Back and broke in Stoney Ridge, Jimmy Fisher has coasted as long as he could through life on charm, good looks, and deep-set dimples. They always worked just fine for him–until they didn’t. His smile has no effect on the violet-eyed beauty he met at the Bent N’ Dent, the one with that stunning horse. She’s offered him a job, but nothing else.The last thing Sylvie Schrock King needs around Rising … around Rising Star Farm is a grown boy working for her, especially her neighbor Edith’s son. The woman holds a serious grudge against Sylvie and her son, and hiring Jimmy Fisher will only fan the flames of Edith’s rancor. But Sylvie is desperate for help on the farm, and Jimmy understands horses like no one else.
While Jimmy’s lazy smile and teasing ways steal Sylvie’s heart, Edith is working on a way to claim her land. Has Sylvie made another terrible mistake? Or is it too late to outfox the fox? More importantly . . . just who is the fox?
Writing with both wit and warmth, Fisher delivers a supremely satisfying conclusion to the popular Deacon’s Family series.
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I love Two Steps Forward and am truly going to miss this series! Third in the Deacon’s Family series, we see characters from the first two books, especially Luke and Izzy Schrock, and get to know Jimmy Fisher and Sylvie Schrock King. One of my favorite quotes is: “Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future.”
There are so many excellent, current-day challenges addressed in the series, and this novel is no exception. In a gentle, powerful way, the Amish of Stoney Ridge have a solution for women killing and/or abandoning their newborns or having abortions up to the moment of birth, for practicing the spirit of one’s faith, and even emulating Luke’s amend making, or fence-mending, at the approach of Easter. Watching the consistent growth in Luke and Izzy and their marriage is like visiting old friends.
Jimmy Fisher returned to Stoney Ridge after four years of working with horses in Colorado. On his first day in town, he ran into his stepfather Hank Lapp, one of the more memorable folks in town, as he was admiring an Arabian horse hitched to the buggy of a young Amish woman and her son. Arabians are rarely seen in Amish country, as their preferred horse is the Thoroughbred. Sylvie Schrock King, a widow and a cousin to Luke, offered Jimmy a job on the spot based on his knowledge of horses, even though he looked like a homeless man. Hank, thinking she was looking for another husband, told her Jimmy was not available. After the dust settled, Jimmy went to Rising Star Farm, which Sylvie inherited from her late husband Jake, to see if she was still looking for a hired hand.
Jimmy’s mother Edith feels that, when Jake died, the property should have gone to her, as it was originally owned by her grandfather and she wanted it back. She claimed to want it for Jimmy, as she said the will read that the youngest son of each family would inherit the farm. Edith had done all she could to get it from Jake and now that he’d passed away, she wants to take it from his widow. She doesn’t like Sylvie at all, mostly because she believes she should have the property back. Despite the animosity, Jimmy takes the job to care for the horses and handle any other work to clean up the farm from all the stuff Jake collected over the years.
Jimmy proves himself to be a hard worker and finds Sylvie to be quite attractive. That was just the start of his troubles. His mother wants him to court a woman who is scary like her in temperament. Hank has been poking around, looking for something in the house and barn at Rising Star Farm. Jimmy tries to help Sylvie work with the town to prevent the farm from being sold at auction since Jake hadn’t paid taxes for the past couple years. And he sure enjoys the company of Sylvie’s little boy, Joey.
One can read this novel as a standalone. It is such a delightful mix of faith, values, community involvement, heartbreak, romance, and humor, I think one might want to go back and read the first two and meet Luke and Izzy at the beginning. The Amish way of life is beautifully demonstrated by this talented author, and the spiritual lessons she gently shows are valuable. I highly recommend this novel and series to fans of well-written Amish fiction with depth, wisdom, and love for the Lord.
From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from the publisher through NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
I loved being back with this group of Amish, they now feel like family, and I have come to know them.
Our bad boy Luke is now back, and wow, what a change, he has now grown up, but the story does focus a lot on his loving wife Izzy.
The author also gives us Sylvie, and Edith’s returning son Jimmy, and how they try to save Rising Star Farm, watch out for termites!
Now if you haven’t read the past two books, don’t worry enough information is given that you won’t be lost, but warning you will have to get the other two books, they are that good!
We have several tough topics here, with abandoned babies, but we are also shown what a great bishop David is, I loved what he does! Also, Hank with his words all in caps as he is I take it a bit hard of hearing!
Don’t miss the conclusion to this great series
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review.
Two Steps Forward is one of those books that will keep my thoughts captive for many days and when I reread it I will enjoy it just as much. All of the characters in Stoney Ridge are like old friends. You see them again from book to book as another member of the community’s story unfolds. So it is with Two Steps Forward Jimmy Fisher returns from being an Amish Cowboy in Colorado. He was an incorrigible lad when he was introduced in The Keeper, book one of the Stoney Ridge Series. What he didn’t think of for mischief, nobody else could imagine. Now he was home and life would never be the same. His dogged determination to prove what he can do is just the opposite of what anyone expected.
Suzanne Woods Fisher is a master story teller. She has a way of hooking you into a story from the moment you turn the first page. Her characters, like Jimmy Fisher, are entertaining but have a lot of lessons to give us all. In Suzanne’s books a lot of difficult topics are intertwined into the story. While reading Stitches In Time Suzanne introduced the topic of foster care in Amish homes. Luke Schrock, newly appointed deacon wished to fulfill beloved Amos Lapp’s wish to empty the system by finding homes for those children. Knowing the impact of that system on his own wife, Luke has been diligent in keeping his promise. While Two Steps Forward is focusing on Jimmy and Sylvie, there is a larger issue at hand. Luke and his wife Izzy are championing the cause of unwanted babies. Recent issues out in the English world seem remote yet closer than one would suspect. Rather than sitting back and being passive about the issue of unwanted babies, the community is united in finding ways to help one baby at a time.
This book is funny, it is entertaining and it leaves the reader something to think about before the book is closed. Things are never what they seem and people will surprise you when you least expect it. I could wax on about this book for a long time, but then, why give the story away when you can enjoy it yourself? It will put your mind on things that are happening in the world today that impact all of us, no matter where we live.
5 stars for this book and the entire Deacon’s Family series by Suzanne Woods Fisher! Many thanks to Netgalley.com and Revell for the opportunity to review this book. The opinions offered regarding this book are mine alone.
From family secrets to past mistakes to searching for forgiveness, this story is filled with unique relationships. Determination and fortitude are found in strong characters. I enjoyed this story. Great read. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.
Return to Suzanne Woods Fisher’s beloved Amish community of Stoney Ridge in the final book of The Deacon’s Family series, Two Steps Forward!
It’s impossible not to adore these characters! Each and every one of them. Jimmy and Sylvie were a joy to root for! Luke Schrock’s transformation over the series was so impressive. I’m going to miss this group! I’m especially going to miss HANK LAPP. (Read the series and you’ll understand why he’s in all caps!)
Suzanne Woods Fisher has such a unique voice and delivery for her Amish fiction. There is so much heart, balanced with a lot of humor and a lot of faith. There are many touching moments in this story!
Two Steps Forward was an excellent wrap up to this wonderful series! I TOTALLY recommend this book! I’m so glad I read this series.
I invite you to visit the links below to see my thoughts on the previous stories:
Mending Fences – The Deacon’s Family Book One by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Stitches in Time – The Deacon’s Family Book Two by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Two Steps Forward is available now – visit http://www.christianbook.com to purchase a copy today!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell and LibraryThing Early Reviewers. A positive review was not required. All opinions expressed are completely my own.
This is the 3rd book of the Deacon family serie, after StitchesInTime, but you can easily read it as a stand-alone book.
It is set in Stoney Ridge.
Sylvie, a cousin of deacon Luke Schrock, became widow.
She has a child and a big farm to raise, she needs help. A say from the Holy Book “Good doesn’t give you more than you can handle”.
Jimmy Fisher, her neighbour, come back her mother-home, alone, without job and house.
Hank Lapp, Jimmy step-father, is a big man, so real and good. He speaks loud and much and always what he has in mind, but sometimes profoundd thoughts and good advances.
All the characters in the book are realistic, well building.
In this book there are hard topics:
the responsability to care about the unwanted children, the important of haveing a father, the love of friends and family help each others,
the power of the lies, that make small things big and big things small, the real meaning of comunity and Easter and Communion.