Book description from Book Bub:
It’s the summer of 1951, and Maggie Esh is in need of some hope. Sweet-spirited and uncommonly pretty despite struggling with chronic illness, she is used to being treated kindly by the young men of her Old Order Amish church district. Yet Maggie wishes she were more like other courting-age girls so she could live a normal, healthy life.
To make matters more complicated, Dat has recently remarried, less than a year after her mother died. And while her stepmother is kind, Rachel is much younger than Mamm, and she simply doesn’t understand Maggie or her illness the way Mamm did.
When tent revival meetings come to the area, Maggie is curious, and the words of the Mennonite preacher challenge her to reconsider what she knows about faith. Can she learn to trust God even when hope seems a distant dream?”
My Review:
Beverly Lewis is a master storyteller and I’ve enjoyed many of her books. I think this is one of her best yet. I loved the character of Maggie. Her sensitive heart and yearning to grow spiritually made this a compelling story. I appreciated the historical research that went into this book. I don’t think I’ve ever read an Amish story that included the Mennonite revivals and this added a great deal to of interest and depth to the story. I also appreciated that the author presented Rachel, who was Maggie’s stepmother, in such a positive light. This was an inspiring and encouraging story. The ending was perfection. Bravo to Beverly Lewis for giving us such a wonderful book! As always, I look forward to reading the next one.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.