Softly Blows the Bugle by Jan Drexler

...from the publisher...

When Elizabeth Kaufman received the news of her husband's death at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, she felt only relief. She determined that she would never be at the mercy of any man again, even if it meant she would never have a family of her own. Then Aaron Zook comes home with her brother when the war ends two years later.

Despite the severity of his injuries, Aaron resolves to move West and leave the pain of the past behind him. He never imagined that the Amish way of life his grandfather had rejected long ago would be so enticing. That, and a certain widow he can't get out of his mind.

Yet, even in a simple community, life has a way of getting complicated. Aaron soon finds that while he may have left the battlefield behind, there is another fight he must win--the one for the heart of the woman he loves.
Welcome back to the Amish community at Weaver's Creek, where the bonds of family and faith bind up the brokenhearted.

...my thoughts...

Softly Blows the Bugle brings all promises of a good series to fruition. Jan Drexler's story of the Amish Community at Weaver's Creek has been a treat to read.  The timing of this series, during, through and  at the end of an important time in our country's history is worth reading.  The Amish, pacifists at the core of their faith, were impacted by the Civil War, however remote it was geographically.  The remnants of a terrible war scattered across the continent and touched the lives of the untouched.   

 I watched Elizabeth Kaufman's plight with interest since The Sound of Distant Thunder, book one in the series. Her marriage to an abusive Englischer separated her from her beloved family. Loneliness became her normal way of life.  When  Aaron Zook came home with her brother, it seemed to me that her life was about to change.  Yet, it was not Aaron who captured her attention and that took the story to another level.  One where someone portrayed a life of someone who was just too good to be true.  

Considering the war had ended, there were those who pursued the leftover treasures to plunder.  To those most crafty, there were ways to fill their coffers, bit by bit stealing from those who had just enough to add to a pile of ill gotten wealth.  Jan Drexler's engaging style of writing keeps the reader's attention until the puzzle is solved and the hearts are truly won.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction.  Although this book could be read as a standalone, it recommend reading The Amish of Weaver's Creek series. 

Roll of Drums by Jan Drexler

I enjoy reading any book by Jan Drexler.  She is thorough in her research and develops interesting characters.  The Roll of the Drums (The Amish of Weaver's Creek #2)  intrigued me because it is set in Civil War times.  The Amish are pacifists and the war is remote from this community.  However, when it infringes on their lives, they manage to use their spiritual nature to resist the renegades who come to scavenge their farms and livestock.

I enjoyed how Jan developed Gideon and Ruby, who are the lead characters of the story.  I truly wondered how their story would end and it was neatly woven into the story until the end.  As this story unfolded, I was thankful to have the opportunity to read this book. Amish fiction is not for everyone, yet, when well written , the reader forgets that they are reading about the Amish and simply reading about people's lives. Look for Jan's books wherever books are sold.

Dreaming of an Early Christmas? An Amish Christmas Kitchen Will Get You Started!

 ...my thoughts...


Three Beloved Amish Fiction authors have joined to bring heartwarming novellas that will get you into the Christmas spirit early.

Leslie Gould's story An Amish Family Christmas is about a family coping with grief and loss.  Shy Noelle, the youngest daughter in a large family is tasked with manning the family stall at the market where all of her baked goods are sold.  She is more comfortable behind the rolling pin than greeting customers.  It is a case of when what works for someone else doesn't work for you, she rises to the occasion.  I enjoyed seeing a young woman with potential emerge along with a new lease on life for her entire family as she sets about bringing the family together.  A chance meeting with a fellow vendor mixes things up for her in ways she will always be grateful.

Jan Drexler's An Amish Christmas Recipe Box is a wonderful story of unrequited love.  A delightful young woman bakes up a flurry of goods to sell in the family furniture store.  Two  young men working for her father play a pivotal role in this season of her life. As this story unfolded it warmed my heart. The cliche "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach" plays a role in how she seeks to woo the man she believes to be the one she is to marry.

Kate Lloyd's "An Unexpected Christmas Gift has just the hint of mystery you expect from Kate's books when a lone visitor arrives on Christmas Eve.  A blizzard, a sleigh and a bit of confusion keeps the pages turning as you try to get to the bottom of this well written story of a family that comes together under circumstances nobody could have ever planned.

I enjoyed all three of these novellas and I can't pick a favorite. Each author has unique strengths that keep me coming back to their books. Rather than watch 25 days of Christmas movies, why not settle down instead with one of these novellas.  You will be happy you did.  I plan to read them again with a cup of tea and a cookie or two.

...from the publisher...

As the weather grows cold and the nights grow long, the cheer and warmth of the Christmas season is one thing all readers can find comfort in. This collection from bestselling Amish fiction novelists Leslie Gould, Jan Drexler, and Kate Lloyd finds the beating heart at the center of the holiday and offers three novellas that celebrate family, faith, and especially the sights and smells of a bustling holiday kitchen.

Leslie Gould tells the story of how, in the wake of a heartbreaking loss, a young Amish woman finds unexpected comfort and hope in a yearly baking tradition surrounding the local Lancaster Christmas market. Jan Drexler offers a sweet tale of a shy Amish woman who decides to use her gift for sweets to woo a local Amish boy with her beloved Christmas cookies. And Kate Lloyd offers a heartwarming tale of a woman's unexpected discovery about the truth of her past, and the warm and welcoming Amish family table she finds herself invited to on Christmas.

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.   

Reviewing: Naomi's Hope by Jan Drexler

Naomi's Hope is book three in Jan Drexler's Journey to Pleasant Prairie series.  I have enjoyed this series from the start of the journey along the Conestoga Creek through to arriving after many trials to their land in La Grange County, Indiana in 1843. Three years have passed and the community that started as a dream is now settling into permanent homes.  Families are thriving, crops are plentiful and there is peace among their new church district and it continues to grow.

Naomi Schrock has raised her adopted seven-year old Davey for three years.  They found him, the lone survivor of a Tornado hiding inside a large fireplace.  The storm killed his parents and baby sister and raised the house and farm to rubble.  Single and likely to remain so, Naomi loves and dotes on Davey.

Cap Stoltzfus moved to the area for a fresh start. He lost both his wife and son in childbirth seven years ago and is determined to break free of his grief.  By chance, Christian Yoder drops by the clearing where Cap is building his home alone.  It doesn't take long for Christian to size things up and organize a house raising.  The work of many hands quickly builds the sides and roof of his home.  Overwhelmed by the generosity of his new neighbors Cap quickly becomes one of their own.

 Davey found Cap first, quite by accident simply by being a curious boy of seven.  Their farms are adjacent and it's not long before Davey wore a path is to Cap's. Both are taken with each other and develop a special bond.  Naomi and Cap, through Davey, spend time together, developing feelings for one another.  Could they possibly become a family?

This is a story of strength, courage and forgiveness.  When community warmly welcomed Cap, they also welcomed Shem Fischer, a minister from Canada to the area.  Shem is agreeable, seemingly devout and insinuates himself comfortably among the people.  Cap is wary, having known Shem under different circumstances growing up.  Before long, there is rising mistrust that threatens to splinter the community.  It takes courage and strength to rise above strife.

Davey is central to the story, tying so many facets together. Young and innocent, his strongest desire is to have a family.  His story will win your heart as he weaves into and out of mishaps. My heart was warmed by this special young man and the love he truly brings to his family.  I heartily recommend this book.  I have grown fond of the characters in this series. I admire the strength and courage they had to move from their homes and travel to a new land only to start over.

"Jan Drexler brings a unique understanding of Amish traditions and beliefs to her writing. Her ancestors were among the first Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren immigrants to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, and their experiences are the basis for her stories. Jan lives in South Dakota with her husband, their four adult children, two active dogs, and a cat. She is the author of The Prodigal Son Returns, A Mother for His Children (winner of the 2013 TARA award), and A Home for His Family (finalist for the 2016 Inspirational Reader's Choice Award), as well as Hannah's Choice and Mattie's Pledge."- Amazon

Mattie's Pledge: An Amish Woman's Journey to Indiana

Our world is full of dreamers looking for that magical place just beyond the mountains or across the river.  Mattie's Pledge (book 2 in the Journey to Pleasant Prairie series ) by Jan Drexler is the story of a young Amish woman who is seduced by wanderlust. Mattie Schrock left Brother's Valley in Pennsylvania with her family to settle in Indiana.  She loved the lure of seeing new places and longed for adventure and yearned to see what was just beyond the mountains.  Not new to pulling  up stakes, Mattie's father had moved the family to Brother's Valley from the Conestoga area just seven years before.

It was 1843 and Americans were involved with the westward movement, including the Amish people. Farmland was getting scarce and the promise of cheaper land and the opportunity to build a larger community moving west appealing.  We often read of the great migration to the Oregon but the Midwest was still largely unsettled at the time.

Jacob Yoder's family from the Conestoga area, former neighbors and friends of the Schrock's joined in to complete the group.  As old friends, Jacob and Mattie enjoyed reconnecting that travelling by wagon afforded them time to get to know each other as young adults with dreams and plans ready to unfold.  Jacob planned to purchase land and build a future home for a wife and family. Mattie was committed to adventure and had no desire to settle down in one place for the rest of her life.  Two hearts so close yet with such different dreams.

Traveling on any trail wouldn't be complete without danger. The Bates brothers added that element of danger with their determination to steal the beautiful Conestoga horses from the Amish camp.  Cole Bates was intrigued by Mattie and had just enough charm to give her romantic ideas to dream of going further to Oregon.  He was determined to have those horses and capture Mattie's heart for his own.

This story shows the example of forgiveness of the Amish people. When Cole is caught red-handed trying to steal the horses, he is told to take just one team and leave the rest. Unable to figure out whether that was a trick, he let them be, at least that night. He was also offered food which was also an unexpected kindness.

Cole's greed and determination to have those horses keeps Jacob Yoder on guard throughout the trip.  His patience and vigilance throughout the story shows great patience and courage.  He used these traits with Mattie, knowing she was searching for something to fill up her life beyond her simple life.

Jan Drexler has painted the characters of her story with care. The development of  their characters and how they grew in the story are a compliment to the author. It was good to read of the ups and downs of their nature and see how they used their given strengths to get through their trials.  While the story focuses mainly on Mattie, Jacob and Cole, we can't overlook the other stories being told within the lives of these young people.  They are woven into the daily life on the trail and play active roles in shaping our main characters.

We can get as impatient as Mattie as the story plods along through a black marsh or becomes difficult as a tragic storm hits them on the road. Yet the resilience of all the people in this story are a testament to the strength men and women possessed to keep our country growing.  The Amish are an important part of our society, living out their Anabaptist faith still today.  America is a potpourri of culture and religions, the very thing our founders embraced.

Hannah's Choice A Wonderful Story of Determination & Love

A book can be focused on singular topics or have many and that is the case with Hannah's Choice by Jan Drexler.  Hannah Yoder, our heroine, is a young Amish woman deeply committed to her faith. She and her family live along the Conestoga Creek where her ancestors settled soon after their arrival in America.      

Her Amish community has been shrinking in recent years and there are only a few families left in their district.  Adam, her best friend since childhood is Mennonite. Her sister, Liesbet is tempted beyond her years to the English world outside the confines of her faith and family.  She longs to marry an Englisher and live in a fine house in Philadelphia.  Hannah's mother, Annalise, has been gripped by depression for many years after losing three small children to diphtheria. Hannah as the oldest daughter has taken on many responsibilities to keep the home running smoothly. 

Wise beyond her years, Hannah knows that marriage to a man who is not Amish would be unequally yoked. Her father is determined to move west to Indiana where a new community of Amish people will settle. His love for his family and desire to keep them protected from the outside world is stronger than his ties to his ancestral home in Pennsylvania.  As plans develop for the Yoder family to migrate to Indiana the group for the wagon train grew as others become determined to start anew in the Indiana wilderness.  Josef Bender a handsome Amish man from a neighboring community set on making the journey, takes more than a passing interest in Hannah. The more Hannah sees Josef, she is torn between him and Adam.  She is also determined not to go with the family to Indiana, hoping they will change their minds and remain where they belong at Conestoga Creek.

I like this story for the setting of 1842 in Lancaster County Pennsylvania.  The time is ripe for an important time in the Abolitionist Movement. While Pennsylvania is not a slave state, bounty hunters felt free to come searching for escaped slaves on their way to freedom in Canada.  Adam Metzler helped many slaves to freedom, all the while exposing himself, his family and  Hannah to danger.

Up until the end of the book I wasn't sure if Hannah would go to Indiana or stay in Pennsylvania. Would she marry Adam or Josef?  Would Liesbet marry and move to Philadelphia or remain with her Amish faith?  Many thanks to Revell for the opportunity to read Hannah's Choice and the introduction to Jan Drexler's writing. I plan to look for more of her work.