Softly Blows the Bugle (Amish of Weaver's Creek #3) by Jan Drexler | Amish Fiction Review

Softly Blows the Bugle

The Amish of Weaver's Creek #3

Jan Drexler

Amish Fiction

When Elizabeth Kaufman received the news of her husband's death at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, she felt only relief. She determined that she would never be at the mercy of any man again, even if it meant she would never have a family of her own. Then Aaron Zook comes home with her brother when the war ends two years later.

Despite the severity of his injuries, Aaron resolves to move West and leave the pain of the past behind him. He never imagined that the Amish way of life his grandfather had rejected long ago would be so enticing. That, and a certain widow he can't get out of his mind.

Yet, even in a simple community, life has a way of getting complicated. Aaron soon finds that while he may have left the battlefield behind, there is another fight he must win--the one for the heart of the woman he loves.
Welcome back to the Amish community at Weaver's Creek, where the bonds of family and faith bind up the brokenhearted.

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My Thoughts

I enjoy Amish fiction and Jan Drexler is one of my favorite authors in this genre. Her stories aren't cookie cutter but instead come from a unique angle that brings interest that can sometimes be lacking in this category.

Softly Blows the Bugle is the third and final book in the Amish of Weaver's Creek series. The story picks up from the previous books just after the Civil War has ended. We've already met the main character Elizabeth Kaufman so we know some of the grief that she has experienced. We are introduced to Aaron Zook. He comes home from the war with Elizabeth's brother Jonas but plans to move on and explore the West.

The story is full of grace and redemption for two emotionally and physically broken people. That brokenness is what makes the story relatable. We've all made bad decisions. And we've all had circumstances that have left us scarred. 

I am of the opinion that you would enjoy this book the most by reading the previous two first. Having said that I do think the author gives enough information that you could probably read this book only and still understand the plot. But you'd be cheating yourself! I'm looking forward to Jan's next series and hoping that some of these characters will pop up again. 

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Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Revell to facilitate my review. 

 

Naomi's Hope (Journey to Pleasant Prairie #3) by Jan Drexler | Amish Fiction Review

Naomi's Hope

Journey to Pleasant Prairie #3

Jan Drexler

Amish Fiction

When the future is threatened by the past, 

can she trust herself to make the right choice?

Despite growing pains in her 1846 Amish community in Indiana, Naomi Schrock has settled into a comfortable life in her parents' home with her adopted son, Davey. Surrounded by family and friends, she tries not to think about the fact that she's not at the top of any man's list of potential wives. Yet when Cap Stoltzfus moves into the area and befriends Davey, Naomi finds herself caught between the plans she has made for her future and the tantalizing thought that Cap might be part of a life she never dared to hope for.

When a couple shows up claiming to be Davey's true family, Naomi and Cap must unite to make the decision that will determine the boy's future--as well as their own.

My Thoughts

I have been eagerly waiting for Naomi's story since the beginning of this series. Naomi is such a gentle and giving person and to see her be passed by time after time was heartbreaking. But of course we know that everything comes in God's timing.

It's looking like Naomi is going to have to be content to just be a momma to her adopted son Davey. A husband doesn't seem to be in her future. But just as she's determined to set that dream aside her family gets a new neighbor in the form of Cap Stoltzfus. He's kind and handsome to boot so of course Naomi is sure he would have no interest in her. Naomi is selling Cap short. He sees beyond her physical imperfections and into her heart.

Naomi's Hope was a wonderful conclusion to the Journey to Pleasant Prairie series. Lots of intriguing situations that remind us that the Amish communities face many of the same issues as the rest of the world. Some people are deceitful and can't be trusted. While others can be truthful and very trustworthy. Discerning the difference between the two is a blessing the Holy Spirit brings. 

This series left me wanting to know what happens next in the lives of these interesting people. I hope that Jan sneaks some of them in the next series she writes!

Other Reviews For This Author

Hannah's Choice

Mattie's Pledge

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Mattie's Pledge (Journey to Pleasant Prairie #2) by Jan Drexler | Historical Romance Review

Mattie's Pledge

Journey To Pleasant Prairie #2

Jan Drexler

Historical Romance

When she feels the pull 

of both home and the horizon, 

which will she choose?

Mattie Schrock is no stranger to uprooting her life. Even as her father relocated her family from one Amish community to the next, she always managed to find a footing in their new homes. Now as the Schrock family plans to move west from Somerset County to a fledgling Amish settlement in Indiana, she looks forward to connecting with old friends who will be joining them from another Pennsylvania community--friends like Jacob Yoder, who has always held a special place in her heart.

Since Mattie last saw Jacob, they've both grown into different people with different dreams. Jacob yearns to settle down, but Mattie can't help but dream of what may lie over the western horizon. When a handsome Englisher tempts her to leave the Amish behind to search for adventure in the West, will her pledge to Jacob be the anchor that holds her secure?

Tender, poignant, and gentle, Mattie's Pledge offers you a glimpse into Amish life in the 1840s--and into the yearning heart of a character you'll not soon forget.

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My Thoughts

I am quite fascinated by the stories of people that have crossed the United States by covered wagon. In Mattie's Pledge, Mattie Schrock and her family along with several others have decided to leave their current home in Pennsylvania to make a new life in a small Amish settlement in Indiana. There are mixed feelings about the move. Some like Mattie's mother are reluctant to go because it means leaving not only her home but some loved ones. Others like Mattie and her father are excited to embark on this new adventure.

Without being tedious Jan Drexler has given us a glimpse into how long and arduous such a journey can be. There are hidden obstacles and some that are right out in the open taunting the determined travelers. There are also personal obstacles to overcome.

Our human condition tends to always think of the grass being greener on the other side of the fence. Mattie has an inner struggle that inevitably comes to a head and allows her to decide what is really important in life. I and many others will be able to relate to her struggle.

This is book two in the Journey to Pleasant Prairie series but I think it could easily be read as a stand-alone novel. I read and enjoyed book one, Hannah's Choice, and I think I enjoyed Mattie's Pledge even more because I knew the background of many of the characters. If you have time to read both books I think you'll feel like it was worth it.

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Hannah's Choice (Journey to Pleasant Prairie #1) by Jan Drexler {Historical Romance Review}

Hannah's Choice

Journey to Pleasant Prairie #1

Jan Drexler

Historical Romance

When love and family 

conflict, will she listen to 

her head . . . or her heart?

HANNAH YODER loves her quiet life on the banks of Conestoga Creek. In 1842, this corner of Lancaster County is settled and peaceful--yet problems lurk beneath the placid façade. Hannah strives to be the one person who can bind the threads of her family together in spite of her father's worries, her mother's depression, and her sister's rebellious ways. But her world threatens to unravel.

When two young men seek her hand in marriage--one offering the home she craves and the other promising the adventure of following God's call west--Hannah must make a choice. Will she stay true to the faith of her family or defy her father and abandon her community?

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My Thoughts

Hannah's Choice combines two of my favorite genres, Amish Fiction and Historical Romance. The story takes place in Lancaster County in early 1842. We quickly learn that Hannah's family has suffered tremendous loss and is struggling to regain their footing. Hannah's mother is in the throes of depression and her father is at a loss of how to help her.

Hannah has been able to seek solace and friendship throughout her growing up years with her neighbor Adam. Now that they are both adults there is a longing to make a move toward marriage but Adam is Mennonite and Hannah is Amish. Neither wants to convert to the other's faith so the relationship seems doomed.

 When Amish men from a nearby settlement come for a visit it appears that many things may be changing for Hannah's family. Not only are circumstances possibly changing but one of the visitors is a young Amish man looking to marry and begin a family. Hannah struggles to decide if she fits in that plan.

What I liked about this novel is that there were multiple story lines going on. Hannah's younger sister is headstrong and spoiled. She isn't very taken with the Amish lifestyle and seeks a way out. But there is a very high price to pay. 

Adam and his family are involved in the Underground Railroad. Through an unexpected twist Hannah gets drawn into the rescuing. It was interesting to read about the struggle she had with participating. 

Hannah's Choice is an intriguing look into the early settlers of Lancaster County and how they grew and expanded their numbers locally and in other communities. I can't wait to read the next book in the series and see how the People are settling into their new homes and lives.

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