Amish ABCs, Book 1
From the publisher:
In a heartwarming new series from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray, four siblings take a genuine leap of faith when they move to their grandparents’ farm in rural Ohio and decide to become Amish.
Exploring the relationship between Amish and English cultures through the lens of a single family, the Amish Again series is perfect for fans of Beverly Lewis, Suzanne Woods Fisher, and Charlotte Hubbard – and anyone who enjoys uplifting stories about faith, family, love, and the simple life.
Siblings Martin, Kelsey, Beth, and Jonny are as different as can be, but they have one thing in common. They’re all longing to reinvent their lives. Raised by their divorced lapsed-Amish father and English mother, they only knew real stability and a sense of family when visiting their Old Order grandparents, Josiah and Sylvia Schrock, in peaceful Holmes County, Ohio. Now the four want to try living with them and joining their faith—much to the Schrocks’ surprise . . .
Martin, the eldest, is reeling from a bad breakup, so he’s especially determined to make a fresh start. When he meets his grandparents’ neighbor, Patti Coblentz, he’s immediately drawn to her outgoing, helpful nature—but is so overwhelmed that he appears blunt and rude. Is there any way he can drop his defenses enough to admit she’s captured his heart?
Always self-conscious about the birthmark on her temple, Patti is resigned to never marrying and busying herself with the responsibilities of the large home and property she has inherited. Besides, Martin’s ill-mannered behavior and disconcerting directness make him the last man she’d ever want to wed—no matter how handsome he is.
Yet given time and patience—and adhering to their grandparents’ unexpectedly challenging rules—the whole family might just find what they’re looking for, even Martin and Patti.
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This was an interesting and surprising look at living Amish. These four siblings have grandparents who are Amish, but their father left the community and their mother is an Englisher. They all decide they might want to be Amish but all four of them will be overwhelming to their grandparents, so just two of them go to live there to see how they fit in and if they want to make it permanent. Martin just had a bad breakup, and recalls the peace he always felt at his grandparents’ home. Kelsey, the youngest, truly believes she wants to be Amish, so they are the first two siblings to stay with their grandparents.
Martin meets their neighbor, a young woman named Patti who has never married. She has a prominent birthmark on her face and believes that makes her unmarriageable. And Martin is very good looking and could have his pick of any of the single women in town. Martin doesn’t see her birthmark as marring or undesirable, just as a part of Patti and he likes all of her. But he can’t decide if he can commit to her and being Amish.
Kelsey meets someone in town, and even though hers is the secondary plotline to Martin, she is the one who gets the happy ending while Martin and Patti still are very much undecided. Hopefully, that will conclude in the next book in the series. This is a good start to a new series from the queen of the Amish romance. Shepard Gray is nothing if not consistent as she spins out one entertaining tale after another. If you like a gentle romance or an inspirational romance, this is a good read.
8/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
A IS FOR AMISH by Shelley Shepard Gray. Kensington (June 25, 2024). ISBN: 978-1496748843. 288p.
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