I just received this new book free from Bethany House to do an unbiased book review.
This is the story of Amy, a Mennonite widow with three children who has moved to Weaverly, Kansas for a fresh start. Shortly after she moves in she meets her new neighbor, Tim Roper, who owns and runs the apple orchard right next to her property. Her children immediately like Tim, even though he has a brusque way about him. As Amy and her children build a relationship with Tim, they are able to see into each others heartaches and how that has formed who they are. Amy responds with kindness and patience, while Tim struggles to let go of the wall he's built up in his heart from past hurts. Will Tim and Amy be able to move past these tragic circumstances and forge a bond of love? (I love ending a synopsis with a question : ))
I was actually surprised by all the things that happened in this story. I was expecting more of a love story, but I think this book actually focuses more on the journey two families are taking and how each are dealing with loss. Amy is a widow of 3 years and she, along with each of her 3 children, are handling their loss differently. Amy struggles with feeling closure and peace with the circumstances of her husband's death. Her oldest daughter Bekah is slightly rebellious and curious about the world outside her Mennonite fellowship. Her son, Parker, was injured in an accident and now has special needs. This was an aspect of the book that I appreciated. You don't find a lot of books that address the struggles and joys of having a child with special needs and I thought this family's story would be similar to those in real life. The youngest daughter, Adrianna, is a happy go lucky little kid, oblivious to the conflicts around her. All three of these children have abruptly entered into Tim Roper's life. He enjoys his solitude...he uses it to hide from the world around him. Since his wife and son, who happened to have Downs Syndrome, were tragically killed, Tim can't move on. He is also rebellious against his own Mennonite roots, as his father was very strict on him when he was young. A lot of elements in one story! So there's a lot of resolution that needs to take place for the two main characters to even think about being interested in each other. The attraction just kind of hovered over the story while they were dealing with everything else. As one who loves a good love story, I kind of felt that aspect lacking a little. But...I did like all of the other character development that was going on. It was believable, dealt with a lot of sensitive issues and resolved itself in a satisfying way. A little more love spark would've been nice, though. Overall, I would say this book was a good read but if you're looking for a story centered around a love connection you might feel like something is missing.
~Stacey
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