Amelia "Amy" DeVries, a 24-year-old violinist, is disillusioned with life and love after the collapse of her long-running romance. Weary of endless rehearsals and performances, Amy sets out on a road trip through the Pennsylvania mountains. She leaves her cell phone behind so life's demands can't intrude on her solitude. She doesn't know, nor care, where she will end up.When her car breaks down deep in the mountains, Amy realizes the flaw in her "no cell phone" plan. She abandons her car and walks the winding roads, searching for help. Following the smell of woodsmoke and the sound of music, she finds a rustic log cabin. There she meets a young Amishman--and through him a community--that will change her life forever. AMAZON 5 Stars is what I am giving it.
This is a book that I have wanted to read for some time. That made me somewhat nervous because I was hoping that my expectations weren't too high to be met. I can now relax, the story was even more than I expected. I loved it.
I liked both of the main characters and it was easy to be drawn to them really quickly. One thing that became clear right off the bat was that both Amelia and Michael had something common. It was that their fathers were strong minded, controlling fathers. Although they manipulated in different ways, it was still them trying to control them and MAKE them go a certain way. I'm not saying they didn't love their children but t was with the attitude that their way was the ONLY way. The fathers felt that they knew what was best, and there was little or no input from the "kids" about what they felt or wanted. Even Amelia's agent, Stoney was often overbearing and pushy. Another good thing is that both father's mellowed somewhat. Although it was a journey, a struggle at times to get there. Michael (Mike) was such a tender, kind man and also very talented. In fact both Michael and Amelia were both highly talented. Or as Wise Woman said,"Gifted". There were so many good people in this story and some of them were from the Amish people.
I liked Michael's mother, she also had a heart's desire for her son's life but at least she prayed and wasn't as harsh like his father. Although, she too thought she knew what was best for hm. I did notice though that although she prayed she didn't ask what God wanted. But then again, I could see that she thought she knew and the traditions of her community kind of kept her in that box. The friendship that develops between Amelia and Joanna was sweet and quick to grow. As was Amelia's friendship with the Amish, Wise Woman, someone who loved God full out. She was a great addition and she really knew her God and wasn't afraid to express it. Seems she often walked along the edges of her community's rules and regulation and lived free. Some she just ignored. She really did understand the quote that I liked in the book- "We know the truth, not only by the reason but also by the heart"-Blaise Pascal. Ain't that the truth?
Wise Woman also often said, "Courage is fear on its knees". That is a phrase/ a wisdom worth keeping!!!
It really got to me that the community's Swiss ancestors longed for the freedom to worship the Lord God and live Plain Lives.
But it often felt like some of that religious freedom is lacking in current days because of all the man made rules and regs, traditions of man. Now that's not to say that there weren't some really beautiful things in the Amish lifestyle. That was shown as clearly as some of the flaws (to my way of thinking at least). I did also like the fact that in this branch of Amish, that they weren't shunned and outcasts to the community unless they had taken The Vow and joined the church . That part was always so painful for me to read in other book, the shunning and being outcasts. So much pain caused by severing families. How is that the love of God? There was also a lot of pressure to join the church. That really came though in the book pretty good too.
I was very happy with the ending, but you will have to read the book to find out the what and how of it.
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