Every saint has a past. Every sinner has a future.
Luke Schrock is a new and improved man after a stint in rehab, though everyone in Stoney Ridge only remembers the old Luke. They might have forgiven him, but nobody trusts him.
Amos and Fern Lapp allow Luke to live at Windmill Farm under two conditions. First, Luke must make a sincere apology to each person he’s hurt — a four-page, single-spaced list. Second, he must ask each victim of mischief to describe the damage he caused.
Simple, Luke thinks. Offering apologies is easy. But discovering the lasting effects his careless actions have caused . . . that isn’t so simple. It’s gut-wrenching.
And his list keeps growing. Izzy Miller, beautiful and frustratingly aloof, also boards at Windmill Farm. Luke’s clumsy efforts to befriend Izzy only insult and annoy her. Eager to impress, Luke sets out to prove himself to her by locating her mother. When he does, her identity sends shock waves through Stoney Ridge.
Suzanne Woods Fisher has a specialty: she writes about real people living in faith-based communities. With over 750,000 copies of books sold worldwide, she is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than twenty-five books, ranging from children’s books (The Adventures of Lily Lapp series) to novels (The Choice) to non-fiction books (Amish Peace: Simple Living for a Complicated World).
When Suzanne isn’t writing, she’s probably playing with puppies. She’s been involved with Guide Dogs for the Blind for over fifteen years. Raising puppies, she says, is like eating a potato chip. You just can’t stop at one.
Readers are invited to stop by Suzanne’s website at: http://www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
My Impressions:
As her bio states, Suzanne Woods Fisher’s strength is writing “about real people living in faith-based communities”. Whether set in a Plain community or in an historical context, her characters feel like your own neighbors, friends, and family. Mending Fences is no exception. Bringing favorite characters from past books together with new, she creates a story of second chances and new beginnings. While this novel will certainly appeal to fans of Amish fiction, it will resonate with anyone looking for a heartwarming story.
Luck Schrock has been a secondary character in a number of Fisher’s novels, but in Mending Fences he is one of the mains. Back from another stint in rehab, Luke wants a chance to prove he is a changed man. While the Amish are quick to offer forgiveness, trust is hard to come by. And for Luke it can be painful. I loved how Luke doggedly worked through making amends for his many pranks. He learned that what seemed harmless fun cost others in meaningful ways. The other main character, Izzy Miller, is looking for a brand new start in the first safe place she has lived. She is attracted to many of the aspects of a Plain life, but her old ways of thinking get in the way of grace. Forgiveness, both giving and receiving, is a strong theme. As always, Fisher liberally sprinkles humor within the pages of Mending Fences. There are laugh out loud moments combined with poignant scenes as more than one character accepts God’s love.
There’s more to come from The Deacon’s Family series as a few story lines are left unresolved. But the wait will be a short one — book 2, Stitches in Time, is due out in just a few days!. I am looking forward to seeing just what else Fisher has in store for Luke, Izzy, and the other residents of Stoney Ridge.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
To purchase, click HERE.
(Thanks to Library Thing and Revell for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
One Response to “Book Review: Mending Fences”