{More about A Road Unknown}
Book 1 in the new Amish Roads series
Elizabeth is at a crossroad. She’s been given the chance to experience life outside of her community, away from the responsibility to care for her eight younger siblings, but Elizabeth Bontrager can’t decide which road to take. Goshen has its charms and pressures, but Paradise, Pennsylvania, sounds . . . well, like paradise. And it’s also home to her Englisch friend, Paula. Decision made. Elizabeth is Paradise bound.
But will the small town live up to its name? When Elizabeth meets Paula’s friend, Bruce, she quickly learns he wants more than a friendship. And the same might be true of Saul Miller, her new boss at the country story that sells Amish products to the Englisch community. As the two compete for her attention, Elizabeth is surprised to realize she misses her family and becomes even more uncertain about where she belongs. She has a choice to make: return home or embrace this new life and possibly a new love?
Find out more at Barbara’s website.
{More About Barbara Cameron}
Barbara Cameron is a best-selling author who has a heart for writing about the spiritual values and simple joys of the Amish. She is the author of more than 38 fiction and nonfiction books, three nationally televised movies, and the winner of the first Romance Writers of America Golden Heart Award. Barbara is a former newspaper reporter. Some of her non-fiction titles include the “Everything Weddings on a Budget Book” and “Her Restless Heart: A Woman’s Longing for Love and Acceptance.” Cameron currently resides in Edgewater, Florida.
Find out more about Barbara at http://barbaracameron.com.
A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am somewhat of an Amish fiction fan, and I have to be honest when I say that this story did live up to my expectations. Don’t misunderstand–it had the typical Amish romance elements. A headstrong girl considers whether she wishes to continue in the old ways, and she falls in love with a romantic guy who helps her through the process. It was intriguing to witness an Amish woman in the Englisch world, and it was truly an innovative Amish story due to the introduction of modern conveniences. I know that I had read about how many of the Amish have changed their ideas regarding modern technology, and it was assumed that the readers would be familiar with these alterations. I have to admit that I was somewhat unprepared for this change. I would have preferred a little more clarification in this area (Amish go to the movies and watch television?). There was minimal references to God, and you can rest assured that nothing inappropriate will be found within these pages. The protagonist stands on her own, even against her family and a meddling bishop.
I am only awarding this book 3.5 stars because it seemed rather disjointed. Certainly, it is Christian, but I did not see nearly as many references to the Lord and the gospel as in other Amish fiction books. The ending was rather abrupt, and I struggled to truly comprehend the progression of the romantic relationship between Elizabeth and Saul. And I would have preferred an elongated confrontation between Elizabeth and her family. I’m not saying that everything needed to be patched up between them, but Saul and Elizabeth appear to be conspiratorial at the end, and I was left wondering how this plan would come to fruition.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.