An Amish Home

A Cup Half Full by Beth Wiseman

Sarah Lantz always dreamed of the perfect home, the perfect husband, the perfect family. When she married Abram, she knew she was on her way to securing her perfect life. All of that changes in one moment when an accident leaves her unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair, dashing all of her dreams. As Abram starts to transform their home, Sarah begins a transformation in her spirit, and she begins, once again, to see her cup as half full.

Newlyweds Sarah and Abram’s lives forever changed when a buggy accident left Sarah confined to a wheelchair. While she recovered in the hospital, Abram started transforming their home. He wants nothing more than to show his love for her by making life easier for her, but it comes at a higher price than he expected. He struggles to find a way out of debt without burdening Sarah with his troubles. Meanwhile, Sarah is bitter about the loss of her perfect dreams, and fearful of what the future might bring.

I ached for both Abram and Sarah as they struggled alone with their issues, neither wanting to burden the other. Sarah was filled with self-pity at the beginning, but gained inspiration from an unlikely source. I liked seeing her begin to embrace her new normal, though there were still challenges to overcome. Her conversation with her mother was an eye-opener for her, coupled with an amusing revelation. I also liked her conversation with Abram’s coworker, Brenda, and the unexpected partnership that came from it.

Abram quickly discovered that he was in over his head when the bills came due for his work on the house. I shook my head at his naivete when he got involved with the quick loan guy and knew there would be trouble there. I liked his friendship with his coworker, and the support she gave him. I understood his reluctance to share his problems with Sarah, since she was fighting her own battles. I liked his conversation with his father-in-law and the surprising resolution that came from it.

The biggest thing that both Sarah and Abram discovered was that their problems were easier to deal with when they were shared with each other.

Home Sweet Home by Amy Clipston

Down on their luck and desperate after they are evicted from their small apartment, Chace and Mia O’Connor reluctantly take Chace’s Amish boss up on his offer to rent them the daadi haus located on his property. They are certain they will never feel at home in the rustic cabin without any modern conveniences, and they start to blame each other for their seemingly hopeless situation. But with the help of their new Amish friends, Chace and Mia begin to enjoy their cozy cabin and realize that home really is where the heart is.

Chace and Mia are a young couple who have fallen on hard times. When they are evicted from their apartment Chace’s Amish boss offers them the small house on his property. Though grateful for the roof over their heads, both are overwhelmed by how different their lives are from what they had planned. Though they came from very different backgrounds, Chace and Mia’s love for each other and their baby daughter was strong. I ached for them both as the stress of their situation aggravated their fears of inadequacy. Chace was never accepted by Mia’s wealthy and snobby parents, and he feels guilty about not providing for them the way he feels he should. Mia is terrified of being a bad mother, thanks to the cruel things her mother said to her. Though the stress frequently caused them to lash out at each other, they never doubted their love for one another.

I enjoyed seeing how Isaac and his family gave the couple the support they needed. Unfamiliar with Amish ways, Mia was stunned by everything that was offered. I liked seeing the friendship that grew between Mia and Vera, and how that friendship helped Mia gain a little confidence in herself. I hurt for Chace when one thing after another seemed to go wrong, stretching him to the breaking point. I loved how Isaac provided the kind of guidance that Chace had never experienced before.

When baby Kaitlyn got sick, it brought many of their fears bubbling to the surface. Erupting tempers did nothing to calm those fears. I liked seeing both of them finally face those fears, and with a little help find their way back together.

A Flicker of Hope by Ruth Reid

Fifteen years ago, Thomas and Noreen King were blissful newlyweds. Young, naive, and in love, life was rosy . . . for a while. Then trials and tribulations rocked their foundation, shattering them emotionally, and soon, their marriage was in shards. All hope for restoring their previously unshakable union seems lost. When fire destroys their home, Thomas and Noreen are left to sift through the rubble. As uncovered items from the remains of the house shake loose memories of the past, Thomas and Noreen begin to draw closer and a flicker of hope – and love – is re-ignited.

This is a story told in flashbacks, back and forth from the present day to fifteen years earlier. Thomas and Noreen have been married for fifteen years. The book opens in the present as their house burns down and they lose everything. The reader immediately gets the sense that things are not well with their marriage, and the fire adds to the strain that is already there.

In the flashbacks, we see their courtship and early marriage. Thomas irritated me during these parts. He professes his love for Noreen, but it seems like he is more interested in what he wants. Noreen’s father is not in favor of their courtship or of Thomas wanting to marry her. Instead of biding by her father’s wishes for them to wait, Thomas continues to push. A tragedy ends up forcing her father’s consent, but he makes Thomas promise to always put her needs ahead of his own. The early days of their marriage are blissfully happy until a devastating loss drives a wedge between them. For the next fifteen years their relationship slowly disintegrates, leaving both lonely and bitter.

It seems as if the fire may be the final straw that drives them apart. Both Thomas and Noreen blame themselves, and the guilt causes them to withdraw rather than lean on each other for support. I liked the way that their community banded together to help, but even that added a bit of stress to the couple’s life, as it became more difficult to hide their problems. As they combed through the rubble of their home, now and then something would remind them of the love they shared at the beginning. Just as things seem to be looking up, another devastating loss adds insult to injury. Fortunately, Thomas also receives a kick in the seat that reminds him of what is most important. I loved the ending with its two surprises for a new beginning.

Building Faith by Kathleen Fuller

Faith Miller knows that carpentry is an unlikely hobby for a young Amish woman, but she loves the work and it keeps the memory of her grandfather alive. So when her cousin asks Faith to build the cabinets in her new home, Faith is only too happy to take on the job, even if it is the most ambitious project she has ever taken on. The only catch is that she has to work with her ex-fiancé, Silas. As they work to build Martha’s kitchen, can they put the past behind them and start to build faith in one another again?

Faith misses her grandfather deeply. She feels closest to him when she works with the wood they both loved. Since his passing, Faith spends all of her free time in the shop, shutting out everyone else. When her cousin and best friend, Martha, asks Faith to build the cabinets in her new kitchen she is happy to take on the challenge. That is, until she discovers that she has to share the job with her ex-fiancé, Silas.

Silas works as a carpenter with his father. He hasn’t always been the most reliable of workers, but he’s had to make the effort lately. His father is busy taking care of Silas’s sick mother, leaving Silas to run the business. With mounting bills to pay, Silas can’t afford to turn down any work. When his friend, Melvin, hired him to build the cabinets in his new home, Seth felt a great deal of relief. He was determined to do a good job, and was dismayed to find out he would have to work alongside Faith.

This was a good opposites attract story. Faith and Silas courted and became engaged, in spite of their differences. Silas was a bit of a dreamer, with creative ideas but lacking in the ability to follow through. Time meant nothing to him and he was always late. Faith is ultra-organized, preferring to plan and schedule everything to the minute. Silas’s attitude frustrated her, but when he didn’t show up for her grandfather’s funeral, she’d had enough and ended their engagement without explanation. Living in the same district, they can’t avoid seeing each other, though they do their best.

Neither was happy to discover that they’d each been hired to build the cabinets, but they tried to put aside their differences for the sake of their friends. There were some intense clashes between Faith and Silas. Faith can’t forget the issues that drove them apart, and Silas is frustrated by Faith’s controlling ways. A big blowup between them opens Faith’s eyes to some uncomfortable truths. I liked the scene the next day as they finally talked to each other instead of their usual sniping. I loved how they worked things out. The conclusion was sweet and satisfying.

All of the stories in this book are about couples going through trials and tribulations couples go through. Each author created a wonderful story of how the couples put their faith in God to guide them thus helping them find the support they needed in each other.

A Cup Half Full by Beth Wiseman is about Sarah and Abram. Sarah dreams of a perfect life, but when she becomes disabled from an accident she can only see the imperfections. Will her cup ever be full again?

Home Sweet Home by Amy Clipston is about Chace and Mia. They are not amish but Chace’s boss is. They are evicted from their home with all of it’s modern conveniences. Thanks to a daadihaus offered by Chace’s boss, they have a roof over their heads but will it ever be home?

Building Faith by Kathleen Fuller is about Faith and Silas. They have separated, but end up working together to build a kitchen for Faith’s cousin. Will working together for someone else help put them back together?

A Flicker of Hope by Ruth Reid is about Noreen and Thomas. They have been married for fifteen years but their foundation has cracked. Will a devastating fire repair the crack?

You will notice I left questions at the end of my synopsis of each story, as I want you to read these beautiful stories and find the answers for yourself. Each author is a well established novel writer who all wrote beautiful heartfelt novellas for this book. This is the first time I have read any of these authors and I look forward to reading more of their works in the future.

I was most touched by “A Cup Half Full” as I went through a similar situation as Sarah did and still am. I also related to “A Flicker of Hope” because I saw my own marriage (except for the fire) in this story as I have been married for 25 years. However, “Home Sweet Home” and “Building Faith” also deserve just as much recognition. All of these stories were a joy to read.

I received an e-ARC of this novel through NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an honest, unbiased review