Tuesday, June 8, 2010

The Way to a Man's Heart-Mary Ellis

The Way to a Man's Heart
Mary Ellis
Harvest House, Jul 1 2010, $13.00
ISBN: 9780736927345

In County, Ohio, the Miller females feel their lives are going in the right direction. April the Mennonite hires eighteen year old Leah Miller to work at her new diner. Leah also has a nice man interested in courting her. She is as excited over Jonah Byler as he with her.

Leah’s Aunt Hannah (see A Widow’s Hope) and her sister Emma are smelly wool gathers while her mamm enjoys knitting on her good days that is. Hannah and Emma also recently married. Whereas Hannah’s husband Seth is local Amish, Emma’s is an outsider who gave up his lifestyle out of love for her. Both aunt and niece struggle to become part of the New Order Amish community but not as much as the latter’s husband James.

The third Miller Family saga (see Never Far From Home) is a wonderful warm Amish contemporary tale. The storyline focuses on the Amish culture through the deep look at the Miller extended family as the women and their men, sheep and pies make for an enjoyable relationship drama. Each person is fully developed as they struggle with personal issues that include belonging to the community.

Harriet Klausner

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