Lorie is grief stricken at the unexpected passing of her
father, yet she wants to stay strong to support Maddie,
her stepmother who had been her Mamm since she was a
young child. She doesn't remember her real Mamm,
and that bothers her, so she wants to have a good final
look to remember the father she loves so much. But as
she focuses on remembering every detail, Lorie is shocked
by what she sees.
Lorie knows the Amish way is to accept God's will and not
to questions things, but she is so confused. She seeks
answers from Maddie, but her stepmother shuts her down
and does not want to answer any of her questions. Why
does her stepmother refuse to tell her anything?
Lorie struggles with her dilemma to adhere to her
Amish beliefs. Driven by her curiosity and need to
understand, Lorie seeks to find out more about her
father. The more she learns, the more it adds to
the mystery and brings forth many more questions. With
her head full of confusion and questions, Lorie is forced
to confront her own values and abilities. Why had she
been lied to? Who was she?
LORIE'S HEART is the third book in Amy Lillard's latest
Amish series set in Wells Landing, Oklahoma. While Wells
Landing is a fictional place, Lilliard is very familiar
with the Oklahoma landscape and environment which brings
a strong sense of realism to this part-mystery, part-romance story. While it
reads quite well as a standalone novel, fans who read the earlier books in the
series, CAROLINE'S SECRET and COURTING EMILY are sure to enjoy a richer
depth to the story in LORIE'S HEART.
Lillard is known for having unusual storylines in her
Amish books and LORIE'S HEART is no exception. Lorie's
quest to delve into her father's past certainly is an
intriguing way to highlight differences and lifestyles,
attitudes, perspectives and beliefs between the Amish and
the North American English (or non-Amish as they are
collectively called) and the pressures it can place on
people who lives encounter both worlds.
The characters in LORIE'S HEART are as realistic in their
actions and emotions and spring easily to life. Lorie is
quite young and has much difficulty dealing with her
confusion and her questions, so some parts near the
beginning of LORIE'S HEART may prove slow for some
readers. The pace picks up considerably in the second
half of the book and it is quite an engrossing story as
the dilemmas increase. What path will Lorie take? Amish
story fans as well as those who believe in the power of
love and forgiveness are sure to enjoy finding out the
answers in the intriguing story found in LORIE'S HEART!
Welcome back to Wells Landing, Oklahoma, the tranquil
Amish community where still waters run deep and a brave
young woman sets out to discover her faith, her family, and
herself… Lorie Kauffman is
grief-stricken when her father passes away unexpectedly. But
her heartache quickly turns to bewilderment when she
discovers he’d been leading two lives—one of simplicity and
hard work in Wells Landing, and one fraught with painful
ordeals in Tulsa. As she starts digging into her family’s
past, Lorie finds herself torn between the Amish world and
the Englisch world—and she’s no longer certain where
she belongs…
Lorie knows that if she leaves
Wells Landing, she may never be able to return. But what if
her destiny lies in the outside world—the world her father
knew so well? Change is never easy, but with a bit of
courage and the help of a handsome and kind-hearted
Englischer, she just may find the peace, acceptance,
and love she’s been longing for…