Mending Fences

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Genre: Amish
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Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future.

Luke Schrock is a new and improved man after a stint in rehab, though everyone in Stoney Ridge only remembers the old Luke. They might have forgiven him, but nobody trusts him. He has been allowed to live at Windmill Farm under two conditions. First, he must make a sincere apology to each person he's hurt. Second, he must ask each victim of mischief to describe the damage he caused. 

Simple, Luke thinks. Offering apologies is easy. But discovering the lasting effects his careless actions have caused isn't so simple. It's gut-wrenching. 

And his list keeps growing. Izzy Miller, beautiful and frustratingly aloof, also boards at Windmill Farm, and Luke's clumsy efforts to befriend her only insult and annoy her. Eager to impress, Luke sets out to prove himself to her by locating her mother. When he does, her identity sends shock waves through Stoney Ridge. 

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Reviewer: Sandra Burson

Suzanne is Queen for writing about the Old Order Amish. I have learned so much from reading her books. She has a way of evoking all of your emotions. I had a hard time putting this one down. Family's can be many things. It's not just your biological children or parents. Mending Fences shows us this through Amos and Fern Lapp. A beautiful Amish couple, you can't help but fall in love with. 

Fern was not able to have children but that did not stop her from helping Amos raise his son and daughters after losing his first wife. Fern is one with so much love to give. It doesn't matter who they are or where they came from, she always welcomes children of all ages into her home. This novel has so many life lessons entwined throughout this book. It's about family, forgiveness, faith and love.

Luke Schrock and Izzy Miller are two of these grown children that Amos and Fern have opened up their home to. Both have just come from a three month stay in an Amish Rehab home. Luke's biggest lesson is, you can gain forgiveness from someone for the foolish thing you may have done in the past. But there may have been great hurts or consequences not so easily over looked. 

This  is a book that kept me guessing until the end. Then left me wanting more. This is the first in Suzanne's new series The Deacon's Family. I can't wait to see what is coming next.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

Mending Fences by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the first book in The Deacon's Family series and I could not put it down!

Luke Schrock has just been released from rehab and has, like the title suggests, a lot of "fences to mend." He is sent to live at Windmill Farm, where Fern and Amos have also taken in Izzy Miller, a young girl who, like Luke, was lost herself and she begins to find her way through the love and support of her Amish friends. But even though Izzy has been at Windmill Farms for a year, she still has a lot of emotional baggage weighing her down. While Luke begins to make amends to those he hurt, and in the process starts to change for the better, Izzy seems to be stuck in her hurt. A problem Luke is determined to tackle.

I loved the characters of this book and can't wait for book two! There are so many layers to it and surprises that it kept me up until the wee hours of the morning. I simply couldn't put it down. 

Do yourself a favour pick up this book! You won't be disappointed.

This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing.

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