Sisters by the Sea
Journey with the bestselling Brunstetter authors to the unique tropical Amish community in Sarasota, Florida, along with four young sisters originally from Indiana.
The Seashell Cake by Wanda E. Brunstetter
Leora Lambright is the first to leave home, seeking a warmer climate for health reasons. While on a winter holiday, roofer John Miller meets Leora in the bakery where she is enjoying expressing herself through cake decorating. They are instantly attracted to each other and spend several days bike riding, fishing, playing shuffleboard, and trying local restaurants. But when Leora makes it clear she’ll never again live up north, without explaining why. Has the romance ended before it could even blossom?
Violet, the youngest of the four Lambright sisters, has always been a bit wild. She moves to Florida to live with her sister as she seeks her independence and considers leaving the Amish way of life. She works as a waitress and drives her own car. Her beauty and free spirit attract a lot of male attention like Levi, who is also Amish. When she first meets Dan Hunter, it is his little red sports car that she admires first, but while dating Dan, Levi keeps trying to make Violet commit to him. Can she settle on who should have her heart and how to live out her faith?
Francine Lambright is heartbroken that her longtime boyfriend, Matthew, is thinking of leaving the Amish faith, and they have broken up. She is ready to join the church, but her sister invites her to Florida for an extended visit before taking the pledge of faith. While shell hunting at Lido Beach, Francine meets Lucas Hayes, and they soon begin seeing each other, despite him being an Englisher. When Matthew shows up in Pinecraft unexpectedly, how will Francine’s heart respond?
Alana Lambright has suffered a series of unfortunate accidents and emotional traumas that have left her plagued by anxiety. She turns to art for peace and healing. While on a visit to her sister in Florida, she takes up seashell artwork and accepts a job in a gift shop. James Miller, a recent college graduate, meets Alana, and, due to his own past, he is initially turned off by the fact that she is Amish. Still he invites Alana on adventurous outings. Alana tries to tamp her anxiety to try the activities but fails and feels like it pushes James away. Can they each deal with the heaviness in their pasts to embrace a future together?
Sisters by the Sea contains four novellas written by Wanda E. Brunstetter, Jean Brunstetter, Richelle Brunstetter, and Lorine Brunstetter Van Corbach. We get to travel to Sarasota, Florida to spend time with Leora Lambright and her sisters, Violet, Francine, and Alana. I liked that the stories were set in nearby Sarasota. I was familiar with some of the places mentioned, especially Siesta Key (a beautiful beach). I liked the characters, but I wish they had been fleshed out more (I know that is hard to do in a short story). The characters are realistic and relatable. I thought the authors gave us a realistic look at women who have grown up Amish and are at a crossroads. They need to decide whether to be baptized or not as well as where they would like to live. I like that a spotlight is shown on SAD (seasonal affective disorder). There are good life lessons and encouragement in each tale. I enjoyed the descriptions of the beaches. I could envision the beautiful blue ocean and feel warm sand between my toes. I liked how faith was incorporated into each story and I appreciated that the romances were clean (there was some kissing). Sisters by the Sea transports you to sunny Sarasota with a seashell cake, a persistent suitor, beautiful beaches, artistic sisters, stunning sunsets, and supportive parents.
The Avid Reader
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