Amos and Fern are known for their kindness, and for helping people. Izzy lives with them, and is on the verge of accepting the Amish faith. Luke was raised Amish, but strayed from the strict upbringing, causing mischief and worse for his neighbors. He is out of rehab, for alcohol abuse, for the third time, and this is his last chance. Amos and Fern take him in, but in deference to Izzy, Luke must sleep in the barn. And before he is fully welcomed back into the fold, he must make amends by going to the people he wronged and apologizing and righting the harm he inflicted. This makes for some interesting and entertaining reading. Luke’s heart is now in the right place, but his thinking is sometimes a bit skewed. The book is sprinkled with humor, especially with a subplot of a pesky raccoon. This author knows how to tell a good story with great characters, and with her lovely way with words, everything just flows together. ( )

Luke Schrock is out of choices...either he goes to rehab and rejoins the Amish community he once fled or he can go to jail. Reluctantly, he decides to return to Stoney Ridge and and the family and friends he once left behind. But returning to this quiet community will not be easy, the Amish may forgive, but their forgiveness is hard earned...and they never forget. With help from his friends, he begins to work towards regaining the forgiveness and trust that was once lost through his pranks and misdeeds as a teenager. It is a long, arduous, painful, and frightening road for Luke, but he has many who will help him...if he will reach out for help and acknowledge a need for change. While Luke might be slowly beginning to recognize a need to change, his old ways are certainly hard to overcome; his eyes settle on beautiful Lizzie who is beginning her life with the Amish of Stoney Ridge. However, winning her trust, much less her attention at all is proving all too difficult for Luke. Will Luke learn the real lessons of life or will he continue to try and avoid his personal challenges to look good for others?

This was a great book! It is the first in The Deacon's Family series by Ms. Woods Fisher.
I am currently reading the second book in the series Stitches in Time and am enjoying is as much as the first...thank you LibraryThing for the Early Reviewers copy of Stitches in Time! ( )

As her bio states, Suzanne Woods Fisher’s strength is writing “about real people living in faith-based communities”. Whether set in a Plain community or in an historical context, her characters feel like your own neighbors, friends, and family. Mending Fences is no exception. Bringing favorite characters from past books together with new, she creates a story of second chances and new beginnings. While this novel will certainly appeal to fans of Amish fiction, it will resonate with anyone looking for a heartwarming story.

Luck Schrock has been a secondary character in a number of Fisher’s novels, but in Mending Fences he is one of the mains. Back from another stint in rehab, Luke wants a chance to prove he is a changed man. While the Amish are quick to offer forgiveness, trust is hard to come by. And for Luke it can be painful. I loved how Luke doggedly worked through making amends for his many pranks. He learned that what seemed harmless fun cost others in meaningful ways. The other main character, Izzy Miller, is looking for a brand new start in the first safe place she has lived. She is attracted to many of the aspects of a Plain life, but her old ways of thinking get in the way of grace. Forgiveness, both giving and receiving, is a strong theme. As always, Fisher liberally sprinkles humor within the pages of Mending Fences. There are laugh out loud moments combined with poignant scenes as more than one character accepts God’s love.

There’s more to come from The Deacon’s Family series as a few story lines are left unresolved. But the wait will be a short one — book 2, Stitches in Time, is due out in just a few days!. I am looking forward to seeing just what else Fisher has in store for Luke, Izzy, and the other residents of Stoney Ridge.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(Thanks to Library Thing and Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

Mending Fences (The Deacon's Family) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

A very interesting read of a young man who made a lot of mistakes in his youth must make amends. He must "undo" the actions and sorrow he caused so many people with his antics.

I loved this book, besides giving me a good look at the Amish ideals, it is a very meaningful way of looking at things, trading past mistakes for a more fulfilling and actively correctly the wrongs done in the past. Aside from that, this book made me feel the closeness of these people, something that doesn't always show up in quite the same way. Very good and helpful, fulfilling story-line. I enjoyed every part of this book. Especially with the lessons Luke must learn and how he goes about repairing his past errors. ( )

Suzanne Woods Fisher has a way of spinning a tale that never disappoints, and this book is no exception. I have read hundreds of Amish novels—inspirational, romance, suspense, and historical—and this book combines all these genres into a beautifully flowing and compelling read.

There are plenty of suspense, drama, romance, and unexpected plot twists to make this book very difficult to put down. I highly recommend this book.

I received a free advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers. July 17, 2019. ( )