An Honest Love

Title: AN HONEST LOVE
Author: Kathleen Fuller
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
March 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59554-813-9
Genre: Inspirational/Amish

Elisabeth is a bit klutzy, but she is trying to work carefully so she won’t mess up as much. She is thrilled when Gabe offers to hire her to work in the office of his blacksmith shop. They need an accountant, and Elisabeth has a reputation of being good with numbers. Elisabeth jumps at the chance, thrilled that the job also includes working with Aaron, an Amish man with a troubled past, a reputation, and a rap sheet.

Anna and her mother have relocated to Ohio to take care of an elderly uncle, and have decided to start their own business, with a gift shop catering to tourists. Lukas brought some homemade toys up to the shop for sale, and found himself enthralled by the lovely Anna. He offers to do some maintenance work in the shop, removing the electric and installing gas lighting. When he refuses to take pay for his services, Anna feels obligated to spend some time in his company when he invited her to singings.

But Anna’s past is secret, and her present is built on lies—how will Lukas react when he discovers the truth?

AN HONEST LOVE is the second book in Ms. Fuller’s A Hearts of Middlefield Novel series, but it easily stands alone. Readers may want to read the first book to be brought up to speed on some secondary characters’ stories, but otherwise, it isn’t necessary to read first.

I enjoyed revisiting Middlefield, Ohio, in this series, and love Ms. Fuller’s writing style. Her characters are loveable and her situations are realistically portrayed. It is obvious she spent some time researching the Amish and their ways. AN HONEST LOVE also includes a reader’s guide and an interview with the author. Readers are encouraged to also join www.amishliving.com to be kept up to date with contests, recipes, and be part of an ongoing book discussion, plus more. If you like Amish fiction, you will definitely want to read AN HONEST LOVE. $14.99. 287 pages.