New York Times Bestselling Author Shelley Shepard Gray gifts us with a special Christmas story about love and blessings in this next book in her Amish of Hart County series.The Schwartz family is happy to be spending Christmas on their new farm in Hart County. But when Susanna Schwartz hears gunshots that causes her buggy to overturn, and then her little sister falls through a wooden bridge into … wooden bridge into the icy creek, it becomes clear from these dangerous “accidents” that someone wants them gone.
Neil Vance has been heartbroken ever since his parents lost their family farm. He knows it’s not the Schwartz family’s fault, but he can’t help but be resentful. Until he meets Susanna. She is kind-hearted and bold, and Neil can’t stop thinking about her pretty green eyes.
Neil thinks the accidents are just that, but Susanna’s father is convinced the Vance family is responsible. Susanna refuses to believe Neil would do anything to harm her. She’s fallen in love with him and knows he is a good man. But her family is ready to pack up and move, and time is running out to uncover the truth before someone gets hurt…or worse.
more
In my whirlwind tour of The Amish of Hart County series, ‘The Gift’ is the first one that didn’t just wow me. I mean, I loved it, it was amazing, and Shelley Shepard Gray can grip me into a story about popcorn, but WOW just didn’t get me with this one. It did keep me guessing though. It’s been a long time since I was wrong about the bad guy and this time, I was so very wrong. Before I get into the book though, this one was much more benign than the previous ones. It does mention happenings in the previous two but in such a way that it truly can stand alone if you haven’t read ‘Her Secret’ and ‘His Guilt’. It also is extremely low on the trigger warning scale. So, necessities aside let’s look at this book I loved but didn’t wow over, shall we?
This book eased into the story like warmth from a candle on a chilly fall evening. It didn’t jump in with a clatter and it was a softer book than the previous one’s in this series. I felt the lag from time to time that I probably would not have noticed if I wasn’t reading them back to back. I think that’s why the nefarious character snuck by me as well. I had my heart set on this person from early in the book, it just made sense based on what little info I had gleaned at this point (again early). As the take progressed I just kept falling back to the same person. There were other potentials but this person still fit the bill. Needless to say, it wasn’t my person at all but yet. . . This one didn’t neatly wrap up either. It all but says the real person who did it did it but. . . they were just at the station for questioning and nothing was totally resolved. At least for me. I needed that confession ya know? There’s another thing that bothered me that, again, I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t been reading the series back to back. ‘Her Secret’ took place in Mumfordville. ‘His Guilt’ and ‘The Gift’ took place in the same community which is near Mumfordville but not in Mumfordville. However, this book referenced the happenings in ‘His Guilt’ as though they had taken place in the other town. This bugged me. It almost felt like there was a disconnect between what happened and this book and instead of addressing it as a community they talked like it was the community over from them. Again though, probably only even picked up this being mentioned (only twice) as I had literally just finished ‘His Guilt’.
That being said I still loved this book. I loved the slow building of both Susanna and Amanda’s relationships, even though they sorta drew out into instalove. I would love to know more about this community and more backstory on these families. I felt a lack of depth there, even though it was more than made up for as the events unfolded. I would love to see if Neil and Dale’s childhood dreams of growing up farming next door to each other ever comes to pass. I mean, since they plan to marry sisters and all. Next week, ‘His Risk’. All counting down to the newest release in just weeks!
An Amish mystery with lovable characters. It’s hard to put down.
The author has created a page tuner here, and I couldn’t put it down, quickly became involved and wondered who was doing the evil acts. Yes, I guessed and guessed wrong, but you will be doing the same with this non-stop action in Amish country, and first impressions are not always right!
I loved being back in Hart County and being updated on past friends, and love has survived! This is a new group, but they are now part of the family, and this story is going to linger with you for a long time.
Be ready for you heart in your throat right from the first few pages, shots being fired at you as you drive your buggy down the road, and then right to the end with your falling into a cave, will all survive?
You don’t want to miss this one, Amish and adventure, family and love of God, so many accidents, or are they?
I received this book through Litfuse Publicity Blog Tours, and was not required to give a positive review.
Another page turner by author Shelley Shephard Gray, I truly had a difficult time putting this book down. And while I wanted to see how it ended, I didn’t want it to end!
Gray does a wonderful job of bringing her characters to life. You’ll feel the tension, the pain, and the mystery. Yes, mystery. Not your typical Amish story, this quickly developed into a who done it that I couldn’t figure out.
Filled with family tension and trials there is also a sweet romance and a knight in shining armor. I highly recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.