Saturday, June 24, 2017

Journey to Pleasant Prairie #3

Cover Art


When the future is threatened by the past, can she trust herself to make the right choice?

Despite growing pains in her 1846 Amish community in Indiana, Naomi Schrock has settled into a comfortable life in her parents' home with her adopted son, Davey. Surrounded by family and friends, she tries not to think about the fact that she's not at the top of any man's list of potential wives. Yet when Cap Stoltzfus moves into the area and befriends Davey, Naomi finds herself caught between the plans she has made for her future and the tantalizing thought that Cap might be part of a life she never dared to hope for.

When a couple shows up claiming to be Davey's true family, Naomi and Cap must unite to make the decision that will determine the boy's future--as well as their own.



Published June 6th 2017
 by Fleming H. Revell Company 

Available for Purchase:



Meet the Author:

Jan Drexler


Jan Drexler
 brings a unique understanding of Amish traditions and beliefs to her writing. Her ancestors were among the first Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren immigrants to Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Their experiences are the basis for her stories. Jan lives in South Dakota with her husband, their four adult children, two active dogs, and a cat. When she isn't writing, she enjoys hiking the Black Hills and the Badlands. She is the author of the Love Inspired novels The Prodigal Son Returns, A Mother for His Children, and A Home for His Family (September 2015).






My Thoughts:


This is the third book in the Journey to Pleasant Prairie series from the author.  I was immediately swept back to 1846 in the fairly newly established Amish community in Indiana.  This is the story of Naomi Schrock. Naomi is a sweet, young Amish woman who on her trip from Pennsylvania to Indiana encountered a young boy who had been orphaned by a violent storm. Naomi felt an immediately felt a connection to the little boy, Davey, and adopted him knowing that people would wonder about not only his parentage, but also her virtue.  After their arrival to Indiana the family has settled into a routine, but there is an undercurrent of discord between their community about tradition and their faith.  
Cap Stoltzfus has newly arrived to the community from Holmes County, Ohio.  He has suffered a great loss and thinks starting over in a new place might let him put his past behind him.  His property lies next to to Schrock farm and he meets Davey almost immediately.  Davey brings his past memories to the surface and is immediately drawn to him. 
As Cap is drawn into the Amish community he becomes quick friends to the Schrock family, but especially Naomi and Davey.  Davey is a lively, young boy who is looking for a big adventure and doesn't always do what he is told which lands him in trouble from time to time.  Naomi is attracted to Cap, but their different opinions on child rearing brings many questions about the possibility of a relationship with Cap. With the appearance of someone from Cap's past not only will he cause problems within the community, but also for Cap and Naomi's future.  
This is a wonderful conclusion to this series.  I loved this story.  It has elements of forgiveness, crisis of faith, mystery and love.  The plot is engaging and pulled me in quickly.  The story quickly came to life for me through the characters and their journey.  Even though this book is part of a series I believe this is a stand alone story.  The author gives background details that makes it unnecessary to read the first two books, but I encourage you to read them to get the full impact of the story.  
**I received this book from the publisher as part of their book bloggers program.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.  

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