A Season for the Heart by J.M. Hochstetler

 

 

This story is set in 1945. The Germans have surrendered but the WW2 is still raging on other fronts.  Ellie, a young Mennonite woman, is planning to go to college and train to be a teacher. Her grandparents are Amish and her family still cling to some of the old ways.  The are pacifists and fighting in the war is frowned upon. Her friend, Jude, had enlisted and has returned home injured. He enlisted over his parent’s objections. His relationship with the community is strained because of his involvement in the armed forces.  Out of respect for his mother, he tries to blend in but he struggles with the restrictions of the Mennonite community.  Ellie, also pushes the boundaries of the rules by having close relationships with “English” friends. She secretly tries wearing makeup and shortened dresses.  She also had been engaged to Ted, a young Methodist who breaks their engagement when he goes away to college. Ellie has been helping Jude’s mother on their farm and wants to help him as well. She becomes close to Jude but is torn between him and Ted, who returns and tries to resume their relationship.

This story touches on the topics of religious prejudice, abuse and PTSD

This is not the type of story I usually read. It is much edgier and graphic than what I am accustomed to. There is an account of an attemped rape that was more graphic than what you would usually find in a book about the Amish and Mennonites.

This is also not a book you can hurry through.

I liked the amount of information there was about the Amish and particularly , the Mennonites.  I liked that the author draws upon their personal family history. It makes the story believable. It was interesting to see how the two communities live together but yet apart.

The author also touches on abuse in families and how PTSD affects Jude and his fellow returning soldiers.

If you are looking for the typical, sweet Amish romance, this is most likely not the story for you. However, if you like more intense and edgy stories you should give this a try.  This is not a fast read so settle in and get comfortable.

I give this my personal rating of 3 out of 5 stars. I really wanted to love this book.  That being said, it is a faith based story with several scripture quotes, which was welcomed. The story line of a Mennonite girl torn between different cultures was appealing to me, as was the setting of the WW2 era.  The topic of PTSD was very interesting although it wasn’t called that then.

Why would a young Mennonite man enlist in the armed forces, going against his religious upbringing?

Which man will win Ellie’s heart?  Does she ever realize her dream of being a teacher?

At this point in my reviews I usually include a link to the publisher’s website but I was unable to find one.  This was another reason for my 3 star rating. Other postings state that the publisher is Sheaf House Publishers. A search for the title on Amazon, NetGalley or Goodreads should give you more information.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed  are my own.

A word about ARC books.   Advanced Reading Copies (ARCs) are a preview copy and are not a finished product. They may differ from the final published work and may include additional editing. 

 

Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl - a book review

Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl

 

"Gentle and unassuming, Hope Kauffman has never been one to question the traditions of her Mennonite upbringing. She quietly helps her father run Kingdom Quilts and has agreed to the betrothal he arranged for her with the devout but shy Ebbie Miller.

Despite the attempts of Hope and other Kingdom residents to maintain the status quo, changes have already begun to stir in the small Mennonite town. The handsome and charismatic Jonathon Wiese is the leader of the move to reform, while Ebbie insists Kingdom must remain true to its foundation. When Hope's safety is threatened by a mysterious outsider, she can't help but question what she's always been taught about the Mennonite tradition of nonviolence.

As it swiftly becomes apparent the threat Hope faced is only the beginning, the town that's always stood so strong finds itself divided. With tensions high and their lives endangered by an unknown enemy, will Hope and the people of Kingdom allow fear and division to break them or will they draw on the strength of the God they serve?”

 

Unbreakable is the second in Mehl’s Road to Kingdom series.  The story focuses on Hope, a young Mennonite girl who is caught between her upbringing and new ideas and her traditional thinking fiancé, Ebbie and the progressive thinker, Jonathon.  Her once peaceful community falls victim to a series of hate crimes.  The community is divided as to how to respond.  Do they do as they have always been taught or do they break tradition and fight back?  As the story progresses, it becomes very easy to deduce who is responsible, but the author doesn’t tell us until the end.  The predictability of that spoiled the mystery for me.  There were times that I wished Hope would just make up her mind and take a stand, one way of the other.  She never really decides between  Jonathan and Ebbie until the very end.

It was an enjoyable book but probably not one that i will put aside to read again.  I’ve read several Amish fiction books so it was interesting to see the differences between them and the Mennonites.

You can read an excerpt here

 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House  through their book review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”