Pop star and dramatic diva, Celeste, aka, Lucy Johnson, can’t stop her frequent panic attacks and is careening toward a nervous breakdown. She needs major down-time, but in the fast-paced world of show-biz, when the spotlight fades, people forget.Judah Martin has left the Old Order Amish and his fiancée so he can take care of his sister. Although he’s English now, he still lives simply on his … on his small farm raising his beloved Belted Galloways. He has no interest in pop music or divas, but his farm is in dire straits, and Celeste’s manager has offered him a boatload of cash to allow her to recover in privacy. Although Judah could use the money to save the farm, he plans to say no…until a glimpse under Celeste’s jaded exterior reveals a broken and wounded soul.
They are worlds apart; can love unite them?
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Now this is certainly different from the Cowboys and ranches we have enjoyed with this author or is it. This author has such a way with words and emotions and while telling us a story she is also delivering a message. A message that is clear in the lesson at the end of the book. While yeah this is the story of a boy and girl from different worlds it also is a story about people at their core. She has lived the pop star diva role for so long and isn’t ready to accept that it’s time for a change. Isn’t that how it is when God pricks our hearts and we don’t listen? He is there to help anyone in anyway he can and there are those that took advantage of it and he paid the price in spades. Does that make him a doormat or is he a man following God’s word and commandments in spite of the way it is received?
While yes it’s just a story, but oh what a story it is. It’s emotional and thought provoking while being entertaining and an overall great read. Watching/reading each character go from who they were at the beginning of the book to how they developed at the end was humbling and awesome sauce. The study at the end of the book added to the inspiration found in the words. The epilogue let’s us know who the next person to lay their soul bare will be. I will be holding on to the feelings I also bask in when I finish this authors work.
This was an incredible book. The blending of cultures was amazing. The rockstar element, the panic attacks.. truly it all was superb. I’ve loved every book of Gussman’s that I’ve read, but this one just feels like it’s a level above the rest. I can imagine reading this one multiple times.
Love it!
This is another emotional book from Jessie, which I absolutely couldn’t put down. I loved it so much. The characters are outstanding. Jessie can make me forgot everything when I am reading one of her stories.
I highly recommend it.
“He felt the heat all the way to his toenails. The feeling of rightness, of the perfect dovetailing of souls, swelled around, filling the night with a peace that soothed all his fear about the direction of his relationship with this woman. The only thing left was the easy blending of spirits as he stood on his porch and kissed the woman he would love forever.”
I loved this story. A bit of a departure from Jessie’s typical story, this is the story of Lucy, known to the world as “Celeste”, and Judah, an Amish man.
However, both are more than meets the eye.
Lucy is spinning out of control with the pressures of fame. Judah left the Amish to join the army.
Can a break on an Amish farm give Lucy the distance that she needs from the limelight?
I received an ARC copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary review.
Success and Happiness are Different. I loved this story! Jessie Gussman just keeps putting out one great book after another. A man who was raised Amish but hasn’t joined the church so he is living as part Englisher in an Amish Community. He is a kind soul who puts everyone else’s needs before his own which causes him to be misunderstood a lot. He falls in love with a pop star… you’ll have to read it to see if this will work. I’ll say this book had me in tears a few times.
Lucy is performing as Celeste, a big pop star. She is a confident performer, but also suffers from panic attacks. In a twist of fate, Judah attends one of her concerts and he is chosen by Lucy’s manager to provide a sanctuary for Lucy to recover from the panic attacks. He is no longer Amish, but lives as almost Amish. His former fiance lives next door with a slew of kids. His sister is also living with him as she was disabled in an accident. How can Lucy and Judah be attracted to each other, outside of the obvious physical attraction? How would they reconcile their completely different lives?
This is a sweet, clean love story. I think Ms. Gussman’s books are getting better and better with each new story, even though I’ve enjoyed every one that I read. I recommend this book.
Lucy (Celeste, a pop star with panic attacks) takes refuge with Judah, a man more Amish than not. Their lifestyles could not be more different. As they start to fall in love, they both know this will never work. This is definitely a book that is different from those Ms. Gussman usually writes. However, it is a very well written story with excellent portrayal of the characters. It was very hard to take time away from reading this book because I wanted to see how it ended. Ms. Gussman obviously understands the Amish perspective as well as the more worldly life lead by Lucy as Celeste. This is an Amish romance but with many twists. The book is well paced and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I highly recommend it.
An Amish Sanctuary by Jessie Gussman (5 stars)
A lovely, clean, Christian romance where two people from totally different worlds fall in love.
The angst in this story isn’t based on secrets (well, there’s one) and so the couple actually talk about their feelings—how refreshing! Circumstances create the angst and the romantic tension.
I think Judah is about the most perfect man I’ve ever read about. But he has some small issues that keep him real. I thought Lucy was great, as well…
I haven’t read any Amish romances before and I enjoyed learning tidbits about the religion in this book.
*Spoiler* If you are a feminist at all, you probably won’t like this ending. But I thought it was perfect. Lucy had already had her career and it didn’t make her happy anymore. Plus it never hurts to go out while your on top, at least it seems that way to me. And she was ready for a different career path, one that allowed her to raise a family: giving vocal lessons and songwriting. It gave Judah and Lucy both an in-between-two-worlds place to exist. A place where they both got what they wanted.
Another wonderful and inspiring book by author Jessie Gussman! My one and only complaint is that the cover didn’t match my visualization of what Judah looked like at all. But that’s a pretty shallow complaint, so no loss of stars 😉
*poor, **ok, ***good, ****very good, *****something special
I had an ARC copy of this book, but this is my voluntary and honest opinion. I really enjoyed this book by Jessie. It’s a bit different than the Cowboy series, but the characters are interesting and the problems are real. I enjoyed the way they worked through the problems they faced. Jessie has a great way of infusing humor into her stories and keeping you guessing as to what will happen next. I highly recommend reading this book.
Wow, this is not a short story, and yet I devoured it in 3 long sittings. I just had a super hard time breaking away from these characters and their seemingly impossible situation. Jessie Gussman has written a gem here with An Amish Sanctuary, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I read an ARC, and this is my honest review. Judah is, in many ways, too good to be true, and Lucy fully appreciates that. I loved their open communication and honesty about their feelings. I’ll say no more but hope you read and enjoy it as much as I did.
I usually do not choose Amish romance stories but Jessie Gussman is a favorite author of mine
and I wanted to see how she handled this story. I was totally delighted and really enjoyed it! The two main characters, Judah and Lucy, were such contrasts and so well-presented.
There were layers to their stories and as each layer was peeled away it got more
and more fascinating. I loved it! I hope this is just the first of many to come in a series. Highly
recommend!
This Is A 5 Star Plus Book! WOW!
I’ve read a lot of Jessie’s books, and I can seriously say that this is her best one yet! In my opinion, of course 🙂
In this book, we have a diva… and a man who grew up Amish, but he left the Amish life for personal reasons.
The diva? Heartless? Hardly!
This is a wonderful story! Can’t get much better than this.
Amish stories are some of my favorites but when I stepped into the pages of Jessie Gussman’s story – – wow! Jessie has such a wonderful and unique way of writing. This story of Lucy (Celeste) and Judah was fascinating. Lucy, performing as Celeste is a pop sensation. Judah was born and raised Amish but has not been baptized into the church. He is a kind and compassionate man. Lucy’s panic attacks were becoming more frequent and it was decided she would go to Judah’s farm to rest and recuperate. Could she handle the simple lifestyle? As their friendship and love develop, can either one step out of their world and into the other world? A wonderful, heartwarming Amish story (or not) with lots of twists and turns.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author and I voluntarily wrote an honest review.
Wow this book was so good. I absolutely loved Lucy and Judah’s story. I lost sleep because I couldn’t put it down. The story and the characters are captivating.
With all of the Amish stories out there, I all but groan…”not another one.” It took some real convincing to get me to give this story a chance.
Be prepared for this one to surprise you. It’s Amish but not Amish. Transplant a pop star into an Amish community and you have a unique plot. She is in for some major culture shock. Lucy has allowed the pursuit of her dream to totally consume her life and she needs some time in seclusion to heal from the stress that has incapacitated her. As she observes some who exhibit selfless care for all around them, but also others who are quick to judge without gathering all the facts first…what is her impression going to be? Will she be able to settle in & stay for the duration; or will she quickly run back to her own pampered world? What will she decide as she watches Judah live his life with one foot in the Amish community & the other foot as an Englishman?
I requested a review copy and am giving you my opinion of the story.
An Amish Sanctuary is fabulous. The characters, even the secondary, are dynamic and well rounded. They drew me in emotionally and I’m hoping this might be developed into a series. The storyline is so different from the typical Amish romance making it a book I couldn’t put down. This one will be reread many times.
I received an ARC and have chosen to give my honest opinion.
What I liked or thought about this book:
• I liked that Judah and Lucy were from two different backgrounds. Lucy was a pop star singer and Judah was an ex-Amish. They were two people from two different cultures. Can their differences mesh?
• There were many secondary players in this novel. They were varied, well developed, and interesting, and they added depth to the storyline.
• The descriptions of locations and emotions were well done, easy to visualize, and to feel. I felt a part of the scenes.
• I felt like I was on an emotional roller coaster. There were many twists and turns to this plot.
• The pacing of this story was good. It was neither too fast nor too slow.
• There was a smooth, coherent flow to this book. The author’s writing style was descriptive, clear, and concise. I found this novel a very enjoyable read.
• This was a clean read and I appreciated that.
• If you enjoy Amish romances with a different twist, you will enjoy this one.
I was given a free copy of this book by the author. My review was voluntary and my opinions were my own.
I received an ARC of this book from the author, Jessie Gussman, via Bookfunnel and this is my voluntary and honest review. I loved this book about the romance between Lucy (Celeste), a pop singer and Judah, a man who was raised Amish but mingles with Englishers. When he attends one of Lucy’s concerts with an English friend, he protects her from a gunman and is able to calm her down when she has a panic attack. Her agent talks Lucy into taking a break from her tour and arranges for her to stay with Judah and his sister on their Amish farm in a secluded area to get over her panic attacks. The culture shock of the simplicity of the Amish way of living is hard for her at first, but it brings her the peace and happiness that has been missing in her life. When Lucy and Judah fall in love, neither is willing to give up the type of life they are used to living. When Lucy leaves after months on the farm to go back on tour they are both heart broken. I could not put the book down wondering if one of them would finally be willing to live in the other’s world so they can be together forever. You will have to read the book to find out. I highly recommend this heartwarming love story.
This book is totally different from other stories written by Jessie Gussman and I loved it. This one is much more emotional and intense. It is full of drama and emotion that you experience right along with the characters. She has the ability to make you feel what each of her characters are going through and you are locked in from the beginning until the end.
I received this copy free from the author and am under no obligation to leave a review. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am freely sharing my opinion.
Absolutely loved it. Beautiful, heartwarming like all author Gussman’s stories but this one is different. More heart, more love, more drama. I was given a free ARC by the author. My review is freely and honestly given