The Fiddler

Amelia Devries wishes so much to please her father who had an early ending to his career when he was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's disease.  He wants only what he feels is the best for her and pushes her to be the best violinist she can be.  Amish born Michael Hostetler feels the same pressure from his family.  They too want what is best for him and, for him, that means joining the Amish church.   Both are struggling for answers regarding what is truly the path they need to take rather than the path others think they need to take.   As a pleaser myself, I found it very easy to relate to both characters.

When a flat tire on a mountain road throws the unlikely pair together, they find a very comfortable friendship.  Even though raised worlds apart, there is an ease in their conversation and perhaps the opportunity to help each other find who God made them to be.

I have been reading Beverly Lewis books for almost twenty years and none of them have failed to leave me with a sense of  "all is right with the world".  While some readers may find that a bit frustrating to have a simple story without a long rise in action, I don't mind it at all.  Life is full of conflict and stress and so, when I read, I prefer something that doesn't make me tense but has a sweet interesting story as presented here.

For over ten years, Ms. Lewis has authored books based around the Pennsylvania Amish.  Having visited there, I could almost see some of her fictional characters working in the shops and restaurants we visited.  Nothing in my visit surprised me because Ms. Lewis has done an amazing job of painting an accurate picture of the Amish lifestyle.  The Fiddler is no exception.  While this book does appear to begin a new series, this story is completed in The Fiddler which I love.  I rarely enjoy reading a series that leaves the reader hanging to see what happens to the  main characters, sometimes having to wait more than a year before the next volume in published.  I suspect that Amelia and Michael may appear in future Home to Hickory Hollow stories but only as minor characters.

I did receive this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review and was not require to leave a positive review.