June 11, 2012
Popular Amish romance novelist Fisher (The Choice) continues her Stoney Ridge Seasons series with a stand-alone tale focusing on Amos Lapp’s middle daughter, Sadie. Returning from Ohio where she has spent the winter with older sister Julia and her husband, Sadie picks up an unexpected traveling companion. Instead of the safety and support she expects from her Amish friends and family back home in Pennsylvania, Sadie bristles as hurtful perceptions are formed primarily based on gossip and innuendo rather than truth. She does, however, develop a confidence in Will Stotz, an intern for the county’s game warden who moves onto the Lapp farm to oversee two nesting falcons. Their relationship complicates Sadie’s relationship with Gideon Smucker, a local boy who has had his heart set on Sadie since they were children. Fisher’s style is light and engaging. Her setting may be a simple Pennsylvania Amish community, but the struggles of faith, trust, and forgiveness are common to a wide-ranging audience. Moral elements are so deftly woven into the plot that most readers will learn the lesson before realizing there is one. Agent: Joyce Hart.
Starred review from August 1, 2012
Sadie Lapp has returned home after spending the winter with her sister's family. She must make an uncomfortable decision, which puts her at odds with Gideon Smucker, who has loved her for years. She turns to Will Stoltz, an intern for the game warden who lives on the Lapps' land and cares for two peregrine falcons. Will plans to return to college once the summer's over, but his feelings for Sadie complicate things. VERDICT This sequel to The Keeper is an engaging Amish romance with a homespun feel. It is sure to please Fisher's existing fans and win her new ones. Recommend it to those who enjoy the fiction of Wanda E. Brunstetter.
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