Amish Fiction

Young Amish widow Sadie Fisher leads a simple life in the quiet countryside of Lancaster County selling Amish goods to a steady stream of tourists. Though it is a good life, lately she's wondered if it is God's will for her to remain without a husband and a family. Winters can be brutally cold and lonely in Pennsylvania, so Sadie rejoices when a renter signs up for a three-month stay in her guest cottage. But when wealthy, impulsive Englischer Kade Saunders arrives, she isn't sure she wants him around that long.

Join retired Amish newlyweds Emma and Lamar Miller in Florida for the winter as they lead another quilting class with a new group of unlikely students: Jennifer, a pregnant new mom; Mike, a charter boat owner; Erika, a wheelchair bound teen; Kim, a waitress; Noreen, a newly retired widow; and BJ, an artist facing illness. When old friends visit from Indiana, will romance also become a subject of class discussions?

War correspondent Jennie King thinks she's just a temporary guest in her grandmother's Amish community while she recuperates from the devastating injuries sustained in a car-bomb attack that changed her world. But when she meets Matthew Bontrager, the man she had a crush on as a teenager, she wonders if God has a new plan for her.

The Schwartz family is happy to be spending Christmas on their new farm in Hart County. But when Susanna Schwartz hears gunshots that cause her buggy to overturn, and then her little sister falls through a wooden bridge into an icy creek, it becomes clear from these dangerous "accidents" that someone wants the family gone. Neil Vance has been heartbroken ever since his parents lost their family farm. He knows it's not the Schwartz family's fault, but he can't help but be resentful...until he meets Susanna.

Miriam Raber enjoys life in her Old Order Amish community, and she is hopeful that Saul Fisher will propose to her soon. But when Saul starts talking about leaving the only world either of them has ever known, Miriam imagines what her life might look like as an Englischer. One thing she knows for certain, she loves Saul and feels he’s the one God has chosen for her. But Saul’s indecision has come at an inconvenient time, as Miriam is noticing advances from Jesse Dienner, a man she went to school with and who wants to marry.

Charity Raber is one of many single women who came to Birch Creek, Ohio, with one goal in mind: secure a husband from among the desperate bachelors a newspaper advertisement claimed inhabited the town. Even though that claim proved to be nothing more than a cruel prank, Charity is still hopeful that her happy ending might be within reach when she’s set up on a date with Jesse Bontrager. That is until Jesse not-so-gently shares that he has no interest in a relationship with anyone—and especially not with her.

A solitary sort, 42-year-old Atle Petersheim spends his time hard at work in his wood shop. But as the days get longer, he realizes just how lonely he’s become. When his longtime crush, Sadie Mast, a widow and mother of three, asks him to help her build a room in their barn for her son, Atle can’t say no. Eager to pursue Sadie at last, he turns to bookmobile librarian Sarah Anne Miller for courting advice. More than happy to help, Sarah Anne decides the best way to learn about love is through books - romance novels, to be precise.

In just a few short months, Moriah Miller's perfect life unravels. Newly wed and newly pregnant, Moriah is abandoned by her husband, Levi. He's left her, his family, and their faith without a backward glance. The community, stunned, rushes to the young woman's aid. But there is someone who feels more than just sympathy for Moriah. Gabriel Miller - Levi's twin - longs for an intimate commitment that might someday bind them to one another. Convinced of the impossibility of his dream, Gabriel settles for a mere friendship with the woman he loves.

Lillian's first 27 years have been challenging at best. Her decision to get reacquainted with her Amish grandparents in Lancaster County, PA, is an attempt at finding peace in a complicated world. But her plan has a flaw.... Lillian is practicing the Amish lifestyle with no real understanding or relationship with God. And despite her best efforts, complications arise when she takes a fancy to Amish widower Samuel Stoltzfus who has an 11-year-old son, David.

Mary Anne Neuenschwander knows she should be content with what Gotte has given her. She has a comfortable house, a fruitful farm, and a good, steady husband. But after nearly six years of marriage, she still longs for a baby. Yet her husband, Jethro, seems to care more about fishing than about his wife. Unable to bear Jethro's indifference, Mary Anne moves into a tent in the woods where he won't have to be bothered.

Joanna Kohler treasures the independence her Amish quilt shop provides. She rarely leans on others, yet finding an injured woman on her property makes her grateful for the store owner next door, Noah Troyer. Calm and unflappable, Noah offers support. He also points out the strong resemblance between Joanna and the unconscious stranger...Noah may admire Joanna, but the bishop’s daughter is out of reach. Though he’s made a good life, Noah still feels shadowed by the shame his father brought on the community. But it’s his duty to aid his lovely neighbor.

When Selah Ropp returns to Birch Creek, she is a different person than when she left. "I know I haven’t done much listening in the past, Lord", she prays. "But I’m listening now." Her new friend, Cevilla Schlabach, urges her to let go of regrets and allow this to be a fresh start. Cevilla herself, though, hides a secret longing behind her weathered face. Levi Stoll and his family spent a year transforming a large English house into a small inn.

After the wedding of her cousin, Naomi, knitter Anna, a widow, finds herself missing love and the closeness of a husband. She feels a special connection with her grandmother as they both struggle to go on with life. Is Anna on the verge of finding happiness when she realizes John Esh is interested in her? Love begins to warm Anna's heart, but will she be so afraid of losing someone that she gives up the second chance that God has provided?

Naomi knows she should be excited about her upcoming wedding, but she remains unmoved. Not only are her feelings for her fiancé lackluster, but she believes he may see her more as a servant than a partner. And he's so controlling. Is it too late to back out of the marriage?

After Ettie Smith's friend, Agatha, dies, Ettie is surprised to find that Agatha has left her a house. During building repairs, the body of an Amish man who disappeared 40 years earlier is discovered under the floorboards. When it comes to light that Agatha and the deceased man were once engaged to marry, the police declare Agatha as the murderer. Ettie sets out to prove otherwise. Soon, Ettie hears rumors of stolen diamonds, rival criminal gangs, and a supposed witness to the true murderer's confession.

Convinced her illness has made her unmarriageable, Marietta wonders what kind of life she'll have if her sister marries - despite Molly's promise to never leave her behind.... Then a fire destroys the home of Amish neighbors and Molly and Marietta graciously make room for widower Glenn Detweiler, his dat, and his two young boys.

When Ruth Neufeld's husband and father-in-law are killed working for a relief organization overseas, she travels to Wisconsin with her young daughters and mother-in-law, Mabel, to bury her husband. She hopes the Mennonite community will be a quiet place to grieve and piece together next steps.

In an area of Pennsylvania called The Big Valley, a uniquely blended Amish community thrives in which three distinct groups of Amish identify themselves by the colors of their buggies' tops - white, black, or yellow. Join New York Times best-selling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, her daughter-in-law, and her granddaughter in experiencing the stories of three young women who search for faith and love within this special place.

Saul Beiler isn't exactly a widower...but his wife is long gone. His 11-year-old daughter, Emma, doesn't know that her mother fled the Amish community - and married another man - but she does know that her dad is lonely, and that a pretty young mädel just moved in next door. Madeleine's numb heart begins to thaw as she spends more time with the innocent and ever optimistic Emma. The stronger her friendship grows with the young girl, the more intrigued Madeleine grows about the humble, strong man raising her on his own.

What would cause the Amish to move to Colorado, leaving family and friends behind? Some Amish are making the trek for cheaper land. Others are fleeing strict bishops with long memories. For Emily Detweiler and her family, the move is more personal. Tragedy struck Emily in Ohio, shaking loose everything she believed was firm, including her faith. Her family took the bold step of leaving Ohio to resettle in a small Amish community in Canaan, Colorado, where they hope the distance will help erase painful memories.