I finally finished my Brides of Lancaster County tome last week, 900+ pages of pure Amish romance and I have to admit, I wouldn't have minded reading another 900 pages. Wanda E. Brunstetter seems to be the queen of Amish fiction, she has a way of capturing this lifestyle better than any other I've read so far.
The Brides of Lancaster features four different stories following the people in Lancaster County through the years. Characters actually age, a child in one book is ready for courting in the next book, so you see the progress made among the families as each story unfolds.
The first book is the story A Merry Heart, which features a woman who's grown bitter after her ex has taken off with another woman, will she grow to love the kind Amish man who needs a mother for his (adorable!) little girl? (I think we all know what will happen, but it's the journey where all the meat of the story is!)
Book two is Looking For a Miracle. Miriam's niece Rachel is all grown up now but in a wheelchair from the accident she suffered in A Merry Heart. She struggles to find independence while hoping for a good man in her life. Love this character, all the characters, frankly, for their steadfast will and beliefs.
Book three is Plain & Fancy. Young Eli meets a girl- An Englisher girl (gasp!) will he stay true to his religion?? Will Nancy join Eli in the Amish faith just on the basis of her love for him?? Nancy is as obsessed with her figure as the others are with making her fat, if she marries Eli, will a boppli ruin her figure forever?? (I love any story that ends in a boppli!)
The Hope Chest. Rachel's children are now grown and looking for a good man, but when her daughter gets involved with Reuben and leaves the Amish church, how will the family deal with the ex-communication?
Each story is different, and each story has it's own charm. If you have a month, devote yourself to this book, or-save your wrists and look for each book individually!- there are no disappointments here.
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