I liked this one ok but thought it would be better without the introduction of Trina's story---or at least a differently written one. It was introduced choppily and her rudeness was a little over the top. The banter between them seemed unrealistic, as did Mandy's response to it---especially since Trina is no more blunt than many of Lewis' other Amish characters. ( )

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If you’re a well-read fan of Beverly Lewis then you walk into her novels knowing what to expect. Of course it’ll be centered on the Amish way of life, there will be some kind of heartbreak that needs resolving through Christian principles, there will be bold statements about God and/or prayers and if you can find the silence to listen you might learn something.

Lewis uses her talent for descriptive and metaphorical language to create vivid images so you can actually feel like you’ve been to Amish country. Even if you’ve never read a Lewis book it’ll be easy to get used to her use of the particular language and dialect her Amish characters use thanks to her detailed context. She paints their way of life as something beautiful and full rather than lacking as you might believe since they aren’t held together through social media, video games, comic movies or our warring political parties. She creates a world that even the tech and Starbucks addicts can envy even just a little.

Lewis tried something new in this novel compared to most of her other ones by using an Inn as the setting and it worked very well because it provided a chance to see more of how the Amish and ‘English’ might interact and what each other’s expectations might be. The way it was described you felt like you were walking through the rooms and meadows outdoors, made me wish I could make a reservation.

Typical for Lewis the family dynamics involved that she spun through her well-developed characters was both dramatic and heartwarming at once. At times I felt irritated with the choices being made but once you understand the full story and how each character viewed their part in it you can see how very logical and realistic their actions were.

The nice thing about a Lewis novel is no matter what goes on you’re guaranteed a good ending so the plot, dialogue and characters can just whisk you away from whatever stressful reality you may be dealing with to one where peaceful endings are just around the turn of the page. ( )

Beverly Lewis continues to be an awesome author. I enjoyed reading about running a B & B. Also, she continues to develop her characters well, but I was a bit shocked at Trina's behavior when she arrived at the inn, especially since she was so nice before in dealing with Gail.
I'll be looking forward to Beverly Lewis' next novel. ( )

Amanda left her Amish community five years ago, upset when she catches her twin sister embracing the boy Amanda always dreamed of marrying. But now, she is headed back to her homestead, with some misgivings. Her mother has died and left Amanda her Bed-and-Breakfast inn but with the stipulation that to inherit it, she must run it for a year and make profit. But Amanda is not welcomed back as the prodigal daughter returning. She, as well as the Amish community, must come to an understanding of what her return really means. An interesting concept, this tale is not a typical Amish story, and the varied characters in a somewhat unusual setting makes for an entertaining read. ( )