I grew up hearing the stories of my rugged, determined Mennonite ancestors, and my very first published story at the age of 12 was about my Russian Mennonite great-grandparents' escape to Canada. I now write Amish fiction, which is linked to my Anabaptist Mennonite roots, so I have come full circle. I love a really immersive story that pulls me into a completely different world, and these authors are top of their game. I hope you enjoy these books as much as I have!
Having grown up in a relatively conservative faith community, I can appreciate how hard it can be to get some solid, non-idealistic marriage advice. There is the way things should be, and the way things are.
This book pulls you into the imperfect lives of two sisters… and the older sister, Hen, has a marriage that is falling apart, and she cannot seem to get a good piece of advice for love or money! And her crumbling marriage depends on it.
I spent the whole night wanting to crawl into the book and give her a shake and some solid advice!
Lancaster County, with its rolling meadows and secret byways, may seem idyllic, but it is not without its thorns. THE ROSE TRILOGY is the stirring saga of two Amish sisters on the fringes of the church, and the unforeseen discoveries that change their lives.
Rose Kauffman, a spirited young woman, has a close friendship with the bishop's foster son. Nick dresses Plain and works hard but stirs up plenty of trouble too. Rose's sister cautions her against becoming too involved, but Rose is being courted by a good, Amish fellow, so dismisses the warnings. Meanwhile, Rose keeps house for an…
With the world spinning out of control these days, I’ve wondered what I would do if the same problems as WW2 erupted again.
This book has one timeline set in WW2, and follows a Mennonite family—some of whom embraced Hitler’s ideologies. My family ancestry is Mennonite, and this story is both shocking and realistic.
It gave me a better understanding of why faith-based groups can slide into hate-filled ideologies without even noticing. And it can happen to the best of us! I think this series is incredibly important.
"Incredibly well-researched, thoroughly enjoyable, and singularly original."--SHELLEY SHEPARD GRAY, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author
"A beautiful story of love, loss, and the bonds that connect a family to its faith."--SUZANNE WOODS FISHER, bestselling author of A Season on the Wind
Ivy Zimmerman is successfully navigating her life as a young Mennonite woman, one generation removed from her parents' Old Order Amish upbringing. But when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, Ivy's way of life is upended. As she deals with her grief, her younger sisters' needs, the relationship with her boyfriend, and her Dawdi and…
Looking for a cozy Christian romance for Catholics? Here it is: At Home in Persimmon Hollow, the novel that launched the Persimmon Hollow series of historical romances.
Follow the story of pious schoolteacher Agnes, who flees to a small fictional town in frontier Florida for safety reasons. She quickly…
I love how utterly imperfect all of the characters are in this book.
Amish fiction can err on the side of being too idealistic, but not this book! But each character, as thoroughly unique and flawed as they are, is also incredibly lovable.
The older I get, the more I realize that I’m “the weird one,” and my family is in no way perfect. There is not a lot normal about me, but it’s heartening to read about oddball characters who have depth, heart, and a purpose, too. I could really identify.
Katrina Stoltzfus thought she had life and love all figured out: she was going to marry John and live happily ever after. Those plans started to crumble when her father moved the family to Stoney Ridge, then completely collapsed when John decided to marry someone else. Katrina is devastated. How could she have felt so loved, yet been so deceived?
As she struggles to face a future without him, a widow asks for her help to start a new business and Katrina quickly agrees. She needs time to heal her broken heart, to untangle her messy life, to find a…
As a middle-aged woman, I enjoy a romance with more mature characters.
I’m not a young thing anymore, and I’m no longer naïve. I’ve lived a lot, and I’ve known a lot of people who’ve gone through ordeals in relationships. So it’s nice to read a story where the characters have experienced a bit more.
But it’s also a good reminder that no matter how mature we are, love is love! And it can side-swipe the best of us!
Full of faith, hope, and romance, this new series takes you into the Heart of Amish country.
Simon Graber became a widower and a bishop early in life. His focus is solely on his very close-knit Old Order Amish community—not entertaining the idea of marriage, despite what many of the elders think. When sickness comes to Cherry Grove, Kentucky, Simon reaches out into the next community for help. But help is beginning to look a lot like a second chance when Stella Schmucker agrees to offer her vast herbal knowledge to…
Looking for a cozy Christian romance for Catholics? Here it is: At Home in Persimmon Hollow, the novel that launched the Persimmon Hollow series of historical romances.
Follow the story of pious schoolteacher Agnes, who flees to a small fictional town in frontier Florida for safety reasons. She quickly…
I love a story that can pull me away from my own stresses and introduce me to brand new fictional ones!
I can be hard to impress at this point in the game, but Jennifer Spredemann is able to pull me into an authentic Amish world and make me feel the environment around me in just a few words.
It’s a short read, so I was able to read it one Sunday morning before I got my day started, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In my opinion, her world-building is second to none!
A missed opportunity. A summer of regret. And a Christmas miracle.The moment Christopher Stoltz met the mysterious young Amish woman at his cousin’s wedding, he knew there was something special about her. But they’d only spoken briefly, and he’d failed to get her name—or discover which Amish district she was from, to his dismay. So, when they cross paths again, he vows not to make the same mistake twice. There’s one little problem, though. She’s already in a relationship with a minister’s son.Judy Mishler is shocked when she attends church in her beau’s new district and reconnects with the handsome…
Tabitha Schrock returns to her Pennsylvanian Amish community after a nasty divorce. She’s now a veterinarian, and since she cannot remarry in the Amish faith, the bishop has agreed to allow her to work as a veterinarian to support herself. But coming home is both a relief and a sacrifice. Just because Tabitha can’t marry doesn’t mean she won’t fall in love.
Tabitha’s two sisters have endured their own challenges. Rose struggles with her new marriage, and Amanda is tired of being the family’s old maid. When a problematic bachelor makes his desire for a wife known, Amanda decides to take a daring step and forge her own happiness. But it is a very big risk!
