Deferred by Linda Byler

Welcome!  Sunsets, Sabbatical and Scandal by Tonya Kappes comes out on March 24.  It is the tenth A Campers & Criminals Cozy Mystery.  The Sunday Potluck Club by Melissa Storm releases on March 31 along with The Darkness We Hide by Debra Webb.  Is there an upcoming book you are looking forward to reading?

Hope Deferred by Linda Byler takes us to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  David Stolzfus and Anna Fisher grew up next to each other and are best friends.  Their parents, though, have differing styles of parenting with one more lax and the other believing in a strict Christian upbringing with emphasis on obedience.  As they become teens, the attraction between them grows stronger.  David is impetuous, headstrong, short tempered and has a thirst for knowledge.  Anna is lovely, kind, cheerful and obedient.  When Anna is eighteen, her parents reluctantly allow the pair to date with a long list of rules.  Dave, as he now prefers to be called, chafes under the Fishers rigid guidelines and decides to take a trip to Australia.  Anna met Leon Beiler on a mission trip to Texas.  After Dave departs on his travels, Anna begins corresponding with Leon.  Anna is attracted to the kind man with strong Christian values.  But she cannot forget David and her feelings for him.  Which path should Anna follow?  

Hope Deferred by Linda Byler is a story about two people who love each other but they have conflicting views.  Anna Fisher and David Stolzfus could not be more different in temperament.  Anna was raised to be kind, caring, and obedient Christian woman.  She is thoughtful and cautious.  David grew up in a lax household.  He loves to read and is quick to complete his studies.  David is stubborn, impulsive and has a quick temper.  When David enters rumspringa, he is quick to purchase a cell phone where he discovers the delights of the internet.  He also obtains a fast car and wears Englisch clothing.  The one thing the pair have in common is their love for each other.  We watch them go through their upbringing and young adult years with David chafing at the rules.  I thought Hope Deferred is a unique Amish novel with good writing.  David’s journeys were interesting because be has not traveled before and everything is new to him.  He had only seen pictures of Australia in a book.  Plus, David had never been on a plane.  It was a different look at the world.  There is a repetition of certain details that I wish had been eliminated plus there are many little details that were unnecessary (would have made a novel that had more ease to it).  I appreciated that Hope Deferred did not have an expected ending.  Amish teens today must make the same choices as those of our characters.  They must decide whether to become baptized in the Amish faith or find where they belong in the Englisch world.  It cannot be easy for them with only an eighth-grade education.  Hope Deferred is unique Amish novel with Christian canons, mutual magnetism, a speedy sports car, a thrilled traveler and unexpected outcomes.

Hope Deferred is available from Amazon*.  Thank you for taking the time to read my review.  Tomorrow I am featuring Sleuth on Safari by A.R. Kennedy.  It is the first book in The Traveler Cozy Mystery series.   I hope you have a positive day.  By the way. . . How do you track a book?  You follow their footnotes!  Take care and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.