"A Season on the Wind" by Suzanne Woods Fisher

A Season on the Wind (Oct. 5, 2021) by Suzanne Woods Fisher.*

It’s the chance to spot the rare White-winged Tern with his own eyes that brings Ben Zook, a twitcher, to the Amish community where he grew up. Stoney Ridge is not a place of happy memories. In fact, he desired to never return there, but he’s desperate to spot this bird for his upcoming book  - Ben’s a renowned author and photographer of rare birds – and Stoney Ridge has Micah Weaver, a local Amish field guide who’s earning a name for himself amongst the birding community. His only hope now is to get in and out before anyone recognizes him.

            Ben and his cousin, Natalie Crowell, in a conundrum of her own after a divorce, are staying at Lost Creek Farm, where Micah lives with his older sister Penny. Penny recognizes Ben right away. He was her “spark bird” when she was but 12 years old, and she has all of his books. Penny, now 35, always figured she’d wait for Ben to return to his Amish roots. That he’d remember the time she showed him a hidden eagle aerie. There’s one major problem, though: Ben has zero memory of ever having met Penny.

            Whether reading Suzanne Woods Fisher’s Amish stories or non-Amish stories, I often find myself engrossed in them, and “A Season on the Wind” was no exception. Her story is spiked with secrets and past hurts and grudges, but it’s also steeped in heart, warmth and love. This Amish fiction story contains charm and conflict, joy and despair, the comfort of hospitality and the friction of mistrust. What I really enjoyed was how the chapters ended with a “page” out of Micah’s Bird-Watching Log. That was a really nice bit, and I learned quite a lot about birds that I didn’t know previously!

            Favorite passage: “I think that God understands our weaknesses. I don’t think he condemns us for them. In fact, I think he has far more compassion for us than we give to each other. And accepting God’s unfailing love and compassion is part of the peace that Jesus promised.” --Penny’s response to Ben’s question if someone taking one’s own life bothers her (p. 236)

 * 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.”