MY REVIEW:

The Englisch Daughter was not at all what I expected but in my opinion that’s what made it so good. A multi-faceted story of betrayal and lost hopes and dreams, this book is an honest and open look at the life of an Amish couple and their close friends and family. The wife has sacrificed her own dreams to take care of her home and family, putting aside funds for the future business she has long desired. When the time is right she learns that her plans have been for nothing and she has a new added responsibility that came as the result of a hurtful secret her husband has carried on his own.

What a wonderful story of repentance, forgiveness, and restoration! The narrative was written in such a way that I was never certain if everything would turn out well or not. I could easily relate to the feelings of both Jemima and her husband Roy and suspected there was more to the story than it seemed. A difficult situation that was deftly handled by the author, The Englisch Daughter is so good. I recommend it to all readers but especially to those who love Amish fiction.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Waterbrook Multnomah. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

What happens when your spouse has become a stranger? 

Old Order Amish wife and mother Jemima Graber has put her marriage and young children ahead of herself for years. For the last decade she’s set herself aside while her husband, Roy, invested in the family’s successful horse farm. While raising four little ones, she’s followed all the rules and patiently waited to finally chase a dream of her own.

But now, at the time when her dreams are about to be realized, Roy has grown distant from Jem, and she doesn’t know what to make of his unusual moods and absences. Is his erratic behavior somehow connected to the tenant in the family’s rental property, an Englisch woman Roy dated during his rumschpringe days? And if so, how far does God’s forgiveness extend in impossible situations?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

CINDY WOODSMALL is a New York Times and CBA best-selling author of twenty-five works of fiction and one nonfiction book. Cindy’s writing has been featured on ABC’s Nightline and the front page of the Wall Street Journal. She lives outside Atlanta with her husband.

ERIN WOODSMALL is a writer, musician, wife, and mom of four. She has edited, brainstormed, and researched books with Cindy for almost a decade. More recently she and Cindy have coauthored five books.