In the heartbreaking conclusion to Plain Fear: Forsaken, Samuel Fisher committed the horrific sin of murdering his brother, Jacob. Despite the fact that Jacob was a soulless vampire out to murder an innocent woman and her baby, Samuel can't forgive himself for taking his brother's life. Now in PLAIN FEAR: FORGIVEN, Samuel will learn the depth of God's forgiveness and love if he's willing to accept it. Samuel's quest for answers into Jacob's descent into evil only draw him further from God and those who love him. Samuel is also being stalked by the vampire Brydon who wants to destroy Jacob's family one-by-one, starting by changing Samuel.

PLAIN FEAR: FORGIVEN by Leanna Ellis starts at the lowest emotional point for Samuel, setting the stage for a dark, brooding coming-of-age novel. His struggle to balance his Amish upbringing and faith with the realities of a world with vampires is a harsh juxtaposition. The mingling of dark horror with the simplicity of the Amish life mirrors the theme of good and evil well. The evils of the world add complications and questions while faith at its base is pure and simple. Faith though isn't easy to hold onto. It requires strength of character and work. Samuel's struggle with faith and forgiveness pull the story from the emotional low at the beginning to the precipice of forgiveness and back down.

Leanne Ellis does a remarkable job of building the vampire and Amish worlds realistically and twisting them together to create a solid and unique story. The small details of Amish life not only build the world but it reflects the mindset of a different culture. Ellis brings this culture to life and creates a strong connection with the reader. The underlying thread of community ties the story together well. The Amish isn't a community simply because they live in the same area. They are a community because of a shared faith, a shared mindset, and shared history. They help without needing to be asked. They help because they see a need. They're aware and conscious of what is going on with the people they know. Ellis builds this sense of community unobtrusively through the actions of the characters, but she doesn't neglect to show the flip side of community; shunning. Anyone who doesn't conform to the ideals of this community isn't welcomed. Ellis portrays this without judgment which heightens the impact the action of shunning has for all involved.

Philosophically, there are many things in this book I don't agree with. I was frustrated at times with the worldview, but neither vampires nor the Amish are my usual genres. The story is intriguing and beautifully written and my disagreeing with character viewpoints didn't detract from the story. The ever increasing suspense is balanced with the sweet moments of romance and the even sweeter message of God's forgiveness. PLAIN FEAR: FORGIVEN is an intriguing story and worth checking out even if vampires and Amish life aren't your preferred genres.