Hannah's Choice

Hannah's Choice: A Novel 

Journey to Pleasant Prairie #1

Paperback, ebook, hardcover

January 19, 2016

by Jan Drexler

• Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Revell 
• ISBN-13: 978-0800726560

Hannah Yoder loves her quiet life on the banks of the Conestoga Creek. In 1842, this corner of Lancaster County is settled and peaceful--yet problems lurk beneath the placid façade. Hannah's father worries about the spread of liberal ideas from their Mennonite and Brethren neighbors. And Hannah blames herself for a tragedy that struck their home nine years ago. She strives to be the one person who can bind the threads of her family together in spite of her mother's ongoing depression and her sister's rejection of their family. But her world is threatening to unravel.

When two young men seek her hand in marriage--one offering the home she craves and the other promising the adventure of following God's call west--Hannah must make a choice. Faithfully perform her duties to her family? Or defy her father and abandon her community?

With a tender hand, Jan Drexler teases out the threads of a romance that will captivate readers in this brand-new Amish historical series.

My thoughts: HANNAH'S CHOICE is the first book in Ms. Drexler's debut Amish historical, and I am very impressed. The story started out sad, depressing even, with the mandatory historical formula deaths. But instead of one dying, it was four, all children. Mamm was grieving, the family torn asunder, and I actually considered putting the book down, reading it in portions. In fact, when I had an hour of quiet time today between services at church (I read this on May 29) I took another book along to read, just in case this book got too depressing for words. 

BUT once we got past the mandatory death(s) the story picked up. I will admit I LOVE Adam. He is strong, courageous, he loves Hannah and his family and follows what he believes is God's will without counting the cost.  Then Josef came on the scene. I didn't like his strong cockiness, his arrogance, his assumption that just because he speaks Hannah will jump. He took a lot for granted and got angry when she did something he didn't like even though they weren't even courting at the time. And the black moment?  (Shaking my head.)  Hannah was a good girl, obedient to her parents, loving to her brothers and sisters, going the extra mile for both Adam and Josef and others, and confused about who she should choose to marry.  I cheered  more for one than the other, but since they both have several scenes in their point of view, then readers can choose their favorites. 

A good book, one that made me sigh when I closed it, so I was glad I made it past the rough, depressing beginning. Recommended. 4 stars.