Brush of Angel's Wings

A friend (MH) sent me this book in a box of books. I did not read book 1 of the series--so it can be read as a stand-alone, though you may understand some of the character struggles better if you read book 1.

Rachel Hartzler is not the typical Amish woman. She'd rather help her father on the farm than learn things like cooking and sewing. Rachel also feels responsible for her brother's death--she hurried through chores to go to the river to look for an angel and her brother died while trying to rescue a sheep she was supposed to have secured.

Jordan has no plans to become Amish but is honoring a promise he made to his mother to spend time with her people even though he doesn't understand what his mother thinks he will find there since show more she chose to leave it.

Rachel's father hires Jordan to help out on the farm--and so Rachel has more time to work on skills like cooking and sewing that will help her find a husband.

There are many bumps in the road since Rachel resents Jordan taking her "place".

There are also parts of this book that remind me of C.S. Lewis's "The Screwtape Letters"--in that an angel and a fallen angel are working outside the realm of our perception to try to influence both Rachel and Jordan. show less

“Brush of Angel’s Wings” by Ruth Reid was a different kind of Amish novel. Rachel Hartzler makes her parents despair of her every marrying because she cannot cook, cannot keep house, in fact she really doesn’t like the fact that all Amish women are supposed to be domesticated and able to care for a husband and family. She would rather muck out the barn and plow a field with her father. However, she is of the age when she should become a young lady and not a farm hand.

Rachel’s father hires a young Amish/Englisher, Jordan Engles, to help him on his farm. Rachel does not like this and is not very nice to him. She thinks that he is there to take her dead brother, James’ place. Jordan’s mother was Amish, but was shunned after show more marrying his father. Jordan has not seen his father since he was very young. He doesn’t know which world he belongs in, but stays to help Micah, Rachel’s father.

I do believe in angels, in fact I have two guardian angels of my own, but for some reason the struggle between good and evil, the angel Nathanial and the dark angel Tangus, does not add to this story. I recognize that this is the reason for the appearance of Nathaniel and Tangus, but the fact that the reader is the only one to realize their existence in the story is a little disconcerting.

I would recommend reading this novel, however it is not one of my favorite Amish stories. I received a free Kindle copy of this book in return for my honest review from the publisher, Thomas Nelson and NetGalley.com. The opinions expressed here are my own.

You can read this review on my blog at http://wp.me/p2pjIt-5n show less

Sweet Amish Story of Forgiveness and Redemption

Rachel Hartzler was never like the other Amish girls, then brother died last year, and she still feels guilty. She tried to fill his place on her father’s farm, but now her father hired Jordan Engles to assist with the work. Rachel feels pushed aside, but then her heart is attracted to his. The depth of this romance grows with the inclusion of some spiritual warfare, as angels battle for souls, and difficult family struggles.

The discussions between the Guardian Angel and the demon add interest, and Biblical references to the story. The story is interesting, fun to read, and heartfelt. I enjoyed this Amish romance and recommend it to anyone looking for clean, heartfelt romance.

Received show more Galley from NetGalley.com show less

This was fun to read and see that an angel speaks in this book. It there to help two people. It was sweet to see the two angels battle in the book. The funny things they do to get the two people to listen. I really like it with Jordan that he get different things.

It was kinda different for Rachel. Though Rachel need to understand what happened to her brother and learn about forgiving. You would be surprise with all the things that happen and what comes of it.

This was fun to read and see that an angel speaks in this book. It there to help two people. It was sweet to see the two angels battle in the book. The funny things they do to get the two people to listen. I really like it with Jordan that he get different things.

It was kinda different for Rachel. Though Rachel need to understand what happened to her brother and learn about forgiving. You would be surprise with all the things that happen and what comes of it.