I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is a great romance. Sarah was a shy young Amish girl content to work in her garden. God had definitely given her a gift with it. When her sister gets pregnant it becomes Sarah’s responsibility to run their produce stand. This is not easy considering she is very shy. It became even more difficult she met the new community veterinarian. He was not an Amish vet. The Amish community welcomed Grant and he worked for them taking care of their animals as a service to them just like his father had taken care of the people in their community. It isn’t long before Grant and Sarah start to fall in love. This is not a good thing because it means Sarah will be shunned if she continues. Her parents try to persuade her to move on to a relationship with Jacob, a young Amish man who has had feelings Sarah for years. Sarah tries to tell Grant that things will not work between them. Grant mysteriously leaves the area. Will he return? Is there hope for them as a couple? You must read this book to find out. ( )

A new author to challenge the Amish-supremacy of Christian fiction held by Beverly Lewis and Wanda Brunstetter... typical plot and typical characters but the prose is nice. Advertised as the first part of a larger series so I'll be interested to see if the rest get published. ( )

Sarah King loves nothing better than to work in her beloved garden, but duty to her family calls and she has to run the family's roadside stand. On her very first day there her world turns upside down when she meets handsome veterinarian Grant Williams. Sparks fly immediately between the two and they are falling in love. But there is a major obstacle in their way: Sarah is Amish and Grant is Englisch and their love is forbidden.

"Sarah's Garden", the first book in the new "Patch of Heaven" series set in the Amish community, is a very sweet romance. By Amish romance novel standards this romance sizzles - meaning Sarah and Grant exchange a few forbidden kisses. The romantic tension between them is obvious from the beginning and it is fun, although at times a bit sad, to watch them fall in love, a love that seems meant to be but against all odds. Both are nicely done characters. Sarah is from a large, loving family, sure of her faith in God, a bit shy yet sure of herself at times. Grant is another strong character - orphaned at an early age, wanting to give to the Amish community, yet a little bewildered by them at times. Mixed in with the romantic elements is a great deal of humor, mostly involving the Bustles' and Grant's attempts to renovate his new house (I actually wish there was more of this in the book as there are some laugh out loud moments early in the book). One of the reasons I like Amish romances so much is the Amish setting and author Kelly Long does an excellent job of capturing it and the Amish lifestyle in this book. She shows that while many think the Amish life is simpler, the Amish work hard. Their devotion to their family is extraordinary and Long does a good job of showing not only the closeness Sarah has with her family, particularly her brother Luke, but also shows that even Amish families have problems and even they can suffer from domestic abuse. The Amish ability to make beautiful quilts is legendary and I wish this book came with pictures or illustrations so I could see some of the quilts mentioned in this book (one of my favorite scenes in the book is the quilting one).

"Sarah's Garden" is a nicely done romance set in the Amish community and I look forward to reading more books in the series. ( )

Yes, another Amish book to add to the multitude. I approached this book with apprehension. Would it fall in the same line as other Amish books that are predictable and preachy or would it give a new spin to the already over-saturated genre? Well this book managed to fit both of those expectations.

Sarah is a 20-something Amish woman who finds solace working in her garden than working with other people. When her sister becomes pregnant, she finds herself having to run the family business and therefore is forced to meet with Englischers. Sarah's interest in her garden put a wonderful spin on the book. There was a lot of detail about the different vegetables and other items growing in the garden and she really seemed to enjoy showing others about her green thumb. Sarah is not like most other Amish heroines as she doesn't have too much interest in the outside world but neither is she a prude either.

I really liked her family as well. Her parents are very loving and encourage her while also giving her good advice. They don't forbid her to do things and trust her. Also interestingly, the Amish sect that they are in does believe in having a personal relationship with Jesus as opposed to other books where it is strictly forbidden to believe in anything but the Ordung.

While I enjoyed how this book was different than other Amish reads, I was still disappointed with the ending.

*Spoiler*

I am very tired of reading about how people are converting to the Amish for love. After reading countless times from actual Amish people that this almost never happens in real life, it seems so unrealistic for authors to continue to portray this false lifestyle. Would it still be romantic or acceptable to Christian readers if someone converted to Islam or Buddhism? It just keeps making me feel like I'm being preached at to turn to the Amish lifestyle in order to have a better life. The true life of the Amish is not at all ideal as these books make them out to be. Grant also seems a bit too good to be true. He seems to come from a rich background as he has servants and referred to his deceased parents as "Mother" and "Father". He just came across as WAY too sensitive for a guy, too romantic and a bit over emotional. I just don't know any average guy that is like that. He seemed more like a character from a romance novel than an average 20 something male. I mean, even Darcy came off more realistic than Grant did.

Overall, for the most part I did enjoy the book. The gardening aspect was very interesting and I really learned a lot from it. Sarah was a good main character and I felt welcomed in their Amish community while reading. I would read more of Long's books as I think she has put a unique perspective on the genre. ( )

Sarah is a young Amish woman who has not found herself yet. She is shy and loves to spend hours in her garden growing her vegetables. Now that her older sister is married she is taking over running the road side stand which puts her out of her element. On her first day at the stand she meets Grant the new Englisch vet. There is an immediate connection but such a relationship is forbidden. Will Sarah give up all she knows for true love or will Grant find himself by becoming Amish? You will have to read this book to find out!!I really liked this book. I admit I love a romance book where there is a bit of a block in the road for the couple. I found myself holding my breath wondering how it was going to turn out. I read this book with an online book club and some of the other members questioned the relationship between the two. I guess I found it so fun to read because I liked how true love was crossing a line. Over all a great book and I can’t wait for the next one in the series. ( )