Shana R. (LynniePennie) reviewed on 10/30/2011 + 169 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

There's not too often that when I put a book I'm reading down, that I can't wait to pick it back up and start reading it again. Though, that's exactly what happened everytime I put "Treasuring Emma" down. I had some apprehension picking out another Amish story, as the last few I have read were the run of the mill "goodie two shoes" Amish characters who were written perfect in nearly everyway. That is definitely not the case with this book and the anything but, stereotypical characters.

The story starts out with Emma losing her mother after a long battle to cancer. After her mother's death she and her grandmother are left in their large home without much money. Of course, after her mother dies the vultures start to circle. Namely, her sister Clara, who has money problems of her own and absolutely no respect for her well meaning husband Peter. Clara doesn't want to trust the Lord to provide for her and her family when Peter cannot find work, so she is scheming to move her whole family in with Emma and use their grandfather's tool shed as a yarn/fabric shop. Which, Emma is very much opposed to.

Then in comes Peter's scheming cousin from out of town Mark. Mark is a smooth talking fake who secretly despises all things Amish and he doesn't mind using everyone to get ahead. When he lays eyes on Emma's large home he lays plans on taking advantage of Emma's desparate situation to get himself ahead.

If that's not enough Emma's best friend and first love Adam comes back into town. Adam had broken Emma's heart when he left his strict Amish family during his rumspringa to live among the "English". Adam now cannot keep away from Emma's farm and he tries to help her, but he knows Emma is still hurt by his decision to leave her and his family years ago. To make matters worse for Adam and Emma, the weasel Mark is paying attention to Emma... way too much attention... which Adam can tell is fake. He just cannot understand how the usually smart Emma could fall for Mark's sweet words. Adam during this time is also dealing with his own emotions of leaving the English world or coming back to the Amish lifestyle and his controlling father's iron hand.

I just loved these all too realistic characters that Kathleen Fuller created. This story really kept me engrossed to the last page. I am definitely adding these "Middlefield Family" novels to my must read list. If you like Amish novels yet, get bored of the mostly perfect characters, then this book is for you!

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