The Roll of the Drums

GIVEAWAY

DREXLER, JAN
THE ROLL OF THE DRUMS

Ruby Weaver's curly red hair isn't the only thing that sets her apart from her Amish community in 1863. Twenty-sight and single, Ruby doesn't believe a woman needs to be married in order to be happy. Her ailing friend Lovinia Fischer, however, has other ideas and wants Ruby to promise to marry her husband after she dies. Never imagining she'd have to fulfill that vow, Ruby agrees. And she's not the only one. Lovinia has extracted a similar promise from her husband, Gideon.

With both Ruby and Gideon reluctant to keep their promises, a compromise must be reached. Ruby will spend her days with Gideon's family -- helping to raise the children and keep the house -- but her nights will be spent at her sister's neighboring house. But this arrangement raises eyebrows in their conservative Amish community, and it soon becomes clear that Ruby must make a decision -- marry Gideon or turn her back on her friend, the children she's grown to love...and their father.

My Review:

"Remember to practice Gelassenheit. Letting go of your control and surrendering to the Good Lord's will is the only way for a man to live." (p 156)

I have to admit to finding a certain allure to the genre combination of Amish fiction and Historical Romance. I'm fascinated by the early church's struggle to remain apart in such a tumultuous time as the Civil War era as well as the growing pains in small, virtually isolated communities. Drexler is an excellent researcher and she brings these aspects of the early American Amish to life in such a captivating way. I didn't realize how far reaching the war was -- threatening even the idyllic Ohio countryside with its prejudice and terror.

And amidst that backdrop the author brings us back to Weaver's Creek and into the day to day lives of the Amish living there. This is the second book in the series but reads well as a standalone, though I did find a real sense of coming home as I met up with some familiar faces within these pages. Characters to love....and possibly hate or at the very least become exceedingly vexed with. :-)

What a challenging love story! It's foundation is burdened by grief and loss at first but then gently, gradually, becomes infused with hope. Loved the clashing of wills! Ruby is a feisty, plain talking woman -- her temperament matches her hair! Her behaviour is completely contrary to what Gideon is used to but, oh, how she loves his children and what a balm that is. A sweet romance tempered by the harsh realities of frontier life.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Roll of the Drums, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday March 14 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!