Plain Pursuit

I love reading Amish novels, but it's hard finding authors that can live up to the standard that Beverly Lewis set. Beth Wiseman seems to be the exception, and may have even passed that standard. In "Plain Pursuit", Wiseman flawlessly blends both views and feelings of the Amish and the "Englisch" when she puts Carley in the Stolfus household and in the middle of the Amish community. It gave the book a certain realism and made the characters multidimensional. I enjoyed the book being centered around an "Englischer" intruding into the lives of the Amish instead of being focused on just the Amish point of view. I found the book refreshing, faith building and heartwarming. (Shhhh... don't tell anyone, but there were even times I found tears show more trying to surface.)

This is the second book of Wiseman's Daughters of the Promise series, however, I read it as a stand alone novel, and didn't feel lost or like I was missing anything. I did love the book enough to order the first book "Plain Perfection" and am anxiously awaiting its arrival.

One last note... In the back of the book are some absolutely delicious authentic Amish recipes. What a lovely bonus to a delightful novel! show less

I can't help it. Amish books are my weakness. I know, I know. However I have no desire to become Amish nor do I agree with all their beliefs. In fact I will state when I find something I disagree about. But still, they are good escape reading especially when you want to read something that is comforting.

I did like this book. The characters were all very engaging and interesting to read. Noah's story especially was my favorite. Personally I would have loved to have read his book and read all the juicy secrets of the behind the scenes details of Amish life. I felt really bad for him because he wanted to live the life he felt called to do and his family shunned him instead. I'm really glad that he stays true to his self and doesn't allow show more guilt from others to change his mind. The drama involving Samuel's son is a bit soap opera-ish at times due to the rapid pace it took off but still made for good reading.

This is not spoiling the story at all but I just wanted to say I was thrilled that no one turned Amish in this book. I have been worried that this series would fall into the stereotype where every non-Amish person that gets a whiff of Amish life suddenly has the desire to give up their life and join the community. If your intentions are true then that's fine but it just seem like it's the latest trend in books. I mean, really, Amish life is more seductive than most romance novels it seems because people can't seem to keep away. Therefore I was more than relieved when Carley showed no interest in giving up her regular life.

I've stated before in my review of the first book in the series that I didn't really like Samuel. During that book I just felt that he came off as very standoffish to me. Well I was right to feel that way because he gets even worse in this book. Throughout the whole book I just wanted to scream at him for being so unreasonable. Also, to be honest I really don't know how Lillian can put up with him. I'm also amazed at how quickly she adapted to the Amish lifestyle. It was like one minute she can't even up her jeans, now she can speak fluent Pennsylvania German.

All in all I am enjoying this series. They are very refreshing reads. While I may not agree with all the beliefs of the Amish, this series doesn't try to make me feel guilty for that. Plus there's tons of food mentioned in the book, which as I've said before is always a plus in my book. This book is a great way to escape for the weekend. If you're an Amish fan, you'll enjoy this one. show less

Another well told and believable story taking place in the Amish community. Very realistic and very hard to understand; the shunning. Carley is not Amish but is in for a culture shock when she is forced to take a vacation by her boss and decides to visit her friend Lillian, (who you would know well if you read the first book in this series), who has become Amish. Carley will start to find some peace amidst this community, but things get to happening when Lillian and Samuel's son falls ill and needs a kidney transplant.

Dr. Noah has just moved back into the Amish community he grew up in and then left to become a doctor. He has been shunned by the community and his family, and Carley has a hard time with how he is treated. He is the one show more who is a match for a kidney, but even then it i hard for the Amish community to except his help. Carley is caught between helping her friend Lillian and their family and being a help to Noah, who she is learning to love, and in the midst of all of this she is learning to trust and know her God.

This is a good series so far and I look forward to reading all 6 books in this series. Very well told stories that aren't afraid to show the harsh realities of the Amish community, or the love and devotion they have for each other. show less

Carley Marek is still recovering both physically and mentally from a devastating car accident when her editor insists she take a month long vacation. Carley reluctantly agrees and goes to visit her friend Lillian who married an Amish man, became Amish herself, and happily lives in Amish country. Carley no sooner begins to find some peace in the simple way the Amish live when Lillian's son falls desperately ill. Carley finds new insight into the Amish ways when Lillian's husband Samuel is reluctant to let the only doctor who can help, Noah, do so. As Carley tries to help Lillian's family, she is increasingly drawn to Noah and begins to question her life so far and her relationship not only with Noah but with God.

With its Amish setting, show more "Plain Pursuit" is a unique, fresh romance novel. It is actually deeper than a typical romance novel as it focuses not just on the attraction between Carley and Noah, but gives good insight into the Amish way of life. While many aspects of Amish life are touched on, the one must crucial to the plot is that of "shunning" a part of Amish life that certainly had me thinking about the book long after I finished reading it and would make the book a perfect choice for a book club read because it no doubt would lead to many debates about certain Amish practices. Carley and Noah are both deep characters, especially for a romance novel. Carley is scarred in many ways from the car accident and struggling with her growing attraction to Noah while wondering if he would want to live with her physical flaws. Noah is a man who sacrificed much to become a doctor and is trying to make up for a foolish mistake he made while young. The romance perhaps could have been developed a bit more but the attraction between them is undeniable. While religion plays a very important part in the book, author Beth Wiseman never hits readers over the head with it - it's simply a major part of life for many of the characters.

"Plain Pursuit" is a nicely done romance novel. show less

This was a good story and showed a nice contrast and blend of the Amish life to the "English" life. Although Carley enjoys staying and helping her friend who converted to Amish, she doesn't become Amish herself. I like Beth Wiseman's way of writing and showing the faith of her characters without being preachy. I'm looking forward to reading the whole series.

This was a cute Amish romance story. The story was emotionally gripping with a lot going on in one family. It revolved around a shunning and how everyone in the community suffers from the shunning, not just the shunned person. The story had a hopeful ending, which is how I like my Christian Romance stories to end.

Plain Pursuit (A Daughters of the Promise Novel) by Beth Wiseman

This is the second book in the Daughters of Promise Novels and while the first book was wonderful, Plain Perfect (Daughters of the Promise, Book 1) this second book of the trilogy is even better, and I sure can't wait for the third to come out this September. Plain Promise (A Daughters of the Promise Novel,Book 3)

This is a sentimental story of an Amish family, Samuel and Lillian Stoltzfus
(From the first book) that desperately needs the help of one of their own who happens to be being shunned by his entire family and the community. During this rocky time Lillian's friend Carley is visiting and trying to get her life back in order and find some inner peace. I don't want to show more spoil more of the story, but let me tell you, you may want to have some tissues by your side for the more heart wrenching moments and even the happy ones. This book is about learning to deal with the aspects and rules of our religions that we may not agree with, coming to terms with the fact that others may choose different paths than we do and of course it's a love story.

It's a well crafted story with fully drawn characters and has nice pacing. I just love how Ms Wiseman can walk that fine line of the Amish way of living within their religions restictions and the Englisher's freer ways of life ways of life.

One more thing, Ms Wiseman did an excellent job of researching kidney transplants and disease for this novel. I have a friend who has been waiting for a kidney for a number of years and has been on dialysis. She also happens to live in another region of the country that has a high concentration of Amish. She allowed me to ask many questions and was able to confirm everything that Ms Wiseman wrote. Not many authors take the time or effort to get things correct and hats off to this one for doing so. show less