An Amish Bride by Rosalind Lauer

 An Amish Bride

Book Summary

In Joyful River, Pennsylvania, the faith-filled Amish community lives side by side with the English world, healing problems and overcoming hardship with compassion, love, and abiding trust in Gott’s plan.

For Sam Lapp, every day spent working on his family’s dairy farm is a reminder of Gott’s bounty and goodness. And he’s found the person he wants to share that life with. Sam remembers the exact moment he stopped seeing Sadie Beiler as just his sister’s best friend, and saw instead the graceful, loving woman she’s become. If only he had seen it before Sadie began courting someone else . . .

When Sadie first caught the eye of a handsome auctioneer, she felt blessed, hopeful that marriage would provide an escape from her troubled home. But as months stretch on without a proposal, Sadie discovers a worrying new side to her beau—and a growing kinship with Sam. Thoughtful, hardworking, kind to his visiting English cousins and to her, Sam shows Sadie that real love is just a stone’s throw away. But when an unexpected obstacle forces a separation between them, can steadfast faith make Sadie an Amish bride at last?

My Thoughts

An Amish Bride by Rosalind Lauer is the second novel in Joyful River series.  While An Amish Bride could be read as a standalone, I believe it is best to read An Amish Homecoming first.  I thought An Amish Bride was well-written with developed characters.  Miriam Lapp is my favorite.  She is such a sweet woman who will not hesitate to meddle if it helps those she loves.  The story is engaging with a good flow and pacing.  We get to know Sadie Beiler and Sam Lapp.  Sadie is best friends with Essie Lapp, Sam’s younger sister.  Sadie spent her spare time in the Lapp household and considers it her second home.  Sam had always seen Sadie as a sister until she blossomed into a beautiful woman.  He finds that she is kind, gentle, and compassionate.  Sam would like to court Sadie, but he hesitated too long.  Sadie is now going with Mark Miller, but Sam is worried because he knows that Mark has a dark side.  When Mark goes out of town without telling Sadie, she begins to question their relationship.  She spends more time at the Lapp home and finds something unexpected.  

An Amish Bride is a sweet story.  We get to follow the day-to-day life of the Amish.  It is amazing how rules differ between church districts.  I would have a hard time letting men make decisions for me.  The Amish are bound by the rules set forth by the Bishop and the elders.  Sadie must follow a ruling of the elders and learns how difficult it is to obey yet remain faithful.  We get to catch up with the characters from An Amish Homecoming.  They three sisters have been staying with the Lapp family for a year now and have a different perspective than when they arrived.  A trip home sheds light on the differences between the two homes.  The girls need to make decisions about their future.  Isaac, Sam’s cousin, is making some hard decisions.  He likes using his medical knowledge to help people and wants to continue doing so in the future.  Isaac will need to make a choice between a higher education and being baptized in the Amish faith.  I did find the book a little long and I would have liked less repetition.   Some details are repeated twice or more.  I enjoyed reading An Amish Bride.  It is a great diversion from reality.  I hope there will be another tale in the Joyful River series.  An Amish Bride is a tender tale with a weepy wedding, strep throat sadness, a boorish beau, a firm friend, a disappointing decision, a meddling mother, and a happy house.

An Amish Bride is available from Amazon*.  The first novel in the Joyful River series is An Amish Homecoming.  You can find Rosalind Lauer's other novels here including A Seasons of Lancaster Novels.  Thank you for stopping by today.  I will return tomorrow with my review of Caramel Pecan Roll Murder by Joanne Fluke.  It is the latest A Hannah Swensen Mystery.  I hope that you have a merry day.  Take care, stay safe, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader 

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

An Amish Homecoming by Rosalind Lauer

 
Book Summary

An Amish Homecoming by Rosalind Lauer has Essie Lang looking forward to the celebration for her 18^th birthday especially since she will get to see her beau, Harlan.  Essie is surprised when she returns from the lake with Harlan to find her Uncle Sully there with her three cousins.  Sully’s wife, Sarah passed away a year ago and it looks like he is having a rough time coping.  Sully asks if Essie’s mother and father will allow the three teenagers live with the m for the next year.  They are out of control and Sully is worried about them.  Family comes first so the Lapp’s do not hesitate to agree.  Essie finds herself responsible for teaching Grace, Serena, and Megan the ways of Amish life which leaves her with less time to spend with Harlan.  The cousins struggle to adapt to life on the Amish dairy farm while Essie deals with sharing her bedroom and a lack of privacy.  Is a fresh start just what the three cousins needed?

My Thoughts

An Amish Homecoming by Rosalind Lauer is the beginning of the Joyful River series.  I enjoyed reading this unique Amish novel.  We get to see three Englisch young women adapt to living on an Amish farm.  Megan, Serena, and Grace are brought to the Lapp’s dairy farm by their father, Sully.  Sully’s deceased wife, Sarah was Miriam Lapp’s sister and she passed away from cancer a year ago.  The three girls miss their mother and are acting out.  Sully is a police officer working the night shift which leaves his daughter’s with too much time unsupervised.  Sully needs to work to provide for his children, so he asks Miriam and Alvin Lapp to care for the girls for the next year.  An Amish Homecoming allows us to see the differences between an Amish and Englisch world.  The three sisters are not forced to be Amish nor give up their individuality.  The Lapp family provides a safe, loving home for the three sisters where they can work to overcome their sorrow and be themselves.  I thought An Amish Homecoming was well-written with an interesting cast of characters.  Essie is the same age as two of her cousins, but she comes across as more responsible and mature.  Essie is hoping to marry her beau, Harlan soon.  Megan wants to finish high school and attend college while her twin, Serena is unsure of what the future holds for her.  Grace, the youngest, misses her home and father.  The point-of-view alternates between Miriam, Essie, and Serena.  I liked getting to see the different perspectives.  Each woman is at a different stage in their life.  Reading An Amish Homecoming is a lovely way to wile away an afternoon.  An Amish Homecoming is a heartwarming and inspiring story that showcases love, faith, and family. 

An Amish Homecoming is available from Amazon*.  You can find Rosalind Lauer's other novels here.  I appreciate you joining me today. I will return on Tuesday, March 16 with Meant to Be by Jude Deveraux.  I hope you have a restful day.  Take care, be kind, and Happy Reading!

Kris

The Avid Reader

*This post contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.