Amish woman Eva Lapp is almost thirty and still unmarried. Resigned to being an old maid, she moves out of her childhood home and takes a new job as a manager of a small caf . What will happen when her first love suddenly returns to Lancaster County?
Be prepared to spend an afternoon or evening reading Starting from Scratch by Kate Lloyd. A winsome story from the perspective of Eva Lapp as she had to start a different journey in life—new community, manager of a cafe, potential admirers, gaining cooking skills, and even trying to handle a drunkard Englischer who stole from the café and other offenses he committed. This is not your typical Amish romance story. Beatrice, housekeeper/nanny for the café’s owner with her Italian heritage, Mennonites running the nursery, friendly officers, widowed Bishop, mystery, faith, forgiveness, resilience and multiple unexpected twist and turns. This book represents life’s struggles in dimensional ways with a multiple of characters that are realistic. I obtained this book through our library inter-loan service. A review was not required; however, I have expressed my since thoughts. I’ve read each one of Lloyd’s thus far with each new one topping the previous one, thus I’ll abide my time till the next one is released.
Starting from Scratch by Kate Lloyd is the second book in Lancaster Discoveries series. Eva Lapp has just been ousted from her family home by her sister-in-law, Marta. Eva’s father has retired, and her parents are moving into the Dawdi house while Rueben and Marta along with their children are moving into the main house. Eva has accepted a job at Yoder’s Nursery which comes with a cottage. She is surprised to discover that her new job is not in the nursery but as the manager of Yoder’s Nursery Café. Eva wishes that she had paid more attention when her mother was cooking. At twenty-nine, Eva is unmarried and has yet to join the church. She longs to marry and have children, but she is still pining for Jake Miller who left the community many years ago under a dark cloud. Stephen Troyer is the manager of the nursery and Eva discovers that he is friends with Jake. With the Yoder family out of town, Beatrice Valenti, their Italian housekeeper, is at loose ends. She winds up at the café “assisting” Eva with the cooking and providing some guidance along the way. Eva was hoping she would meet some eligible men at her new position and she is fortunate to have three men interested in her. But then Jake returns to town and all her old feelings for him resurface. For them to have a future together, several issues need to be resolved including the reason Jake left Lancaster County. Is there a chance at a happily ever after for Jake and Eva? Or will one of the other men capture her heart?
Starting from Scratch is well-written and has gentle pacing. It can be enjoyed without having read A Letter from Lancaster County (first book in Lancaster Discoveries series). I was not a fan of Eva. I found her to be contradictory. She is twenty-nine, but she acts like someone who is sixteen. I fond her immature in many respects. Eva takes a job and has no clue what she will be doing. She has never inspected the cottage where she will be living and is not prepared to move out on her own. Eva does not bring sheets, towels, or kitchenware with her. If Marta had not packed her clothing, I have a feeling she would have been without that as well. Eva left a job at a quilt shop that she loved to work at the nursery in the hopes that she will meet some eligible men. I wondered if no men lived in her town or went to her church. I did not feel that Eva is ready to be married. Eva is a woman who needs to be comfortable with herself (become independent) before she embarks on a relationship. Beatrice Valenti starts out gruff in the beginning and as a little pushy. I like how she softens over the course of the novel as her story is revealed. The Christian theme is prevalent throughout the book. Forgiveness, grace, acceptance of others, in God’s timing, and following the path God has planned for you are some of the Christian elements. In Starting from Scratch there is a homeless man, a barn fire, a past mystery that needs to be resolved, and someone is breaking into the café. I liked the way the author tied the various events together in the story. I was, though, disappointed in the ending. I would have liked to see Eva make a different choice where she is truly starting from scratch. The story is told strictly from Eva’s point-of-view (first person). It would have helped to know what some of the other characters were thinking and feeling. It would have added more depth. I am giving Starting from Scratch 3 out of 5 stars. Starting from Scratch felt like it was missing something (not sure what) and there were unresolved issues at the end of the book.
This is a wonderful story of Amish and Englishers. Eva loved Jake until he leaves the Amish and goes out to the English world. Eva feels she is an old maid and takes a new job at a cafe in a different town. This story is wonderful and has many twists and turns. There is a little bit of intrigue and some romance. I love the characters and I like how the author solves many of their problems. I received a copy of this book from the author for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
This story started off with a bang! Eva was packing, leaving her childhood home after twenty nine years. Unfairly it seems to me, in the Amish, the oldest son gets the childhood home for his own family and the parents are delegated to a dawdi house connected to the main house. Eva was forced to leave mainly by her brother’s wife. She couldn’t get her out fast enough.
Eva was disappointed when she discovers she was hired to work as manager in the cafe of the Nursery rather than work in the greenhouses with the plants. She adjusts but quickly learns her former Amish boyfriend is coming back home after several years and to face a disgrace that happened before he left. She has never completely gotten over him but new possibilities also arise.
The characters were portrayed in a realistic manner in such a way that it was easy to care about them. Of course you have the prerequisite villains that add worry for the characters. I know I had my favorites among the pages that I kept pulling for. Faith played a big part in their lives as well. Eva found a Bible in the cabin she lived in on the property. She began reading which is not customary for women and children to read but only the head of the household and the church leaders. Having Eva grow in her faith was very fulfilling for me. It was a book about personal growth, community, and family. Time well spent in the reading.
This was a personal purchase and I always review the books I read. I was not required to write a review, but my choice entirely. All opinions are strictly my own.
Starting from Scratch by Kate Lloyd
(Lancaster Discoveries) series.
This is a story about a second chancer at love.
An Old Flame Brings a Spark of New Hope
En Alt Maedel—an old maid.
At age twenty-nine, that’s what Eva Lapp considers herself. And who could argue with her? Finding a good Amish husband at her age will be next to impossible. Plus, Eva’s unwarranted bad reputation in Lancaster County precedes her. Maybe living the Englisch life would be better.
Squeezed out of her childhood home by her brother’s boisterous family, Eva finds lodging and a new job managing a small café at a local plant nursery. But the challenge of her new position isn’t enough to distract from her current predicament.
To Eva’s surprise, her first love, Jake Miller, suddenly returns to Lancaster County. Flooded with emotions and filled with questions about Jake’s past, can Eva trust what she’s feeling?
Jake and Eva face many obstacles in their quest for a fresh start in the community, but perhaps with God’s help, they can find the redemption they both desperately need.
This is Eva Lapp and Jake Miller’s story.
Mamm peered out my bedroom window as buggy wheels
crunched to a halt in the barnyard.
“Ach, Evie.” She spoke over her shoulder. “Reuben and Marta are
here. Two days early.”
I wasn’t packed yet, but I plastered on a smile and said, “Wunderbaar,” as if my whole world weren’t being turned upside down.
I flew to the window to see my brother’s boisterous family of five
gathering boxes from their buggy and making their way up the porch
steps to the back door.
I spotted Jake, wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, and a baseball cap. The world came to a halt. All noises melded together, and the backs of my knees grew weak. I stood gawking like a pitiful teenager, admiring his agility as he climbed the tallest ladder and then pounded nails.
I watched Jake move with ease and wondered if he adored danger and the thrill of uncertainty. Would he always be drawn to the perilous? And dream of escape?
I highly recommend reading.
Starting from Scratch by Kate Lloyd is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Kate Lloyd.
I really enjoy Kate Lloyd’s Amish books and this one added to that feeling!
This was a book of redemption, of misconstrued gossip and misunderstanding of truth.
As Jake and Eva try to redeem themselves, things seem to get in the way of that goal. Yet they continue to work towards that goal.
This book has some romance, some mystery and suspence. It is written in first person, Eva. So you can understand her thoughts and feelings as the book progresses.
In a well-paced book, Eva goes through the process of making important decisions in her life, never rushing to meet everyone’s approval of being baptised into the faith. I felt that she was a careful person, not wanting to make a mistake and wanting to do the best she could for both herself and others.
This was probably my favorite book from this author. It wasn’t a “cookie-cutter” Amish, a term that I have seen regarding descriptions of some Amish books, but had a new and unique concept which was very enjoyable to me.
I highly recommend this read. And it will keep you up reading late!
I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own.
Starting from Scratch is enjoyable from start to finish. Entertaining and rich in details, Kate Lloyd masterfully weaves the lives of her characters into a captivating story, rewarding the reader with a highly satisfying read that is difficult to put down. When I finished the book I found I wanted to read more of Kate’s books, and God willing, I shall. Mrs. Lloyd truly has a God-given talent for writing, and I do hope to see many more books from her pen.
Starting from Scratch is told in first-person narrative, and the main character, 29-year-old, unmarried Eva Lapp, presents her day to day life in a way that authentically reflects her struggle
between staying with the Amish community, or cutting the ties and living in the verboten world of Englichers.
She is basically uprooted from her childhood home and relocated into a new job as the manager of a small cafe at a plant nursery which is fairly close to her old home. I liked how she persevered, and how she handled uncomfortable situations with insight and good-natured repartee.
A little bit of romance, not too much, and a lot of skillful relationship building.
Truly a good, clean Christian fiction book about the Amish, I recommend this to anyone who enjoys
Christian fiction.
Starting from Scratch (Lancaster Discoveries Book 2), reads very nicely as a stand alone
novel, too.
A great read for a lazy afternoon. Interesting characters with some twists and turns.
Author Kate Lloyd always writes a good book. This one is no exception.
The characters were well written, but sometimes I wanted to shake a few of them. They needed to wake up and grow up. And learn to make decisions. But hang in there; they grow spiritually and in maturity.
There were many twists, turns, and bumps in the road. It definitely kept my attention and I kept turning the pages as fast as I could.
A fun story with clean romance I highly recommend it!
A Very Pleasant, Enjoyable Book!
I absolutely loved reading Starting from Scratch, from the beginning to the end. The characters were great especially Beatrice, an Italian woman who at first I didn’t like but grew to love her as the story went on. Steven, a Mennonite was my choice for Eva but in the end, Eva chose Jake, the love of her life (who I thought was a little immature). I thought Eva at the age of 29 did very well after moving to a cottage by herself away from her parents, managing a café at a local nursery and putting up with many incidents that were occurring in her life with Beatrice, three men and running the café. The book was very well written, very pleasant and very enjoyable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading Amish fiction. You won’t be disappointed!
I received this book from the author/Harvest House Publishers and this review is my honest opinion.
From the first page I could feel for Eva Lapp. Her life took so many unsuspecting turns and yet she was open to almost everything. She was the subject of gossip for things she didn’t do, she loved Jake Miller even when she shouldn’t and wasn’t quite sure she was ready to be thrust out of her home when her brother’s family moved into the big house.
She could have fallen on her face several times yet recovered with the help of new friends who took her for who she was and could become. In the midst of being hired to manage a restaurant instead of working with plants, she stood her ground and learned not just her job, but how to work with people she never would have associated with before: Stephen, a handsome Mennonite man and Beatrice, an Italian Catholic who seemed to be everywhere and know just about everything.
In the middle of finding her way in her new life, there was Jake Miller, her long time love who just seemed to be everywhere fumbling with her emotions. Would he return to the community and join the church? Would Eva join the church or find another life with Stephen?
I think it is a good omen when I like the first book in a series so well that waiting for the second book seems like a long time. When I picked up A Letter From Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd, I knew I would enjoy it based on reading her other works. Starting From Scratch kept me up reading two nights in a row. The characters were well developed and I found myself trying to help Eva decide the path she wanted to take. I rooted for Stephen, yet Jake was determined. As she battled within her mind, I was excited to see the unlikely friendship developing with Beatrice, who was old enough to be her mother. These characters make the story richer. This coming of age story is not just about Eva and Jake. It is filled with other people who grew once Eva started working at Yoder’s Nursery Cafe. Kate Lloyd is a master when it comes to delving into the heart of a matter. I recommend this one without reservation!
Eva Lapp is a young girl or woman. She takes a job that her cousin Olivia recommends. Her brother and his family show up at her parents home two days early. Her sister-in-law decides to send her on her way.
When she gets to Yodel’s Nursery she is in surprise for she thinks she goes to be working with plants. There a surprise when she finds out she is to manage the small cafe.
She seems to be getting suitor left and right, though she does not feel them. She thinks they are either too young or she does not know for sure.
Jake returns and Eva has a feeling for him. Are they true or is she just think she got feelings. Things get a little bumpy when someone breaks into the cafe or at least looks that way. Stephen seems to have a feeling for Eva but does Eva have a feeling for Stephen?
There is an adventure at every turn once you start reading. Some folks keep blaming Jake for the burned down fire? Did Jake do it? Eva also is having trouble with whether to stay Amish or to go English? Kate Lloyd writes a completing story and shows how Eva Lapp is snuggling with her problems. Can she overcome them? Will Jake and Eva turn towards God for help?
While Kate Lloyd writes Amish fiction I don’t read her books for the Amish setting but because she touches my emotions with her heartwarming stories. Great character development, they have self issues and sometimes problems that stem from their families. The problems and how they solve them are things that can happen in any family any where. In this book Kate shows how gossip can hurt others and wrong impressions are formed. Our heroine Eva Lapp has pulled into herself due to an unwarranted reputation ruined by gossip. Join Eva, her family and friends and see how they deal with the issues affecting their lives and self-worth.
I received this book from the Harvest House Publishers and I received it free of charge for my honest review. All opinions are my own. I highly recommend anything written by Kate Lloyd. Her books always touch my heart.
The author has presented us with a story of an Amish woman whom the rumor mill has tried to destroy her reputation, and at twenty-nine has still not joined the church.
While Eva Lapp has tried to go on with her life after the love of her life left their community, she is in for a surprise when Jake comes back. Here is another character that gossip has tried to destroy his character, and now he has returned after many years and he wants Eva.
Eva is now in a position of working and being on her own, and there are at least three men interested in this sweet lady. Will she end up with any of them? I found myself rooting for one and then the other.
We are given a bit of romance, mystery, and family dynamics, as Eva’s brother moves home to take over the farm.
What a great story here, and there is never a dull moment, and when the book ended, I really wanted more!
I received this book through the Publisher Harvest House, and ws not required to give a positive review.