An Amish Homecoming (Joyful River)

An Amish Homecoming by Rosalind Lauer is the beginning of the Joyful River series. I enjoyed reading this unique Amish novel. We get to see three Englisch young women adapt to living on an Amish farm. Megan, Serena, and Grace are brought to the Lapp's dairy farm by their father, Sully. Sully's deceased wife, Sarah was Miriam Lapp's sister and she passed away from cancer a year ago. The three girls miss their mother and are acting out. Sully is a police officer working the night shift which leaves his daughter's with too much time unsupervised. Sully needs to work to provide for his children, so he asks Miriam and Alvin Lapp to care for the girls for the next year. An Amish Homecoming allows us to see the differences between an Amish and Englisch world. The three sisters are not forced to be Amish nor give up their individuality. The Lapp family provides a safe, loving home for the three sisters where they can work to overcome their sorrow and be themselves. I thought An Amish Homecoming was well-written with an interesting cast of characters. Essie is the same age as two of her cousins, but she comes across as more responsible and mature. Essie is hoping to marry her beau, Harlan soon. Megan wants to finish high school and attend college while her twin, Serena is unsure of what the future holds for her. Grace, the youngest, misses her home and father. The point-of-view alternates between Miriam, Essie, and Serena. I liked getting to see the different perspectives. Each woman is at a different stage in their life. Reading An Amish Homecoming is a lovely way to wile away an afternoon. An Amish Homecoming is a heartwarming and inspiring story that showcases love, faith, and family.