An Amish Bride

An Amish Bride by Rosalind Lauer is the second novel in Joyful River series. While An Amish Bride could be read as a standalone, I believe it is best to read An Amish Homecoming first. I thought An Amish Bride was well-written with developed characters. Miriam Lapp is my favorite. She is such a sweet woman who will not hesitate to meddle if it helps those she loves. The story is engaging with a good flow and pacing. We get to know Sadie Beiler and Sam Lapp. Sadie is best friends with Essie Lapp, Sam’s younger sister. Sadie spent her spare time in the Lapp household and considers it her second home. Sam had always seen Sadie as a sister until she blossomed into a beautiful woman. He finds that she is kind, gentle, and compassionate. Sam would like to court Sadie, but he hesitated too long. Sadie is now going with Mark Miller, but Sam is worried because he knows that Mark has a dark side. When Mark goes out of town without telling Sadie, she begins to question their relationship. She spends more time at the Lapp home and finds something unexpected. An Amish Bride by Rosalind Lauer is a sweet story. We get to follow the day-to-day life of the Amish. It is amazing how rules differ between church districts. I would have a hard time letting men make decisions for me. The Amish are bound by the rules set forth by the Bishop and the elders. Sadie must follow a ruling of the elders and learns how difficult it is to obey yet remain faithful. We get to catch up with the characters from An Amish Homecoming. They three sisters have been staying with the Lapp family for a year now and have a different perspective than when they arrived. A trip home sheds light on the differences between the two homes. The girls need to make decisions about their future. Isaac, Sam’s cousin, is making some hard decisions. He likes using his medical knowledge to help people and wants to continue doing so in the future. Isaac will need to make a choice between a higher education and being baptized in the Amish faith. I did find the book a little long and I would have liked less repetition. Some details are repeated twice or more. I enjoyed reading An Amish Bride. It is a great diversion from reality. I hope there will be another tale in the Joyful River series. An Amish Bride is a tender tale with a weepy wedding, strep throat sadness, a boorish beau, a firm friend, a disappointing decision, a meddling mother, and a happy house.

Loved It! Sadie Beiler and Sam Lapp have been friends for years. However, that begins to change when Sam starts seeing Sadie as more than just his sister's best friend. From that point on, Sam sees Sadie as the person he wants in his future. This is all good and well except that Sadie happens to be courting Mark, and she still sees Sam as her best friend's brother. That is, until one day, she begins to see Sam as more. Sam and Sadie's journey from friends to more than friends comes with some difficult challenges. While they navigate through their challenges, other characters from the story have their own journeys to navigate. However, the main characters' story remains at the forefront while the secondary characters' stories are intertwined, adding to the story without taking over. I absolutely loved An Amish Bride! It was sweet, intriguing, and inspiring. It brought up some difficult topics, but the author addressed each one flawlessly. Throughout the story are the messages of faith, love and God's will. Although this is the first book I've read by author Rosalind Lauer, it definitely will not be the last. Check it out for yourself and you'll understand why. **I received a copy of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley. All comments and opinions are strictly my own.

love it