Plain Promise

Title: PLAIN PROMISE
Author: Beth Wiseman
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
September 2009
ISBN: 978-1-59554-720-0
Genre: Inspirational/contemporary/Amish

Sadie Fisher is tired of being a widow. She’s been courted by mail by an Amishman in Texas, and she’s hoping that he might be the one to fill her lonely days. But now it seems as if their friendship is tapering off. She’s renting her guest house to a single man, Kade Saunders, who came to Pennsylvania to get away from his high-power, high-tension job in California.

Sadie got special permission from her bishop to allow a single man to stay in her guest house, but she vows to keep her distance from him. But this Kade came with odd shopping orders, asking for things she can’t find in the markets around there. So she substitutes what she can’t find with Amish foods that are readily available. She discovers that Kade really loves her tapioca pudding.

When Kade’s estranged wife shows up with their five-year-old special needs son, Kade is stunned. He barely knows his son, and now suddenly he’s being stuck with his care? But Sadie and Tyler seem to find a connection, and soon Kade finds himself seeking out the Amish woman more and more often. But Sadie would be shunned if she leaves her church—and it’s very rare for an Englisher to join the Amish. Is there possibly a common ground?

PLAIN PROMISE is book three in Ms. Wiseman’s Daughters of the Promise series, but it easily stands alone. It was nice revisiting some of the characters (especially Noah & Carley) from previous books, and to get to know Sadie more.

I enjoyed reading PLAIN PROMISE and am looking forward to more books in this series. Set in winter, I could see the snow fall and feel the chill as the characters tried to navigate in the deep snow in Amish country. Discussion questions and authentic Amish recipes are included at the end of the book. Don’t miss PLAIN PROMISE or any of the other books in this series. The fourth book in the series, Plain Paradise, is coming in April 2010. $14.99. 336 pages.