Fantastic book! Wonderful characters and a unique story line. If you enjoy Amish fiction you will like this book. Essie is such a great character- " You work in humble ways, but your love and support hold up so many folks." She's so strong and secure in her faith. She has some tough circumstances but she perseveres and believes that things will work out. A definite must read! ( )

An Amish Homecoming by Rosalind Lauer is the beginning of the Joyful River series. I enjoyed reading this unique Amish novel. We get to see three Englisch young women adapt to living on an Amish farm. Megan, Serena, and Grace are brought to the Lapp’s dairy farm by their father, Sully. Sully’s deceased wife, Sarah was Miriam Lapp’s sister and she passed away from cancer a year ago. The three girls miss their mother and are acting out. Sully is a police officer working the night shift which leaves his daughter’s with too much time unsupervised. Sully needs to work to provide for his children, so he asks Miriam and Alvin Lapp to care for the girls for the next year. An Amish Homecoming allows us to see the differences between an Amish and Englisch world. The three sisters are not forced to be Amish nor give up their individuality. The Lapp family provides a safe, loving home for the three sisters where they can work to overcome their sorrow and be themselves. I thought An Amish Homecoming was well-written with an interesting cast of characters. Essie is the same age as two of her cousins, but she comes across as more responsible and mature. Essie is hoping to marry her beau, Harlan soon. Megan wants to finish high school and attend college while her twin, Serena is unsure of what the future holds for her. Grace, the youngest, misses her home and father. The point-of-view alternates between Miriam, Essie, and Serena. I liked getting to see the different perspectives. Each woman is at a different stage in their life. Reading An Amish Homecoming is a lovely way to wile away an afternoon. An Amish Homecoming is a heartwarming and inspiring story that showcases love, faith, and family. ( )

"An Amish Homecoming" highlights the differences between the Amish culture and mainstream "Englisch" life. When Essie's three teenage cousins come to stay, her life is turned upside down as she tries to help them get used to living in a typical and busy Amish household. At the same time, Essie and her boyfriend Harlan face difficulties as they try to plan their future together.

This is definitely your typical Amish romance novel! The mix of two cultures added an interesting twist, whilst also describing situations from different viewpoints of the well-drawn, likeable, and fascinating characters. Personality differences are highlighted, while values and morals drive the behavior of the characters. Each character changes and experiences growth within the story. The Christian message forms an integral part of this novel, which contains no graphic language, violence, or sexual situations. Themes include personal change, the importance of family,and coping with difficult situations. I look forward to reading more novels in this series, and hints of things to come were provided, so readers have something to look forward to in future novels. Highly recommended.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own. ( )

This story was an enjoyable Amish romance. This story revolved about three Amish teenage girls whose formerly Amish mother had passed away. As their father struggled between his police work and raising 3 girls who definitely needed their mother, he decides to take them to his sister-in-law to stay for a year.
It was a surprise to their Amish family as they suddenly appear. It was a story of learning about one another's cultures and lifestyle. A story of learning to understand, to serve and to help each other when help was needed. It was a story of personal growth and love.

I enjoyed this story, which was sweet, clean and a fun read, with some twists and turns, to remind us that all things are still in God's hands.

I received a copy of this book from the author. All thoughts are my own. ( )

When you read the description of this book, you see that Miriam is being asked to have her deceased sister’s daughters. Their father is a policeman, and with his wife gone the girls have been going a bit wild. Now, Miriam and her family are Amish, can you imagine the changes in store for these girls?
I loved the title of this read, it resonates in so many of the lives here, of course, I think of the cousins, their mom was Amish, but it also makes me think of Harlan’s mom and her thoughts to move to Ohio.
We are given Essie Lapp’s story, she has been keeping company with Harlan, and is hoping for a fall wedding. There is also a sweet romance with one of the cousins and the milk truck driver, and this leads to a blossoming of a new career.
This is a warm hearted read, not without its problems, but we see people living their faith, although some could use a refresher course.
I’m so glad this is the beginning of a new series, and I am looking forward to a return visit to Joyful River!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Keningston, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )