Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
Excellent book with complicated characters and situations. I have yet to read the first book in this series, but enough of the backstory was provided that I did not feel lost. It does make me want to go back and read the first one. Three main characters - Yvonne, Abraham, and Brianna - are involved in a love triangle. In the previous book, Yvonne met Abraham when she visited the town and attended her friends, Jake and Eva's wedding. Yvonne and Abraham connected there, with Abraham developing feelings for her. He wrote to her after she returned to Texas, but still grieving the death of her fiancé, Yvonne never answered his letters.
Months later, Yvonne moves to Montgomery for a new start. Jake and Eva hired her to manage the bookstore while Eva is on bedrest and Jake works the family farm. She looks forward to a quieter and simpler life and the possibility of seeing Abraham again.
Abraham is a former Amish man who left the community to become a police officer. He likes his work but occasionally wonders if he made the right choice. In other decisions, after not hearing from Yvonne for three months, Abraham starts dating newcomer Brianna. Brianna is a modern city woman, making me wonder why she latched onto a former Amish and still very conservative Abraham. Brianna is very intense, possessive, and controlling. When she hears about Yvonne's arrival in town, she quickly stakes her claim on Abraham.
I loved seeing the relationship develop between Abraham and Yvonne. She is conscious of his relationship with Brianna and unwilling to break them up, puts him firmly in the "friend zone." Abraham is happy to renew his friendship with Yvonne but quickly realizes that he is much more attracted to Yvonne than Brianna. He finds frequent reasons to help Yvonne, from helping her with her house to providing her with a Christmas tree. It was easy to see that Abraham and Yvonne have much in common and are very suited to each other.
Brianna is intense and tries to push Abraham faster in their relationship than he is willing to go. The Amish values he was raised with are still integral to who Abraham is, and he has made his position very clear to Brianna. When he is injured in the line of duty, Brianna moves in to help him, putting her own spin on the situation. Her methods of getting her way are dishonest and manipulative. It doesn't take long for Abraham to realize that it is time for them to part ways, but his soft heart worries about hurting her. There were some scary moments with Brianna, but I ended up feeling sorry for her.
With his relationship with Brianna sorted out, Abraham was free to spend time with Yvonne. I loved watching their connection grow and strengthen as they shared their beliefs and dreams. The incident that ended with Abraham's injury has caused him to question his future as a police officer and his decision to leave his Amish faith. But returning to the Amish would mean leaving Yvonne behind. Both need to look deep within their hearts to find the right answers. I loved their honest communication about the pros and cons. The ending was terrific, with a sweet twist.
There were a couple of mysteries running through the book. One was creepy and scary. Not long after Yvonne moved into her house, she began having problems with an apparent stalker. Someone tried to break into her home, and there were nights when Yvonne's dog would bark an alert that someone was lurking. The resolution of this issue was intense and heartbreaking. The second mystery was simply intriguing. Jake told Yvonne of an old story involving the bookstore and a rumored cache of valuable coins. With the number of renovations the building has gone through over the years, with no one finding them, Jake and Yvonne suspect that it's all talk and no substance. Then an unexpected discovery lends credence to the rumors. I hope that there will be more about this in the next book.
I can't end this review without talking about the dog. One night when she came home, Yvonne found a dog curled up on her porch. She is terrified of dogs after an incident when she was a child. The dog is a pitiful specimen - very thin and dirty but not aggressive. Over the next few days, Yvonne's kind heart overcomes her fears, and the dog wriggles his way into her life. I loved watching the tentative bond grow between them. Yvonne won my heart when she brought the dog inside on a snowy night. Her decision to keep him was not unexpected, and I loved the comfort and companionship he gave her. He was also protective, which gave Abraham a few worrisome moments but was a good thing in the end.
#netgalley
Months later, Yvonne moves to Montgomery for a new start. Jake and Eva hired her to manage the bookstore while Eva is on bedrest and Jake works the family farm. She looks forward to a quieter and simpler life and the possibility of seeing Abraham again.
Abraham is a former Amish man who left the community to become a police officer. He likes his work but occasionally wonders if he made the right choice. In other decisions, after not hearing from Yvonne for three months, Abraham starts dating newcomer Brianna. Brianna is a modern city woman, making me wonder why she latched onto a former Amish and still very conservative Abraham. Brianna is very intense, possessive, and controlling. When she hears about Yvonne's arrival in town, she quickly stakes her claim on Abraham.
I loved seeing the relationship develop between Abraham and Yvonne. She is conscious of his relationship with Brianna and unwilling to break them up, puts him firmly in the "friend zone." Abraham is happy to renew his friendship with Yvonne but quickly realizes that he is much more attracted to Yvonne than Brianna. He finds frequent reasons to help Yvonne, from helping her with her house to providing her with a Christmas tree. It was easy to see that Abraham and Yvonne have much in common and are very suited to each other.
Brianna is intense and tries to push Abraham faster in their relationship than he is willing to go. The Amish values he was raised with are still integral to who Abraham is, and he has made his position very clear to Brianna. When he is injured in the line of duty, Brianna moves in to help him, putting her own spin on the situation. Her methods of getting her way are dishonest and manipulative. It doesn't take long for Abraham to realize that it is time for them to part ways, but his soft heart worries about hurting her. There were some scary moments with Brianna, but I ended up feeling sorry for her.
With his relationship with Brianna sorted out, Abraham was free to spend time with Yvonne. I loved watching their connection grow and strengthen as they shared their beliefs and dreams. The incident that ended with Abraham's injury has caused him to question his future as a police officer and his decision to leave his Amish faith. But returning to the Amish would mean leaving Yvonne behind. Both need to look deep within their hearts to find the right answers. I loved their honest communication about the pros and cons. The ending was terrific, with a sweet twist.
There were a couple of mysteries running through the book. One was creepy and scary. Not long after Yvonne moved into her house, she began having problems with an apparent stalker. Someone tried to break into her home, and there were nights when Yvonne's dog would bark an alert that someone was lurking. The resolution of this issue was intense and heartbreaking. The second mystery was simply intriguing. Jake told Yvonne of an old story involving the bookstore and a rumored cache of valuable coins. With the number of renovations the building has gone through over the years, with no one finding them, Jake and Yvonne suspect that it's all talk and no substance. Then an unexpected discovery lends credence to the rumors. I hope that there will be more about this in the next book.
I can't end this review without talking about the dog. One night when she came home, Yvonne found a dog curled up on her porch. She is terrified of dogs after an incident when she was a child. The dog is a pitiful specimen - very thin and dirty but not aggressive. Over the next few days, Yvonne's kind heart overcomes her fears, and the dog wriggles his way into her life. I loved watching the tentative bond grow between them. Yvonne won my heart when she brought the dog inside on a snowy night. Her decision to keep him was not unexpected, and I loved the comfort and companionship he gave her. He was also protective, which gave Abraham a few worrisome moments but was a good thing in the end.
#netgalley
