I have to admit I have never read a Beverly Lewis book before. She writes Christian romantic fiction surrounding Amish characters. Growing up in Lancaster she has a great, true perspective of how the Amish culture works. I received this book to review from her publisher Bethany House.
This story focuses on a woman, Amelia (Amy), and an Amishman, Michael. Amelia is an accomplished violinist thanks to the prompting of her father. However, we find she is performing as Amy for Tim McGraw as the fiddler and fears her father finding out. On the way home from a performance she gets lost in a rainstorm. What's worse is she had left her cell phone at home hoping to get some peace after the end of a long relationship. Without any other option she sets out to find help. She comes upon a cabin and decides to stop there. Michael is of course the man there. He invites her in and after talking come to realize they enjoy each other. He invites her to his Amish community the next day. There she agrees to stay for the weekend.
As Amelia has a father pushing her towards being a "violinist" where she is happy to be a "fiddler", Michael has his own father issue. At 25 he is still not baptized and his dad wants him to join the faith or leave. He, like Amelia, is being pressured by the father while being happier with something else. He is in college and likes making blue prints and wants to pursue that life but the love of his family keeps him from being able to leave.
Of course the book will explore these feelings and ultimately come to a conclusion of their decisions. It also shows a blooming love between them. I really enjoy how the romance is written. It starts building on a connection they have that has nothing to do with sex or physicality. In doing so you can truly root for them and these pure feelings. The Christian part comes into play because Michael isn't so sure about becoming Amish but that doesn't mean he wants a life without God in it. Amelia wants to have a relationship with God.
The Fiddler was a great book and after reading it I will be checking out others. Luckily my mother and several friends are big fans of Ms. Lewis'. The Fiddler is the first book in The Hickory Hollow series. Book two, The Bridesmaid, will be released in September of this year. Before you decide you know how this story ends, this book is about another (secondary) character of this book. : ) So if you are tired of standard romance of today definitely check this book out.
*Again, I was given a copy of this book to review from Bethany House. They ask for honest opinions so everything I have written is how I feel and view this book. *
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