Treasuring Emma by Kathleen Fuller

Book Description

Emma has put everyone else first in her life. Now at nearly 25, has she missed her chance at marriage?

Emma was Adam's first love but circumstances made them both choose different paths in life. Emma's heart breaks all over again when Adam returns to the Amish community of Middlefield, Ohio, years later.

For the past ten years, Emma has been a care-giver. First for her mother who unsuccessfully battled breast cancer, and now for her grandmother who gets more frail with each passing year. Emma has always put the needs of others above her own. With more time on her hands, she determines to focus on herself and her dream of opening a rescue shelter for stray animals in the community.

With Adam's return come feelings Emma's long buried. They're older and life hasn't turned out the way they thought it would. Adam's feelings for Emma are stronger than ever, but will he be able to convince her to put the past aside and give their love a chance?

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My Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The author has a talent for making you feel what the characters feel and drawing the reader into the story. Emma was so real to me; there were times when I could have cried with her. I could also relate to the worries of her sister, and her tendency to try to fix things first and go to God later.

The story moves along quickly, with the elements of suspense, subtle romance, and growing faith carefully woven throughout.

The setting really seemed “authentic Amish” – from the descriptions of their farms to their day-to-day life, it seemed very much in keeping with what I know of Amish life

What really made this book though, were the characters. A long-lost love, a wise grandmother, a somewhat overbearing sister, and the mysterious cousin from out of town – all very well developed and intriguing. These characters seemed so real. They had to wrestle with issues of faith, family conflict, and grief just like the rest of us. The issues dealt with in this book are ones that most of us face at one time in our lives, not just the Amish.

I would strongly recommend this book to anyone was loves Amish fiction.

I must mention that I did receive a complimentary copy of this, in ebook format, for review purposes. That in no way influenced my opinion of it.