Esther Beachy enjoys working for an elderly wheelchair-bound woman and her husband. Her clients are pleasant, and their home is far more peaceful than Esther’s, with so many siblings. She only dreads the day when their grandson Viktor will return from the river to take care of some business on the farm. She and Viktor were classmates years ago, and he was an obnoxious flirt who paid attention to … attention to every girl but her.
A seasoned riverboat crew member, Viktor Petersheim has seen his share of trials. He left the Amish after the death of his parents and siblings in a house fire for which he still feels responsible. Now, after years of working on the Mississippi River, he returns home to help out on the farm–and, hopefully, to repair some of the damaged relationships and broken hearts he left in his wake.
When Viktor returns home, it doesn’t take long for him and Esther to realize their mutual attraction. Even so, their relationship remains as tumultuous as a shaken snow globe. Viktor isn’t the only man with an eye on Esther, and soon it looks as if she’s ready to make a future with someone else. Will the two go their separate ways again? Or will the hand of God work something beautiful out of their angst and agitation?
If you enjoy Amish fiction, you HAVE TO pick up Laura’s books. Seriously! This was the first book I had read by Laura V. Hilton and certainly will not be the last. I was immediately hooked! I went on to read the other two in the series (The Postcard and The Birdhouse) that were equally fantastic, but I’d have to say this one is my favorite of the three. I loved the characters and their realism. Unlike some Amish novels, everything is not all rosy. Although, it is positive and we do get our happily-ever-after. 🙂 I also appreciate Laura’s style–not a lot of extra fluff, just a great story to keep you turning the pages. I have since bought several more of her novels and they are near the top of my TBR list. You know that feeling when you find a favorite author and you want to read all their books, yet you don’t because then you’ll have read them all and there’ll be no more? Yeah, that’s kind of how I’m feeling. 🙂 I’m so glad she’s got a long backlist that should keep me busy for a while and she keeps on writing! Great job, Laura. I look forward to reading ALL of your books! Slowly. Very slowly. 😉
THE SNOW GLOBE by Laura V. Hilton is the first book in The Amish of Jamesport series. This author and this book is one that I highly recommend!
Although, I have to admit I was intrigued about the idea of stories featured in Jamesport, MO having visited there several times, it didn’t take long before the author had captured my attentions completely as she so expertly wove the story of Esther Beachy and Viktor Petersheim.
Their love story is full of twists and turns that you wonder if it’s even possible for them to have a happily ever after. Viktor has an immediate dislike and attraction all at the same time for Esther. Esther is drawn to Viktor’s good looks, but fearful of his bad boy ways. Besides she is already spoken for since there had been an agreement between their parents since Esther and Henry were children to join the two families with their marriage. Along the way, Esther and Viktor learn how the past of each affects the here and now, but can they both change together for a better prospect of the future?
There are so many wonderful characters in this book showing that even in the Amish there are good and bad, that the good outnumbers the bad and that the good usually wins out. You can help but fall in love with Anna and Reuben, Viktor’s grandparents who Esther had been hired to be their full time caregivers. Their story in itself would be an amazing story to read. The love and devotion between them is something to strive for. Lily is a character and so uncharacteristic of anything you think of when you think Amish – so full of herself and selfish – but you can’t help but feel sorry for her in the end. Rachel and Greta, two of Esther’s cousins are so completely different, show us that it’s good to speak up to help right a wrong. Bishop Joe who had an open mind and willing to listen to all sides to get to the bottom of things. Then there is Henry who took it upon himself to arrange for his marriage to Esther with the church without even asking her and already considers her his property. He is a man full of anger and hatefulness determined to do so even if it means defaming her character to do so. And last but surely not least is Esther – who has always been a good girl, worked hard and trying to please and obey – and Viktor – the labeled bad boy who has been trying to work through his own demons after feeling responsible for the death of most of his family wondering enough about God to have jumped to the English way of life. You take the mixture of characters and place them all in one extremely well written story and you have a book that have you feeling all your emotions – happy, sad, anger, fear, anticipation, panic, humor and love – turning the pages to see if or how things will work out. When you finish the book, you will start to anticipate with great longing reading the second book in this series. I know I am!