Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Amish Sweethearts

GIVEAWAY

GOULD, LESLIE
AMISH SWEETHEARTS

For years Zane Beck and his Amish neighbour Lila Lehman were best of friends. But just as Zane gathered the courage to discover if their friendship could develop into something more, her controlling father arranged for her to be courted by their bishop's son. Zane, heartbroken and frustrated, joined the Army, running away from his shattered dreams.

The passing of time and the distance between Zane and Lila haven't been enough to halt their -- now completely hidden -- feelings for each other. Any hope for their love grows even more impossible through as Zane's service takes a dangerous turn when he's deployed to Afghanistan. Being on the frontline, confronted with the hard choices of war, has him questioning everything, including whether he can continue to serve or not. But all choices have consequences, and with Lila preparing to marry another, will these one-time sweethearts ever find the life together that they both still long for?

My Review:

Not your average Amish story. Gould takes her characters on an unexpected (and complicated) journey towards self-discovery and I was right there with them every step of the way. I loved all the little unpredictable things about this story. I mean, it could have gone in so many different directions with varying outcomes and I never knew what was going to happen next. Loved the thrill of the unknown and taking the opportunity to savor a scene while letting my imagination run free to create my own scenarios before continuing to read. Love being that invested in the lives of my character friends!

If you read Amish Promises, the first book in the Neighbors of Lancaster County series, you will already be acquainted with the Becks and the Lehmans. It's not necessary to have read the first book in order to enjoy this one, but you will have more of a sense of history between the two families if you have.

So -- Zane. Stubborn. Proud. Closed-mouthed. Not to mention the impulsive-lets-not-think-this-through mentality that crops up at the most inconvenient times. And Lila. She's the glue that holds her ragtag family together. So determined to do the right thing that she often forgets that she has choices too. There's nothing more awkward than a childhood friendship on the cusp of something so much bigger. Do the risks outweigh the benefits? And then there's the whole Amish/Englisch issue. So many delicious dilemmas for a reader to lose herself in!

I really enjoyed the author's insights into the Afghanistan war. She tackles hard questions with grace and respect and that whole aspect of the novel really got me thinking. It's a conundrum Zane finds himself in the middle of -- and adds a whole new dynamic to his relationship with his Amish neighbours.

A riveting read fueled with love and faith and the unending hope that comes from being part of God's plan.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Amish Sweethearts please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday May 29 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

21 comments:

  1. Love her books. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom.

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  2. This looks so good. I have never read anything by her before.
    campbellamyd at gmail dot com

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    1. Oooohhh...squealllll...you will love. Really. Good luck, Amy.

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  3. I love Amish Fiction! This one looks like it may be a little different than most but it sounds very interesting! d[dot]brookmyer[at]yahoo[dot]com

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  4. I enjoy both traditional Amish fiction and this type of book as well...I'm a romantic girl at heart. Thanks for your review and the chance to win a copy of this book.
    dblaser(at)windstream(dot)net

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    1. I love romance...can you tell by my book selections? LOL Good luck, Diane.

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  5. What a book! Thank you, Kav!

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  6. I enjoy Leslie's books. This sounds like a unique storyline. Thanks for the review and giveaway.

    pmkellogg56[at]gmail[dot]com

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  7. I've read such great things about Leslie's books, I've already added them to my want-to-read pile :-)

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

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    1. Oh -- those want-to-read lists -- will there ever be enough time to read every book we want to? Good luck, Trixi.

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    2. I will always have many more books to read than I could handle in a lifetime...lol! I call it book anticipation :-)

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  8. Leslie's books are amazing. Love to read this new one!
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

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  9. Such a beautiful cover and a great story!

    samanthabis23 at gmail dot com

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  10. I am seeing more and more Amish books such as this one that don't have the typical Amish story. I have read several books by her and I know I would enjoy this one as well. I own Amish Promises, the first book in the series and it would be a real gem to read this one.

    Deanne P.
    Cnnamongirl at aol dot com

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    1. Yes -- it adds to Amish Promises so well. Good luck, Deanne.

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