An Amish Harvest

August 29, 2016
Each of the four novellas from these veterans of Amish fiction is set in an Amish community at autumn harvest time. Wiseman's entry features a young mother with two small children who hides a secret to protect her dead husband's good name. In Clipston's story, a witness to an accident is forbidden by her family to come forward with the truth. An introvert finds her shyness nearly unbearable after developing a stutter in Fuller's tale. And in Chapman's story, a widow, forced to live with a crotchety aunt, buries herself in mystery stories until she finds herself on an unexpected real-life quest. The transition and renewal inspired by the autumn harvest underpin each of the tales; the characters, towns, and situations are all distinct and relatable. Each of the stories contains a dire or trying circumstance that allows new paths of friendship and love to grow. The sweet romances set against the simplicity of Amish life make for great end-of-summer reading. These four standalone tales will appeal to readers of both Amish fiction and inspirational romance.

September 1, 2016

Autumn is the seasonal backdrop of these four Amish-themed novellas. In Wiseman's "Under the Harvest Moon," widow Naomi Dienner is busy raising her children and has no time for new love. Yet romance is in the air when hired hand Brock Mulligan arrives to help with the harvest--and to protect Naomi from lurking danger. In Amy Clipston's "Love and Buggy Rides," coworkers Janie Lantz and Jonathan Stoltfuz are brought together through tragedy. Could their friendship turn into something more? Increased sales values at an auction house lead to theft and a mystery to solve--and possibly love--for the protagonists of Vannetta Chapman's "Mischief in the Autumn Air." And "A Quiet Love" by Kathleen Fuller showcases a shy bookworm and reserved farmer who are both lonely, but their community has much to say about their budding relationship, maybe to its detriment. VERDICT These stories, from authors well known for their Amish romances, are a great way to introduce new readers to this beloved genre.

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.