Pages: 336

Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing (Good Books)

Published: March 17, 2020

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

My Review: I was on the fence whether I liked this book or not but after I finished and thought about it I found I really liked it. I was quite impressed with the subtle way the message was given.

Hope Deferred is different than most Amish romances in that you get the feel of for true Amish life and I credit that to the novel being written by an author who was raised Amish and still practices her Amish faith. She shows us the difficulties young Amish have when it is time to decide to stay with the faith or become English. I’ll admit I did not like Dave’s character at all as I thought he was selfish and mean to just about everyone around him. When I think back on his character though he was so conflicted and really had no one to talk with for true guidance. Anna loved Dave but her faith was strong and that carried her throughout the novel. Never once did her faith sway.

The repetition of details is my biggest complaint in that I felt it drug the novel down in several places. That is purely a personal observation.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Skyhorse Publishing (Good Books), through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.

NetGalley: Will Daniel and Anna be able to reconcile their faith struggles and their love for each other? Beloved Amish novelist Linda Byler once again writes a compelling and surprising love story, showing that even the Plain People struggle with complex feelings, questions, and relationships.

David Stolzfus and Anna Fisher have been best friends as long as they can remember. Sure, it was a bit unusual in the Amish community for a boy and a girl to be so close, but nobody questions it with David and Anna—it has just always been that way. They live on neighboring farms in Lancaster County, they walk to school together (with all their siblings) every day, and when David learns to drive a pony, Anna is the first one to ride with him. Their lives are intertwined, the way the borders of their properties are joined by the Pequea Creek.

As they approach their teen years, David and Anna’s friendship turns quickly to deep love and attraction. But David is headstrong and full of an insatiable hunger for knowledge and new experiences. When Anna’s conservative parents require that he join the church before the two can begin dating, he rebels, eventually taking off to Australia for the adventure of a lifetime, leaving Anna to sort through her feelings alone.

When Anna receives a letter from Leon Beiler, a young man she can’t deny she has feelings for, everything changes again. How can she reconcile a lifetime of love for David with this new potential romance? And what will happen when David returns home?