At age twenty-nine, that's what Eva Lapp considers herself. And who could argue with her? Finding a good Amish husband at her age will be next to impossible. Plus, Eva's unwarranted bad reputation in Lancaster County precedes her. Maybe living the Englisch life would be better.
Squeezed out of her childhood home by her brother's boisterous family, Eva finds lodging and a new job managing a small café at a local plant nursery. But the challenge of her new position isn't enough to distract from her current predicament.
To Eva's surprise, her first love, Jake Miller, suddenly returns to Lancaster County. Flooded with emotions and filled with questions about Jake's past, can Eva trust what she's feeling?
Jake and Eva face many obstacles in their quest for a fresh start in the community, but perhaps with God's help, they can find the redemption they both desperately need.
my thoughts....
From the first page I could feel for Eva Lapp. Her life took so many unsuspecting turns and yet she was open to almost everything. She was the subject of gossip for things she didn't do, she loved Jake Miller even when she shouldn't and wasn't quite sure she was ready to be thrust out of her home when her brother's family moved into the big house.
She could have fallen on her face several times yet recovered with the help of new friends who took her for who she was and could become. In the midst of being hired to manage a restaurant instead of working with plants, she stood her ground and learned not just her job, but how to work with people she never would have associated with before: Stephen, a handsome Mennonite man and Beatrice, an Italian Catholic who seemed to be everywhere and know just about everything.
In the middle of finding her way in her new life, there was Jake Miller, her long time love who just seemed to be everywhere fumbling with her emotions. Would he return to the community and join the church? Would Eva join the church or find another life with Stephen?
I think it is a good omen when I like the first book in a series so well that waiting for the second book seems like a long time. When I picked up A Letter From Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd, I knew I would enjoy it based on reading her other works. Starting From Scratch kept me up reading two nights in a row. The characters were well developed and I found myself trying to help Eva decide the path she wanted to take. I rooted for Stephen, yet Jake was determined. As she battled within her mind, I was excited to see the unlikely friendship developing with Beatrice, who was old enough to be her mother. These characters make the story richer. This coming of age story is not just about Eva and Jake. It is filled with other people who grew once Eva started working at Yoder's Nursery Cafe. Kate Lloyd is a master when it comes to delving into the heart of a matter. I recommend this one without reservation!
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