Ruth Reid

I loved this short listen! A bilingual child (Pennsylvania Dutch), diversity (disability rep), a sweet dog, and even a journal... just a sweet magical story with a fabulous hero too. This is a short listen contained in the anthology An Amish Christmas Love (along with 3 other Amish holiday novellas). Home for Christmas is one of my favorites, and one of the most special and memorable, of 10+ Amish Christmas books I have read this season (An Unexpected Joy and Naomi's Gift are other favorites - both of those are in the anthology An Amish Christmas Gift).… (más)

"Steadfast Mercy" tells the story of Jonica and her child Stephen, as they return to Jonica's original Amish community following the death of her parents. She plans to help her Auntie Edna sell her farm. However, once there, Jonica must cope with her aunt's failing memory, her son's mysterious illness, and falling in love with a community member from the past.

This novel is by no means a lighthearted, casual read. The characters must deal with serious life issues: illness, death, aging, relocation, past unresolved issues, misunderstandings. Each of them makes mistakes, but accesses inner strength and faith in order to persevere.

The compelling nature of the plot made me continue reading, even though I found the never-ending problems encountered by the characters to be depressing and sad. Although this book is the third one in a series, I read it as a stand-alone novel. The Christian message is overt, and the presence of the "mysterious stranger" adds an otherworldly tone to the action. The theme of hanging on and trusting God is strong throughout the novel.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.… (más)

Steadfast Mercy by Ruth Reid is the 3rd An Amish Mercies Novel. It can be read as a standalone if you are new to the series. I thought Steadfast Mercy was well-written with a developed storyline and steady pacing. I liked the characters in the story especially Aenti Edna and Mr. Jordan. The author took the time to flesh out the main characters and gives them room to grow. Caleb and Jonica each have secrets and are grieving the loss of loved ones. These two also have guilt and regrets. They need help overcoming their issues so they can move forward. Jonica also worries that she is not a good mother to her son, Stephen. I like that Jonica and Caleb are realistic characters with struggles. I enjoyed the character of Mr. Joran. His presence added something special to the story. I appreciated that we get to catch up with Faith from Abiding Mercy. The point-of-view alternates between Jonica and Caleb which allows readers to see situations from both of their perspectives. It always amazes me how different men and women can be, yet we are so similar. The romance was sweet with some bumps along the way. We see the detrimental affect of gossip on people. People fail to realize that when the share their juicy tidbits, it can cause sorrow to the people involved. Faith, forgiveness, healing, and mercy are the themes present in Steadfast Mercy. The Christian elements are beautifully woven into the story. My favorite line from Steadfast Mercy is, “For Your mercy is steadfast and Your love endures forever.” I also liked, “All things are possible for those who believe.” I was delighted that that there was an epilogue that nicely wrapped up the book. Steadfast Mercy is a touching Amish novel that wraps up their charming series.… (más)