The Amish Quilter

I thought this book was absolutely mesmerizing and found it very hard to walk away from when other activities were calling my name. This author is a delightfully talented storyteller and the more clues she provided throughout the story, the more interesting and compelling Linda’s grandmother’s story became. Combining the art of quilting with Linda’s grandmother’s art of painting was a wonderful way to tell the story of Linda’s growing maturity. Though I wasn’t always happy with the way she treated Isaac, I hoped that she would come to see that life is not black and white and is full of shades of grey that cause us to search our hearts and our minds and help us grow. One thing I can be always be sure of is that I know I will learn something new about myself when I read a Christian fiction book. In this case this wonderful story and interesting characters have taught me that I have yet to master the art of putting everything in my life in God’s hands as the Amish do. A great story, a romance and a lesson in life make this book a wonderfully heartwarming reading experience. I read an early copy of this book from Harvest House Publishers through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

The Amish Quilter by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould is the fifth novel in The Women of Lancaster County series. Linda Mueller works at Arts & Crafts House as well as making quilts to sell in the shop. The quilts she makes for the shop are more artistic than those she makes for use at home. Linda started quilting when she was eight with her mother and is known as a perfectionist. Isaac Mast has moved to town to start house painting business and is living with his grandmother, Ruth Mast. In his spare time, Isaac does artistic paintings that he sells online. When Linda sees his work in progress of Robert’s barn, it gives her inspiration for a quilt. Linda learns that her artistic abilities come from her Mammi Nettie. One day she discovers a book along with a painting that belonged to Mammi. They lead her on a journey into the past, and she uncovers an astonishing secret. As Isaac and Linda spend time together, they get to know each other. But something from Isaac’s past could derail their romance. Will Linda let her idealism stand in the way? Find out what happens in The Amish Quilter.

The Amish Quilter is well-written story with an interesting plot. It is much more than an Amish romance. The Amish Quilter is a multifaceted story. We get to know Linda Mueller and her family. As the youngest, Linda’s siblings tend to make decisions on her behalf and tell her what to do (made me happy I was the oldest child). We get to see the inner dynamics of a large Amish family. Linda is struggling with her place in the community and her desire to create art. Her perfectionism and ideals are holding her back. Other issues addressed in the story are depression and autism. The authors handle these difficult topics deftly. I liked Linda’s artistic abilities, but her attitude made her hard to like as a person. She did not like being the odd man out in the family. Others would know something that Linda did not which made her whiny and sound like a six-year-old. I was happy to see Linda’s character develop (grow and mature) as the story progressed. The Amish Quilter is part of a series, but it is a standalone (like all the books in the series). The pace was a little slow and it took me some time to get into the book. Once I got into the book, though, I was intrigued. Linda’s quest for information led to some interesting discoveries about her family. The Amish Quilter is a realistic and emotional story. I am giving The Amish Quilter 4 out of 5 stars.