Summary from goodreads: The Lambright family’s eldest daughter, Abby, runs her own sewing shop. There, she mends the town’s clothes and their torn relationships. But the town maidel has sworn off any suitors of her own because of her unrequited love for James Graber, who is about to marry her younger sister, Zanna…On the wedding day, Zanna is nowhere to be found, breaking James’ heart. Zanna has brought shame to her family, but there’s more in store for them when they discover how far she has fallen. Long-buried secrets come to light, and they test the bonds of the Cedar Creek community. Abby is at the center of it all, trying to maintain everyone’s happiness. But will she ever find her own?
Abby Finds Her Calling: Home at Cedar Creek, Book One by Naomi King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have to say that this is the best Amish book I have ever read. I realize it is only the third, but this one has everything you could possibly want from a fine Christian romance. And I am quite pleased to discover that this is only the first in the series. I cannot wait to read the second!
All I know about the Amish really have come from “hearsay” and well-written fiction books like this one. I always marvel at how simple the lives of these people are. I will tell you right now that I could not do it. I am intrigued by the fact that they do embrace some modern technology. I find it ironic that these people live without electricity and modern conveniences, but because of the way our world is, they do rely on an occasional telephone and hospital emergency visit.
I absolutely love Abby and Zanna. Abby is strong from the beginning, and she is the one who helps Zanna in her situation. I was surprised to find and Amish book dealing with issues of infidelity, unwed pregnancy, abortion, and pacemakers. But to a degree, you find all of this in the book. Watching Zanna grow from the scared teenager to a strong woman is one of the best features of the book. And to see Abby as a peacemaker is really quite a blessing in the book. I do love to see strong women, and if you ever think that Amish women are weak, you might give this book a look!
The messages in the book are truly uplifting. The unwavering faith in a changeless God indeed thrills my soul. I also love the fact that the elders in the book are so strong and steadfast in their faith. While I do not condone all the methods that the Amish use, I would say that non-Amish Christians could learn a lot about handling situations and caring about the community. It was good to see the Bible used as a basis for absolutely every decision made in the book.
I was pleased to see the kind of ending that Johnny and Zanna had in the book, and I am hoping that good news will come for Abby and James in the next book. If anyone deserves it, they do. I was also happy to see that God can change pepole that you never think He can. We spend our time praying for it to happen, and then we are shocked when God answers our prayer. How I needed to hear this message in my current circumstances.
I highly recommend this book. Even if you have never read an Amish fiction book or think you would have any interest in one, I recommend giving this one a try!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated in any way, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Many moons ago—like, in 1983 while I was still a school librarian—I sold my first story to True Story magazine. This launched me into writing about seventy of those “true confessions” stories over the years, and I’ve been a slave to my overactive imagination ever since.
The next big step was selling my first historical romance in 1990, a Zebra Heartfire called Colorado Captive. I quickly sold five more in that genre. They’re all out of print now, but available from used bookstores or at Amazon.com and BN.com. I’ve brought them back in digital format with beautiful new covers, which you can see on my Historical Romances page.
After a long dry spell that entailed major changes in the publishing industry, I resurfaced in a new genre, with a new publisher, editor, and agent who were so excited about my Angels of Mercy series! These four faith-and-family stories are also out of print now, but available at Amazon as Kindle e-books. With Law of Attraction (The Love Secret), I moved into new territory once again—and once again the setting is a place I love to spend time: the Oregon Coast.
Being an author is great fun when you’re selling, but it’s best to have a hide like a rhinoceros and a spouse who gets a regular paycheck! Patience, persistence and just flat-out luck have given me this opportunity to reinvent myself yet again. Those angels I write about keep pulling me through, and are often my friends and family—but I owe a lot to the heavenly beings who bear me up on their wings, as well!
My stories invariably take on a life of their own, different from the way I’ve proposed them: I love it when unforeseen characters and plot twists come along, because they keep me guessing right along with my readers!
I often present workshops at conferences. I belong to Novelists, Inc. and American Christian Fiction Writers.
I love touring historic homes, trying new recipes, crocheting, and playing with my Border collie, Vera—although it’s humbling, having a dog smarter than I am! I’m an ordained Presbyterian deacon, and I devote a lot of time to singing in my church choir, ringing in bell choir, and being a substitute organist. I’m celebrating more than forty-two years with my husband, who—bless him—has never once suggested I get a real job!
NAL Trade (March 6, 2012)
ISBN-13: 9780451235732 •• ISBN-10: 0451235738
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3 Comments
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Ruth, I thank you so much for your wonderful remarks about my book, ABBY FINDS HER CALLING! I’m glad you enjoyed it so much. ~Naomi King, who is also Charlotte Hubbard
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Naomi, it means the world to me to know that my review makes you happy. I absolutely love it when I can give a book such high compliments!
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