With her Amish parents’ twentieth anniversary approaching, eighteen-year-old Sylvia Miller stumbles across a surprise–the old brass tinderbox her clockmaker father keeps in his Lancaster County shop has been left unlocked. Against her better judgment, Sylvia opens the cherished heirloom, not realizing that what she is about to discover will splinter apart her happy life. Sylvia’s bewilderment … bewilderment grows when her father confronts her about snooping in the box. To her amazement, the respected convert to the Old Order reacts as if he has something to hide.
Burdened by the weight of his deception, Earnest Miller decides he must reveal the details about his past to his beloved wife, Rhoda. The long-kept secret alters everything for the close-knit family, jeopardizing Earnest and Rhoda’s relationship, as well as threatening Sylvia’s recent engagement to the preacher’s grandson.
Can the Millers find a way forward through the turmoil to a place of forgiveness and acceptance?
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Wow!!! Not since Beverly Lewis’ book, The Shunning , have I been so caught up in any of her stories as I was this one. Totally a five star rating from this reader. Awesome reading experience as far as I’m concerned. How could it be any better?
Earnest Miller grew up in the fancy English world. His grandparents however were plain Mennonites and had a lot of influence in young Earnest Miller’s life. So when he was a young adult in college and he was hurt by someone he trusted and loved, he made a big change in his life. He went through a time of proving and then joined the Amish church. Soon he started to court a lovely Amish girl that he’d met at a road side vegetable stand. After a time they were married and started having children.
Earnest became a respectable Amish man in his community. In fact folks forgot he once was from the English world. But there was a secret that Earnest hid from his family and the Amish church. A secret that had the power to hurt his family should anyone discover the real truth that he was hiding, locked away in his Tinder Box. A secret that robbed Earnest of his peace of mind and drove him into deep conviction.
The motto of this story is not to keep hidden secrets from those you love and also the importance of having a forgiving heart. I thought it was a heart warming story that taught a good lesson on the importance of honesty with those you love. I loved the unpredictable twist near the end of the story that will leave readers anxious for the compelling conclusion to The Tinder Box. Wait for The Timepiece , available in September of 2019.
All readers of Amish Fiction and fans of Beverly Lewis will want to read the Tinder Box. I highly recommend it to my reader friends. This book is one of the authors best books.
I borrowed The Tinder Box from the local library. A review was not requested. All opinions shared here are my own truthful thoughts about this story.
3.5 STARS
Minor Spoiler Alert!
The Tinderbox is an intricately written story encompassing the lives of several members of an Old Order Amish family in Hickory Hollow. While this story is not fast-paced, it is steady in its forward progression. I found a lot of enjoyment in the slower pace and details regarding the Miller’s, especially the dad, Earnest.
It was an intimate glimpse into a community that continues to fascinate me and at the same time repel. The characters show great love for their own until one transgresses, then even after the most beautifully heartfelt and sincere confession and repentance, still harsh discipline is meted out; a six week Bann. That broke my heart. I realize this is the Amish way but it made me appreciate being a Christian and knowing that never do I have to fear that kind of discipline from my Heavenly Father or church Elders.
My head and heart were heavily invested in this story and I’m sure that’s why I was affected as deeply as I was. Lewis knows the culture and it shows. And she has added a rather shocking twist at the end that I am eager to read about in the conclusion coming out in September 2019, The Timepiece.
I received a paperback copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a review. No compensation has been received.
The Tinderbox is different from other Amish novels. It addresses unique issues. Sylvia is eighteen years old and has been courting Titus Kauffman, the preacher’s son. She is sure that he will propose soon. Sylvia has always been close to her father, but she does not understand why he is reluctant to discuss his past. When Sylvia gets the opportunity to look inside her father’s tinderbox, she cannot resist. Little did she know that her snooping would unleash a host of problems. In The Tinderbox we see what happens when an old secret is revealed and its repercussions. There is quite a bit going on in the story. Besides the secret, we have Sylvia’s relationship with Titus, Rhoda’s sister has suffered a miscarriage, and Preacher Mahlon Zook is dying. Mahlon Zook has cancer and he is the man who welcomed Earnest into the community. They have always been close, and his death is upsetting to Earnest. He needs to be there for the Zook family while dealing with his own problems. Titus is one individual I was not fond of in the story. As the story progresses, Titus’s disposition is revealed (I do not want to give anything away). The Tinderbox is well-written (as are all of Beverly Lewis’s novels) and the story progresses at a gentle pace (a little slow for my taste). The characters are developed and realistic. What I call Christian elements (prayer, faith, Scripture) are an intrinsic part of the story and the characters’ lives. We see how this secret causes issues of trust and creates a division. Is it possible to forgive and move forward? I like this phrase from The Tinderbox that addresses this issue “forgiveness is one of the greatest forms of love”. My favorite phrase from the book is “Remember, we’re connected to our heavenly Father by threads of love we can’t always see.” The ending will astonish readers and have you eager to read The Timepiece. The Tinderbox is a moving and intriguing Amish story.
Sylvia Miller snoops in her father’s Tinderbox, setting the course for a twenty-year-old secret to threaten to tear apart her family, her parents’ marriage and her community. It shakes the very core of everything she’s believed and has the potential to implode her relationship with her Dat. How can they all weather the coming storm?
When I first discovered Amish fiction early in my Christian fiction reading, Beverly Lewis was the author who introduced me this whole new world. I had devoured everything I could find by her! She’s always written with passion and a healthy respect for the Amish lifestyle. Therefore, I eagerly read this latest novel, barely wanting to put it down lest I miss something happening in the pages. And there’s a whole lot happening here to make your head spin! My heart ached for each hurt the characters experienced, for each doubt and fear and for strained relationships where there had been peaceful harmony. I think what I admired the most, is how they clung even closer to God and His promises in His word. Their faith never wavered and their struggle with their human emotions is something we all deal with from time to time. Sylvia, Earnest & Rhoda Miller are characters that I could easily see meeting if I ever visited the Amish community they were a part of. Though they went through fiery trials, each took it with a measure of grace and grew in faith as they depended on God to help them through it. I know I hate to see characters go through hard things, but I love seeing their growth in the end as it gives me hope in my own trials! Forgiveness, redemption, and restoration are strong themes in this one. Lastly, though I don’t like cliffhangers at the end of a book, there was enough closure to satisfy me and looking forward to “The Timepiece” coming September 2019.
This one’s for Beverly Lewis fans, Amish fiction fans and those who want an emotionally charged, faith-filled book with characters to care about.
*I received a complimentary copy from Bethany House via Netgalley and was not required to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *
When Sylvia finds her fathers tinderbox unlocked her life and the families life will change. The family goes through so much pain, you will feel God working throughout this wonderful book. You won’t be able to stop reading this book. I would give this book a higher rating than a five star review if I could.
“Hard work puts meat on your bones…and builds strong character.” Ack, character: for sure and for certain the centerpiece of yet another Amish tale Beverly Lewis has brought us. A family and couple(s) are in crisis. The Tinderbox out in her father’s clockmaking workshop has tempted Sylvia ever since she was small. Little does Sylvia realize the Pandora’s Box she will be opening as she peeks inside.
While not a fast-moving book, The Tinderbox deals with some of the strongest human emotions possible: intense human love, lust, (very tastefully dealt with), anger, fear, deceit, betrayal, and despair. I have my suspicions about a few others that we may not realize until the sequel, The Timepiece, is out in September of this year.
It has been said that women are emotional creatures. I thought about this a lot as I read The Tinderbox. It was easy to put myself in either Rhoda or Sylvia’s place. I wondered if the stress and emotions would be unbearable.
God has said He will not give us more than we can bear. While Rhoda, Sylvia, Hannah, and Earnest all must have questioned this, God provided a special friend for the ladies as well as for Earnest in his time of need. It was fun to visit with the Wise Woman of Hickory Hollow, Ella Mae, yet again.
Everyone needs an Ella Mae in his/her life.
Five. That many months until the sequel comes out. I need it now. Lewis neatly sets us up for The Timepiece, and I, for one, don’t want to wait!
Quotable:
“Have you fallen so far that the Lord can’t reach down and pick you up?”
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review, and all opinions are my own.
I am a Beverly Lewis fam so when I saw this book at my local library I grabbed it up. It was such a great read that kept my attention that I read it in one day, This is an Amish mystery and it keeps you guessing so that you can’t guess what will happen until almost the end of the book. The author doesn’t disappoint.
Tell the truth from the beginning was the best message from this book
A wonderful story filled with surprises that will leave readers wanting more. A fantastic tale that fans of Amish fiction will enjoy.
It is an interesting and inspirational read.
Again Beverly Lewis dose not disappoint. An Amish family struggles with a family members past. The daughter questions her engagement. The family is restored then comes another curve ball in the story. Family love of God, each other and the community that stands with them and some that do not. You will enjoy this book also if you have ready any of her past books. Great story line.
The Tinderbox has an interesting premise with likeable characters and an old tinderbox that fascinated me. I didn’t want to know what was in it but yet I was every bit as curious as Sylvia was. I will be honest and admit that the storyline was a bit slow for me until a few chapters in and the pace picked up.
I was surprised by the contents in that tinderbox and how it exposed secrets that would cause so much upheaval in the lives of the Miller family, a family that seemed so perfect. I was undecided if Sylvia did a disservice to her father by opening the box she had been forbidden to open or if she was right to do it because facing facts while owning up to past mistakes can be good for the soul.
I started to enjoy this book much more as I continued to read it and was disappointed when it ended but the good news is the next book, The Timepiece releases in September 2019. I have a feeling it’s going to be a good read and I look forward to finding out what happens in this Amish community.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.
Yes, I enjoyed this read, and be aware that all of the answers are not forth coming, there is a sequel coming in September 2019, and I am looking forward to it!
What a can of worms this young woman releases when she does what she is old enough to know better, and ready to join the church, but she opens a forbidden object that will change hers and her families lives forever.
This is just the beginning of the iceberg, and loved how as we get to the end of this book, there are more bombshells dropped.
Watch as the community’s relationships and opinions change, and yes, they are human, and all are sinners.
This is a very interesting book; the pages flew and I was too soon at the end!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.
I liked The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis very much and it hooked me right away. The love shared between Earnest and Rhoda Miller spills over into the lives of their five children. Sylvia, the oldest, has dreams of having a close relationship like her parents have with her new fiancee, Titus. It was her curiosity about the one heirloom her father kept locked on a shelf in his shop that niggled at her imagination and tempted her since childhood. One day, by the merest chance, the box was left unlocked and because of that burning curiosity, she opened it and the ensuing can of worms had a ripple effect on her family and her relationship with Titus.
While the secrets in the box cuts deeply into the fabric of their lives, Sylvia begins to notice things about her own relationships along the way to healing her family. Titus, whom she thinks the world of, may not be the man she believed him to be. She is second guessing a lot of things that she took for granted yet she remains the kind, generous spirit her parents raised her to be. As she grows, she begins to think much more independently and I felt myself cheering her on.
At the heart of the matter is her father, and his sin of omission before joining the Amish community in Hickory Hollow. The family may never be the same and yet in the midst of it all, they begin to look at their faith in new ways. Beverly Lewis has created characters that have depth and appeal. They are alive with the tension and love that comes from facing serious challenges. I recommend this book for its strong characters, good plot and the promise of hope for better things to come.
It was a good story as are all of Beverly Lewis’ books.
A quick read.
I liked the story about teenagers curiosity and the trouble as a result. Her father’s secret caused even more problems which did get resolved. Then another problem came up. That is where the book ends. The need to read the next book to resolve this new occurrence and see how the daughter’s romance with a young man, left me hanging. I am only on social security and limit what I can buy to no more than $1.99 except on rare occasions. This book was $9.99. I will keep a look out to see if it goes on sale.
loved it
Very entertaining read
I didn’t like the ending, that leaves one open until they read the next book. Too much of a long shot to have a grown daughter show up just after his severe punishment.