Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Harvest of Blessings by Charlotte Hubbard

Nora's divorce is final and she's going home.  She plans to ask her father for his forgiveness and to meet the daughter she had to give away sixteen long years ago.  She knows it will be hard and she may never be accepted, but she's going to go back to the simple life.

Zebra Publishing sent me an ARC of this book to read for review (thank you).  It will be published this month, so watch for a copy at your local bookstore.

Nora has bought a house in town.  It's one of the fanciest around, she's driving a red BMW sports car, and she's wearing English clothes.  But she's planning on changing that.  She's also hoping that her father will remove his ban from her and let her visit her old home.  Unfortunately, he's not feeling forgiving towards her.

As far as he's concerned, she abandoned her religious beliefs when she got pregnant without wedlock.  That's why he sent her away.  Nothing has changed in his mind.  When she tells him who got her pregnant, he doesn't believe her.  The man was his friend. Most of Nora's family believes her and loves her and is happy to have her back.  But they have to go visit her because she's not allowed on the home place.

Nora goes back to wearing plain dress styles but with colored prints.  She also does quilt hangings that are almost 3-D.  She knows the Amish religion won't tolerate that, so she's leaning towards the Mennonites.  She wants God back in her life.

She's got her local neighbor pursuing her, an ex-bishop that is trying to compromise her, her daughter has a boyfriend, and her father still hates her.  She persists in putting the barn together to be a large handicraft store with hand made tools and saddles, too.  She goes to church.  She has a date or two.  And she wonders if that may be all she can accomplish there.  But she doesn't give up.

Ms. Hubbard always writes good stories and this was another book of hers I enjoyed reading.  I wanted to shake Nora's father but I had one a bit like that, too, so I could relate to the situation.  I admire Nora's strength and positive attitude in the face of adversity.  That can be a hard thing to do.

If you enjoy Amish stories and haven't read Ms. Hubbard's work yet, you should.  You'll like them.

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