Unforgiven

Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Genre: Amish Romantic Suspense
Pages: 304
Release Date: May 21, 2024
Publisher: Revell

They're each other's best hope for redemption--and love

Ex-con Seth Zimmerman has spent the last three years making amends by helping the vulnerable in his former Amish community. Lately, this mission includes calling on Tabitha Yoder, whose divorce from her abusive husband has isolated her from the community. Even though she never comes out of her house to talk to him, Seth knows she watches him from the window while he chops wood, clears her driveway, and drops off food.  
 
An uneasy friendship is just starting to take hold between them when small gifts begin to appear at Tabitha's home--gifts that can only be from her ex-husband. Seth might be Tabitha's only hope at maintaining her hard-won freedom from the man whose violent outbursts had almost cost her life. But coming to her rescue might mean he ends up behind bars once again.   

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Reviewer: Joy Hannabass

Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray is an Amish story that will take you places and show you situations that you usually don't see in Amish books.

Tabitha Yoder's divorce from her abusive husband doesn't sit well with the Amish community she lives in. Therefore, she receives no help from anyone in the Amish community where she lives.

Seth Zimmerman is on his own because no one in his Amish community wants anything to do with an ex-con. Though he saves a young lady from a horrific happening in her life, the community closes their eyes to this and doesn't want anything to do with Seth because he ends up going to prison.

First of all, I can't believe how this Amish community acts here. They only have problems with those whose publicity is seen and heard, and they sweep the unseen things under the rug. No matter how much one of their own is hurting. Even though this is fiction, I'm glad for Seth and support him 100%!

Shelley Shepard Gray does an amazing job writing this story. I had my nose stuck in this book, and I was turning the pages as fast as I could read. I did go back and read many pages over. The story was so good. I really love Seth and Tabitha, and I felt so bad for them and the hardships they had to face. Their sweet encounters were adorable from the beginning, even when Tabitha was secretly watching from the window. In Unforgiven, Gray shows many emotions, flaws, and uneven relationships between the Amish and the world, as well as the love of God and the grace He gives to His people. She writes it all flawlessly with humility and grace.

I love this book so much! It's different than any Amish book I have ever read, and it warms my heart as I sit here thinking about it. I'm giving Unforgiven five stars, and I wish I could give it more. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves Amish fiction with a bit of mystery running through it. I also liked the line of faith in God running through this story.

For my honest review, I received a complimentary copy from Revell via Interviews & Reviews.

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Reviewer: Adriann Harris

Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray is the most soul-stirring, emotionally charged, suspenseful Amish Christian romance I have ever read. Gray, with her gripping prose, keeps her readers spellbound as they journey with her characters through this hair-raising story.

Tabitha Yoder, a divorcee, and Seth Zimmerman, an ex-con, were the main characters, outcasts of the Amish of Crittenden County, Kentucky, but not banned. They were surrounded by a cast of equally strong secondary family members and one very evil villain. 

Tabitha was a victim of abuse by the one person who vowed to love and cherish her. She became a recluse, partially because of fear and partially because of family desertion due to their Amish faith. The only one to come to her aid was Seth, who chopped firewood and put it on her porch along with food. After many months, Tabitha finally opened the door to thank this man for helping her. Slowly, a trusting bond formed between them. Will the bond last and become love, or will the villainous ex-husband seek his long-promised revenge?

Unforgiven, which I highly recommend, is the first book I have read by Shelley Shepard Gray. Why, I ask myself, when I so enjoy reading Amish Christian literature and she has been publishing books since 2008? Unfortunately, I do not have an answer. Except from here on out, I will definitely be reading more books by this marvelous author, who writes unforgettable stories.

Revell provided a complimentary copy of this book through Interviews & Reviews on NetGalley. I was not obligated to write a favorable review, and all opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Anna Bottoms

What a satisfyingly wonderful book this is. I live in Amish country and have always been fascinated with the culture. The divide between the devout Amish and others is interesting, and this book shows we are all people, all flawed, and all worth God’s grace.

Seth is a person you can’t help loving. He may be an ex-con, but he’s kind, generous, and humble. He’s taken a bad experience and turned it into something good. I felt his love for Tabitha and others through his actions. He was pivotal to the story.

Seth’s interactions with each person in the book encouraged me to be a better person. Despite his troubles, his past, and his own insecurities, his focus was not on himself but rather on others and God. He was a well-thought-out character.

This book is one I highly recommend. I was given a copy courtesy of Revell through NetGalley and Interviews and Reviews. This is my honest opinion of the book.

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Reviewer: Billi Varela

If you like Amish and mystery books, look no further. This one has both!

Seth warmed his way into my heart from the very beginning. I found myself telling Tabitha just to trust Seth. He wouldn't hurt her like her ex-husband had. His character is so easy to like. If you have read a previous book by Shelley Shepard Gray and have liked the main male character, then Seth is guaranteed to win you over as well. 

Let me just say that I find it very hard to believe in people when they are so set in their ways. If a woman is being beaten almost to the brink of death, why can’t she divorce her abusive husband? I was so glad Tabitha did not care about it and did the right thing for her, no matter what consequences it would bring.

This book is free of any language or explicit scenes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell through Interviews & Reviews. I was not required to give a favorable review. All opinions are my own.

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Reviewer: Laura J. Davis

Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray is the most riveting Amish fiction I have ever read. With an intriguing cast of characters and a storyline that kept me turning the pages.

Tabitha Yoder divorced her abusive husband. Despite not facing formal rejection, her Amish community continues to treat her as if she has been shunned. While some still reach out to her, most leave her alone. Meanwhile, she is so afraid of her husband's return that she is too afraid to open her door or step outside her home. 

Enter ex-con Seth Zimmerman. He tried to stop someone from raping an Amish girl, and in the process, the rapist fell, hit his head, and died. Seth received a prison sentence for his actions. And because he was sent to prison, he too has been ostracized from his Amish community. 

When he finds out about Tabitha, he does everything he can to make sure she is provided for. He chops wood for her, leaves her groceries, and shovels her driveway. And while he does all these things, Tabitha is watching and slowly lowering her guard to open her door and let someone who genuinely cares into her life.

I loved the story that unfolded with these two characters. The author brilliantly captured the emotions of someone who has suffered from abuse. She has also shown how some churches today make women suffer in order to obey the scriptures (or uphold laws Jesus has already fulfilled). I am thinking of the callous and evil ways of John MacArthur and Grace Community Church and how they counsel abused women to remain with their spouses. While Tabitha's community is fictional, this book speaks to a very real problem in some churches today that value the "laws" of the Bible rather than a person's life.

The side-character romance between Melonie and Lott was sweet, and I liked seeing how they grew in their relationships with Seth and Tabitha. 

This book really kept me on the edge of my seat and is one of the best Amish books I've read to date. I highly recommend it!

For my honest review, I received a complimentary copy from Revell via NetGalley.

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Reviewer: Carolyn Bryant

​Set in Crittenden County, Kentucky, this emotional Amish romantic suspense story features two people scarred by their pasts struggling to navigate life and love in the environment of an “unforgiving” Amish community and unaccepting family members.

The beautifully crafted characters are realistic and memorable. I love Seth and Tabitha and came to care about them as individuals and as a couple. Their story kept me turning the pages to see what and who they would encounter next, and what the repercussions would be.  

Secondary characters Melonie and Lott add depth and interest to the story with their touching side-story romance. I like the way difficult subjects—domestic abuse, assault, divorce, and imprisonment—are treated sensitively and thoughtfully.

I appreciate the strong faith thread with themes of trust and forgiveness, with an emphasis on self-forgiveness. This heartwarming and, at times, heartbreaking story is not your typical Amish fare, and I think that even readers who are not Amish fiction fans will enjoy it.

For my honest opinion, I received a complimentary copy from Revell via Netgalley and Interviews & Reviews.

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