Grace Given by Beth Shriver ~ review

Never doubt in the darkness what God has shown you in the light.
Amish Proverb

Elsie Yoder can’t forgive her sister, Katie, for leaving the community. Unable to let go of her sadness, she withdraws from her friends and family, nursing her feelings of betrayal.

Gideon Lapp has held a special place in his heart for Elsie and longs to help her get through her troubles. Together they find comfort in their study of the Martyr’s Mirror, a centuries-old book that describes their ancestors’ sacrifices for their faith through years of persecution.
 As Elsie opens up and begins to put her trust in Gideon, she tells him about the harassment she and her sister received at the hands of some local men. When the men return and threaten the community, Elsie and Gideon must stand together to do what is right. But can Elsie learn to give grace and to humble herself to accept grace as well?

My take on this book:

Elsie Yoder and her family have lived in Texas for a year. They moved from Virginia to Texas after land got scarce in Virginia, and the young men in their community had problems finding land.Sadly though they weren't always accepted by the locals in Texas, and were even harassed  To top things off Elsie's sister Katie had run away six months ago with Jake, someone that Elsie had held feelings for, so now she feels bitter and hurt. Gideon Lapp has always been interested in Elsie, but she feels she is tainted, can she learn to put her bitterness aside, and move on, and allow Gideon into her life?

After reading the first book in the Touch of Grace series and loving it, I couldn't wait to dive into "Grace Given" and all I can say is I wasn't disappointed  As a fan of Amish fiction sometimes the storylines seem to run together, not so with "Grace Given." First of all it was interesting that they moved from Virginia to Texas, I thought the setting of Texas a bit unique, but it was the heckling and the threatening demeanor of the three Englisher men in the blue sports car in the prologue that gripped me making me wonder what sort of  storyline the author had planned. From that first page I couldn't put the book down! I could easily understand Elsie's feelings of bitterness and hurt, as well as betrayal. The harassment that was woven into the story really set a different tone for this book, making it a standout story. Fans of Amish fiction will enjoy this story, but anyone who enjoys a story about faith,forgiveness, family, harassment  and secrets kept will enjoy this one. If you have never read an "Amish" story I think you're going to find yourself pleasantly surprised with this one!

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.