A Cup Half Full by Beth Wiseman
Sarah Lantz always dreamed of the perfect home, the
perfect husband, the perfect family. When she married Abram, she knew she was
on her way to securing her perfect life. All of that changes in one moment when
an accident leaves her unable to walk and confined to a wheelchair, dashing all
of her dreams. As Abram starts to transform their home, Sarah begins a
transformation in her spirit, and she begins, once again, to see her cup as
half full.
Newlyweds Sarah and Abram's lives forever changed when a
buggy accident left Sarah confined to a wheelchair. While she recovered in the
hospital, Abram started transforming their home. He wants nothing more than to
show his love for her by making life easier for her, but it comes at a higher
price than he expected. He struggles to find a way out of debt without
burdening Sarah with his troubles. Meanwhile, Sarah is bitter about the loss of
her perfect dreams, and fearful of what the future might bring.
I ached for both Abram and Sarah as they struggled alone
with their issues, neither wanting to burden the other. Sarah was filled with
self-pity at the beginning, but gained inspiration from an unlikely source. I
liked seeing her begin to embrace her new normal, though there were still
challenges to overcome. Her conversation with her mother was an eye-opener for
her, coupled with an amusing revelation. I also liked her conversation with
Abram's coworker, Brenda, and the unexpected partnership that came from it.
Abram quickly discovered that he was in over his head when
the bills came due for his work on the house. I shook my head at his naivete
when he got involved with the quick loan guy and knew there would be trouble
there. I liked his friendship with his coworker, and the support she gave him.
I understood his reluctance to share his problems with Sarah, since she was
fighting her own battles. I liked his conversation with his father-in-law and
the surprising resolution that came from it.
The biggest thing that both Sarah and Abram discovered
was that their problems were easier to deal with when they were shared with
each other.
Home Sweet Home by Amy Clipston
Down on their luck and desperate after they are evicted
from their small apartment, Chace and Mia O'Connor reluctantly take Chace's
Amish boss up on his offer to rent them the daadi haus located on his property.
They are certain they will never feel at home in the rustic cabin without any
modern conveniences, and they start to blame each other for their seemingly
hopeless situation. But with the help of their new Amish friends, Chace and Mia
begin to enjoy their cozy cabin and realize that home really is where the heart
is.
Chace and Mia are a young couple who have fallen on hard
times. When they are evicted from their apartment Chace's Amish boss offers them
the small house on his property. Though grateful for the roof over their heads,
both are overwhelmed by how different their lives are from what they had
planned. Though they came from very different backgrounds, Chace and Mia's love
for each other and their baby daughter was strong. I ached for them both as the
stress of their situation aggravated their fears of inadequacy. Chace was never
accepted by Mia's wealthy and snobby parents, and he feels guilty about not
providing for them the way he feels he should. Mia is terrified of being a bad
mother, thanks to the cruel things her mother said to her. Though the stress
frequently caused them to lash out at each other, they never doubted their love
for one another.
I enjoyed seeing how Isaac and his family gave the couple
the support they needed. Unfamiliar with Amish ways, Mia was stunned by
everything that was offered. I liked seeing the friendship that grew between
Mia and Vera, and how that friendship helped Mia gain a little confidence in
herself. I hurt for Chace when one thing after another seemed to go wrong,
stretching him to the breaking point. I loved how Isaac provided the kind of
guidance that Chace had never experienced before.
When baby Kaitlyn got sick, it brought many of their
fears bubbling to the surface. Erupting tempers did nothing to calm those
fears. I liked seeing both of them finally face those fears, and with a little
help find their way back together.
A Flicker of Hope by Ruth Reid
Fifteen years ago, Thomas and Noreen King were blissful
newlyweds. Young, naive, and in love, life was rosy . . . for a while. Then
trials and tribulations rocked their foundation, shattering them emotionally,
and soon, their marriage was in shards. All hope for restoring their previously
unshakable union seems lost. When fire destroys their home, Thomas and Noreen
are left to sift through the rubble. As uncovered items from the remains of the
house shake loose memories of the past, Thomas and Noreen begin to draw closer
and a flicker of hope - and love - is re-ignited.
This is a story told in flashbacks, back and forth from
the present day to fifteen years earlier. Thomas and Noreen have been married
for fifteen years. The book opens in the present as their house burns down and
they lose everything. The reader immediately gets the sense that things are not
well with their marriage, and the fire adds to the strain that is already
there.
In the flashbacks, we see their courtship and early
marriage. Thomas irritated me during these parts. He professes his love for
Noreen, but it seems like he is more interested in what he wants. Noreen's
father is not in favor of their courtship or of Thomas wanting to marry her.
Instead of biding by her father's wishes for them to wait, Thomas continues to
push. A tragedy ends up forcing her father's consent, but he makes Thomas
promise to always put her needs ahead of his own. The early days of their
marriage are blissfully happy until a devastating loss drives a wedge between
them. For the next fifteen years their relationship slowly disintegrates,
leaving both lonely and bitter.
It seems as if the fire may be the final straw that
drives them apart. Both Thomas and Noreen blame themselves, and the guilt
causes them to withdraw rather than lean on each other for support. I liked the
way that their community banded together to help, but even that added a bit of
stress to the couple's life, as it became more difficult to hide their
problems. As they combed through the rubble of their home, now and then
something would remind them of the love they shared at the beginning. Just as
things seem to be looking up, another devastating loss adds insult to injury. Fortunately,
Thomas also receives a kick in the seat that reminds him of what is most important.
I loved the ending with its two surprises for a new beginning.
Building Faith by Kathleen Fuller
Faith Miller knows that carpentry is an unlikely hobby
for a young Amish woman, but she loves the work and it keeps the memory of her
grandfather alive. So when her cousin asks Faith to build the cabinets in her
new home, Faith is only too happy to take on the job, even if it is the most
ambitious project she has ever taken on. The only catch is that she has to work
with her ex-fiancé, Silas. As they work to build Martha's kitchen, can they put
the past behind them and start to build faith in one another again?
Faith misses her grandfather deeply. She feels closest to
him when she works with the wood they both loved. Since his passing, Faith
spends all of her free time in the shop, shutting out everyone else. When her
cousin and best friend, Martha, asks Faith to build the cabinets in her new
kitchen she is happy to take on the challenge. That is, until she discovers
that she has to share the job with her ex-fiancé, Silas.
Silas works as a carpenter with his father. He hasn't
always been the most reliable of workers, but he's had to make the effort
lately. His father is busy taking care of Silas's sick mother, leaving Silas to
run the business. With mounting bills to pay, Silas can't afford to turn down
any work. When his friend, Melvin, hired him to build the cabinets in his new
home, Seth felt a great deal of relief. He was determined to do a good job, and
was dismayed to find out he would have to work alongside Faith.
This was a good opposites attract story. Faith and Silas courted
and became engaged, in spite of their differences. Silas was a bit of a
dreamer, with creative ideas but lacking in the ability to follow through. Time
meant nothing to him and he was always late. Faith is ultra-organized,
preferring to plan and schedule everything to the minute. Silas's attitude
frustrated her, but when he didn't show up for her grandfather's funeral, she'd
had enough and ended their engagement without explanation. Living in the same
district, they can't avoid seeing each other, though they do their best.
Neither was happy to discover that they'd each been hired
to build the cabinets, but they tried to put aside their differences for the
sake of their friends. There were some intense clashes between Faith and Silas.
Faith can't forget the issues that drove them apart, and Silas is frustrated by
Faith's controlling ways. A big blowup between them opens Faith's eyes to some
uncomfortable truths. I liked the scene the next day as they finally talked to
each other instead of their usual sniping. I loved how they worked things out.
The conclusion was sweet and satisfying.
