An Amish Homecoming

In this excellent first entry in the Joyful River series, Lauer (A Simple Autumn) follows what happens to a small Amish community when a disruptive outsider comes to town. Eighteen-year-old Essie and her beau, Harlan, are preparing for engagement and marriage, but their plans are interrupted when Essie’s three English cousins come to live with her family following their mother’s death. Boisterous eldest cousin Serena is the same age as Essie, but has the polar opposite of Essie’s steady, unassuming personality, and Serena’s spirited ways quickly get under Essie’s skin. But after Harlan’s mother and sister are injured in a buggy accident, the cousins come together to help their recovery and discover their values are far more similar than they’d first assumed. Meanwhile, the cousins begin to navigate romances in the small town with Essie’s help. Biblical themes of faith and love echo throughout as the crew learn to appreciate the things that matter most to them. Lauer’s fans will be satisfied with the happy endings and eagerly await the next trip to Joyful River. [em](Mar.) [/em]