Her Heart's Desire (A Season in Pinecraft #1) by Shelley Shepard Gray

Her Heart's Desire

A Season in Pinecraft #1

Shelley Shepard Gray

Contemporary Fiction/Amish

What happens when we allow our pasts to define our futures?

Mary Margaret Miller needs an escape from her small Amish community. She boards a bus, all alone, for a vacation in Pinecraft, Florida. Meeting Betsy and Lilly on the way, she's amazed to find two kindred spirits. They become fast friends and determine to have the best two weeks of their lives. For Mary, it starts when she meets Jayson Raber, a handsome and charming carpenter.

Jayson is taken with Mary from the get-go, but he has responsibilities back home in Kentucky--including a girl he's supposed to marry. And when someone from Mary's past shows up in Pinecraft, it seems like her perfect vacation is ruined. But that's nothing compared to what's coming when she realizes what Jayson has been hiding . . .

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My Thoughts

I have a friend that lived in Pinecraft for a time. I loved hearing about this idyllic place from her so when I realized that Her Heart's Desire is set in Pinecraft I knew I wanted to read it. I'm so glad I did because it was just as delightful as I had hoped.

The story centers around Mary Margaret Miller who has set out on a little getaway to Pinecraft. She's hoping for a bit of a respite from her miserable life at home. Mary Margaret is a bit of an outcast and because of that has become quite lonely. On the bus ride to Pinecraft she connects with two other Amish girls and they become fast friends.

For Mary Margaret this trip feels like a little slice of heaven. She's made new friends, she's found a guy she's interested in and he seems to return the interest. And there's a beach involved. What could possibly go wrong?

One of the main reasons that I enjoy books by Shelley Shepard Gray is that they are relatable. I'm not Amish but I know what it feels like to be ostracized. I know what it feels like to have your bubble burst. I think these feelings are pretty common to all of us at some point in our lives.

Her Heart's Desire is a beautiful story of facing what life throws at you and coming out stronger with your faith intact. I highly recommend it.

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