The Stone Wall by Beverly Lewis

 

Title: The Stone Wall

Author: Beverly Lewis

Pages: 352

Release Date: September 8, 2020

Genre: Amish Fiction

Publisher: Bethany House

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

     Anna is eager to begin a new chapter in her life as a Lancaster County tour guide in the picturesque area where her Plain grandmother once stayed. Anna wishes she could talk with her grandmother about those long-ago days, but the elderly woman suffers from Alzheimer’s, and beyond a vague hint about an old stone wall, much about that time is a mystery. Thankfulls, Martin Nolt, a handsome Mennonite, takes the young Beachy Amish woman under his wing for her training, familiarizing her with the many local highlights, including Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat, which serves children with special needs. The retreat’s mission so inspires Anna that she returns to volunteer, and she quickly strikes up a friendship with Gabe Allgyer, the young Amish widower who manages it.

     As Anna grows closer to both Martin and Gabe, she finds herself faced with a difficult choice—one in potential conflict with the expectations of her parents. Will Anna find true love and the truth about her grandmother’s past in Lancaster County? Or will she find only heartbreak.

My review:

     This is an amazing story about the plain people!

     I love the fact that this book includes characters from three distinctive religious groups that are part of the plain people community. They included the Old Order Amish, the Beachy Amish, and the Mennonites. I was fascinated by how the different ones interacted with each other. I had never before realized that there more than one different Amish groups. I love it when I learn something like this from a novel.

     The characters are incredibly well developed. Anna Beachy is the central character. She has moved to Strasburg to stay with distant cousins while she seeks God’s guidance for her life. Periodically throughout the book we have short looks at her grandmother, Mammi Eliza, who stayed in Strasburg to help her great aunt, 70 years before. I absolutely love Anna. She is so sweet to everyone she meets.

     One of the sweetest characters though is little Emmie. Anna meets her when she starts volunteering at a horse riding therapy facility. I truly enjoyed reading how the therapy sessions were handled. It was fascinating.

     There were a number of very emotionally intense moments in this book. One of the recurring themes was dealing with elderly relatives whose memories are failing. My heart broke for all of the characters who were dealing with this.

     The key throughout the book was having a relationship with God. Along with that is the question of how do you know His will for your life.

     I’m giving this marvelous book a rating of 5 stars. I highly recommend it. I’m so glad that I have gone back to reading something by this author. It has been way too long since I have done so.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention or review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I have done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*