Anna is eager to begin a new chapter in her life as a Lancaster County tour guide in the picturesque area where her Plain grandmother once stayed. Anna wishes she could talk with her grandmother about those long-ago days, but the elderly woman suffers from Alzheimer’s, and beyond a vague hint about an old stone wall, much about that time is a mystery. Thankfully, Martin Nolt, a handsome … Mennonite, takes the young Beachy Amish woman under his wing for her training, familiarizing her with the many local highlights, including Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat, which serves children with special needs. The retreat’s mission so inspires Anna that she returns to volunteer, and she quickly strikes up a friendship with Gabe Allgyer, the young Amish widower who manages it. As Anna grows closer to both Martin and Gabe, she finds herself faced with a difficult choice–one in potential conflict with the expectations of her parents. Will Anna find true love and the truth about her grandmother’s past in Lancaster County? Or will she find only heartbreak?
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A beautiful story of lost love, faith, friendship, and finding true love. Readers of Amish stories will love this tale by one of the best writers in the genre!
The Stone Wall by Beverly Lewis is a charming Amish story. The author blended the past and present beautifully with Anna and Eliza’s stories. I thought this was a unique Amish novel as it features Beachy Amish, Mennonites, and Old Order Amish. It allowed me to see the differences and the similarities between them. I thought The Stone Wall was well-written with developed characters. It moves along at a gentle pace which suits this story. Anna Beachy needs a change and has been praying on it. The opportunity arrives when she receives a letter from her mother’s cousins in Strasburg about an opening at the Mennonite Information Center as a tour guide. Anna is close to her grandmother, Mammi Eliza. Unfortunately, Mammi Eliza has Alzheimer’s and she has few lucid moments. When Anna tells her about going to Strasburg, Mammi Eliza has a moment of clarity. Her words about a stone wall linger with Anna and it has her searching for it in Strasburg. It is interesting to see the parallels of their time in Strasburg. There is more than one type of wall in The Stone Wall. Anna also has a wall around her heart because she is afraid of getting hurt again. There are two men who catch her attention. Since both men reside in Strasburg, Anna is torn because her parents did not want her to marry and live so far from home. Another issue is that neither of them are Beachy Amish. Anna becomes a volunteer at Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat which practices hippotherapy. It was interesting learning about it and how it helps individuals. If you enjoy reading Amish novels, then you do not want to miss out on The Stone Wall. My favorite phrase from the book is, “The Lord had something better in mind for me than rehashing the past.” Mammi Eliza had once told Anna that it was a “waste of time to look back with regrets” because “the past simply can’t be changed.” I never thought of it that way. The Stone Wall is a thoughtful, heartwarming Amish story.
Beverly Lewis is in a class all by herself. Her latest book, “The Stone Wall” is further proof that no one else comes close, especially in the area of character development original plots. Anna is moving to Lancaster County (a place where her own grandmother spent part of her youth) to become a tour guide. She knows very little about the area, but Martin Nolt (a Mennonite) agrees to train her for her new job. Anna soon meets Gabe Allgyer (an Amish widower who works with special needs children). Each of these men is attractive in his own way, but the question is, which one will Anna choose? The complexities between the various groups that make up these communities are explained so clearly that the reader finds growing sympathy with Anna and agonizes with her over the decision that she must make.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary e-copy of this book through NetGalley and was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions are my own.
I found this book to be a very enjoyable read, and it kept my attention from beginning to end. You will learn a lot about the Anabaptist faith and the different sects here as we follow a young woman, Anna, from her home a few hours away to the Lancaster area.
There is a parallel to this story, Anna’s beloved Grandmother also spent time with a Great Aunt when she was a teenage, and fell in love with an Old Order Amish man, now that doesn’t sound bad does it? Her parents are like most, and the want their children raised in their faith, and their is a difference between this different Sects. Anna belongs to the Beachy Amish.
Now our girl is recovering from a failed romance and is staying in the Lancaster area with her Old Order cousins, and living without electricity, but she is still using her car, and we watch her bloom.
You will be wondering if she will end up with the fellow who has shown her the ropes at her new job, or the widow with the little girl. Both seems wonderful, and although they both worship differently from her, they would make great matches. Watch or read and see whom she ends up with.
Enjoyed how the title of this book plays such a great part!
I received this book through Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers. and was not required to give a positive review.
Beverly Lewis is the author that first introduced me to Amish fiction years ago when I discovered her Abram’s Daughters series from my library. She hooked me with that first book and I’ve since found many other wonderful authors who write in this genre. I’ll always credit her to falling in love with my first Christian Fiction stories!
So it was with great pleasure & anticipation that I read The Stone Wall! What I loved about it is that Anna is a young Amish woman who’s trying to find her way in the world. When an opportunity comes up to visit distant family, she eagerly embarks spending time with her Old Order Amish relatives. The promise of a new direction for her life renews her spirit & refreshes her heart. I also love the mysterious memories her elderly grandma shares that involve a stone wall and a long ago forbidden love. Lastly, I enjoyed the developing love interests from two different men and couldn’t wait to find out which one Anna would end up with. I normally don’t care for love triangles because they can be frustrating for me to read, but Lewis wrote this in a way that was interesting without all the angst. Now, I’d really like to see a book featuring the one that didn’t get his happily-ever-after! I’m a hopeless romantic like that.
I loved getting to know Anna & her extended family, the community she quickly feels a part of, the friendships she’d made, watching how her strong faith guided her every step, and the depth of love she had for her grandma. Someone described this as classic Beverly Lewis and I would have to agree!
“Tis a waste of time to look back with regret,” Mammi Eliza Slaubaugh once told me. “Though we might fret and stew, the past simply can’t be changed,” she’d added, leaning closer, as if to share a secret. “Besides, if we could change our past, Anna, would we want to?”
*I received a complimentary digital copy from Netgalley and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *
Love all of Beverly Lewis books
First, I received an ARC e-book to read and review through Netgalley and Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest review. Thank you.
I have read several books by Beverly Lewis and have enjoyed them all. This book is no exception but, that said, it is not my favorite. The story was pretty easy to follow. It mostly kept my interest but I did find some of it less compelling than the rest. I did have one problem, for me, about the book. It was that the main character was encouraged to lean on her feelings when making a major decision. Since this is a Christian book, I had a hard time with that when the Bible clearly states that the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. We are also told in the Bible to lean not unto our own understanding but to trust in the Lord. That aside, it was a good, clean book.
The editing needs to be refined. There were a few, not many errors mostly with punctuation or the order of the words in a sentence. There were about 2 places that I had to re-read the sentence a couple of times to understand What was being said.
Overall, I give this a 3 out of 5 rating. I would recommend this to a friend.
This is an amazing story about the plain people!
I love the fact that this book includes characters from three distinctive religious groups that are part of the plain people community. They included the Old Order Amish, the Beachy Amish, and the Mennonites. I was fascinated by how the different ones interacted with each other. I had never before realized that there more than one different Amish groups. I love it when I learn something like this from a novel.
The characters are incredibly well developed. Anna Beachy is the central character. She has moved to Strasburg to stay with distant cousins while she seeks God’s guidance for her life. Periodically throughout the book we have short looks at her grandmother, Mammi Eliza, who stayed in Strasburg to help her great aunt, 70 years before. I absolutely love Anna. She is so sweet to everyone she meets.
One of the sweetest characters though is little Emmie. Anna meets her when she starts volunteering at a horse riding therapy facility. I truly enjoyed reading how the therapy sessions were handled. It was fascinating.
There were a number of very emotionally intense moments in this book. One of the recurring themes was dealing with elderly relatives whose memories are failing. My heart broke for all of the characters who were dealing with this.
The key throughout the book was having a relationship with God. Along with that is the question of how do you know His will for your life.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.
Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention or review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion – which I have done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
A very heart warming and different kind of Amish story than what I’m used to reading. Beverly Lewis has a way of making this reader forget that her stories are works of fiction. She has a gift of drawing her readers into the story making it seem so real to them. I almost felt like a part of the story as I grew to love each character. I loved that it was a time split novel that covers a young Beachy Amish girl who temporarily moved to Strasburg in 1948. And 70 years later when her young granddaughter moved to Strasburg and lived in the same area the grandmother had lived.
Anne Beachy wants something different for her life. Recovering from a broken relationship she applies for a job in Strasburg at a Mennonite Information Center. She hates to leave her grandma behind especially since she has Alzheimer’s disease. But when Anne mentions her move to Strasburg her grandma shows interest and tries to tell Anne about waiting to meet someone at a stone wall. The past is locked away in Mammi’s mind . How can Anne help her Grandma find peace about her past.
If you love Amish Fiction and are a fan of Beverly Lewis I know you will love this story. The past and the present come together in this tender story of forbidden romance and Love. I highly recommend it .
I downloaded a Kindle ebook copy of this book to my Hoopla App. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
The Stone Wall is one of Beverly Lewis’s best yet. Lewis was my first Amish genre writer to read and I’ve never been disappointed.
Anna is a character filled with love for all those around her. Especially for her Alzheimers stricken grandmother. I can only dream of having the patience and understanding that Anna portrays not only with her grandmother but with little mute Emmie. Speaking of Emmie she will steal your heart.
I found the story calming during my current life of anxiety and stress-filled days. I see it becoming one of the rare books I will reread many times.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Bethany House, through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
The Stone Wall is a sweet, charming story!
As per Beverly Lewis’ signature style, kindness radiates from each of her well-written characters. In The Stone Wall, Anna Beachy seeks the positive in everything. She continuously turns to God in prayer, putting all her trust in His will. Anna isn’t impulsive and discerns her actions carefully. She’s a sweet character!
I happily recommend this book to anyone looking for a new story set in beautiful Lancaster County!
The Stone Wall is available now! Visit Baker Book House or Christian Book to purchase your copy!
I received a complimentary electronic copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley. A positive review was not required. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
#Stone Wall # by Beverly Lewis is an Amish Christian fiction book. Beverly is a best selling author and has written many books. Some of her books have become movies. Stone Wall is set in Strasburg. , Pennsylvania.. Strasburg is an Amish town which has Old Amish roots. The Old Amish were more traditional and did not use electricity or drive cars. Anna the main character is kind and caring. She volunteers her time at a horse therapy place for special needs kids. She sees the value of the horse therapy and is so supportive of the kids she works with. The themes in the story are sacrificial love, faithfulness. The story is beautifully written. This story has good character qualities in it. Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book. I will post my review on facebook, Amazon, Goodreads, Bookbub, Barnes and Noble, Books a Million, CBD.com. , my blog.
Friends I just had to write this review even though I’m not finished with the book yet. I was so excited when I seen this book because it’s not often that a Beverly Lewis book is on Netgalley. Of course, I downloaded it right away!
I wasn’t disappointed! Her books are always a treat to read! I’m almost finished with this one because I just couldn’t put it down. I’m tired but it’s a good kind of tired. I haven’t read a book quite this good in a long while and plus I’ve been in a reading slump so this was just what I needed to pick my reading back up.
There are so many interesting places that were named in this book and Lewis has done a very good job in describing them that I felt like I was there seeing it through Anna’s eyes and helping the tourists myself!
Her faith in God is truly amazing and I sometimes envy her for that because sometimes I find myself getting very discouraged sometimes ( many times) actually. Faith is never easy that’s for sure and for me it’s been a challenge throughout the years.
Yes, life can be discouraging but if we let it, it can and will keep us hostage as long as we let it if that makes sense.
There are lots of good quotes in this book and some of them are really uplifting. I consider them a gentle reminder from God to always look to Him and let Him guide us if it’s His will. Through Him all good things will come if we trust Him enough and put Him in our lives first.
Anna is a girl who loves books just like me. I always like to keep one handy. You never know when you might need one to pass the time. History is a favorite of mine. I love learning things and refreshing myself at times too.
I think Anna’s occupation is very interesting. I could imagine myself doing her job.
The many characters that are in this story is interesting like horse therapy. I enjoyed meeting Gabe and seeing his farm. A very interesting occupation as well.
I got to go to an Amish farm on a tour bus one year and I really enjoyed it. Our tour guide was Mennonite and she was a cousin to the people whose farm we were going to. It was such a fun day.
I really highly recommend this book. It is going on my fall list of 2020 books to read and I think I”ll also add it to my shelf along with my favorite books.
Thank you Beverly Lewis for another fine book! I always look forward to your stories and they are such a treat!
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this fine book and I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own!
When Anna comes to stay with Sadie and Glen her life will change forever. In this book you will read about a child suffering the loss of her mother. You will learn how wonderful people like Gabe is there to help children with disabilities. Anna and Gabe’s story will have you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next.
Beverly Lewis is a amazing author each and everyone of her books are inspirational stories that you can’t stop reading.
This is the first spilt time amish novel I’ve read and it was okay and the fact that Beverly Lewis wrote it made it all delightful.
Split time novels always open my eyes to God’s workings and goodness in the lives of people; similar yet unique.
This one will delightful and worth reading, filled with a lot of history, love, family, rich amish life, perseverance and faith.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and this is my honest opinion.
The Stone Wall is a wonderful blend of past and present stories between a young woman and her beloved grandmother. I liked the parallel of their lives as Anna sets off for Strasburg and her grandmother, who was growing more withdrawn into Alzheimer’s perks up and speaks briefly of her time there in her youth. Things seemed to fall into place for a once heartbroken Anna, and I cheered her on as she was open to try so many new and enjoyable things she never considered at home. Her yearning for a new start in a new place while discovering God’s will unfolds in such a wonderful way as she deepens her faith. As with all of Beverly Lewis’ books, the characters are people you wouldn’t mind sitting down with for a good cup of coffee. The book is easy to read but will warm your heart as your learn more about Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat and the youthful romance between Anna’s grandmother and a handsome young Old Order Amish man.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy good Amish fiction but looking for something a little different this time: a romantic story that includes a young, progressive Beachy Amish woman, a Mennonite man and….an Old Order Amish man. A bit of a twist I say, to keep it interesting! Many thanks for an advanced reader copy of this book by Bethany House Fiction and Netgalley.com for an honest, but independent review.
Beverly Lewish has written a wonderful generational story entitled The Stone Wall. Through this story, you will visit the past which becomes important to the present.
Anna is a young Beachy Amish woman who lives in Mifflinburg, PA (near the Amish Big Valley) and takes a job in Lancaster County. She is well received by everyone and makes a handful of Mennonite, Old Order Amish, and Beachy Amish friends. She also meets two gentlemen who become important in her life. Her new job as a tour guide and a volunteer at a horse farm add contentment and meaning to her being. Anna’s ailing grandmother back at home, has planted a seed of mystery in Anna’s mind. The mystery slowly begins to present clues through Anna’s work and travels until it almost solves itself in front of her eyes.
The Stone Wall is beautifully written and researched. The setting descriptions were spot on! I actually felt I was driving around Lancaster County visiting my favorite places! The dual time story was woven perfectly throughout. A must read book!