Life stops when you stop dreaming.
Hope ends when you stop believing.
Love ends when you stop caring.
Friendship ends when you stop sharing.
- Amish Proverb
(after dedication)
Title: A Sister's WishSeries: The Charmed Amish Life, Book 3
Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Publisher: Avon Inspire, An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Release Date: September 27, 2016
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Fiction
In Shelley Shepard Gray's third book in her Charmed Amish Life series, a respectable young woman finds herself falling for an Amish man from the wrong side of the tracks.
Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman---at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she's also harboring a secret: She's been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he's about as far from "perfect" as an Amish man could get . . . but that's exactly why she's so drawn to him.
Life hasn't been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he's determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past . . . unless it pertains to Amelia.
He's loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas---who just happens to be Simon's best friend---has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he's the only one who can truly make her happy.
But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together---and face their past mistakes. There's a chance for love . . . but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.
Amelia Kinsinger is the perfect Amish woman---at least according to her neighbors. And while Amelia takes pride in her role as homemaker, she's also harboring a secret: She's been in love with bad boy Simon Hochstetler for as long as she can remember. Too bad he's about as far from "perfect" as an Amish man could get . . . but that's exactly why she's so drawn to him.
Life hasn't been kind to Simon. He ran away from an abusive home at fifteen and things went downhill from there. Eventually, Simon landed in prison. But the experience changed him. Now back in Charm as a grown man, he's determined to make a new life for himself and not think too much about his wild past . . . unless it pertains to Amelia.
He's loved Amelia for years. To him, she represents everything good and kind in the world. When he realizes that she returns his affections, he starts calling on her in secret, even though her older brother Lukas---who just happens to be Simon's best friend---has made it perfectly clear that Amelia deserves better. Simon disagrees and believes he's the only one who can truly make her happy.
But when Amelia gets hurt, it sets off a chain of events that forces them to consider their future together---and face their past mistakes. There's a chance for love . . . but only if Simon dares to trust Amelia with the secrets of his past.
O my word. What intense emotions A Sister's Wish by Shelley Shepard Gray have in store for us. I didn't expect it. I didn't expect to read the words Simon said to Lukas, his best friend, as well as Amelia's brother. I didn't expect the tears to well up in my eyes, or Lukas' judgement. It's understandable, but doesn't make it right. It's painful to see, read and feel Simon's emotions. Lukas had always been one of my favorites in The Charmed Amish Life series, and I guess it felt personal when I see the mistakes he's made in his pursuit to protect his family. As to Simon, I honestly wasn't thrilled with his character in book 2, A Daughter's Dream. Funny how things change as we head into book 3. Don't get me wrong, Lukas is still a favorite. It's just that I realized I was like Lukas or Rebecca when it came to Simon. I judged him before I even knew him (at least more in a reading sense).I'm amazed with the discernment and insight I can get reading, especially from Christian fiction, like Shelley's books. And in case you were wondering, each one of these books can be read as a standalone.
Yes, the emotions were on high alert when it came to A Sister's Wish. The plot was simple, since the activity is mainly in the Kinsinger's home due to Amelia's accident. Yet, even with the simple settings, the characters' development throughout illuminates. The struggles Simon and his siblings encountered in the past, and Amelia's personal desire to break through the smothering of her siblings were very well written. The added touch of Simon and Tess' hope to help others with similar situations, well done. I guess that would be the only thing: I want to know more about this project and the boy. Yes, everything was just perfect, even the romance. From page one, I'm rooting for them. From page one, I want to keep turning the pages. From page one, Shelley had me.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.
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Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.
I really liked this book. I've read the other books in the Charm series. The characters are so familiar that I find myself wanting to know more about them.
ReplyDeleteDianna
I know what you mean, Dianna! I REALLY love this series. Seeing how they all handled grief so differently...
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thoughts.
ReplyDelete