
Title: Matters of the Heart Author: Kelly Irvin
Series: Amish Calling #2
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Format: Audiobook
Length: 9 hrs 54 mins
Narrator: Lauren Berst
Date of Publication: July 16, 2024
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
He's the community's jokester auctioneer. She's the serious caregiver for her siblings who also works at the local plant nursery. What future could they have together? Declan Miller has always had feelings for Bethel King. Back when they were in school, she was the smartest girl in the class and, in his opinion, by far the prettiest. Now the two of them are in their twenties and while the attraction is still there, Declan is as hesitant as ever to let Bethel know how he feels. His corny jokes and wisecracks cover a heart that's afraid of rejection.
Bethel can't deny Declan is nice, funny, hardworking, and pleasing to the eye--a perfect match if you asked any Plain girl in the area. But marrying Bethel would also mean marrying into her family. Two of her younger brothers have a rare form of muscular dystrophy, and her sister Claire is now showing signs of having it as well. Fiercely loyal and nurturing, Bethel has promised herself her siblings will always come first. With a good chance that she carries the gene and could pass it on to her children, Bethel has tried to convince herself marriage and family just aren't in the cards for her.
When a devastating diagnosis of his own turns Declan's world upside down, he looks to Bethel for understanding, compassion, and a realistic outlook. As they share their dreams and fears and grow together in faith, a bond begins to develop between them. Perhaps their combination of optimistic extrovert and thoughtful introvert really isn't such a bad thing--perhaps it's actually a part of God's beautiful design.
MY THOUGHTS:
Before I begin into my review, I must draw attention to the Author’s Note at the beginning of the story. It sparked my curiosity as these books delve into the lives of Amish children born with mental and physical developmental disabilities, as well as some with debilitating diseases. What surprised me was the limited gene pool within the Amish community, which is a concept explored in this book, known as the “founder effect”. These insights are not my own but are highlighted in the Author’s Note. This book is an absolute must-read.
Declan Miller, an auctioneer from an Amish family, yearned to be the one to call auctions, even though he was already an auctioneer himself. Developing a relationship with a young Amish auctioneer like him would be challenging, especially considering their extended travel for work. However, an old classmate, Bethel King, has always been on his mind.
Bethel noticed Declan’s interest in her but couldn’t imagine him marrying a Plain girl like her. This is partly due to his reputation for constantly joking around. More concerningly, there is the fact that two of her younger brothers have muscular dystrophy and her teenage sister, Claire, is now showing symptoms. She feared that marriage would be impossible because of the genetic risk of passing these conditions on to her own children. As a result, marriage had become a distant dream.
Declan can’t stop thinking about his future, both as an auctioneer and as a husband. However. he receives devastating news about his health, threatening to shatter his future as an auctioneer, husband, and father. He really struggled to not only accept this news, but how to share this tragic news with his family and Bethel.
Kelly Irvin’s beautifully written story takes us on a deeper journey into the lives of these children, making these stories truly unforgettable. It’s not often for me to find a book about the Amish that highlights children with special needs. But one thing is for certain: these stories show us the incredible love, respect, and admiration these children receive from their community.
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Title: With All Her Heart Author: Kelly Irvin
Series: Amish Calling #3
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Inspirational Romance
Format: Kindle ARC and Audiobook ALC
Length: 10 hrs 5 mins
Date of Publication: January 28, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars
DESCRIPTION:
Bonnie and Elijah each believe that marriage is not in their futures . . . but they hadn't counted on God's plans being bigger than their own imaginations.Bonnie Yoder owns and operates a gift shop popular with tourists and local shoppers alike. She's glad she's found a way to be a productive member of her Plain community where all women aspire to marry and have children--something she's sure she'll never do because of her physical disability.
Elijah Miller has been acutely shy his entire life, which makes joining his brothers as auctioneers unthinkable. It also means he's never courted a woman. Instead, he spends every spare moment creating wooden children's toys and child-size furniture in a workshop he built behind his parents' house, all the while dreaming of starting his own business.
It's that dream that prompts Elijah to approach Bonnie about selling his wares in her store. He feels an immediate connection. So does Bonnie, but she's afraid to believe he'll ever see her as more than a shop owner kind enough to sell his toys. Elijah's convinced that someone so sure of herself would never be interested in a man who's too shy to put two sentences together around her.
What they can't see, others can. Matchmaking mothers and caring friends conspire to bring the two together. After spending time with each other, Elijah and Bonnie learn that sometimes the most challenging obstacle is a lack of faith--in themselves and in God. Together, they will traverse a difficult road to find their way to the future they've never allowed themselves to dream of having.
MY THOUGHTS:
Kelly Irvin’s third book in the Amish Calling series is a heartwarming tale of love and acceptance. The series begins with an insightful Author’s Note that delves into the concept of the “founder effect,” a phenomenon experienced by some Plain families due to a limited gene pool. Despite this, these families firmly believe that every child, regardless of disability, is cherished and considered special.
The story follows Bonnie Yoder, a co-owner of a successful gift shop with two other disabled Amish women. While Bonnie has managed her disability well and achieved success in her business, she has never imagined marriage or children in her future.
Elijah Miller, on the other hand, comes from a family of auctioneers but struggles with shyness, making it unlikely that he will follow in his father’s footsteps. Instead, he finds solace and passion in creating wooden toys from carvings. He has been working in a workshop behind his family’s home and dreams of turning his hobby into a business and eventually having his own family.
Elijah and Bonnie strike a deal for him to sell his wooden carvings at her gift shop. As they spend time together, they realize that there’s a deeper connection between them despite the challenges they face. Elijah’s shyness just might hold him back. And Bonnie struggles with the idea of being a good Plain wife and mother due to her disability. In fact, she finds it impossible to imagine.
While it is clear that there is a strong connection between Elijah and Bonnie, the couple struggle to find a way that will bring them both happiness. This book is a story of love and acceptance that celebrates the happiness of even less-than-perfect protagonists. The author’s sensitivity in portraying these characters’ struggles and their eventual happy endings is truly commendable.
While the main focus of the story is on Elijah and Bonnie’s love story, there’s also a delightful secondary love story that adds to the overall charm of the narrative. Additionally, I must mention the profound love and care shown by the Plain community towards disabled individuals and children in their midst. It’s a testament to the values and beliefs that reinforces their society’s ways.
Many thanks to Zondervan Fiction and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Best-selling author Kelly Irvin splits her writing time between Amish romances and romantic suspense. Her latest release is Trust Me (2/8/22), a romantic suspense novel set in San Antonio's historic art district. It explores broken trust and whether trust can ever be restored. Publishers Weekly called it a "whirlwind romantic thriller" and "an emotional rollercoaster."
Her latest Amish romance is Love's Dwelling, the first book in the Amish Blessings series, which released in July 2021. The series takes place in Yoder and Haven, Kansas, and looks at adoption among the Amish. The series follows her Amish romance series, Amish of Sky Country includes Mountains of Grace, followed by The Long Bridge Home, and Peace in the Valley. The series explores Amish communities in northwest Montana and how they are impacted by wildfires.
Other romantic suspense novels include Her Every Move, which Publishers Weekly called gripping suspense and said, "loving descriptions of San Antonio’s attractions enhance the well-paced plot."
The publication called Closer Than She Knows a "brisk, smoothly written, thriller."
Kelly's Every Amish Season series includes Upon A Spring Breeze, Beneath the Summer Sun, Through the Autumn Air, and With Winter's First Frost from Zondervan/HarperCollins Christian Publishing. This follows the Amish of Bee County series, The Saddle Maker's Son, released in June 2016. It is an ECPA bestseller. It follows The Bishop's Son, and the critically acclaimed bestseller, The Beekeeper's Son, which earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly. The reviewer called it "a beautifully woven masterpiece." The Beekeeper's Son was a finalist in the romance category of the 2016 ACFW Carol Awards Contest.