Abigail's New Hope

Title: ABIGAIL’S NEW HOPE
Author: Mary Ellis
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers
April 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7369-3009-3
Genre: Inspirational/women’s fiction/Amish


Abigail Grabber is an unlicensed midwife. She loves assisting in births, but due to educational laws in her Amish community she is unable to become licensed. She works with a doctor who is willing to make house-calls, sitting with the mother while she’s in labor, and staying after the birth to help out. But then the unthinkable happens. A call from an Amish family where the mother has never seen the doctor…she’s in labor. Abby calls the doctor but finds out he’s tied up with an accident, so she calls for an ambulance. But when she arrives, the labor has progressed so far, she has no choice but to deliver the baby.

When the mother starts hemorrhaging, Abby gives the husband her cell phone and orders him to recall the ambulance and tell them they are needed STAT, and then she administers a drug to the woman to stop the bleeding and hopefully, save her life. But it doesn’t work. The woman dies.

Abby is saddened by the death, but it is even worse when Abby is arrested for illegally practicing medicine, using illegal drugs, and other charges. And when she learns that her Amish community won’t post bail, she is left with some hard choices. Will God help her—and her family—get through this trail?

ABIGAIL’S NEW HOPE is the first book in Mary Ellis’ Wayne County series, and it’s completely engaging. The book did start a little bit slow, but it quickly picked up and held my interest through the end of the book.

Abby, her husband Daniel, and Abby’s sister, Catherine, all have difficult choices to make, decisions, and things to follow through on, and they all learn painful lessons during the process. This will be a book that will stay with you after closing the last page. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. 4.5 stars. $13.99. 288 pages.