"The Midwife's Tale" by Delia Parr

The Midwife’s Tale (June 2, 2015) by Delia Parr.*

There is something mesmerizing about greeting a newborn, a tiny miracle. That is how midwife Martha Cade (a.k.a. Widow Cade) feels every time she helps deliver a newborn safely and healthily into Western Pennsylvania in 1830. Martha lives in the town of Trinity and has two grown children. She was hopeful her daughter would follow in her footsteps, but that all came to a halt when her daughter ran away with a theater troupe. Three months of searching doesn’t bring Victoria home. Martha is hurting deeply. She “can only feel and react, completely defenseless as anger, resentment, and fear fought bitterly against hope, trust, and faith on the battleground of her soul.” And being away from Trinity for three months has brought some major changes.

            Without Victoria in tow, Martha must deal with the scandal of her daughter’s running off. It is of the utmost embarrassment – “The shame was nearly unbearable” – to Martha that her daughter would do such a thing. But scandal isn’t Martha’s alone. There is also Rosalind Andrews, who, instead of confiding in others, has instead pushed away those she once called friends, even those who would lend a listening ear and not accusing words. On top of scandal, a new doctor has arrived in the town of Trinity. He’s not just any doctor, but a university doctor, and one who seems to think everything about midwifery is primitive and dated. And let’s not forget Mayor Thomas Dillon. She’s carried affection for him in the past (and vice versa), but her calling to midwifery led her down a different path and marriage to a different man. Likewise, Thomas married another. Martha’s been a widow for a decade, and Thomas has been a widower for a year. Could there be …? But no, that wouldn’t … Would it?

            I always enjoy reading a book from an author previously unknown to me and discovering how much I enjoy her/his writing. Once I started reading this story, I flew right through it. I appreciate that Parr writes Martha as a faithful but flawed individual, as we all are, whether or not we want to admit our flaws. Martha is a very vivid character, and when she’s feeling something – whether joy at a new birth, shame at her daughter’s absconding or flutter-feelings at the sight of the mayor – we the readers feel her emotions, too. I especially like that she writes scenes where Martha is struggling. Like us, she also has foolish moments. And, as Aunt Hilda states, “That makes you human. Faith and conviction can’t cure that. They only help you to recognize your failings so you can try to overcome them.” This story is excellently written and appears to be well-researched. I look forward to continuing to hang out in Trinity!

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"Amish Promises" by Leslie Gould

Amish Promises (May 5, 2015) by Leslie Gould.*

When one thinks of Lancaster County, it seems natural to attribute it to a place of serenity. That is what Shani Beck is hoping for. Give it a year. She’ll begin a job as a nurse at Lancaster General, and she’ll live in her late grandfather’s house with her recuperating military husband, Joel, and their son, Zane. Shani’s got her work cut out for her, mostly due to Joel’s physical and emotional issues. His tibia was shattered in an attack while he was on active duty. Because of his injuries, he’s out of the Army for good, but he carries with him survivor’s guilt, self-pity for currently being wheelchair-bound and, most likely, PTSD.

            “I will never leave a fallen comrade,” is Charlie McCall’s mantra. Joel, struggling as he is, is still a fallen comrade in Charlie’s eyes, and the Becks need him in their lives probably more than they realize, especially Joel. He helps with everything from unloading the moving van to building a ramp to taking Zane under his wing. And his eyes are captured by the single, 20-something Amishwoman who takes care of her brother’s home and his five children.

            Likewise, Charlie has caught Eve Lehman’s eyes. But she treads lightly. Caring for her strict brother’s (Tim’s) household and her nieces and nephews is her atonement for, in her church’s eyes, the sins of her running-around years. And she doesn’t want to do anything which Tim disapproves of, for she loves her nephews and nieces – twins Daniel & Lila, Simon, Rose and baby Trudy – more than anything, plus she promised Abra on her deathbed. But naturally, as with any good story, complications arise that keep them all intertwined for better or for worse, for risk of shunning or not.

            This contemporary Amish Christian fiction story is the first in the Neighbors of Lancaster County series, and it’s off to a strong start. I thoroughly enjoy Amish fiction, and this story did not disappoint. Just as I appreciate stories that involve a variety of ethnicities, so do I also enjoy reading Amish fiction that blends cultures – in this case, Englischers. There has been tragedy and hardship on all sides – whether emotional or physical or both – and all individuals must find a way to come to terms with it. Here is a story about faith, family and unexpected friendship, but also a story about mistrust born on stereotypes, the past, and the close-mindedness that can come from sheer stubbornness. It is a wonderfully written story that blends Amish and English, heartache and healing, willingness and inflexibility, mistrust and trust. From heartache and sorrow to love and happiness, friendship and healing will thread their way through, as they so often do.

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are expressly my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”