Five year old Zeke Miller and his sister Rebecca, seven,
are Amish and recently without a mother. Their mother died
along with their baby brother at the time of his birth.
It's been a year and they are spending their first
Christmas in Florida since their death. Their father Jacob
is a cabinet maker and having a difficult time dealing with
his loss and providing the best he can to compensate his
children for their loss. The whole Miller family travels
to Florida from Ohio by bus to spend the holiday with
Jacob's grandparents in the village of Pinecraft, an Amish
settlement in Sarasota. A tragic accident renders Rebecca
in the hospital and turns the life of this lonely Amish man
upside down as he waits for his daughter's recovery.
Natalie Bennett is previously a circus performer who,
after an accident,is unable to perform and now teaching
other circus performers instead. She also donates her time
as Bubbles the Clown, visiting the unfortunate children in
the Hospital. Meeting the Miller family sparks a deep
emotional tie when Natalie finds among her recently
deceased mother's items, proof that her mother was raised
as Amish and chose to keep the secret of her leaving the
order. She searches for the family that shunned her mother
while becoming completely drawn in by Jacob and his family;
especially his children. Jacob desires Natalie but knows
an "Englisch" woman is forbidden with too many obstacles to
overcome. With Mennonites also living in the Florida
community, can there be a compromise for Natalie and Jacob?
The Amish and Mennonite lifestyles are so foreign to
most, but they also make fascinating reading and a better
understanding of this faith. Their faith is so absolute
that their desires are mostly denied if finding love is
outside their order. This author has an exceptional
knowledge of the Amish and Mennonite lifestyles and has
spun a heartwarming and love filled story of renewal and
the ability to move on. A SEASON OF CHANGE will definitely
not be the
last book I will read from Lynette Sowell nor of the Amish
religion. This is one of my personal favorites.
Can a past filled with loss lead to a new season of life?
Stranded at a Sarasota hospital at the bedside of his ailing
daughter, Amish widower Jacob Miller is wary of his
unfamiliar surroundings—including the strange curiosity of
Englischer Natalie Bennett. Natalie, an aerial silks artist
whose career in the circus ended before it began, has just
uncovered a secret her mother kept hidden for years. Her
mom—or rather, mamm—was once Amish. A hundred questions
suddenly surface.
Why did Natalie’s mother keep this secret for so long? Does
Natalie still have Amish relatives? How can she learn more
about her heritage? Can Jacob trust Natalie’s piqued
interest in his family and their simple ways, or will their
clashing cultures thwart their hopes for finding the love of
a family? “A Season of Change is an Amish tale with a fresh
voice and unique twist. Filled with warmth and love and
fried pies, it’s poignant and compelling in a whole new way.
You’ll read it and wish you could stay there . . . just a
little longer.”