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A Season of Love: Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, Book 5

Review

A Season of Love: Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, Book 5

Book five in the Kauffman Amish Bakery series zeroes in on the lives of three friends --- Lizzie Anne, Lindsey and Katie --- who are all feeling the stir of love. When Lizzie Anne announces her engagement to Samuel, her friends are ecstatic for her, though Katie feels somewhat slighted because Samuel is her brother and had not told her of his marriage plans. Shortly after the big announcement, Lindsey has one of her own: she has been accepted into baptism classes and will become an official member of the Amish community. To Mathew, Lindsey’s proclamation means he will be free to date her upon conclusion of her baptism.

"A SEASON OF LOVE  is one of those feel-good books that gently carries the reader from the busyness of a typical life to a simpler lifestyle devoid of cars, cell phones and televisions. The plot is sweet, though fairly predictable, and the Amish way of life is well researched and beautifully woven throughout the story."

Happy for her friends, Katie can’t help feeling left out of all the excitement. Will it be weird to have one of her best friends married to her brother? Will Lizzie Anne and Lindsey be so wrapped up in their boyfriends that Katie becomes a fifth wheel? She wonders if there will ever be a boy who understands her and makes her heart race. None in her Amish community interest her, but there is another. Lizzie Anne, Lindsey and Katie have truly entered into a season of love, but for Katie, it will blow in on a turbulent storm.

Katie loves working at her family bakery. Developing new recipes, creating delicious sweets, and serving customers is more of a blessing than a job. She especially enjoys joining her cousins and Jake Miller for lunch, talking and laughing until it’s time to return to work. Katie has known Jake most of her life, since his grandparents are part of her Amish community and he works as a carpenter at his grandfather’s furniture store. But Jake is Mennonite. Off limits. Taboo. His mother left the faith to marry his father, resulting in her being shunned by her family…until Jake and his brother were born. The rift between parents and grandparents has long since mended, and Jake is a beloved friend of the community. But he is still ineligible to date an Amish girl like Katie.

When Katie accepts a ride from Jake during a storm, her strict father is angry, forbidding her from having further contact with Jake. Brokenhearted but obedient, Katie abides by his wishes…until she finds herself in danger and Jake comes to her rescue. Jake comforts Katie with a hug --- a gesture that infuriates her father, who does not believe Katie’s story about men who tried to harm her. Grounded and prohibited from any contact with Jake, Katie wonders if she ever will be happy again.

Jake finds himself in a unique position. He works for his Amish grandfather, has many close Amish friends, and is in love with an Amish girl. But he knows the ways of the Amish, and no amount of friendship will make him one of them. Months of thought and prayer lead Jake to the one decision that will give him the life and love he desires. He knows he can handle the sacrifices and lifestyle changes, but can he convince the bishop and Katie’s father?

A SEASON OF LOVE  is one of those feel-good books that gently carries the reader from the busyness of a typical life to a simpler lifestyle devoid of cars, cell phones and televisions. The plot is sweet, though fairly predictable, and the Amish way of life is well researched and beautifully woven throughout the story. Though the characters are pleasant, the dialogue is repetitive and one-dimensional, with characters often having a conversation, then telling another character what the other person said. I think some well-crafted, clever dialogue and paraphrasing would have kicked it up a notch. Still, this is a nice read for Amish fiction fans.

Reviewed by on July 18, 2012

A Season of Love: Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, Book 5
by Amy Clipston