MY REVIEW:
Plain Jayne is a refreshingly unique take on Amish fiction. It has a straightforward narrative that relates the story of a young woman’s interaction with an Amish family and their effect on her life. The characters are down-to-earth with intelligent conversations yet each has a distinct personality that makes the book all that much more believable. The contrasts between the plain and modern life are illustrated well without prejudice.
Jayne is a thoroughly modern girl who rides a motorcycle and never wears a dress. She is estranged from her family because she never felt that she could meet their expectations. Her stay with the Burkholder family opened her eyes to the family life she had missed and her friendship with Levi encouraged her to make some changes in her life.
Plain Jayne is a delightful romantic novel with plenty of introspection, humor, spiritual truth, and Amish cooking. I look forward to the next installment to learn more about Sara and the rest of the Burkholder family.
A review copy of Plain Jayne was provided by Rebeca Seitz with Glass Road Public Relations.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Jayne Tate is an investigative reporter for a major daily. When her editor demands she take time off to grieve the death of her father and get her writing back up to par, Jayne instead follows her instincts. She’s certain there’s a story to uncover about the Amish, but where to start?
An initial interview with the intriguing owner of an Amish furniture store opens the door for Jayne to live with the Amish family he left behind. What she doesn’t yet know is that her journalistic observations of this sincere, yet conflicted family are destined to cause reflections of her own childhood.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Hillary Manton Lodge graduated from the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism. She works as a freelance photographer while following her passion to write fiction. The author of Plain Jayne, she and her husband, Danny, live in Eugene, Oregon.
