BOOK REVIEW- THE GUARDIAN

Come home to Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania--the beloved setting where Beverly Lewis's celebrated Amish novels began--with new characters and new stories of drama, romance, and the ties that draw people together.  
When Jodi Winfield comes to Lancaster to house-sit, the last thing she expects to find is a disheveled little girl alone on the side of the road. The young teacher is mystified when she learns there have been no reports of a missing child, and the girl herself is no help, since she can't speak English. It's as if the child appeared out of nowhere.
Then Jodi turns her attention to Hickory Hollow--and the cloistered world of the Old Order Amish--in search of answers.    AMAZON

This is a story that I wanted to read for some time now.  When I was offered a short list of books to choose from to read and write a review for, I chose this one.  This author is so popular, it makes her books go really fast and I didn't get it.   But I did keep an eye on it regularly and when it went on sale on Amazon, I grabbed it.   But I was almost afraid to read it.  Yes, silly I know but  I was kind of afraid of being disappointed if I didn't like it.   Its happened before but not this time.  I loved every minute of it.  Sarah (the little girl who was lost) was a delight.  Jodi and her fiancee,  Trent were tender even when things got tough.  Jodi was so hurt by her sister's death that she wasn't sure she was willing to have children and face the possibility of losing someone else that she opened her heart to that far.   She was a teacher at heart and drew children to her like a magnet.   That was so much fun to see that unfold.  Even people in the Amish community, who often distanced themselves to outsiders just couldn't seem to do it with her. Poor Joshua was head over heels in love with Maryanna.  He did try to move on because he was lonely after the death of his wife but he just couldn't stop hoping Maryanna would finally really see him.  I really liked him, he was unique and had a kind heart.  

There was a pretty good immersion into the culture of the Amish community but without being overdone or depressive.  The closeness of Maryanna and her family was so heartwarming as was how the community all pitched in to help each other. 

Something that made me like the story even more was the information (at the end of the book) that this story was inspired by a true event.  Beverly Lewis read an article in a Southern newspaper with the attention getting title of "Amish child falls out of carriage and goes missing".  The good news was that this child was found 24 hours later but it really got the author's juices flowing to write this story.  

Personally I really found the cover picture for this book so charming; I think it was a good choice.