Reviewer: Trudy Smith
Title: Abigail's New Hope - 1st in the Wayne County series
Author: Mary Ellis
Publisher: Harvest House
ISBN-13: 978-0-7369-3009-3
Release Date: April 2011
Genre/Sub-genre: Inspirational Romance
Year/Setting: Present day/Shreve/Wooster, Ohio
Overall Rating: 3.75
Sexual Content Rating: None
Language (Profanity/Slang) Content Rating: None
Violent Content Rating: None
Mary's Website/Blog: maryeellis.wordpress.com
As a midwife, Abby Graber loved bringing new babies into the world in her Amish community. But under the law, she can not do so by herself because she’s not a registered nurse. When she is the only one available for a difficult delivery, Abby has to make some quick decisions which saves the baby but not the mother.
Because of the choices she made to help the mother, Abby is arrested and charged with manslaughter, among other things. Though devastated, Abby still thinks of her family who need someone to care for them so she calls on her sister Catherine.
It takes some time to get used to Catherine’s brother-in-law, Daniel’s, requests. She tries hard to keep her natural curiosity to a minimum but when Daniel’s odd request for Catherine to leave meals outside for his cousin, Isaiah, she can’t leave it alone. Catherine didn’t know Daniel had a cousin living close to the farm, let alone helping Daniel work it.
With her curiosity working overtime, Catherine discovers that Isaiah doesn’t talk or communicate very well. Soon she finds that he’s deaf. When Catherine decides to help Isaiah communicate, she finds that he’s a very smart man, he just didn’t have the proper education he should have had to aid his disability. Love needs no words and it begins to bloom between Catherine and Isaiah.
In the meantime, prayer and bible study have helped Abby cope as she seeks forgiveness. She is determined to do the right thing but will it be the right thing for her family?
How will God turn these unexpected circumstances for good? Will Catherine be able to help Isaiah learn and communicate? Will Isaiah accept the offer of help and continue to encourage their love to grow? Will Abby’s hope that all will work out as it should be enough for her and Daniel to endure?
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised with Abigail’s New Hope. I wasn’t sure I would like it as I read the first couple of chapters because of the storyline but once the stage was set the story came alive with love, hope and forgiveness. I enjoyed Catherine and Isaiah’s discoveries of teaching, learning and their unique and tender love.
As with other books by Ms Ellis, her knowledge of Amish life comes to life for her readers. I found that reading about the simple way of life a pleasant way to spend some time. If you enjoy a good Amish inspirational story, you’ll enjoy Abigail’s New Hope.
Trudy
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