Sarah Esh’s peaceful life turns upside down one afternoon when a parachutist crash-lands on her family’s farm. The stranger insists his life is in danger and begs her to keep his presence secret. Sarah’s promise tangles her in a web of deceit that endangers innocent people, ruins her best friend’s reputation, and tears apart the Amish community. After she discovers the man’s true purpose, Sarah … Sarah must confess her mistake and repair the damage she’s done. But how can she admit the truth to Jacob Zook knowing it will end their relationship?
Although he was jilted by Sarah’s older sister, Jakob finds himself attracted to Sarah’s kindness and honesty. Her innocence and gentle spirit encourage him to open his heart. Then he discovers the deep secrets Sarah’s been hiding—secrets that destroyed his family and now threaten their love.
PRAISE FOR OTHER BOOKS IN THIS SERIES
“Rachel’s stories are written so well that they tear at your heart’s strings and… even though her stories are about the Amish, the English can learn life lessons from them.”
“This is a deeply emotional and well-developed narrative of familial commitment, true love, redemption, faith, and healing.”
“Beautiful development, details so vividly painted, and story lines so intricately woven together. Love this book!”
“An inspirational story of facing the past, seeking forgiveness, and moving forward!”
more
Helping prepare for her sister Emma’s wedding, Sarah is outside cutting celery in the garden when a plane flies low to the ground. As Sarah looks up she sees an orange object floating toward a close by hill. Investing she discovers a man has parachuted and landed in a heap claiming to have broken his leg. He also adamantly claims he is in danger and his life is at stake. He needs Sarah to hide him and not tell anyone, including her family. And thus the deceptions begin!
Sarah, being Amish, is pretty naive to the world’s ways. It was kind of refreshing but also led her into more and more lies she had to tell and promises she had to keep. It wore on her soul and kept her tied in knots. I found myself feeling sympathetic to her situation. Above all she kept feeling like she needed to ask for forgiveness both to God and to those she had deceived.
Jakob was a childhood friend that had courted Sarah’s older sister and they had broken up. Sarah had been in love with him for years but felt it a lost cause because of their history. Trying to keep Herman, the parachutist, and his assistant hidden was also getting harder and harder. They had hidden secrets too yet to be revealed. How will this affect their Amish community and the way Sarah is perceived? And will their secrets bring danger to the Esh household? This was a quick read for me because of how I was pulled into the story and how I was searching for answers along with Sarah. This is an absolute can’t miss for readers but especially for Amish fans!
I received a complimentary ebook copy of this book from the author through the publisher but was not required to write a review positive or otherwise.
The title of the book has a double meaning and you will have to read the story to see why. The youngest Esh sister, Sarah, is good at keeping secrets. So good that innocent people may get hurt and ruin her chance with the only man she’s ever loved, Jacob Zook. Jacob is drawn to Sarah’s kindness and honesty, but will her secret shatter that trust? Will she learn the valuable lesson that some confidences need to be brought to light before too many people are harmed? A fun read with kind of a ‘could that really happen?’ twist to it. I love the Amish family values Author Rachel Good portrays. She does her research well.
I was given a copy of the book from the publisher. The opinions are my own.
It’s weddings time in Sarah amish village. also her sister Emma will be a bride soon. there are many things to take care, many goodies to cook.
Sarah meet a men, that tell her he must hide, a matter of life or death.
the secret grows and…discover what happen, reading the story! enjoy!
Gift From Above ( Sister & Friends – Book 3 )
By: Rachel J. Good
Gift From Above is book three by Rachel J. Good in Sister and Friends Series. This is my third book to read by Ms. Good , love her writing and hope to be reading more by this very talented author. I was grabbed right from the start and could not put it down. This is Sarah’s story and she has loved Jakob ever since they were kids, but he loved another. There are some pretty big secrets that are being kept in this story and Sarah is trying to keep the biggest. What will happen if this secret gets out? Will Sarah and Jakob ever have their second chance. I loved Sarah and her grandmother. I caught myself laughing out several times at these two.
I was given a complimentary copy off this book, but was not told that I had to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.
While this is an author I’m very familiar with this is not a series that I am familiar with. This is the third book in the series and unfortunately, it’s the one I started reading firs tin the series. I may have to go back and find the other two now.
When I find an author I enjoy I normally read all of their books so I’m not sure how this series slipped through the cracks but we’ll remedy that soon.
You’re going to love getting to know Sarah Esh. She’s got her eye (and really has already lost her heart) to Jacob Zook. But things are a bit complicated for them even from the start (without her secret) because Sarah’s older sister jilted Jacob. Got all that? It’s definitely an interesting way to start a story!
The story contains a romance but the real story revolves around the mystery man who parachutes down in front of Sarah and how her vow to keep his secret turns into something more than she ever bargained for. To start with she involves her grandmother with hiding the man away. But then things start to happen and the story really heats up.
I highly recommend this book and I personally can’t wait to read the other books that come before. Currently, I don’t think that I missed out on anything by reading this out of order but I’ll know more what I did or didn’t miss after I read the other books.
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
Teacher Sarah Esh learns some hard lessons about honesty and trust in this touching Amish story. She also experiences firsthand how keeping secrets can lead to trouble. When some non-Amish men enter her life, her generous hospitality may bring unexpected problems to her community. However, that’s not the only problem Sarah faces—she also struggles with helping her best friend, fellow teacher Rebecca Zook, with a questionable relationship and continues to long for Rebecca’s older brother, Caleb, to notice her as more than a younger friend. The characters seem realistic even if some of the situations seem hard to believe. The tension increases as the tale progresses, keeping the reader engaged and longing for solutions to work out for these people they’ve come to care for. This is the third in a series and continues the story of the Esh sisters, but this novel can also stand alone. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.
What I think you should know:
Gift from Above is an Amish FIction book by Rachel J Good. It is the third book in the Sisters and Friends series. It can be read as a standalone book, but it will give spoilers for the previous books in the series.
What I thought about this book:
I LOVE this book, it is far more than girl meets a boy, falls in love and lives happily ever after. The story had romance, but it also had mystery and comedy. I enjoyed reading about the antics of Mammi. Sarah has such a giving heart and kind spirit, she was willing to sacrifice her own dreams so that others would be happy. Jakob was a great character. I enjoyed getting to know him through the story. The backstory was just as entertaining as the romance portion. Good has once again written a book that will keep you engrossed from beginning to end.
I I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit, this in no way influenced my review. All opinions are my own.
MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK
This Amish story starts off quite different than most I have read. A Gift From Above is the second book in this series and it features Sarah, the more shy one if the Esh family. But when a flying man lands on their property near Sarah, her life certainly makes some drastic changes. For one, this stranger wants Sarah to keep it a secret that he is there. But that proved to be the wrong thing to do.
I love Rachel Good’s Amish books because they take a twist from other Amish stories I have read. This one captured my interest from the start, from the parachutist landing in the Esh yard, to the lies that were told, to the real answers, this story takes readers on a journey that will keep you on the edge if your seats and keep you guessing until the end.
And though I enjoyed all of these amazing characters created by Ms. Good, Sarah and Jakob are my favorite. Sarah has such a kind and caring heart that shows throughout this book just as did the super nice guy Jakob is show. Overall this is a sweet Amish read with twists that make it quite the mystery. If you enjoy Amish, you will enjoy this one.
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
This was quite a different story that I really enjoyed. The theme throughout the book was about trust and keeping secrets. Sarah has a close encounter one day with a man and a parachute. I can say with almost certainty that it is not usual to find a man falling from the sky in Amish Country. Sarah has such a good heart she immediately wants to help this mysterious man. I did think it was weird that Sarah went against her beliefs and hid two strange men in her home. She is almost innocent like in ways and agrees to let them stay hidden in their house. Her beliefs are that they are to help others and she couldn’t turn her back on them.
I got a big kick out of Sarah’s grandmother. That woman is gifted in discernment and knows these two men are hiding something, I loved how she insisted that they pray before meals and set them straight about their language. She is someone you don’t want to cross. God always provides divine appointments and I believe the day the parachute landed near Sarah , God was clearing a pathway for two men to find Jesus. He used Sarah and her grandmother to show them kindness as they showed compassion to strangers. I won’t say why these men were there, but it is a great storyline that allows readers to see what deceit can do and the chaos it causes.
Jacob and Sarah have been friends forever but lately feelings are growing stronger. When Sarah is once again asked to deceive someone that could hurt Jacob’s trust in Sarah what will she decide to do? I don’t think there is a mean bone in Sarah but she tries to please so many people, it is bound to come crashing down on her soon.
Get ready to have a front roll seat inside anAmish family as deceit, strange men, hurt, trust and a new beginning for several characters entertain us and teach us about being His hands and feet to others. Let us remember through this story that God is in control . What looks hopeless God can change into joy and in the midst of chaos it is possible for someone to find Jesus.
I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.
I’m always up for a good friends-to-more romance, especially if one party thinks the other party could never see them as more than a friend. This generally leads to layered emotion, lingering gazes, some husky voices, and let’s-catch-up-for-all-this-lost-time kissing! I was delighted, therefore, to discover that Gift From Above is one such romance. Jakob and Sarah have a long, complicated history which adds even more layers to their story, and I enjoyed watching their feelings for each other evolve and come to light.
I wouldn’t say that the romance is really the focus of the story, however. At least not for the majority of the book. It’s always there, of course, simmering in the background and giving us a taste for what’s to come for Jakob and Sarah. But the main part of the plot revolves around the mysterious man who parachutes quite literally into Sarah’s life, and the shenanigans that ensue when she secrets him away at her grandmother’s house on the family property. Can I just say here that Sarah’s grandmother steals the show? I loved her no-nonsense, wise approach to the situation and to Sarah’s other woes.
Bottom Line: While Sarah’s initial naivete was frustrating, the way the story progresses evens it all out and gives us a deeper appreciation for her sincere heart. Jakob is a delightful hero – his steady personality and strong character make him shine, particularly in contrast to the mysterious man in the dawdi house. The romance between Sarah & Jakob is sweet and tender, and the redemption thread that ties all the subplots together is truly heartwarming.
(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book
Having enjoyed the previous book in The Sisters & Friends series by Rachel J. Good, I was looking forward to continuing the series with Gift From Above. I found it to be just as delightful. Readers are able to catch up with characters from the previous story and meet new ones as well. The premise of the story is rather unique with Sarah, a naive young Amish woman, coming upon a man who fell from the sky and then hiding him–keeping him secret from her family and the community. Her Mammi knew as well and it was a bit humorous how she interacted with this big city guy and his friend…often reminding them they need to turn to God for His forgiveness and guidance. The characters are likable and relatable, strong and yet their flaws are there too. And, of course, there is romance. Sarah has loved Jakob, her sister’s former boyfriend, for many years. Would they be able to look to the future instead of being bound to the past? Lots of twists to the plot keep interest high. I wouldn’t mind if there were a fourth book in this engaging series, I’d love to continue to catch up with Sarah and her family.
I received a complimentary copy of the book. A favorable review was not required and opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit Promo Blast.
Rachel J. Good’s books are always a delight. She has a beautiful way of presenting the Amish life, story and beliefs with a wonderful dose of creativity.
Gift From Above was an enjoyable read with mystery and intrigue. I loved the twists and turns of the story.
Sarah was a wonderful character with a sweet heart, always willing to help people. A very loyal friend. I was sad with her because of the supposedly unrequited love from Jakob but I was giddy when they made it up. I loved her grandmother, sweet old lady.
One of the most admirable aspects of this book to me was the need for commiting issues into God’s hands no matter how tough they look.
If you love Amish stories you’d love this one..
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest opinion.