Room on the Porch Swing

I really enjoyed reading this sweet Amish story, and I loved that baby, Mollie, and her trying to say Laura.
There is a lot of heart break here, and we are there when Allen loses his young wife, and Mollie her Mom. We relive the death of Laura’s mom, when she fell down the stairs, and with all this grief we follow these folks as they try to put their lives back together and live their faith.
This book has so many heartwarming moments and rebirth of ones lives and faith to continue despite all that has happened. Of course, there is this sweet baby and those that love her, a bit of romance, and a wedding to plan for. This is the second book in this series, and can be read alone, the author does supply a lot of information to keep you up show more to date, but you don’t want to miss the first one.

I receive this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review. show less

I have always been a fan of Amish fiction, which is why I am shocked that I have never read any books from Amy Clipston, and was anxious to read Room on the Porch Swing. This is the second and final book in the Amish Homestead series and though I have not read the first book, A Place at Our Table, I was in no way lost when I started reading. Room on the Porch Swing had my attention from the beginning.

I cannot imagine being a widow, much less a widower with a two-month-old baby to care for, but that is exactly where Allen Lambert finds himself after tragically losing his wife, Savella. They have only been married for a little over a year and Allen is still a newcomer in a lot of ways in the small Amish community in Bird-in-Hand, show more Pennsylvania.

Allen is lucky to have wonderful in-laws who share the pain of this tragic loss and his mother-in-law, Irma Mae, offers to help with baby Mollie while Allen goes back to work repairing and reselling buggies, his own business, which just happens to be booming at the moment. When Irma Mae has a nasty fall that ends up requiring surgery she can no longer care for Mollie which leaves Allen once again struggling to get by.

It seems as if everything in Laura Riehl's life is dramatically changing as well. It's only been a few months since she's lost her mother that she loses her best friend, Savella. Her and her boyfriend, Rudy, were close friends to both Allen and Savella, and Laura wants to do everything she can to help her best friends husband. When Irma Mae becomes unable to care for baby Mollie Laura seizes the opportunity to help, much to the disapproval of her long-time boyfriend. Allen is more than grateful for the help and before long their relationship grows into a close and caring friendship and then all the feelings start to confuse their once clear intentions with each other.

Though this book is predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Room on the Porch Swing. The character development and depth is wonderful and you truly feel the emotions coming through the pages. There is quite a bit of "will they won't they" which did start to get a little old but I am so glad I persevered until the end. There were a few nail-biting parts that were real page turners, which I appreciated, and the story does pick up at the end. It is a sweet and easy read and only took me a few days to get through it all.

Wonderful and sweet story of loss, faith, and love! Highly recommend!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. All opinions are my own. show less

I cherished every word as I read this book. The author is such an eloquent writer and brings the characters to life with her words. I loved the significance of the porch swing in the story. My grandfather had a porch swing and every summer I couldn't wait to visit him. We would sit for hours just talking and the wisdom he shared with me I will never forget.

When certain characters would sit on the porch swing, I knew it was going to be a time of memories and unconditional love. It was a place for people to sit and share their worries and be comforted. I loved Laura right away and admired her compassion to help out when her best friend passes away. It was difficult for Laura to adjust to not having her friend around, but she was blessed show more to be able to help take care of the baby that was missing her mother. Laura is still grieving the loss of her own mother and the loss of her best friend is a bit much for her.

Allen is a very humble man and tries his best to take care of Mollie and still run his business. The arrangement he makes with Laura to be his nanny seems like a great idea. Laura has a lot to deal with and I wondered if she took on too much too soon. Her devotion to Mollie is special and maybe being around Mollie helped her to deal with losing her best friend. I have to say I was quite surprised that Laura stayed overnight at Allen's house. Is this something that the bishop would be alright with? It was sure to cause problems with her boyfriend and I loved the way Laura prayed and asked for guidance.

The story is wonderful and really made me think how important it is to be happy in a relationship. Rumors and gossip can cause misunderstandings and draw people apart. The author does a great job of exploring a relationship between Allen and Laura. Is Allen ready to love again? Will Laura decide if her boyfriend is right for her? Don't miss this beautiful story of letting go and listening to God .

I received a copy of this book from The Fiction Guild. The review is my own opinion. show less

When tragedy strikes a family in the Amish community, the people in that community gather round to support them. So, when Allen’s young wife, Sevilla, died, others stepped in to help. His mother-in-law cared for his young daughter and the household so he could continue to work. And when she fell and broke her leg and hip, his deceased wife’s best friend, Laura, offered her services as Molly’s caregiver. Thus begins this Amish story of dealing with loss and overcoming grief. Laura soon becomes attached to Molly, and finds herself becoming attracted to Allen. It’s too soon after his wife’s death, and somehow, it doesn’t seem right, since Savilla and Laura were as close as sisters. Author Amy Clipston does a good job of first show more portraying and then overcoming grief. The story is an interesting one, and the characters are endearing. show less

ROOM ON THE PORCH SWING is the second book in the Amish Homestead series by Amy Clipston and I enjoyed it more than the first. It is the story of Laura Reihl, and how she is dealing with grief. She lost her mother at the end of the last book, and her best friend, Savilla, dies tragically with a virus that caused her heart to stop. Savilla had been married for a short time and left behind her young husband, Alan and months old daughter, Mollie. When Savilla's mother, who is taking care of Mollie and the house has an accident and ends up in the hospital, Laura steps in to help her friend's widower. Laura's boyfriend of four years, Rudy, is not happy about the situation and doesn't like how it will look to others. Will Laura and Rudy ever show more get married? How will Laura fight the feelings towards Alan that are budding in her heart?

Amy Clipston does a wonderful job of making you feel present in the story. The emotions and struggles are so real, in fact, many readers have probably experienced similar situations. As I read the book, I felt my emotions going up and down. I wanted things to turn out for Laura and kept telling her that Rudy was not ready for a commitment. Alan seemed like the perfect man. He loved and was devoted to his daughter, he was caring and did not want anyone to get the wrong idea about Laura. He was very astute about other's feelings and tried to help when he could. The rest of Laura's family was present and again, I felt like I was meeting up with old friends. They are also dealing with things and they seem to be working out. The power of prayer and their beliefs came through strongly, but did not overpower the story. Room on a Porch Swing is a heart tugging story filled with grief, loneliness, heartbreak, and love that will grip you right from the first page. I am so looking forward to the next book in this series. The publisher, Zondervan, generously provided me with a copy of this book to read. show less

Room on the Porch Swing by Amy Clipston is An Amish Homestead Novel. Laura Riehl lives in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania where her best friend, Savilla Lambert has passed away. It has been less than a year since Laura’s mother died and now her best friend passes after a quick illness. Allen Lambert and Savilla were married such a short time and now he is a widower with a baby girl to raise. The following summer, Irma Mae falls in Allen’s kitchen and her injuries require surgery. Irma Mae, Savilla’s mother, has been Mollie’s caretaker and now Allen must find someone to watch her while he is working. Laura offers to care for Mollie until Irma Mae recovers. Allen and Laura soon discover that they can talk truthfully (open and honestly) show more to each other. They find their chats on the porch swing helpful and comforting. Rudy, Laura’s beau, is not happy with the time she is spending at Allen’s home and he becomes resentful. As time passes, Laura becomes comfortable with caring for Mollie and her feelings for Allen begin to change. But she has been dating Rudy for four years and is not sure she should give up on their relationship. The time is approaching when Laura will need to make a choice.

Room on the Porch Swing takes us back to Bird-in-Hand and the Riehl family. It was nice to catch up with Jamie and Kayla from A Place at Our Table along with Mark (Laura’s twin) and Cindy (the youngest Riehl). While Room on the Porch Swing is part of a series, it can be read alone (but why would you want to miss out on A Place at Our Table). Change is in the air and Laura is not ready for it. Room on the Porch Swing is an emotional book as Laura and Allen deal with their grief. Every person handles grief in a different way as we see in this novel. Their romance is sweet and progresses slowly. It is not something Laura or Allen are looking for or expect. I thought Room on the Porch Swing was well-written and engaging. My attention was captured from the very beginning and it was held throughout. Laura and Allen are great characters. I thought they were well-developed and perfect for this story. While Rudy was needed for the story, I had many unkind thoughts regarding him. I did not like how he was using Laura and then grew resentful of the time she spent at the Lambert home caring for Mollie (Rudy would go a week without contacting Laura). I like how the faith elements are woven into the story (especially the importance of prayer). We need to remember that things happen in God’s timing, not ours. There is a reason for the events that happen in our lives (tragedy, heartbreak). We must be open to change and be prepared (open/accepting) for what will happen next. Room on the Porch Swing contains hope, grief, joy, heartbreak, faith, and more. It is a heartwarming novel that will have you laughing, crying, and sighing (a happy one at the end). Sit down for a spell in a comfy chair and spend some time with Room on the Porch Swing. show less

As always Amy Clipston tells a fantastic story. Allen and Laura have each suffered a devastating loss and help each other learn to cope with this loss. I love how the author has these two characters learn how to get through this loss. I laughed and cried through this book. I always look forward to reading these Amish stories. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.