Leslie Gould’s Amish Promises is a captivating book. Shani’s husband Joel has recently come back from Iraq, and they move into a new home in Lancaster with their son, Zane. Their neighbors, the Lehmans, are Amish; Tim is a widower, and his sister Eve helps him raise his children. Though the neighbors are very different from each other in their beliefs, their worlds start to mix – and they do so even more after the arrival of Joel’s army buddy, Charlie, who catches Eve’s interest.

I really adored this story. Reading it was like escaping into a pleasant little world, and I’m glad that this is only Book One of the series, because I want to go back! Eve and Charlie were very likable characters, so it was easy to root for them. I had never read a potential love story between an Amish girl and an Englischman, but since these relationships do indeed occur at times, it was interesting to read about one.

Throughout the book, different characters run into conflicts, and it was interesting to see them deal with these conflicts and get through them. I liked that the book was realistic, and instead of glossing over hardship, showed how people can overcome troubles and become stronger in the long run – even if their troubles don’t completely go away.

I received a review copy from Bethany House. Amish Promises is available here on Amazon.