PUBLISHER DESCRIPTION
“Friendship Letters Series — Doretta Schwartz has always enjoyed writing letters and feels her letters can be a bit of a ministry to her friends. In this series, exchanging letters that contain open and honest feeling and struggles helps Doretta and two of her best friends through the darkest challenges of their lives.
A Simple Letter Carries Inspiration for Healing
Life is good on their Pennsylvania Amish farm for newlyweds Vic and Eleanor Lapp—until the day Vic’s youngest brother drowns in their pond and Vic turns to alcohol to numb the pain. Things get so bad that Vic loses his job and their marriage is coming apart. Eleanor is desperate to help her husband and writes letters to her friend, Doretta, living in Indiana for advice. The trust Eleanor places in her friend and the gentle words she receives in return are a balm for even darker days to come in this first book of The Friendship Letters series by New York Times Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter.”
Click here to purchase a copy:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B81D1S9P?_bbid=125265403&tag=individualbookpagesite-20
My Review:
This is the first book in a new series by Wanda Brunstetter. The story takes place in the present day in an Amish community near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The two main characters, Vic and Eleanor Lapp, are newlyweds who are enjoying the beginning of their life together. But when tragedy enters their family life, things suddenly take an unexpected turn, and not for the better. Eleanor’s faith is challenged, and she finds that she needs the support of family and friends as things seem to progressively even worse.
This book’s topic is somewhat different than what we usually see from author Wanda Brunstetter, as it deals with the topic of alcoholism. I would suggest that before you begin reading this book, you read the author’s notes to her readers at the back of the book. Mrs. Brunstetter describes her own past experience in dealing with a family member addicted to alcohol. The experiences of the fictional couple of Vic and Eleanor mirror some of the actual life experiences of Mrs. Brunstetter. I think reading her personal story adds depth to this book and explains the stages that Eleanor had to experience as she attempted to help Vic get control of his life again.
Wanda Brunstetter always tells a good story that reflects the values of faith, hope, and love, and these themes appear all though the story. When I first began reading, I wasn’t quite sure that I really wanted to read Vic’s story. But as I was reading, I came to realize that this might be one of her most influential books. She deals with this topic with great sensitivity and compassion. There’s encouragement for all of us in Vic and Eleanor’s struggle. I’m recommending this book as a story well worth reading.
I voluntarily received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
“New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter’s inspirational romance novels have captured the hearts of millions of readers and based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life has made her Amish Country’s Most Beloved Storyteller.
Considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, Brunstetter’s fascination with the simple life began when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church with close ties to his family’s Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sisters-in-law caused the author to yearn for the simpler life. Brunstetter’s desire to explore the Amish culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.
In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America, and many of her books are read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs. Whenever she visits her Amish friends, Brunstetter finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity and close family ties, which is in stark contrast to the chaos and busyness that plagues so many modern “Englishers.” Time and time again, Brunstetter loses her heart in the Amish life, and she hopes her readers will, too.
The author of nearly 100 books translated in four languages and with more than 10 million copies sold, Brunstetter’s stories consistently earn spots on bestseller lists including New York Times, Publishers Weekly, USA Today, CBA, ECPA and CBD.”