The Sound of Distant Thunder by Jan Drexler

...notes from the back cover....
Katie Stuckey and Jonas Weaver are both romantics. Seventeen-year-old Katie is starry-eyed, in love with the idea of being in love, and does not want to wait to marry Jonas until she is eighteen, despite her parents' insistence. So much can happen in a year. Twenty-year-old Jonas is taken in by the romance of soldiering, especially in defense of anti-slavery, even though he knows war is at odds with the teachings of the church. When his married brother's name comes up in the draft list, he volunteers to take his brother's place. But can the commitment Katie and Jonas have made to each other survive the separation?

From the talented pen of Jan Drexler comes this brand new Amish series set against the backdrop of the Civil War. She puts her characters to the test as they struggle to reconcile their convictions and desires while the national conflict threatens to undermine and engulf their community.

...my thoughts...

If you have followed Jan Drexler's writing you find this book a bit different.  Set during the Civil War in 1862, this story is compelling because of the role the war will play within the Amish community.  The Amish people do not fight, choosing pacifism instead.  When Jonas chose to take his brother's place in the Army, the war had a profound effect on him.  He was a true believer and his faith was a light in his actions.  HIs love for God, Katie and his family were as much a part of him whether he was home in the cornfields or along the battlefield in Fredericksburg. 

I was inspired by Jonas.  He was definitely a young man who wanted to marry young but he was willing to work hard to show was ready to marry Katie.  Rather than get upset when Katie's father asked them to wait a year, he decided to take that time to clear land and build the home they would settle in.  

I wasn't as sure about Katie.  She was sure she was ready to marry at seventeen and it took Jonas to make her realize that the wait would make no difference, they would just be better prepared with their home.  As the time passes and Jonas leaves for training, she began to change.  She began to see how her actions could help others.  She gained new understanding of her mother's dark moods and did what she could to ease the pain of old memories.  Her love for Jonas never faltered and she grew into a formidable young woman whose strength stood difficult times.  In the course of the story my admiration for her grew.  

I received a copy of this book with no obligation to review it.  I am happy to recommend this book to anyone who enjoys Historical Christian Fiction.