Arms of Love
May 5th, 2012. Filed under: This & That.
By Kelly Long
The year is 1777. America is in turmoil. And Amish life is far different than today.
Pennsylvania in the late 18th century, once called William Penn’s Woods, was an assortment of different faiths living together for the first time in American history. Included in this tapestry was a small and struggling population called Amish.
Surrounding this peaceful people were unavoidable threats: both Patriots and the British were pillaging land and goods for the sake of the war, young Amish men were leaving the faith to take up arms and defend freedom. A simple walk in the untamed forests could result in death, if not from bullet or arrow, then from an encounter with a wild animal.
Amid this time of tumult, Adam Wyse is fighting a personal battle. To possibly join the war efforts and leave his faith, which would mean walking away from the only woman he’s ever loved: Lena Yoder. But for that love he’s made a promise that may keep them apart permanently.
When Adam withdraws from Lena, she’s forced to turn to his brother, Isaac, for support. Must Lena deny her heart’s desire to save Adam’s soul? And will life in this feral and primitive New World be more than this peace-keeping people can withstand?
ISLAND BREEZES
This Amish novel is quite different. By it’s being set in Pennsylvania in 1777, it truly is about Amish beginnings – at least here in the U.S.
The concerns of everyday life were quite different during the early stages of the American revolution. Not everyone wanted freedom from the British.
But the freedom Adam can’t seem to find is a personal search that might push him into fighting in the war.
Lena is in love with Adam, but ends up betrothed to his brother, who just wants to be left alone so he can spend his time in reading and study. He’s definitely not interested in the farm.
These people are really in a mess that takes a near death experience to bring some secrets out into the open.
I hope Ms Long has plans to make “Amish Beginnings” into a series of novels. I’ve really enjoyed the time period and historical insights in this book.
***A special thank you to Katie Bond for providing a review copy.***
Kelly Long was born and raised in North Central Pennsylvania. There was an Amish hitching post at the small grocery store in her town. She loves to write Amish romance and is the author of novel, Sarah’s Garden, the novella Amish Christmas Expanded Edition with some other great Amish authors, Amish Love with Beth Wiseman and Kathy Fuller, and Lilly’s Wedding Quilt–the sequel to Sarah’s Garden. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and children.