January 12, 2015
Veteran Amish romance novelist Fisher (Lancaster County Secrets series) sets the opener of the Amish Beginnings series in a very non-pastoral, non-peaceful location while still infusing it with distinct Amish flavor. In 1737, 19-year-old Anna Konig reluctantly accompanies her extended family and friends from their German village to a voyage across the Atlantic. The Amish community intends to settle part of William Pitt’s land in Pennsylvania, but first they must survive the harsh journey aboard the ship, the Charming Nancy. As she fends off matchmaking efforts from the matrons; attempts to corral the adventurous young Felix, the bishop’s son, whom Anna accompanies on his journey to join his father; and translates between her people and the ship’s crew, Anna befriends Bairn, the kind ship’s carpenter with an intriguing Scottish burr. Their burgeoning relationship faces seemingly impossible obstacles, her devout Amish faith not the least of them. Both must learn to trust God—Anna with the present, Bairn with his past. Faith plays an appropriately vital role in the characters’ development, buoying them through physical dangers and moral dilemmas. Based on true events, this novel is a winner, especially for Amish-fiction enthusiasts. Agent: Joyce Hart, Hartline Literary Agency.
March 15, 2015
In spite of Anna's deepest desire to stay in Germany, she is bound for the New World with her Amish community. Aboard the Charming Nancy, Anna's beauty piques the interest of the ship's handsome and mysterious carpenter, Bairn, whose painful past casts a shadow and makes him feel that God has abandoned him. When Anna's unwavering faith drives her to actions that threaten to jeopardize their passage, Bairn must find a way to keep the ship, and his composure, steady to bring them safely to the New World, where the possibility of new love awaits. Fisher (The Haven, 2012) takes readers on an incredible journey in the first of her new Amish Beginnings series. Tracking a 1737 voyage of early Amish immigrants, this inspirational novel is rich in nautical and religious history and authentic detail. Readers beware: the rolling ocean waves, grime, and festering lower-deck quarters are not for the faint of stomach. Those who summon the courage to read about the raw immigrant experience on this treacherous crossing will find a deeply satisfying story of conviction and hope.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)