The Bachelor~ Stephanie Reed

• File Size: 864 KB
• Print Length: 256 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0825442168
• Publisher: Kregel Publications (October 1, 2014)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00O4CMCTC

Purchase a copy of The Bachelor here.

Publication Date: October 1, 2014

In this sequel to The Bargain, Betsie Troyer is back home in her Amish community where she knows she belongs, free from the confusing Englisher way of life. She and Charley Yoder have made promises to each other, and her life is back on track--until Gerald Sullivan shows up with his young daughter, asking for Betsie's help. He’s on his way to find his estranged wife, and begs Betsie to take young Sheila in. When she agrees, Betsie's carefully planned life is shaken up again. Sheila's newfound faith is troubling to Charley--and his attraction to another girl is beginning to be a problem. But how can Betsie confront him when she is still trying to confront her own feelings about Sheila's brother, Michael? Keeping the peace between the Amish man she's always loved, a twelve-year-old Englisher girl, and a draft-dodging hippie is more than she ever thought she’d have to deal with in her simple, orderly life. Still, Betsie is convinced she can keep things from falling apart completely. Then during her best friend's wedding, tragedy strikes and her world is upended. She has to make a decision: does she love Charley or Michael . . . or is she craving a deeper love that only God can give? The compelling second novel of the Plain City Peace series, The Bachelor deftly weaves together the strands of a solid, simpler time with the turmoil of an era of change, revealing the strengths of both in its powerful narrative.

My take on this book:

Nineteen year old Betsie Troyer is glad to be back in her Amish community, but she knows that her family is on shaky ground because her parents Fannie and Noah left the faith in order to become Christians. Her aunt Lovina tried convincing them to come back but instead she left the faith as well. Betsie has plans to marry Chaley Yoder and become a good Amish wife. When she is ask to keep her Englisher's twelve year old daughter Sheila,she knows she shouldn't but does it anyway. Added to that is the fact that she is pretty close friends with Sheila's brother and things just seem to keep getting more complicated. 

I read quite a bit of Amish fiction and sometimes I find a really stand out series and Plain City Peace is one of them. I like that this series takes place in Plain City, Ohio and the time period of the seventies isn't one that I often read about in Amish series.The author does a very good job of capturing the time period, I don't think I have ever read the term draft dodger in an Amish romance!  What really makes this series shine is the unique storyline that involves the Troyer parents leaving the Amish faith, which causes their children turmoil. While the plot is smoothly written the author provides a few twists to keep it interesting. This book is the second in the  Plain City Peace series and I recommend that the books be read in order. Overall a unique Amish romance that is far from predictable. I will certainly be watching for the next book in the series.

A complimentary copy of this book was provided for review.