An Amish Harvest
Four Novellas
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4.8 • 17 Ratings
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
Faith, hope, and love remain forever in season in this collection of four richly absorbing novellas set amidst the wonder of an Amish autumn.
Under the Harvest Moon, by Beth Wiseman
When Naomi Dienner is suddenly widowed, she never expects to find love again . . . until she meets Brock Mulligan, an English family friend hired at harvest time. As a sinister presence begins to threaten Naomi, Brock seeks to prove himself trustworthy while struggling with growing feelings for Naomi and her children. Will God open Naomi’s heart—and give Brock his own second chance at love?
Love and Buggy Rides, by Amy Clipston
Janie Lantz is a cashier at Lancaster Souvenirs and Buggy Rides, where Jonathan Stoltfuz is a buggy driver. A frightening accident brings Janie and Jonathan together in a blossoming friendship, yet daunting obstacles stand between them and something deeper. Can love kindle into flames that burn away fear and regret—and lead them to a life together?
Mischief in the Autumn Air, by Vannetta Chapman When items start going above market value at his auction house, Eli Wittmer is first thrilled, and then puzzled. But when the pieces are linked to an elderly couple in their district, Eli and his new bookkeeper, Martha Beiler track down a trail of clues. Will they solve the mystery before the fall festival ends—and discover an unexpected new love?
A Quiet Love, by Kathleen Fuller Dinah Hochstetler, quiet and bookish, longs for marriage but hides in her shyness. Amos Mullett, a simple farmer, knows he’s different but aches for a loving wife. As Dinah and Amos navigate a budding romance, will the power of love—and the blessing of God—be enough to overcome their doubters?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Each of the four novellas from these veterans of Amish fiction is set in an Amish community at autumn harvest time. Wiseman's entry features a young mother with two small children who hides a secret to protect her dead husband's good name. In Clipston's story, a witness to an accident is forbidden by her family to come forward with the truth. An introvert finds her shyness nearly unbearable after developing a stutter in Fuller's tale. And in Chapman's story, a widow, forced to live with a crotchety aunt, buries herself in mystery stories until she finds herself on an unexpected real-life quest. The transition and renewal inspired by the autumn harvest underpin each of the tales; the characters, towns, and situations are all distinct and relatable. Each of the stories contains a dire or trying circumstance that allows new paths of friendship and love to grow. The sweet romances set against the simplicity of Amish life make for great end-of-summer reading. These four standalone tales will appeal to readers of both Amish fiction and inspirational romance.
Customer Reviews
Delightful stories!
An Amish Harvest contains four stories by Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, Vannetta Chapman, and Amy Clipston. Under the Harvest Moon (Beth Wiseman) is set in Paradise, Pennsylvania. Naomi Dienner is a widow with two children. Her husband recently passed away and Naomi is not exactly sad. Stephen, her husband, was abusive to her, but Naomi did not tell anyone. Brock Mulligan was hired by Gideon, Naomi’s father to harvest her fields. Brock and Naomi get to know each other, but Naomi is not sure she can ever trust another man. Will Naomi be able to get over Stephen’s abuse and have a happy future?
Love and Buggy Rides (Amy Clipston) is set in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania. Janie Lantz has a new job as cashier at Lancaster Buggy Rides and Souvenirs. On her first day Janie witnesses an accident between a car and one of the buggy drivers. Janie is not questioned by the police at the time. Later on, Janie hears that the car driver is blaming Jonathan Stoltzfus, the buggy driver, for the accident. Janie wants to come forward to clear his name, but her father forbids it. Will Janie listen to her conscience or her father?
A Quiet Love (Kathleen Fuller) takes place in Middlefield, Ohio. Dinah Keim has a bad stutter and prefers to be alone (to read book, write poetry, and not be judged). Her mother is sending her to help her Aunt Judith in Ohio. Dinah meets Amos who is different. These two form a bond. But are they meant to be?
Mischief in the Autumn Air by Vannetta Chapman is the final story. Martha Beiler is a widow in Sugar Creek, Ohio. Martha has just received a letter from Aunt Irene who is offering her a place to live in Shipshewana (there are a few rules though). Martha has no choice but to accept. Aunt Irene is not the most pleasant person in the world and Martha is thankful for the job she gets at a local auction barn (Bishop arranged it for her). Eli Wittmer owns the auction barn and is having trouble adjusting to Martha’s sunny disposition (and many suggestions). During the Fall Festival (they are very busy), Martha notices some unusual bidders. She tries to warn Eli but he ignores her. Three items went for an unusually high price and they were sold to the strange bidders. Upon further examination, they discover parts of a map on the three pieces. The furniture belonged to Jacob and Charity Weaver who just moved into a retirement home. Eli and Martha set off to get answers and unravel the mystery.
An Amish Harvest was a pleasure to read. Each story was well-written, had likeable and engaging characters, and a moral lesson (that apply to all readers). An example is relying on God and his plan for each of our lives. The stories are short (the last one is the longest), but they are packed with charm. I enjoyed the fall time period. It is my favorite time of year and the one thing I miss by living in Florida (we never really have a fall). My favorite story was Mischief in the Autumn Air. I liked the unique mystery, the setting, and the characters (Martha had a good outlook on life and personality). I give An Amish Harvest 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). You can purchase the book whole or you can buy the stories individually (if you just wanted one or two of them). I will definitely read books by each of these authors in the future.
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. The comments and opinions expressed are strictly my own.