Thursday, January 8, 2015

A Simple Charity

GIVEAWAY

LAUER, ROSALIND
A SIMPLE CHARITY

Of all the gifts that last,
 The greatest is charity.

 
Although she is still in her twenties, Fanny Lapp has known a lifetime of love and heartache. Twice widowed, she has a home to maintain, a renovation in the works, and a family to raise—all without a husband. Fortunately, in the Amish community, help is never far away. To ease Fanny’s burdens, the bishop sends Zed Miller to the Lapp house. Fanny is drawn to kind, handsome Zed, who suffers from sins of the past. But to everything there is a season, and Fanny cannot act on her feelings while mourning her husband.

Newly returned to his Amish roots after many years in the outside world, Zed knows he must prove himself to earn acceptance from his community. Without a second thought, he picks up a hammer and sets to work helping Fanny fulfill her dream of turning an old carriage house into a women’s childbirth center. Soon Zed finds himself a part of Fanny’s daily chores, sharing her laughter and sorrow. Knowing that time flows like a river, running slow and steady, Zed plans to wait on his love. But when their secret is discovered, how deep will the disapproval of their community run?

A reminder that the greatest gifts come from the heart, A Simple Charity shines like the sun with the blessings of everyday miracles.

My Review:

Lauer excels at writing community. She has created such memorable characters in the small town of Halfway and I love how they crisscross from one book to another. I get a thrill out of catching up with old favourites while digging deeper into the lives of new faves. Remarkably, despite this overlap, each book reads well as a standalone.

Lauer also creates stories of heart and depth and hope. Gritty at times, these are definitely real lives with realistic challenges that cause her characters to grapple with God's will in the grand scheme of things. That's what Fanny and Zed have to do as they gingerly work out their place in the community. Zed, as the outsider desperately wanting in, Fanny as a second-time widow in a town she married into...and the untimely attraction that develops between the two.

But this isn't just Franny and Zed's story. There's a secondary love story in the Englischer world of Halfway as well and the author weaves the two threads together in an incredible way. Talk about reader satisfaction!

I honestly wish I'd read A Simple Charity with pen and notebook in hand because there are so many wonderfully sage sayings dotted throughout. The wisdom of the Amish at its best. A superb novel that will entertain and inspire.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of A Simple Charity 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 January 11 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!

27 comments:

  1. This one sounds great, Kav! Thank you for your wonderful review.

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  2. Ah, another Amish temptation :) 20-something and twice a widow? Wow. So much heartbreak! But this is probably to show that God is still here, even in the darkest years. I would love to walk with Fanny to discover this again and again! Count me in, please.

    janka(dot)halcinova(at)gmail(dot)com

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    Replies
    1. Bwahahahahaha, I'll convert you yet, Janka. So many tempting Amish stories out there. Good luck.

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  3. ONe of the most beautiful covers ever. Love it. Love wise sayings to ponder on too.

    Diane
    dianemestrella at gmail dot com

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    Replies
    1. It is a great cover, isn't it? Good luck, Diane.

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  4. I would love to win this book, thank you for the chance.

    wfnren(at)aol(dot)com

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  5. I'm in for this one too! :)
    lieniitte(at)gmail(dot)com

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  6. Please count me in, too. That cover is so pretty, your review stellar -- what's not to like? I have never read any of this author's books so would love to try one! Thank you!

    dianalflowers(at)aol(dot)com

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    1. I think I've read all of her books -- they are all set iin the same community so even though there is some character overlap, each reads well as a standalone but it's fun to catch up with characters from other books and series too. Good luck, Diana.

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  7. I don't think I've ever heard of Rosalind Lauer, is this her first release?

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. No -- not her first release. I really love her books. I'm counting six on my shelf. A Simple Spring, A Simple Autumn, A Simple Winter, A Simple Faith, A Simple Hope, A Simple Charity. Love her writing and her Amish community. Good luck, Patty.

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  8. Thank you for the introduction to Rosalind Lauer. I love finding new-to-me authors and her books sound wonderful!

    texaggs2000 at gmail dot com

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  9. Thank you for the review. This book sounds really good. I have read the first three of her books. Her books are wonderful. Thank you for the chance to win a copy of A Simple Charity.
    kmgervais(at)nycap(dot)rr(dot)com

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  10. An Amish and an Englisch love story in the same book. Double love, this sounds like a wonderful story!
    marypopmom (at) yahoo (dot) com

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    1. This author does that a lot and I love it. Good luck, Maryann.

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  11. I loved your review, Kav! I've found some great Amish fiction outside the traditional Christian publishers and have wanted to read Rosalind's books for some time. Thank you for sharing and for the opportunity to win a copy.

    Carole
    cjarvis [at] bellsouth [dot] net

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  12. The covers of Amish books are always so beautiful. Thanks for the review and giveaway of this book.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

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  13. thanks for the chance to read this novel, kav

    karenk
    kmkuka at yahoo dot com

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  14. Hi Kav. Thanks for the review. Would love to win the book. Love these Amish books. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <

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