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ABOUT THE BOOK
A Canadian Amish farmer
A Lancaster Amish businesswoman
A Prince Edward Island foster child
Providence brings together a mismatched family, giving all three a second chance for love. Only love may never have had such a tough job.
Lydia Miller is an anomaly among her Amish people-a single woman in her 30s, running her own store, determined to forge a life on her own. But when Joel Yoder comes into town to sell his property, Lydia suddenly finds all of her hopes and dreams crumbling around her and a new opportunity placed in her lap.
Joel has his own problems. Recently jilted by his fiancée, Joel has seen his own dreams of moving to a newly established Amish community begin to falter. The new community welcomes married couples only. With his dreams quickly slipping from his fingers, Joel suddenly sees the only option he thinks he has–a marriage of convenience for both of them.
As the new couple begins life in a new settlement, they are even more surprised when a foster child in need of a home finds her way to them. Yet what will happen when the English world and the Amish world collide?
Publisher: Ambassador International
Release Date: June 9, 2020
OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES
EXCERPT
Two weeks had passed since Joel Yoder blew into Millers Creek like a whirlwind to turn Lydia’s life upside down. Lydia stretched her arm across the doorway to reach the doorknob and close up shop. Through the screen door, she saw Joel turn and wave as he strolled down the lane away from the shop. She returned his see-you-later nod and shut the door.
“Oh goodness, Lydia. I thought the man would never leave.” Anna poked her head around the doorframe of the workroom where she’d hidden.
“He won’t bite you, Anna. After all the days and hours he’s spent helping around here, you should know better by now. You could give yourself a chance to like him. How else will you ever make new friends?”
“Well, I just want things back to how they were around here.” The teen crossed her arms.
“He’s been very kind.” More than necessary, but Lydia wasn’t about to fuel Anna’s tendency toward romantic notions. Fantastical notions. Nothing Anna would ever actually put into action for herself. Ach, but the girl was a dreamer. “What’s done is done.”
“Humph, well at least I found something interesting.” Anna had a sly grin and held a hand behind her back.
“Like what?”
“Like valuable information on the Canadian interloper.”
“Careful. Keep talking that way, and your mamm will confiscate those spy novels again. Joel Yoder is not an interloper. Do you even know what the word means?”
“What I know is this land should belong to our people. I can’t stand to see the Yoder place turned over to an Englischer.”
“Truly, Anna, we should show love no matter if our neighbor is Amish or Englisch.”
A small lump formed in Lydia’s throat. She may not approve of Anna’s attitude but was hard-pressed not to share the disappointment. The Yoder fields of mown hay and grazing Holstein dairy cows were the gateway to Millers Creek. Lydia couldn’t imagine the community any way other than she’d known all her life. A new subdivision with houses squeezed in tight rows was not an option she preferred either. Yet she knew in a time past, things had been different.
Herman Yoder, Joel’s grandfather, moved with his new bride to Canada during the Second World War. Eventually, he returned with his wife and daughters to re-settle in Millers Creek. But his son, Joel’s father, had married a Canadian and remained behind. When Joel’s father died, everyone supposed Joel’s grandmother held onto the home in the hope her grandson would return to continue the family line in Lancaster. Clearly, Joel had no such desire. And why shouldn’t he be free to pursue his purpose elsewhere, so long as it pleased Gott?
Anna waved the yellowed paper in front of Lydia. “Not even a bit interested?”
“You’re up to no good. Let me see.”
Anna stepped out of reach. “I’d rather read it to you.”
How much harm could reading an old piece of paper do? “Fine.”
The brittle paper crinkled as Anna smoothed it out on the countertop; then after a dramatic intake of breath, Anna read aloud.
Gott will make a path for your dreams to begin a new settlement for the people. Choose your wife wisely…
“Stop!” Was Anna reading a private letter? “What have you done?” Lydia laid her hand on top of the paper, as if to protect the contents.
Questions swirled in Lydia’s head until she felt dizzy. “Where did you get this?”
“I found it in a drawer of the old writing desk you asked me to dust.” Anna’s head dropped down. She continued in a repentant tone, “I didn’t intend to snoop. I was just bored. Everything has been dusted and cleaned a hundred times already. I shouldn’t have read it.”
“Nay, Anna, you shouldn’t have.” Lydia could see through her splayed fingers the clear address to Joel. She wondered how long ago his grandmother penned the words to him.
Anna let go of the letter. “Why doesn’t he have a wife?”
Beulah Yoder had passed nearly seven years ago. But then, if Joel was close in age to Lydia’s thirty years, he would have been more than old enough to be thinking on marriage prior to his grandmother’s death. Lydia stuffed the page back into the envelope, then deep into her apron pocket for safe-keeping.
“I wouldn’t know. And don’t be imagining things. You’ve done enough.”
The matter was the man’s own affair. He could have his reasons for remaining unmarried. Lydia did.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amy spent her childhood in Melbourne, Australia, where her parents worked as church planters. After returning to the States, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia became home. Her real-life romance began on a travel nursing assignment to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where she met her husband, David.
After a nursing career of more than twenty years, Amy is now fulfilling her long-awaited dream career as an author of inspirational romance. She is also a full-time homeschool mom for her two boys, one of whom has Autism Spectrum Disorder, and lives with her family in the bustling foothills of North Carolina.
GIVEAWAY
(1) winner will receive a signed author copy of Forever Home, a classic 200 recipe Mennonite Family Cookbook, a Magic Amish cloth (it really does clean like magic with no chemicals), and a $25 Amazon gift card!
Be sure to check out each stop on the tour for more chances to win. Full tour schedule linked below. Giveaway will begin at midnight June 22, 2020 and last through 11:59 PM EST on June 29, 2020. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.
Giveaway is subject to the policies found here.
TOUR SCHEDULE
Thank you for sharing Forever Home with your readers, Hallie! I hope they will enjoy Lydia and Joel's journey as much as I loved writing it! :) Best wishes to all entering the giveaway!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for sharing!!!
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I liked the excerpt, thank you.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the description of the book. Looking forward to reading it.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great read.
ReplyDeleteThe cover really draws you in.
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