Promise to Cherish

In this Amish-themed historical, Younts tackles tough subjects against the backdrop of post-WWII America. Nurse Christine Freeman and Amish conscientious objector Eli Brenneman meet when Eli’s Civilian Public Service unit is stationed in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., at the psychiatric hospital where Christine works. At first, Christine—whose two brothers were killed in combat—resents Eli, perceiving his stance simply as a way to avoid the danger of the front lines. But when she sees his innate gentleness and compassion toward the hospital’s patients, she begins to care for him. After an old acquaintance rapes Christine and she becomes pregnant, Eli invites her to stay at his family’s home. Christine accepts, but she wonders whether she can truly be accepted in his community and worries that Eli will be shunned for welcoming an unwed pregnant stranger. Younts’s Amish background lends authenticity to the tale, informing the real and relatable characters in this fascinating glimpse into an often elided part of America’s history.[em] (Oct.) [/em]