An Amish Year

October 26, 2015
Amish in different stages of life find love despite difficult circumstances in this collection of four novellas from Wiseman (Plain Perfect). Each novella is around 90 pages and takes place in a different season. Lonely Rosemary longs for a partner, but she knows she can never be with the only man she could ever love. Irma Rose is finally allowed to date and quickly finds a perfect match only to realize her heart belongs to another. Eli is looking for a wife and, to his own surprise, finds three possible matches, the least likely of which manages to steal his heart. Katherine fears the first Christmas without her husband, but embraces the unexpected surprise of a poor Englischer that comes to stay. The romances are sweet but never go further, and the plot conclusions feel rushed. A glossary of Lancaster County Amish terms and descriptions of Amish tradition are helpful for those interested in learning more about the community. Discussion guides at the end of each novella make this a nice addition to a book club. Wiseman’s simple romances will please fans already well-read in Amish fiction. Agent: Natasha Kern, Natasha Kern Literary Agency.

November 1, 2015

These four novellas trace four seasons of romance in Amish country. In "Rooted in Love," Rosemary Lantz refuses Saul Petersheim's suit because of a secret she holds. But Saul has faith in their future together no matter what the cost. The heroine of "A Love for Irma Rose" must choose between her head and her heart when pursued by two men, one traditional and one who makes her heart sing. "Patchwork Perfect" finds widower Eli Byler seeking a conventional wife and mother for his children, but his heart is telling him to choose the one who's a bit more worldly. In the final story, "When Christmas Comes," Katherine and her children spend the first holiday without their father and God gives them a strange gift, a gentleman with ties to Katherine's late husband. VERDICT Although two of the novellas were previously published in other anthologies (An Amish Garden; An Amish Second Christmas), readers looking for inspirational and uplifting romance will delight in Wiseman's (Her Brother's Keeper) heartwarming tales that feature diverse protagonists at different stages of life.

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