A Plain Man by Mary Ellis

I loved Caleb Beachy. He is the prodigal child that you are so glad that came home. We first meet Caleb in the book Sarah's Christmas Miracle. It's not a must to have read it in order to understand this story. I liked the back story, though, which I think is why I liked Caleb even more.

I liked how real Caleb was. He wasn't the perfect Amish man who dealt with little issues.  He dealt with things that we have to deal with every day... believing that Jesus has truly forgiven us of our sins, no matter what it is.  I also liked what was hidden under his arm sleeve of his shirt.  I have yet to read an Amish book with that aspect. Josie was one strong woman to forgive and love him.  I liked her and the way she related to Caleb.

Sarah and Adam were always a sweet couple, but there were times that Adam got on my nerves a little.   I liked Sarah's attitude and wonder if another book will come out that includes the Beachy family again. I hope so!

Mary Ellis has become an author that I search out.  She never fails to have me laughing and when I finish the book, I can't help but say how good of a book she writes.

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I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Love Comes to Paradise by Mary Ellis

I think the cover of this book is beautiful and bright.  It's eye-catching and it kept drawing me to read it.  Well, that and the fact that I am a big fan of the books by Mary Ellis!

I have been waiting for this book to come out ever since I read the first one in The New Beginnings Series.  This book picks up with Nora King who goes off to chase Elam Detweiler.  Leaving Harmony, she goes to Paradise to track down Elam.  This is where the twist happens.  A new boy, Lewis, finds her intriguing and is up to the challenge of winning her heart.

I never bonded to well with Elam in the last book and didn't really think he deserved Nora.  I was pulling for Lewis and hoping that his tactics would make her fall for him and not send her running to Elam.  I was impressed that Nora thought that she could give up Lewis just because she had made some wrong choices earlier in her life.

Mary Ellis writes with such beauty.  Many times, with lots of series books, I have to hunt down the previous ones to remember what had happened in the book before.  I didn't have to do that with this book at all and I was very impressed that she jogged my memory with such few words!

Any Amish fiction lover needs to grab this whole series.  Now...to wait for book #3 due out in September.

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I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Living in Harmony by Mary Ellis

What a great beginning to a brand new series by Mary Ellis!  This is the first book in her "The New Beginnings" series that involve 4 sisters who have suddenly become orphans after their parents died in a house fire.  Two of the sisters stay in Lancaster, but 2 (Amy and Nora) go with Amy's fiance to Maine to be with his brother and sister-in-law.  Amy's fiance, John, is convinced Maine is where they need to be, despite the rules being stricter than Lancaster.

I really struggled with liking John for most of the book.  By the end, he won me over, but there were many moments where I disliked him.  He came across as selfish and self-absorbent to me.  Amy was sweet and I thought that she could do better.  I was glad that things changed for both of them at the end of the boo.

I am looking forward to reading her second book in the series as she goes further with Nora.  I suspect something might happen with John's brother, Elam, and I can't wait to see what happens with them and how their family responds.  I do hope there is some reconciliation with his family and that they become a bit more understanding with both of them. 

I also would like to hear more about how Amy and John fare in the new life together.  I really liked Sally and Thomas.  I struggled some with liking Thomas, but I also began to like him as he softened in his ways a bit.  This is another great book by Mary Ellis that is quite enjoyable to read.

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I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion about this book.