The Amish Marriage Bargain

The Amish Marriage Bargain by Marie E. Bast takes readers on a journey to Washington County, Iowa. May Bender has been carrying for her niece, Leah along with her brother-in-law, Thad Hochstetler since the death of her sister, April a year prior. It has been difficult since Thad broke her heart when he stopped courting her and married April. May now has an opportunity to work with her aunt in Indiana and she will inherit the business. It will be hard, though, to leave Leah who she loves so dearly. Then she learns that her family farm is in dire financial straits and there is a chance that Thad will lose it. Thad needs May, but, for her to stay living there, May will have to marry the man who broke her heart. Can they reach a bargain that will keep May’s safe from heartbreak? The Amish marriage Bargain is a sweet story. I like Marie E. Bast’s conversational writing style. It engages the reader and draws them into the book. I could understand May’s feelings toward Thad and her current situation. She is angry, frustrated, and heartbroken. May ends up taking care of the man she lost, but the bright spot of her life is her niece, Leah. May knows that she must forgive Thad and she tells him that she does. However, it takes time to feel the forgiveness in your mind and in your heart. I admit that I was surprised in the story that May and Thad slept in the same house at night since they are both single and there is no chaperone. The story would have been more realistic if Thad had slept in the Dawdi haus. Thad knows how May feels about him and it hurts his heart. He had reasons for his actions, but Thad feels he cannot share them with May. Thad’s mother, Gretchen is a critical woman who seems to find fault with May’s work. I enjoyed how that storyline played out. Thad and May marry for convenience and you could feel the tension between the pair. Thad hopes to change May’s feelings for him which will take time and a whole lot of patience. I assumed that May and Thad slept in separate rooms after they wed, but it was never addressed. I wish the author had added this element to the story. I like how the story developed and the revelations May uncovers. I enjoyed reading this heartwarming and inspiring story. The Amish Marriage Bargain is a touching story about second chances and forgiveness.

They made a bargain but can they keep it?

The Amish Marriage Bargain is a sweet little Love Inspired Amish romance. It was an easy read and didn’t take me long at all to finish it even on my Kindle.

While I didn’t really connect with the characters very well, except for little Leah who was adorable, I liked the different setting, rural Iowa instead of Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio. I also liked the attention to detail involving the organic milk industry, author Marie E. Bast’s own experiences on a diary farm shone through them.

If you are looking for a light romance novel that you can read fairly quickly and you like Amish stories this book might be an option.

(I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

This book has an interesting storyline, and I liked the author’s writing style. It was easy to see how, in the Amish community, such a marriage could take place.

I liked the character of May. I had much sympathy for her and felt she was in an almost impossible situation. But honestly, even at the end of the book, I still didn’t have any use at all for Thad. This couple was quite the contrast. May was loving; much more forgiving than most people would have been; and went out of her way to help others and help Thad save their family farm. I thought Thad was her complete opposite and was quite self-absorbed. But maybe the most touching thing in the book was the grace that May extended to her mother-in-law, who was an extremely critical person. I’m glad May got her happily-ever-after because it was well deserved. I’d like to think that Thad eventually came to treasure May in the way she deserved.

So—this book stirred up some strong emotions for me as I read it, and that’s the sign of a good author. I’ll be looking for more of her books.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Amish Marriage Bargain by author Marie E. Bast is a Christian Amish Romance novel that will capture your attention and heart. The story is original with twists, a mystery, drama, and romance. Faith and inspiration is woven throughout this lovely book and tie everything together perfectly.

Author Bast has a pleasant writing style. She knows how to shape characters so that they are believable. The storyline was interesting and written well. The pace was even and content drew me in. Her description of the people and community took me there on an imaginary trip where I found new friends.

Since her sister died, May has taken over the care of her little niece. Thad, her brother-in-law, was May’s former intended. If you think that adds up to complications, don’t forget Thad’s mother who believes May can do nothing right. The Bishop now wants May to marry Thad because of appearances.

There are so many levels to this novel. It is entertaining, teaches lessons on faith, trust, grudges, forgiveness, gossip, love, and secrets. The lessons are all timely and relevant to life today.

I wish this had cook with discussion questions for reading groups. This has so many life lessons built into it that it would make a great selection. My other wish is that it included a recipe or two. I am spoiled by other Amish books including them.

I highly recommend this book. It was thoroughly enjoyable and gave food for thought. My rating is 5 out of 5 stars. A copy was provided by Celebrate Lit but these are my honest words.

“She didn’t know what was worse…losing the farm or losing her heart. But could she risk sticking around to find out?”

With “The Amish Marriage Bargain”, Marie Bast composes an inspirational romance that tugs at the heartstrings and encourages readers to never lose faith. This is the first Amish novel I’ve read that focuses on a marriage of convenience, at least as far as I can recall, and I have to admit that I’m surprised to have enjoyed it as much as I did. It did not fall into a clichéd trope, which made it all the more appealing. Books such as this excel at demonstrating the similarities between the Amish and English communities; there are obvious differences, but similarities abound, too, and in this divisive day and age it is important to remember the things that can bring us together. Things like family and faith.

After having her heart broken when her beau married her sister, who died shortly after giving birth to baby Leah, May Bender takes over her little niece’s care. Living in her family’s farmhouse with her former beau, Thad Hochstetler, is a sacrifice she is willing to make for Leah, but the situation escalates quickly when the bishop stipulates that the two must marry. Add in several suspenseful predicaments and the scene is set for an intriguing story. Well-crafted characters enhance the story as well, with backstories that Bast reveals over time. May both embodies and defies the image of the ideal Amish wife, as she is willing to do whatever is necessary to overcome obstacles, even if it is unconventional. Her ardent nature is a source of consternation to the bishop and to her draconic mother-in-law, and I appreciated May’s determination and perseverance while sympathizing with her desire for true love. “She didn’t want secondhand love or someone who pitied her, or someone who wanted her out of loneliness. She wanted to feel loved by someone who was content being next to her.”

The circumstances surrounding the dairy farmers’ dilemma provides a glimpse into the challenges that the Amish face, and how these are in some ways unique from those of the Englishers. The sense of community is an aspect of Amish literature that I never tire of reading about, and the faith element in “The Amish Marriage Bargain” is likewise strong. Forgiveness and sacrifice tie faith and community together, reminding us to put Christ first and to live out lives of kindness and service. After all, His plans for us are always greater than we can imagine.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and was not required to post a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

Amish stories are delightful.
Lovely story of a second chance at love.

May was dealing with the aftermath of the death of her sister and how to keep her promise to her at the expense of her heart and reservations.
She had history with Thad and if she had to keep her promise to her sister she had to make some amends and trust God with her situation.
I admired her devotion to her niece and her determination to do right by her niece and sister despite herself.
The story takes us through the simple Amish life and their ways and May and Thad having a second chance at love and family.

I received a copy of the book and this is my honest opinion.

Interesting Premise

My rating is 3.5 stars

I liked the premise of the story and the mystery behind Thad’s sudden jilting of May when he married her sister.

Poor May had always felt inferior to her sister. It didn’t help that Thad’s mother treated her as if she was lazy and incompetent! Yet May had a kind heart and a deep love for her niece, Leah. May’s solution to the financial problems they were experiencing was quite clever and it was fun to read about her industry.

Thad was a little dense concerning women and made some big mistakes and yet I liked him anyway. He was a hard worker, did his best to provide for his family and tried to show May kindness and to win her heart back.

As a dairy farmer, Thad was involved with a local association. It was quite interesting to read about the problems they faced and the discussions they had related to organic labeling and supply and demand.

Despite the things I liked, I didn’t really understand why May wouldn’t forgive Thad or why Thad felt that she would be more devastated to know the reason he married April. Some of their interactions with one another seemed immature.

Some of the dialog was stilted or awkward. I would have liked the narrative to be more developed. It felt like there were a bunch of vignettes shared with just a little bit of detail and then it would move on. It is possible this was due to the formatting of the advance reader copy I had. Often, these are not formatted well and this one had no indicators between sections within the chapters.

There were several places in the story where something would happen or be said and then the author would include “”as was the custom with the Amish”” or something similar. That was unnecessary and awkward – of course it was an Amish thing – this is an Amish story.

There was also a part where Thad was realizing he needed to be patient and then thought about how “”the gut book said”” “”patience is a virtue””. And this bugged me, because that isn’t in the Bible! (I looked it up and the origin of this adage is probably from the 1300s.)

There were a number of plot elements here that highlighted customs of the Amish and items in the Ordnung that really had me disliking the Amish rules and things they allow. This isn’t the first Amish story I’ve read – it is just the way things were presented here really bothered me. One of which was the insinuation that it is expected of the women to gossip. And another thing that I won’t mention because it would be a spoiler. I’ll just say that the lack of showing grace in certain circumstances had me fuming a little, especially because of the result.

I realize that some of the things I didn’t care for are merely personal preference. Keeping those in mind, many who enjoy Amish fiction may enjoy this story.

Read my review of The Amish Marriage Bargain by Marie E. Bast at AmongTheReads.net

Fans of Amish fiction and those of us who have Amish neighbors know that the Amish people are very forgiving people; in fact, they often easily forgive what we Englishers struggle with. In this new book by Marie E. Bast, the Amish heroine May Bender is finding it hard to forgive the hurt handed her by her Amish beau Thad Hochstedler and her sister April. The marriage vows that she and Thad were supposed to exchange had actually been said by Thad and April and now, May finds herself caring for her baby niece Leah. Why had she agreed to April’s dying request? As much as she has grown to love this sweet baby in the last year, how can May possibly be expected to stay in the home of the man who hurt who so deeply?

Bast has created some memorable characters for The Amish Marriage Bargain. A very wise Bishop, a mother-in-law who exemplifies all of the nasty associated with those awful mother-in-law jokes, and an Amish hero who has chosen to put others ahead of his own wants and wishes. She also shares some very realistic moments as May and Thad struggle to save May’s family farm and I could totally relate to their issues. My husband and I ran a dairy for over thirty years and we also experienced the effects of big dairy operations versus small family farms. May’s confusion and her deep hurt are very understandable and just when it appears that there can’t be a happy resolution, an unknown secret offers her hope.

The Amish Marriage Bargain is an enjoyable story that reminds us that circumstances are not always as they appear and forgiveness is truly the key to peace and acceptance. I recommend it to all who enjoy Amish fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and was under no obligation to post a review. These are my own thoughts.

Amish marriage of convenience stories are common but this one has angles that make it different from the rest.

Author Marie Bast deals with jealousy, anger, and even hatred in her story about May and Thad. You wonder if there’s any hope for them. Especially with Thad’s mean, meddling mother. Why the bishop allowed her behavior we’ll never know. Yet the characters learn to rely on God, and how to walk out forgiveness giving this book a heartwarming plot.

The characters are written very well. You can understand why they feel and think the way they do, making this story quite believable. And baby Leah is adorable! If you enjoy Amish fiction then grab a copy of this one.

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

I enjoyed The Amish Marriage Bargain by an author who is new to me, Marie E. Bast. For a Love Inspired book, there’s more character depth and layering than I would have expected, adding richness to this marriage-of-convenience story. The narrative flows steadily and the small Iowa Amish community is vividly conveyed.

May and Thad are appealing, hard working, and honorable lead characters, thrust into a difficult situation that, although I knew things would eventually work out, captured my attention as I journeyed with them. And what a situation they find themselves in! May had dated and been in love with Thad in the past, only to be jilted when he married her sister, April, instead. Upon April’s death, Thad inherited the family farm where May is living temporarily as she helps care for his precious daughter, Leah.

As the story opens, May is faced with an important decision – accept her aunt’s offer to work in her Indiana bakery or marry Thad. “She wanted to be Leah’s mamm, and Thad came along as baggage.” The author did a good job of keeping me engaged as she slowly peeled back layers throughout the story.

Another aspect to the story that I enjoyed was the struggle of small dairy farmers to survive in light of government USDA regulations. It was fun to see May’s creative side kick into high gear as she came up with the idea of making cheese as a way to save their family farm. I also enjoyed her interaction with the Amish bishop, who had certainly met his match in May.

On a spiritual level, the story highlights the difference – and difficulty – between the mental process of forgiving because the church’s teaching commands it vs. letting go and forgiving from the heart, and that’s something readers can all relate to.

I enjoyed The Amish Marriage Bargain and look forward to more stories from Marie E. Bast. Recommended.

I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.