MY REVIEW:

When I first opened “The Keeper” I was pretty much expecting another Amish novel along the same  basic pattern as many of the other Amish books I have read. I was quickly reminded that Suzanne Woods Fisher has a special touch when it comes to writing about the Amish. She literally breathes life into her characters. “The Keeper” is a story about the Amish that depicts their life in a manner that doesn’t dwell on the things that make the Amish different but shows the reader how much we are all the same inside.

It would be hard for me to choose a favorite character from “The Keeper”. Each one of them had their strengths and weaknesses. Julia Lapp has always had to be strong for her younger brother and sisters since her mother’s death and even more so since her father’s severe heart problems. When her fiance Paul postpones the wedding once again, Julia is devastated and quickly finds someone to blame in Roman Troyer, the Bee Man. Roman has a reputation as a wanderer and a flirt who will never settle down, but no one knows the deep pain that causes him to fear caring for others. He agrees to help Julia make Paul jealous but things don’t exactly turn out the way they planned.

“The Keeper” has it all with plenty of action, lots of humor, emotional highs and lows, and numerous surprises. Some scenes were laugh-out-loud and others had me looking for a tissue. Loved this book. At a time when I sometimes think “not another Amish book!”, “The Keeper” was a refreshing change of pace.

This book was provided for review by LitFuse Publicity.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding–again–she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin’ Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul’s cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she’s always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

See what other bloggers have to say about “The Keeper” HERE.

Purchase a copy of “The Keeper” HERE.

ABOUT SUZANNE:
Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate many of their principles–simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily– into your life.

When Suzanne isn’t writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne’s way of thinking, you just can’t take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone’s underwear in its mouth.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher!

Suzanne is hosting a “honey of a giveaway”during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

• A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
• A $25 gift certificate to iTunes
• A copy of The Keeper

But wait there’s more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the “Honey” of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun “honey” inspired prizes – It’ll be ‘sweet”!