Summer Promise by Marianne Ellis is the first An Amish Seasons Novel. Miriam Brenneman is dealing with the loss of her father and wondering what it would have been like to have a mother growing up. Her sister, Sarah who lives in San Francisco is returning for the summer. Miriam is hoping it will give them a chance to reconnect, but she is also nervous. Miriam has always felt hat she was her husband’s second choice. She wonders if Daniel regrets marrying her since she has been unable to provide him with a child. When her beloved farm stand is destroyed, Miriam fears it will be her undoing. Summer Promise is well-written with developed, realistic characters. I enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the scenery especially the farm stand. The farm stand is something that benefited everyone in the community. There are good life lessons in the story. People think gossip is harmless, but it is not to the person who is being talked about. Another lesson is the importance of communication is relationships. Holding things in is not good for either party. I love the community in this story. When someone is in need, the others are there for them. They take care of your chores when you are grieving or have just given birth as well as other situations. I liked how Eli was helped. You can see that it does take a village to raise a child. Summer Promise is a simple yet touching story. I wish this writing duo would create more Amish stories like this one. Summer Promise is the perfect type of story for a rainy afternoon. Summer Promise is a thoughtful Amish tale with a caring community, family farm stand, an Englisch sister, a missed mother, a profuse farm, and a startling surprise. ( )