Saturday Night Review: The Timepiece by Beverly Lewis

,,,from the publisher...
As the only daughter, Sylvia Miller of The Tinderbox has always held a special place in her Old Order family, one Adeline Pelham jeopardizes when she shows up at the Millers' Hickory Hollow farm. It isn't that Adeline means to be a threat, but her very existence is a reminder of the painful secret that has so recently upended the Miller household. And withthis Englisher--into their midst.

Despite the Millers' unexpected hospitality, Adeline is well aware that she's treading on Sylvia's turf, and she feels guilty about doing so when Sylvia is grappling with issues of her own. Not only is Sylvia trying to rebuild her trust in her father, but she's uncertain what to make of her once-promising engagement to Titus Kauffman, who hasn't pursued her since she confronted him. Adeline wishes she could help Sylvia, but she's not sure that either she or Sylvia is ready for that level of closeness in their relationship.

Can God make something good come out of the mistakes of the past? Or does Adeline's
arrival mark one too many surprises for the Millers and their Amish community?
Sylvia and her mother still struggling to come to terms with that news, this is a challenging time to welcome an Englisher--especially

...my thoughts....
I usually anticipate the release of Beverly Lewis' books and after I read the last page of The Tinderbox, I eagerly waited for the arrival of The Timepiece. The Miller's are once again under scrutiny. Sylvia, who thought she was her father's only daughter, didn't relish getting to know Adeline, the daughter he didn't know he had.  She was also unsure if she would marry Titus, the cautious son of Amos Kaufman, the strictest preacher of her church district. This is one of those stories that gives us a glimpse into human nature to see that all we need to see isn't on the surface.

The Miller family, except Sylvie, warmly welcome Adeline into their family.  There have been so many changes and she wasn't prepared for the addition of a sister, especially from the Englisch world. The dynamics of the newcomer in addition to learning more about her father's life before joining the Amish seem to impact her the most.  As her time to become baptized draws near, she must decide her future.  Adeline, for her part, is becoming more intrigued with this quiet life as she too, prepares to return to her college studies and her fiancee Brandon.  She too, has questions as she learns more about her father, Earnest and the surprises she finds in her late mother's journal.

Amidst all this, is Rhoda, Earnest's wife and Sylvia's mother.  She is a quiet force to reckon with as she guides them along with love and wisdom.  This story is about a resilient family whose faith strengthens them to bring about forgiveness, and the discovery of joy.  Beverly Lewis wove together a wonderful story that proves that faith, patience and time can bring forth many blessings.  I recommend this book to all fans of Beverly Lewis, but also to new fans to pick up and enjoy. 

Beverly Lewis' The Tinderbox Holds a Past That is too Hot to Handle

...from the publisher...

With her Amish parents' twentieth anniversary approaching, eighteen-year-old Sylvia Miller stumbles across a surprise--the old brass tinderbox her clockmaker father keeps in his Lancaster County shop has been left unlocked. Against her better judgment, Sylvia opens the cherished heirloom, not realizing that what she is about to discover will splinter apart her happy life.

Sylvia's bewilderment grows when her father confronts her about snooping in the box. To her amazement, the respected convert to the Old Order reacts as if he has something to hide.

Burdened by the weight of his deception, Earnest Miller decides he must reveal the details about his past to his beloved wife, Rhoda. The long-kept secret alters everything for the close-knit family, jeopardizing Earnest and Rhoda's relationship, as well as threatening Sylvia's recent engagement to the preacher's grandson.

Can the Millers find a way forward through the turmoil to a place of forgiveness and acceptance?

...my thoughts....

I liked The Tinderbox by Beverly Lewis very much and it hooked me right away.  The love shared between Earnest and Rhoda Miller spills over into the lives of their five children.  Sylvia, the oldest, has dreams of having a close relationship like her parents have with her new fiancee, Titus. It was her curiosity about the one heirloom her father kept locked on a shelf in his shop that niggled at her imagination and tempted her since childhood.  One day, by the merest chance, the box was left unlocked and because of that burning curiosity, she opened it and the ensuing can of worms had a ripple effect on her family and her relationship with Titus.

While the secrets in the box cuts deeply into the fabric of their lives, Sylvia begins to notice things about her own relationships along the way to healing her family.  Titus, whom she thinks the world of, may not be the man she believed him to be.  She is second guessing a lot of things that she took for granted yet she remains the kind, generous spirit her parents raised her to be.  As she grows, she begins to think much  more independently and I felt myself cheering her on.

At the heart of the matter is her father, and his sin of omission before joining the Amish community in Hickory Hollow.  The family may never be the same and yet in the midst of it all, they begin to look at their faith in new ways.  Beverly Lewis has created characters that have depth and appeal. They are alive with the tension and love that comes from facing serious challenges.   I recommend this book for its strong characters, good plot and the promise of hope for better things to come.