Annie Stoltzfus has set her cap on Adam, the oldest boy in
the King family, but his heart has found another and an
outsider as well. Leaving her fast paced life in New York
behind, Remy McCallister was trying her hardest to learn
all the correct Amish ways, so she could be baptised into
the faith and marry Adam. Surprising herself, Annie
gently stops Remy from making a mistake. Now with some
kind words and Remy's smile of gratitude, Annie realizes
she likes her and jealousy no longer consumes her heart.
While still young and pretty, Annie realizes she is getting
too old. So, almost giving up on finding a husband and
starting a family in her own community, she turns her
attention to matchmaking and is bound and determined to see
her younger sister, Hannah, paired up. Jonah King is a
perfect mate.
Little does Annie realize that Jonah, Adam's brother, has
been in love with her for years and longed for her
attention. Always known as "The Quiet One", only Mary,
Jonah's sister has guessed at his true feelings. Could he
really open up and tell Annie? She certainly isn't
interested in him.
Meanwhile, another romance is going on between a younger
King brother and Emma Lapp, now a school teacher in their
community of Halfway in Lancaster County. She loves Gabe
King with all her being, but he is not
inclined to give up his wild rides on a borrowed motorbike
and all the freedom he enjoys while on his rumspringa.
Will be ever grow up and take on his manly role? Emma is
soon to be baptised and that would require her to be a
respected member and bound by the rules of the Ordnung.
Much as they love each other, they both know things can
not continue as they are. Gabe also loves his community,
but will the thrill of speed prove too powerful for him?
The large King family has long been a loving family with a
house full of laughter, but they have more than their share
of tribulations, especially when their parents are
murdered and Adam had returns home to take care of his
nine other siblings. While the impact of that still
resonats, more joy comes when Remy comes into their
lives. Still, too much undue attention has resulted and
Jonah certainly doesn't want to do anything that will bring
further community attention to them, yet when Annie's
father needs to get to the hospital, he has to make a
critical decision. The future now looks very uncertain.
Inspired by the golden sunshine and the swirling colours of
fall, Rosalind Lauer has written a heartfelt and inspiring
story of romance and the many complexities of life and
decisions that have to be made, even for those intent on
following the well-trodden path of life in an Amish
community. While a well steeped tale that could easily be
read as a standalone romance, it is much more satisfying to
be read as the concluding book in the Seasons of
Lancaster
trilogy. Fans of Amish and inspirational stories are sure
to love A SIMPLE AUTUMN. I know I did and I am thrilled to
learn that more opportunities for connecting again with
some of the characters will happen in the next series that
Lauer is writing, entitled "Lancaster Crossroads". This is
a fine autumn offering that can be enjoyed anytime!
For fans of Cindy Woodsmall and Beverly Lewis, Rosalind
Lauer’s Seasons of Lancaster novel A Simple Autumn is
a wonderful Amish story about two brothers navigating
through the troubled waters of love.
A
LOVE THAT REMAINS HIDDEN, A FORK IN A THORNY ROAD
Jonah King has no desire to leave his close-knit community.
All his hopes and dreams lie in Lancaster County, and many
of them revolve around his longtime love for Annie
Stoltzfus. For years he’s been trying to get her to see what
burns inside his heart, yet he remains all but invisible to
her. Annie’s beautiful eyes reflect only her affection for
Jonah’s older brother—and her sadness when he chooses
another. Jonah knows that he must speak up, but when he’s
around Annie his calm, capable demeanor flees, leaving him
tongue-twisted and awkward.
Gabe King has been courting schoolteacher Emma Lapp for
months, but she insists on keeping their relationship
secret. Emma embraces her duty to set a good example for her
pupils, but Gabe is in his rumspringa and still wild at
heart, riding motorbikes and unwilling to cut his ties to
the outside world. Much to Emma’s deep sorrow, it appears
that she and Gabe are choosing different paths.
As swirling leaves of orange and gold dance
across the countryside, two brothers must find the courage
and faith to reconcile their heritage and their hearts.
A beautiful story that explores the clarity of
true love, A Simple Autumn is a bounty for heart and
soul.