"Stitches in Time" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Stitches in Time (Oct. 1, 2019) by Suzanne Woods Fisher.*

Detachment from people has worked well for Sam Schrock until he meets Mollie Graber. Mollie is a schoolteacher who came to Stoney Ridge, Pennsylvania, for a fresh start from an overbearing, overprotective worrywart (a.k.a. her mother). When Sam’s brother, Luke, new to his role as deacon, asks the congregation to temporarily take in foster girls from the local group home, she’s the first to raise her hand. Not only that, she wants to take in two girls. Preferably sisters. She feels that the power of love can knit together the dropped stitches and make a whole. Unfortunately, the 11-year-old twins she takes in seem unmoved by her caring, open spirit and have no regard for common courtesy. They smoke in Mollie’s small home, skip school and repeatedly get caught by the Stoney Ridge sheriff when they’re hitchhiking at night to Las Vegas. When they start working around Sam’s horses – first mucking out stalls as a consequence for negative actions – their interest is piqued. Is it genuine or is it merely a passing fancy?

            The positive thing about having Tina and Alicia working with the horses is that Sam has more opportunity to be around Mollie, whom he’s always held in high regard. The feeling is mutual, though Mollie is reluctant to begin a courtship, because, as her mother continually reminds her, “…loving Mollie brought complications.” When a scare shakes Sam to his core, will he overcome it and be the pillar of support that’s needed? Or will he be “like a turtle” and hide in his shell at the slightest sign of emotion?

            I verily enjoyed this Amish inspirational fiction romance, the second in The Deacon’s Family series. Not having read any other Amish fiction books from Woods Fisher, I’m missing backstory on multiple characters, but not so much that I was lost while reading this one. This story provides for us a rich tapestry of love, faith, trying times and picking up the pieces by accepting support from those around us. Like the characters in the story, we each need people in our lives who will take the “time to unravel the yarn and go back to fix the dropped stitches.” Our lives are all filled with dropped stitches and those that help us at each step provide us stitches in time (p. 175). There is beauty and meaning in this story that sheds important light on the significance of foster care.

            Favorite line: “Luke was busier than a one-eyed cat watching nine mouse holes” (p. 40).

* Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. 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.”