Book Review: Lydia's Hope & Hannah's Joy by Marta Perry

Lydia's Hope
The Lost Sisters of Pleasant Valley #1
Author: Marta Perry
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Inspirational Fiction/Amish Fiction
Released: June 4th 2013
Review Source: Berkley Trade

Three Amish sisters, separated when very young, know nothing about one another—until a long-held secret is revealed.

With no memory of her birth parents, or the tragic accident that took their lives, Lydia Beachy has always been grateful for the aunt and uncle who took her in and raised her as their own. Now a married woman with two sons, Lydia finds her life turned upside down when she discovers that she has two younger sisters: Susanna, who was adopted by an Amish family in another community, and Chloe, who was raised by their grandmother among the Englisch.

Angry and confused, Lydia first seeks out Susanna but stops short of telling her the truth. To track down Chloe, she enlists the help of a neighbor who has spent some years in the Englisch world. Meanwhile, Lydia’s husband, Adam, is keeping a secret of his own. Lydia yearns to be united with the sisters she has never known, but will revealing herself to them tear their lives apart…or enrich them beyond all imagining?

Lydia Beachy never knew she had two sisters until one day a relative let it slip out. All at once her life turned upside down. She had to find them regardless of how her husband felt about her search. After locating both sisters she had to deal with each individually given their circumstances. I enjoyed this book because it shows Lydia's courageous and relentless struggle to locate her sisters and the action she took in concealing the family secret from one of them. Although it held my attention, I felt sad at the end for the outcome of one sister. I will be eager to to get my hands on the next installment.

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Hannah's Joy
Pleasant Valley #6
Author: Marta Perry
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Inspirational Fiction/Amish Fiction
Released: May 1st 2012
Review Source: Berkley Trade

Returning to Pleasant Valley is giving Hannah Conroy a much-needed chance at a new life. But now she must discover her true place in the world …

Unexpected tragedy has left Hannah without her soldier husband and a home for her baby son, Jamie. Seeking refuge, she comes to live with her aunt in Pleasant Valley, a place she hasn’t seen since childhood, when her parents left the Mennonite faith. Working in her aunt’s bakery is a way for Hannah to get back on her feet, but she isn’t sure if she can live by tradition—or if she and Jamie should stay for good. She finds an unexpected, sympathetic listener in furniture maker William Brand. His stutter makes him feel like a permanent outsider in his Amish community, and he understands her loneliness.

Hannah is irresistibly drawn to the shy, caring William, and her education in speech therapy makes it natural for her to want to help him speak more easily. But how can she encourage his attention when she might someday leave Pleasant Valley, and when her father-in-law, a military officer, is scheming to take Jamie away from her? As William seeks the courage to stand up for the woman who believes in him, Hannah must decide where her true home lies—in the free, ever-changing world she knows, or in the simpler, loving community she’s found…

The life of Hannah Conroy was difficult after the death of her military husband. Raising their baby alone, living with her aunt, Paula, because she didn't have a place to live and deciding on the best directions to take next for she and her son was a big decision to make alone. This wonderful romantic story will leave you feeling happy and yes, sad, at times. Hannah meets William Brand, an Amish gent and out of compassion helps him to overcome his speech impediment. Love soars between Hannah and William and they find they want to live their life together. Marty Perry did a good job of letting the warmth of her characters relax the minds of her readers.