By Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman,
Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Irvin
Zondervan, 2018
An Amish Heirloom is a wonderfully entertaining read, one of my favorites among Amish novella collections. I think there’s something not only nostalgic, but meaningful when it comes to treasured family heirlooms, which is what makes this collection special. With these four outstanding authors, it’s no wonder that each story is well written, uplifting, and moving in its own way.
A Legacy of Love by Amy Clipston – Local volunteer fire fighter Leon King agrees to repair his ex-girlfriend Susie Bontrager’s grandparents’ antique rocking chairs for her future home with her fiancé and is forced to acknowledge that his feelings for her have not quite gone away. As Susie spends time with Leon, she begins to recognize she is marrying the wrong man for all the wrong reasons.
My thoughts …
“Every pot has a lid. Now we just need to find your
lid.”
The Cedar Chest by Beth Wiseman - Decades after inheriting her great grandmother’s cedar chest, Emma Fisher decides to pry it open only to discover a beautiful love story in the form of letters between her great grandparents. But as Emma immerses herself in their story, family secrets are revealed, and she must decide whether to share them to preserve family history or honor her great grandparents’ decision to leave them hidden.
My thoughts …
Catherine didn’t like herself any better than she
liked
Abram lately. The bitterness that had subtly crept into
their lives was
now festering like an infection.
One wouldn’t think the novella format offers enough time or depth for a dual timeline, but it works extremely well here. While reading through newly-discovered letters written between Emma’s great grandparents, which reveal a family secret in themselves, Catherine is able to open up to her mom about her own troubled marriage.
There’s some great nuggets of wisdom and inspiration to dwell upon in this fascinating story, such as Pastor Ronald’s words … “When a kindness is done to a person, that person needs to carry it with him until he sees fit to double the kindness for someone in need.” And can everyone say Amen! to the truth in this thought: “Marriage is an ongoing education of another person’s feelings.”
The Treasured Book by Kathleen Fuller - For the past two years, Shane Broyles has felt God leading him to join the Amish. He’s staying with his friends Noah and Ivy Schlabach in Birch Creek, OH, where he is reunited with Lucy Fisher, an old friend of Noah’s family. Shane and Lucy have never revealed their feelings for each other, but when they stumble upon an antique Bible at a flea market, they feel drawn to each other and to the mystery of the contents found within.
My thoughts …
Birch Creek didn’t just have the appearance of
humility and
simple living – its people walked and breathed it.
The Midwife’s Dream by Kelly Irvin - Iris Beachy serves as a midwife in her district where she longs for a family of her own. When her friend’s brother Mahon Kurtz seeks her help in delivering the baby of two young teenagers who have sought refuge in their town, they begin to see each other in a different light. Unprepared for parenthood, the young couple leave their baby girl behind in an antique crib quilt resembling the one destined for Iris when she becomes a mother. Mahon and Iris come together to take care of the baby as they try to find her parents, and they begin to see new possibilities for their future.
My thoughts …
“It’s more than a quilt that warms a baby on a winter
night. It reminds us that behind our faith and community,
family is most
important to us.”
Highly recommended.
I received an electronic copy of this book from Amy Clipston and Zondervan Publishing. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
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Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and three spoiled rotten cats.
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Beth and her husband are empty nesters enjoying country life in Texas.
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I started writing January 1, 2000. New year, new millennium, new career.
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I’m a former special education teacher, specializing in teaching the blind and
visually impaired.
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I was born in New Orleans, LA, raised in Little Rock, AR, was an Ohio
transplant for twenty-two years, and am now back in Arkansas empty nesting it
with my husband, James.
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James and I have three awesome kids. Yes, they really are awesome.
-- I love chocolate.
‘Nuff said.
The Kansas native is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She has been writing nonfiction professionally for more than thirty years, including ten years as a newspaper reporter. She retired in 2016 after working 22 years in public relations for the City of San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department. She is a member of ACFW and Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers. In her spare time, she blogs, reads fiction, and loves her family.
