1914 in Charm, Ohio, sees times changing. Fifth in the Amish Charm Bakery historical romance series brings troubles along with love to Magdelena Beachy and Toby Schlabach. MAGDALENA’S CHOICE, a powerful and inspirational tale, will set neighbour against neighbour.

Magdalena is of age and wants to officially start courting with Toby, but he’s respectful of her parents and wants to wait. Toby feels that the cattle ranch owners are of higher status and will not look kindly on an apprentice furniture maker. He wants to make sure he has enough money saved to buy a house and land. Meanwhile, her domineering father Mark has arranged a match with Zach Hilty, one of his workers, whose parents recently arrived in Charm and bought a farm. Facing another suitor, Magdalena tries to be polite but doesn’t offer Zach any hope. Sadly, the young man is so sure he’s in a good position, that he doesn’t listen. 

A new family had moved to Charm recently, Abram and Annie Hook. Magdalena and Toby welcome the newcomers. Toby’s sister, Rachel, runs the bakery where Magdalena works. Everyone in town stops by to pick up cakes or sit with coffee and cookies. This way, we hear news of the day.

Other characters include Magdalena’s mother, Bernice Beachy, and little sister Charity; and Ethan and Ida Hilty, parents of Zach, who are delighted to think they will get a lovely and prosperous daughter-in-law. Facing no good options, Magdalena leaves the Charm area and goes to stay with her aunt and uncle in Mount Hope, a few miles away. But there is no guarantee the bishop here will marry her to Toby, knowing they are going against her parents’ wishes.

I found a lot of the telling quite sad. No doubt, parents have ideas about who will be a good provider or reliable husband for their daughter. But totally ignoring Magdalena’s wishes and planning to marry her off to somebody is just control freakery. We learn that in some Amish families at this time, arranged marriages were usual – and might or might not bring happiness. If the young couple leaves to marry, they can never return. I didn’t know if a girl could be forced to wed and I doubt a minister would agree since she had been chaperoned continually. But who knows what pressures could be brought? Leaving Charm even stops Magdalena’s bakery job. If she didn’t have relatives willing to take her side, she would have no options. MAGDALENA’S CHOICE – which is also Toby’s choice - by Molly Jebber, sheds light on the closed community of the past.