Unusually this story commences in 1945, as Rose Yoder reconsiders her future life. The young man she hoped to marry cast aside his teachings and went to war. The Plain people believe in turning the other cheek, but Jonathan followed his convictions and enlisted as a medic. A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ROSE explores the consequences for this doubly brave young man as he returns to the community in the Ohio farming town of Berlin.

Drafted Amish men known to Rose had been put to work growing food or other needed work, but Jonathan worked in the field hospitals of Europe. He meets a neighbour in the snow - a man who went to an Englisch school and went to fight the Japanese. Shell shocked and wandering, this friend needs Jonathan to help him home. The good young doctor wonders if these are the only people who can accept his deeds.

As Thanksgiving preparations are made, Rose is finally told a family secret. She starts to question her identity and to acknowledge how grateful she is that soldiers went to serve and defeated the aggressors, liberating prison camps. If she is thankful for their deeds, is she right to shun Jonathan? Everything she has ever known says that he can no longer be part of their community.

The detail is excellent, building up a picture for us of the hard lives people lived, yet how thankful they were for all they had. We see that some Amish houses now have piped water - no question that this helped the women more than the men. Rationing in town has sent ordinary people out to buy fresh farm produce, though the Amish had little enough to spare over winter. A shop filled the empty spaces with posters for war bonds. Reading Heidi aloud to the small children, Rose lingers over passages when Heidi is encouraged to pray for guidance and love her family.

The author Tricia Goyer tells us that the kernel of the story was told to her by Amish families, a tale that originated in the Depression times. She added the crisis of conscience brought about by the war and spun this lovely, strong, Christmas tale with real, breathing characters.

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR ROSE is unusual and worth celebrating, and will add depth to a bookshelf of Amish novels.