A Brand-New Series from New York Times Best Selling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter.What happens when making an elderly Amish couple very happy means going along with a lie that gets bigger by the day? Michelle Taylor is not who her new family in Lancaster County believes her to be. The Lapps were looking for their long-lost granddaughter when they met Michelle and she assumed the identity of Sara … assumed the identity of Sara Murray. Once homeless and hopeless, Michelle has come to love her new Amish friends and even considers the idea of romance among them.
Finding an old blue jar in the barn that is filled with slips of paper containing thoughts, quotes, and prayers by an unknown author becomes a boost to Michelle’s budding faith— but also convicting. How can she tell the truth without hurting the ones she has truly come to love?
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The Hope Jar is an interesting tangle of an Amish couple who learn their daughter who turned “English” has died and they have a grown granddaughter. That granddaughter is a secondary character as the grandparents see a young lady with hair like their daughter’s and assume she is the granddaughter! Michelle Taylor needs a place to stay and does not correct the Lapps who come to love her like a granddaughter! The primary and secondary characters are all well-written in this unusual Amish book. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
THE HOPE JAR by Wanda Brunstetter
Delightful beginning to a new series “The Prayer Jars” book 1 We meet Sara, having lost her mother at a young age, and the memories of going thru her personal boxes. Still hadn’t found the Bible her mother mentioned before dying, a letter inside for her, why didn’t she tell me instead. A name on back of the letter, she could write them, and see if she could visit, her mother’s parents.
Michelle down and out and wondering where money would come from. She could go visit her foster parents. The new boyfriend had a temper, and that reminded her of parents, before being removed from them. Waiting to buy a bus ticket, an older couple mistake her as the sender of the letter, would she go home to them. They were Amish knowing they wouldn’t be asking a lot of questions, and give her some time of what to do next. A home she never had, and didn’t want to leave, until knowing the real Sara would be coming. Could she leave, or would they want two young girls to stay, and except the warmth and love of this older couple. A touching story, of a home , and love these two girls needed in their lives. Given ARC by Net Galley and Barbour for my voluntary review and my honest opinion. Ellen Oceanside
As I turned the final page on this book there was a letdown, I was really enjoying this quick read, and wanted more!
There are a lot of unanswered questions here, and am glad that there is another book to come!
I loved the concept of this story, really a bit different, and yet I could see how it happened. The author seemed to answer some questions, but were they really how all turned out? I really wanted to know more about their real granddaughter, and yet in my heart I wanted the best for the imposter, she needed a break, and maybe God put her in the right place?
An Amish story that will keep you page-turning to the end.
I received this book through Net Galley and Barbour Publishing, and was not required to give a positive review.
Wanda does it once again with her latest book. Ever wonder what would happen if you mistaking though someone was your relative or grandchild by think that the person got the same hair color as your daughter?
That person goes along with it by pretending to be someone they are not. Well, that is kinda what goes on in this book. Can you fault the person that was asked, if you are acting as that person even though you are not them?
Well, the Lapps do this when they get a letter from their granddaughter Sara and hurry to pick her up at the bus station that day which is July 5th. Not knowing what she looks like or if she is even coming that day.
Michelle is asked if she is Sara Murray? She goes along with them. She never really says their granddaughter or not. We know she wants to stay away from Jerry and his abuse.
As she stays with them, she learns about the Amish culture and a little bit about the Lapps. She meets the family. She is asked questions by the Lapps. She too has questions.
We Eli as well. He seems fond of Michelle. Does he not know if he wants to stay Amish or go English? What will he decide? He comes to help Michelle (Sara), and Lapps. He comes over to the Lapps to see Michelle (Sara).
How does it end? Do we meet the real Sara? You will have to pick up a copy to read to find out.
The Hope Jar by Wanda Brunstetter is the first of a new series.
When Michelle Taylor is mistaken at a bus station for an elderly Amish couples granddaughter, what could go wrong if she plays along for a few days. She finds out what a family’s love can be.
Having been raised in foster care and then getting involved in an abusive relationship she has never known what having caring friends and family are like. Once she moves in and starts the charade of being “Sara” she gets to feel love and compassion and sees what a family loves can be.
Not only is she drawn into farm life, she also sees what a kind and caring relationship can be when both an Amish neighbor and an Englisher takes an interest in her.
While working on the farm she comes across a Mason jar with prayers and scriptures. Who wrote these was it the recently deceased daughter of the Amish couple or the grandmother, Mary Ruth? She has never been a believer in prayer but is drawn into the writings in the jar.
When she realizes the real granddaughter is coming to meet her grand parents she comes clean to her Amish suitor and flees the farm.
This is a great story with a nice flow and wonderful characters. You will be drawn into the story and will not want to put it down.
The ending sets you up for the next book in the series. I am looking forward to the next chapter in Michelle, the Lapps and Sara’s story already.
I was given an ARC by Netgalley for an hones review.
The Hope Jar is first in a new series, The Prayer Jars, by Wanda Brunstetter, a gifted storyteller who reflects the Amish faith and way of life with sensitivity and clarity. It is a beautiful novel of faith, love, and relationship. The characters come to life through their words and actions, even if some might have begun with deception.
Sara’s mom passed away after a short bout of cancer. She left a surprise for Sara that she could have never imagined. Sara never knew who her father was; her mother married when she was six, but Sara never got close to Dean. Her mother had a very different life before Sara was born, and she is stunned at the revelation that will change her life forever.
Michelle is unemployed again, and ready to pack and run. The man she is dating is abusive, and she refuses to stay in the same situation her mother lived in. The best thing that happened was going into foster care. While her heart aches that she never saw her younger brothers again, she did have one good foster family. What she wants the most is to be part of a loving family, to be loved, accepted, and belong somewhere. She is at the train station to see where she could go with the money she has left when her life changes forever.
Willis and Mary Ruth Lapp have a life of love and faith. The ache of their heart is that their daughter, Rhoda, left home more than twenty years ago without a word from her since. Mary Ruth is a woman of prayer, relying on the Lord for everything. They go to the train station when and where they believe they are to pick up Rhoda’s daughter. They see a young woman with red hair the color of Rhoda’s and run to welcome her. Their lives change forever.
One thing that will bind together the hearts of at least two of the characters is the contents of jars hidden in the barn and basement of the Lapps’ home. The scripture verses and prayers contribute to the change of at least two lives in this novel – the one who wrote them, and the one who finds and meditates on them.
Of all the characters, I like Mary Ruth best because of her faith and the love she pours out on those around her. I grew to like Michelle a great deal, despite her actions, as her background resulted in her desire – and human need for – the love and acceptance of a family. This reader got to know each of the primary characters well as the novel progressed.
This heartwarming novel shows the power of love and hope that Christians can share in the lives of others as a reflection of God’s love for us. The Lapps are down-to-earth people who have had their share of pain and loss and gift others with what they received from the Lord. They don’t know anything about Sara/ Michelle yet they freely give their love as they would their family or to anyone in their Amish community. I enjoyed watching the changes in a city girl who didn’t want to be near chickens or hogs, and who didn’t know about God’s love for her. The Lapps are a sermon in action, giving the world-weary a remarkable picture of Amish life. I like how some of the circumstances were resolved by the end, but wanted to see more time devoted to Sara (maybe in the next in series) and felt as if the end came too quickly. I am looking for the next novel in the series, and highly recommend this one to those who appreciate well-written Amish fiction.
From a grateful heart: I received a copy of the e-arc from the publisher and NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
This was a very different story of Amish life. It was sometimes hard because I related to Sara Murray in her loss of her mother, since I lost mine seven months ago. But I also understood Michelle Taylor and why she did what she did. I can’t imagine how heartbreaking her life had been growing up and why she was so desperate to change it. The Lapps were the ones that mistook her for their granddaughter and Michelle went along with it to hide away with free room and board. She worked hard helping the Lapps but she also was deceptive, to them and to their real granddaughter Sarah.
Finding a blue canning jar hidden on a shelf in the barn with slips of paper containing prayers and scripture that Michelle began reading slowly seemed to work on her heart.
This was a sweet story with lessons in life for several of the characters. I enjoyed getting to know all of them. Since this was book one of The Prayer Jars, I’m sure I’ll learn more as the story continues in The Forgiving Jar coming out in Feb 2019. I’m anxious to find out the identity of the author of the notes found in the jars.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher but was not required to write a review.
A desperate young woman in hard times embarks on a path that she’s filled with deception and lies. What she finds is unconditional love, the kind of family she’s never had, and the first stirrings of faith.
This blends both Amish and contemporary fiction together, unlike many Brunstetter books which are strictly Amish. I found this story to have quickly drawn me into the lives of Michelle, Willis & Mary Ruth Lapp, Ezekiel, Brad, and the Amish community of Strasburg, Pennsylvania. I like that Wanda Brunstetter told this from multiple people and points of view, you knew how each person felt and what they thought at any given moment. I already enjoy this authors stories and love her writing voice. She writes characters you come to care about, and a community that feels like family. My heart went out to Michelle and her situation in life. I don’t think she set out to hurt the Lapps but found it difficult to untangle herself from the lies she’s told the longer she was with them. She began to see them as the grandparents she never had and they exemplified what love does for those you care about. Eventually those lies will be found and and the truth will be told; Michelle knows it’s only a matter of time! Then there were Ezekiel and Brad, one an unbaptized Amish man and one studying to become a minister, both cared deeply about Michelle. It was fun to guess which one she might end up with. I especially loved getting a glimpse into the Amish life through this story. I’ve read many different fiction books, so I knew most of the Amish ways, but I did learn some new things as well. I have to agree with many other reviewers on this being one of the best books Brunstetter has written, and I’ve read several over the years!
The one drawback I have about this, it leaves too many open-ended questions not being answered for me at the end. I like my stories to be neatly tied up in a bow & this leaves me unsatisfied with many dangling threads. I’m positive the next Prayer Jar installment will cover these, but I would have loved to at least read an epilogue to have some closure on my questions. And we have to wait a whole year to get them! Next one is called The Forgiving Jar coming August 2019.
I would recommend this to Wanda Brunstetter fans, Amish/contemporary fiction fans, and those looking for a story to draw them in and keep them there until the last page!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. *
Wanda E Brunstetter has done it again!! In this new series, we return to the Amish countryside of Lancaster County with a young woman pretending to be an elderly Amish couple’s long lost granddaughter that they weren’t even aware of. In this guise, she finds love and caring people which is something she had never truly had before. But when the real granddaughter comes, she has to shed her masquerade and tell the truth, not just to the couple but to an Amish man who has fallen for her. Will they still accept her and forgive her deception? You must read for yourself to find out. I have been a long time fan of this author’s, especially when I moved from one state to another and struggled with my faith during such a move. This book reminded me of the power of love and forgiveness. Please read this story. You won’t regret it.
A different story of Amish Fiction by Wanda. It involved an English woman impersonating an Amish relative. It will keep you wanting to read to find out what happens to the impersonater when they are found out. I am looking forward to reading book 2!
“Life is full of choices. By choosing one direction, it takes us down a certain path, but a different direction would lead to another.”
This thought from Mary Ruth Lapp is one of many that appeared in The Hope Jar, book one in The Prayer Jars series by Wanda E. Brunstetter. The Hope Jar is not the typical Amish fiction story; however, the realism in this story was captivating with the issues that the young women, Michelle Taylor and Sara Murray faced. The well thought out factors of characters with their characteristics and behaviors along with plenty of action kept the pages turning. Brunstetter addressed some tough issues of life like hidden secrets, abusive home situations, deception, faith, confrontation, some romance, and a jar filled with written promises from the Bible and prayers. The Lapps are wonderful loving grandparents with rooted and strong faith in their Amish community. They were thrilled to receive a letter from a granddaughter they didn’t know existed. My heart went out to Sara Murray, the Lapp’s biological granddaughter, in losing her mother and the revelation of having Amish grandparents. Michelle’s past with her abusive childhood and wanting a loving family tugged at my emotions but her continual negative behavior caused tears to fall for the Lapps. This story is filled with fortitude, heartbreak, strong emotions and thoughts of characters mixed in with faith shared through scriptures and prayers provided a well thought out story and series. The ending was not what I anticipated, but thankful The Forgiving Jar will be releasing in 2019 to continue the story about the Lapps, Sara Murray and other characters.
I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and the author. The review is my honest opinion without being compensated or required to write a positive review.
I just finished this book.I loved it from the first paragraph to the last.Im so excited that there’s going to be more books to follow.It has an interesting twist to it.I highly recommend this book.You have to make yourself stop reading it.
In “The Hope Jar”, Wanda Brunstetter has written a beautiful story of how a generation of deceit and despair can be turned to hope and a bright future when encountered by love and faith. The characters of Michelle and Sara are compelling. They both desperately need a family. Michelle goes about this in a deceitful way, and Sara’s fears hold her back from her true heritage. However, the heroes of this story are Willis and Mary Ruth. Their examples of true love and grace light the path of forgiveness and redemption for not just Sara and Michelle, but others who have found themselves struggling in their faith. The “hope jar” holds quotes that are encouraging and challenging for those of us readers who might be struggling, too.
Wanda Brunstetter’s many fans will not be disappointed by this sweet story. As always, this story is filled with wonderful characters and a compelling plot.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion about this book.
The Hope Jar is the first amazing book written by Wanda Brunstetter in her new series, The Prayer Jars. Wanda has once again written a fantastic story to start out her series. This book is written a little differently than previous books but she has done an excellent job. The storyline plays out smoothly because of the right amount of love, faith, and forgiveness. She has worked the Prayer Jars in throughout the story at just the right intervals and the verses and prayers are exactly what is needed in the story. There is a wonderful cliffhanger at the end of the book to lead you into the next book.
The characters are well thought out right down to the tiniest detail. I was able to connect with Michelle right from the start. All she wants is a family to call her own. Mary Ruth and Willis Lapp are definitely grandparents material which aids Michelle in her deceitfulness. The cover of this book aids the reader with a visual of what Michelle could look like.
I received an advanced copy of this book from Wanda Brunstetter and Barbour Publishing. I was not approached by anyone to post a favorable review. I have rated this book with five stars for meeting my expectations of an amazing book that I can highly recommend to others who enjoy the Amish and Christian genres. I look forward to reading the next book when it releases in this series.
Congratulations to Wanda Brunstetter on releasing this wonderful story that is full of live, family, and faith.
A jar filled with notes and Scriptures can be the key to the growing faith of one of the main characters. Mistaken identity, deceit, forgiveness and love all play a big part in this heartwarming story. I enjoyed this one and look forward to reading more in the series. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
Sarah Murry is going through some of her mother’s things. Her mom has recently died. One of the things she finds id her mother’s Bible with a note in it for her. Sarah has always wondered about her heritage but, her mother always changed the subject. The note tells Sarah about grandparents that she never knew she had. She writes them a letter to tell them a out her mom and saying she’d like to vistit them.
Michelle Taylor has left her abusive boyfriend. She’s now in a city she’s never been to wondering what to do and where to go. She feels like a loser and nothing ever goes right for her.
Willis and Mary Ruth Lapp receive the letter from Sarah, the granddaughter they never knew they had. They go to the bus station to pick her up thinking that that was the day from her letter.
They saw this young woman at the station that looked like their daughter that ran away many years ago. Only it’s really Michelle. Instead of correcting the older couple she goes along with it. She doesn’t how it would hurt to pretend for a few days. She ends up staying several months and has everyone believing she the real granddaughter.
What happens when the real one (Sarah Murry) shows up? What does Michelle (The fake one) do? How does everyone react to all the lies she’s told? You’ll have to read the book to find out the answers to those (and many more) questions.
Another great book by Wanda Brunstetter!
See my review at : https://notenoughtimeforbooks.blogspot.com/2018/07/the-hope-jar-by-wanda-brunstetter.html