The Bargain by Stephanie Reed

Stephanie Reed is a new author to me so I wasn't certain what to expect.  I have to admit that I'm partial to certain authors when it comes to Amish fiction, so I'm more hesitant to like new authors in this genre.  I really liked this book, though!  It was written in an era that isn't typically written about with Amish fiction, which I think helped to set it apart from the other authors.

The Vietnam War meant that the Amish were being called up to be drafted for the war.  The Amish were being directly affected by the war, as was the rest of America. 

Betsie is not only seeing the effects of the war, but she has been left alone as her family as decided to follow Christ outside of the Amish community.  This decision has left Betsie trying to hold her family together at a time when it seems everything is falling apart.  She's also trying to help an English family that is dear to her and one that she has come to love.  They aren't perfect and don't hold to her beliefs exactly, but she knows God has placed them in her life for a reason.  Betsie can't limit her interactions with the English because she has to learn from them so her cousin's business can begin.  However, she might just learn more from them than she really ever thought possible!

I really liked all of the characters of this book because they were real.  None of them were perfect and some were even hiding mistakes and secrets.  They dealt with stress, family dynamics, and outside influences.  They also saw God in the midst working out the details.

I can't wait to read the next book in this series.  It's a great beginning to the new series, Plain City Peace.

To read more reviews on this book, go to http://litfusegroup.com/author/sreed .

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About the book: Book one in the Plain City Peace series.

It's 1971, and Betsie Troyer's peaceful and predictable life is about to become anything but.

When their parents flee the Amish, nineteen-year-old Betsie and her seventeen-year-old sister Sadie are distraught. Under the dubious guidance of a doting aunt, the girls struggle to keep the secret, praying their parents will return before anyone learns the truth-a truth that may end all hopes of Betsie's marriage to Charley Yoder.

Purchase a copy here: http://ow.ly/ptivJ

About the Author: Stephanie Reed lives on the outskirts of Plain City, Ohio, site of a once-thriving Amish community. She gleans ideas for her novels from signs glimpsed along the byways of Ohio, as she did for her previous books, "Across the Wide River" and "The Light Across the River."

Learn more at Stephanie's website: http://www.stephanielreed.com/

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I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group and Kregel Publications in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.