Book Review for A WIDOW'S HOPE by Vannetta Chapman

17/7/2018

His scars are visible.Hers are hidden...

An Indiana Amish Brides match

After tragedy claimed her husband's life and her son's ability to walk, Hannah King doesn't want a new man. She has her family, a home and mounting debts.

Scarred Amish bachelor Jacob Schrock offers Hannah the job she desperately needs.

But while Hannah helps Jacob resolve his accounting issues, can she and her little boy also heal his wounded heart?

An inspirational and encouraging story about accepting ourselves and the scars life has given us, some apparent some not, and finding the courage to the take the risk to live fully again after life has knocked us down.
There is something sweetly comforting and endearing about these Amish stories, that simple lifestyle, the caring for your neighbor, and helping to carry each other's burdens and keeping each other accountable. In A Widow's Hope, the characters are more integrated into the modern world than in some other Amish stories I have read, but the main core values, morals, and principals are firmly in place.
While Hannah is struggling with the economic burden of taking care of her son after the accident that killed her husband, the family and community hold her close and helps her find her place in life again. I loved Hannah's spunk, her spirited attitude, and how no one tries to dial her down. She knows her strengths and she knows her struggles and is willing to challenge her boundaries to survive and protect her son.
For six years, Jacob has hidden behind the scars a fire that killed his parents left on his face. He is a talented carpenter with a kind and giving heart. He loves his family but carries the burden of guilt for not being able to rescue his parents. He is a humble and loyal man, so sweet and caring, loving towards the kids of the kin.
I loved the spark between Hannah and Jacob from the first moment they are reunited. The banter between them had me chuckling, the way they challenged each other to be the true and better version of themselves was admirable.
Within the adorable and lovely story, there are endearing life lessons embedded and learned. No one survives life without scars, visible or invisible to the human eye, without some sort of pain and suffering shaping us to be the people we are. But with time, hope, and faith, and with the support of our peers, we can overcome, we can learn to accept, and grow to be a honed version of our true selves.
An absorbing and heartening tale, filled with hope, kindness, goodness, and compassion.
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She is the author of over twenty novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series, and Plain and Simple Miracle series. Vannetta is a Carol award winner, a Christy finalist, and she also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She currently writes Christian suspense, Amish romance, and Amish mystery. She was a teacher for 15 years and resides in the Texas hill country.