The Farmer Next Door

Title: THE FARMER NEXT DOOR
Author: Patricia Davids
Publisher: Love Inspired
July 2011
ISBN: 978-0-373-81557-9
Genre: Inspirational/Amish

Adrian Lapp has lost his wife shortly after childbirth, and his young son a few years later when he was hit by a car. He swears he’ll never marry again. But that is until Faith Martin moves in next door. Faith also lost her husband and twin daughters, but she had an unhappy marriage and she doesn’t want to be beat by a man again.

Faith raises alpacas for their wool to spin into yarn. But when they get into Adrian’s beans he is less than happy. Still, he offers to help Faith get the animals properly enclosed so they don’t escape and eat up his beans.

Faith’s English brother died and she hopes to adopt his son as hers but the social worker is less than enthusiastic about letting an Amish woman adopt an English boy. Faith is the boy’s only living relative so she has to give her a chance but she keeps finding things to knit-pick about, including the fact that she is Plain. Will Faith get to keep her nephew and find love in the process? Or will she lose both the boy and Adrian?

THE FARMER NEXT DOOR is part of Ms. Davids Brides of Amish Country series. It is kind of simplistic and gives a lot of information that avid readers of Amish fiction already know, but if someone is new to the genre then the information is good to have. I enjoyed reading this sweet romance and getting to know Faith and Adrian and learning more about alpacas (which are kind of like llamas). This was an interesting book and it held my attention, though I think that not all the adoption facts are accurate. I didn't research though, so I don't know. I hoped both Adrian and Faith would find happiness and that Faith would be able to keep her nephew. Discussion questions are included at the end of the book. $6.50. 280 pages.