Beneath the Summer Sun

One of the reasons I love reading books by this author is because with a few words I am swep away to another place. Her vivid description of the setting takes my breath away. She is an excellent writer and I fall in love with the characters each time. I loved the story and wanted to sit down with Jennie and hold her hand. She had kept a dark secret for many years. Not every marriage is perfect but Jennie’s was like living a nightmare. Her fear of doing something wrong kept her on egg shells. Now that she has seven children to raise on her own, what will she do? Can she continue to scrape by, or will she follow what the church thinks she needs to do?

One of the things I found so fascinating was learning the difference between Anabaptist and Mennonites. There are many things the Mennonites allow, that the Anabaptist don’t. I loved how the author brings Nathan into the story. He is a good man, but I’m not sure he can get Jennie’s attention. They come from different backgrounds and for Jennie she doesn’t want to go against her church. He wants to make roots in the community, but devastating news may change that. What will Nathan decide?

Leo is the kind of man who would make a great husband. He is a good hard working man. He is very quiet and hard to talk to though. Many people have talked to him about his guilt over his father’s death. Leo feels responsible and he will have to lean on God to heal him. I loved the turmoil that Jennie and Leo are going through. They each have guilt that is overwhelming them. For Jennie , will she learn to trust another man, or stay in her own raising her children? Can Leo learn to forgive himself ?

The story is like a walk through the countryside with beautiful things waiting to be explored. It can bring you new adventure and give you a sense of peace while allowing God to heal hearts. I loved this story and wanted it to not end. I loved this quote from the story ,”It’s a sign of overwhelming pride when a man thinks he’s the only one who can do God’s work.”

I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion.

Kelly Irvin’s books are great reads I give this a 5 star I could not put it down when I started reading if you haven’t read these books you should you will not be disappointed. Kelly is a great Author!

I liked the thought process of believing that to conform to expectations the pros and cons were addressed as the first union of the main charactor was so volatile.

Beneath the Summer Sun by Kelly Irvin is the second installment in An Every Amish Season series. Jennie Troyer is a widow with seven children in Jamesport, Missouri. It has been four years since her husband, Atlee passed away, and Jennie is content to live without a spouse. Jennie never told a soul about the type of husband Atlee was and how she can still hear his voice in her head belittling her. Leo Graber has been in love with Jennie since they were young. His guilt over his father’s death has prevented him from pursuing a relationship with Jennie or living a happy, fulfilling life. Nathan Walker is a Mennonite traveling book salesman who has fallen for Jennie. He visits her farm whenever he is in the area and enjoys spending time with Jennie and the children. Nathan has been unable to settle down in one place because of resentment towards his parents for their mission work and leaving him behind when he was younger. He is contemplating becoming Amish to be with Jennie. Matthew Troyer, Jennie’s oldest son, has been moody, rude, sneaking out of the house at night and refuses to discuss what is troubling him with Jennie. What will it take for the four of them (Jennie, Leo, Nathan, and Matthew) to resolve their issues and move forward with their lives?

While Beneath the Summer Sun is the second book in the series, it can be read alone. You need not have read Upon a Spring Breeze which involves different characters (but in the same community). Beneath the Summer Sun is well-written and engaging. I appreciate this author’s writing style (makes for an easy and enjoyable novel). I was drawn in right away and my attention was held until the end of the book. The story contains lovely characters that are nicely constructed and develop over the course of the book. They are realistic and relatable as well as the issues that they are experiencing. I like how Ms. Irvin handled the subject of domestic abuse (physical and mental). It is an issue that is generally not addressed in Amish novels and the author shows that abuse is not limited to Englischers (as we are called). I am grateful that the author does not paint the Amish in a picture-perfect world. The author has a way of incorporating Christian values into the book (light touch). It flows nicely with the story and does not come across as preachy. Some of the issues that are addressed are faith, following God’s path for your life, power of prayer, scripture, trust, forgiveness (of oneself and others), love, grace and guilt. Beneath the Summer Sun is a captivating book that will stay with you long after you finish it. I am eager to read the next book in An Every Amish Season series which is Through the Autumn Air. We get Mary Katherine Ropp’s story who is in Beneath the Summer Sun.