The Tinderbox 

Paperback 

April 2, 2019

by Beverly Lewis (Author)

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Bethany House Publishers 
• ISBN-13: 978-0764232831

With her Amish parents' twentieth anniversary approaching, eighteen-year-old Sylvia Miller stumbles across a surprise--the old brass tinderbox her clockmaker father keeps in his Lancaster County shop has been left unlocked. Against her better judgment, Sylvia opens the cherished heirloom, not realizing that what she is about to discover will splinter apart her happy life. 

Sylvia's bewilderment grows when her father confronts her about snooping in the box. To her amazement, the respected convert to the Old Order reacts as if he has something to hide.

Burdened by the weight of his deception, Earnest Miller decides he must reveal the details about his past to his beloved wife, Rhoda. The long-kept secret alters everything for the close-knit family, jeopardizing Earnest and Rhoda's relationship, as well as threatening Sylvia's recent engagement to the preacher's grandson.

Can the Millers find a way forward through the turmoil to a place of forgiveness and acceptance?

My thoughts:  THE TINDERBOX is book one of a new series by the Queen of Amish fiction, Beverly Lewis.  Amish fiction readers who only read Lewis or Brunstetter will stand up and cheer!  Those who read any Amish writer might cheer too.

Recently I've found Ms. Lewis's work to be subpar so I didn't go into this with high hopes. However, I  fell quickly in love with Earnest. Wow, I hurt for him!  I was  stunned to  see the Amish made a big deal over his visiting his own great uncle!  That was cause for discipline? Really?


The hidden secrets were enough cause  for the punishment but it ripped this family apart. However, the ending had you see why they needed to be and I can't wait til the  second book in this series  comes out.  So much was unresolved.

Welcome back, Queen Beverly Lewis.  THE TINDERBOX is a piece of brilliance.

I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.