Amish Promises (Neighbors of Lancaster County #1) by Leslie Gould

Title: Amish Promises (Neighbors of Lancaster County #1)

Author: Leslie Gould

Pages: 368

Year: 2015

Genre: Amish Fiction

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

About the book:

     Journey down a quiet lane in Lancaster County where love and heartache and friendship and healing meet.

     When Joel and Shani Beck arrive at their new home, they’re looking for peace. Shani is thrilled to have Joel back from Iraq, but he needs time to heal, and the quiet of Lancaster seems just the place. They can’t imagine any trouble with their Amish neighbors, the Lehmans, but things get off to a rocky start when their son is involved in an accident that injures one of the Lehman boys.

     Eve Lehman has run her brother’s household ever since the death of his wife, but Tim’s a stern patriarch. Despite his protests, she’s drawn to the new neighbor, Shani, and the two begin to form a strong friendship forged on faith and family. Things seem like they’ve quieted down until Joel’s single and handsome army friend Charlie catches Eve’s attention – a man unlike any Eve has ever met. Suddenly life for both families becomes more complicated than any of them could have ever imagined.

My review:

     An incredible look at what being neighbors means!

     I absolutely love these characters. I felt like I could sit down and have a cup of tea with them and immediately launch into a friendship because of how well I felt I knew them by the end of the book. There are so many layers of information given about their lives before the beginning of this book. They aren’t just dumped on the reader they are slowly revealed as friendships develop.

     There are some really hard subjects that are looked at in this book. Each one is dealt with in a very careful and thoughtful way. The main one is the difference between the Amish and their beliefs, and the Englisch that move into the farm next door.

     Another one is PTSD and wounded soldiers coming back from Iraq. The main focus is on this effect on the family and especially their spouse.

     And then there is also a deep look at the issue of motive behind what we do. Most everyone faces this at some time. We need to know if what we are doing is because God has called us to do it. Or are we doing it out of a desire to please other people and their plans for us.

     This book is worth me breaking the normal rules for book ratings. I have to give it 10 stars here on my own blog since I can set my own rules. It is definitely worth you taking your time to read.

     This is the first book that I have ever read by Leslie Gould. I will make sure that I read every single one that she has already written and any that she writes in the future. I love it when I get to place a new author on my “Favorite Author” list. Leslie is now on it.