Audio Release Date:  May 9, 2017
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Amish Fiction

In the final installment of the Amish Heirloom series, the Fisher sisters learn the mystery behind their parents’ marriage—and about the sibling who has never been spoken of.

Mattie Fisher’s three daughters know that she’s been keeping a secret from them. With each item pulled from the beloved family hope chest, they’ve discovered a new clue about their mother’s past.

But there’s a reason Mattie has been keeping her history hidden, and she’s not sure she’s ready to reopen old wounds. Will dredging up the past change the way her children view her? Or her marriage to their father? And can she handle the pain of revisiting the memories that preceded the last few happy decades?

Mattie’s story is one of grief and learning to love again. But like the best things preserved in a hope chest, it's a story of love and redemption born out of heartache—and it's past time to share it.

When a beginning comes to an end, the end may very well just be the beginning. I remember writing this sentence on the last page of my final portfolio in college.  In a few days, graduation will come and I'll be starting a new chapter.  Why am I telling you this, and what does it have to do with a book review for The Beloved Hope Chest by Amy Clipston? Well, The Beloved Hope Chest may be the last installment of the Amish Heirloom series, but it is far from being the last or the end. You see, this story is just the beginning, at least for the Fisher family.

"He loved Mattie with all his heart. He hoped someday soon she would love him back." (108)

Amy Clipston had penned a story that reaches into our hearts and tug.  Tug it does, and wrenched it did. Emotional, touching, poignant too, but also stirring a bit of something as well. And that something is love.  As I continue on The Beloved Hope Chest, page by page, the following scripture pound on the back of my mind throughout.

 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

The grief Mattie felt was strong. The pain of lost immeasurable.  Then there's the quiet understanding and patience of true love that awaits. Beautiful. It reminds me of the sacrificial love of our Savior, the forgiving love of our King, and the patient love of our Father. There's something invigorating about all that. It reinforce the meaning of true love.

 "Happiness is like a butterfly: the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit quietly on your shoulders." (92)

The great thing about The Beloved Hope Chest is that you can read it first or even out of order. True, you might find out a little about the romance for Veronica, Rachel or Emily, Mattie and Leroy's daughters, but I think it'll give you a different insight as you read the others.  Or you can read it as it was meant to be, the conclusion, because it does wrap things up, answering all the questions that you may have along the way with the other books in the series.  Either way, you will not be disappointed. This series have truly captured by heart with the message of grief, love and patience. I'm a little sad that it has come to an end, but like what I mentioned at the start of this post, this may just be the beginning of something else.