Simple Secrets

I absolutely adored this awesome start to Nancy Mehl's Harmony series. It is dubbed Romantic Christian Suspense, and definitely fits the genre! Nancy Mehl really did an awesome job at blending the "outside" world with Old Order Mennonites, making it not quite plain but not completely "worldly" either.

Nancy Mehl introduces us, in book 1, to Grace "Gracie" Temple, neice of an Old Order Mennonite man, but who is an "outsider" because of no contact with her Uncle. She's strong in her faith, but then somethings start to happen to test that faith and just how strong she is with that faith. And there's Sam and his aunt, Myrtle, aka Sweetie. Such tender hearted characters! All of the amazingly created characters in this novel found a way into show more my heart and became my dear friends.

This book has humor, love, God and the perfect amount of mystery to keep the reader turning page after page. Something that I loved about this book was the town of Harmony that Mehl wrote about with both Mennonites and "Englishers", proving that people can get along despite their different lifestyles, and that forgiveness and God's love are important above all else. Today's true soceity doesn't always follow that and there is bitterness in this world. And it shows, through the mystery, that with people who truly follow God's word, can help each other through crisis and come out on top. Those things, combined with all the friends, love and mystery, kept me turning the pages of this fascinating new start late into the night. I just HAD to see "who-dun-it-with-what-and-where"! It was definitely an adventure with a bit of romance added, making this the perfect late night read!

All in all, definitely a 5 star read! If all the books in the Harmony series are as great as Simple Secrets, then I'm in for the duration with them, starting with book 2, Simple Deceit, this fall! Well done, Nancy! show less

The title of [b:Simple Secrets|7140406|Simple Secrets (The Harmony Series, #1)|Nancy Mehl|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1276204921s/7140406.jpg|7404336] means so many different things in the complex threads of this novel. This is my first introduction to the writing of Nancy Mehl and it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed her foray from mystery into romantic suspense. She knows her stuff. Each chapter and page was another hook that made me need five more minutes to find out what happens next all the way to the very end.

Love at first sight was palpable between Gracie and Sam and I look forward to seeing how their relationship evolves in the next book, [b:Simple Deceit: A Mennonite Community's Way of Life Is Threatened by show more Outsiders|8349344|Simple Deceit A Mennonite Community's Way of Life Is Threatened by Outsiders (The Harmony Series, Book 2)|Nancy Mehl|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51rMlOPr1zL._SL75_.jpg|13202105]. Set in a mostly Mennonite Town of Harmony, Kansas readers are taken on an educational journey into the reals of Mennonite personalities versus assumed stereotypes. Every piece of the puzzle was enlightening and interesting.

Though the story revolves around something not so pleasant watching how evil can be used and turned for good in the end was enjoyable. Keeping the faith and listening for God's will to come through while attempting to find the secrets between the darker side of the town will keep readers entertained in full.

*Thanks to Barbour Books for providing a copy for review through the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.* show less

The title of Simple Secrets means so many different things in the complex threads of this novel. This is my first introduction to the writing of Nancy Mehl and it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed her foray from mystery into romantic suspense. She knows her stuff. Each chapter and page was another hook that made me need five more minutes to find out what happens next all the way to the very end.

Love at first sight was palpable between Gracie and Sam and I look forward to see ...more The title of Simple Secrets means so many different things in the complex threads of this novel. This is my first introduction to the writing of Nancy Mehl and it will not be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed her foray from mystery into romantic show more suspense. She knows her stuff. Each chapter and page was another hook that made me need five more minutes to find out what happens next all the way to the very end.

Love at first sight was palpable between Gracie and Sam and I look forward to seeing how their relationship evolves in the next book, Simple Deceit: A Mennonite Community's Way of Life Is Threatened by Outsiders. Set in a mostly Mennonite Town of Harmony, Kansas readers are taken on an educational journey into the reals of Mennonite personalities versus assumed stereotypes. Every piece of the puzzle was enlightening and interesting.

Though the story revolves around something not so pleasant watching how evil can be used and turned for good in the end was enjoyable. Keeping the faith and listening for God's will to come through while attempting to find the secrets between the darker side of the town will keep readers entertained in full.

*Thanks to Barbour Books for providing a copy for review through the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance.* show less

This story is an Inspirational romance/mystery set in a modern day fictional town of Harmony, Kansas. It is the first book in 'The Harmony Series' and is about the secrets of this small Mennonite town. It has mystery, romance, secrets and forgiveness; and you will find that the old quote "the truth will set you free" is very applicable to this story. I found it to be a page turner that was hard to put down because you never knew what was going to happen next. This small Mennonite town has a lot of secrets, but it also seemed like it would be a nice town to live in. The characters in this town were all very different, but all seemed to be, for the most part, kind and caring. There will be heartbreak and joy all mixed together with show more romance and laughter. if you enjoy Mennonite stories, which is similar to the Amish ways but not as strict, then you will enjoy this town and story.

Gracie Temple loves her big city life as a graphic designer, but she will suddenly inherit a house from her uncle, whom she has never met, in the town of Harmony, Kansas. She makes plans to drive to Harmony and check out the house and sell it and the land. But she will soon discover some very disturbing and dark secrets in a letter left to her by her uncle. Now she must stay and try to unravel the mystery. Her neighbors, Sam Goodrich and his Aunt, Sweetie, will play a big part in helping her get to the truth, but in the process they will also make Gracie reconsider her future and if a small town in Kansas isn't more alluring than her big city life.

Looking forward to reading the next book in this series, "Simple Deceit". show less

SIMPLE SECRETS by Nancy Mehl is a Inspirational romance/mystery set in modern day Harmony, Kansas. It is the first in The Harmony Series which is fictional town in Kansas, it is about the secrets of this small Mennonite town. It has mystery, romance, secrets, forgiveness, family and the old quote "the truth will set you free". It is well written with depth and detail,fast paced and a page turner. This small Mennonite town is warm, caring, has a truckload of secrets, but this would be a wonderful town to live in, grow up in and raise a family. The characters are also warm, caring and will pull you into the story and feel their heartbreak, their joys, their triumphs and hurt. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you enjoy show more Mennonite stories, which is simpler to the Amish ways but not as strict. This book was received for review and details can be found at My Book Addiction and More and Barbour Publishing. show less