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Shaker #4
The Blessed
Bestselling novelist delivers a moving story set in an 1844 Shaker village in which a young mother and a widower encounter a crisis of faith and struggle to follow their hearts.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2011
88 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Ann H. Gabhart
49 books1,056 followersAnn H. Gabhart grew up on a farm in Kentucky. At the age of ten, she started dreaming of writing stories others would want to read. That dream has come true as she's published over thirty-five novels. She and her husband have three children married to three beautiful in-law children who have gifted her nine grandchildren. She still lives on a farm not far from where she grew up. She loves playing with her grandkids, walking with her dogs, reading, and, of course, writing. Her Shaker books, set in her fictional Shaker village of Harmony Hill in the 1800's, are popular with readers. The Outsider was a Christian Fiction Book Award Finalist in 2009. Her Heart of Hollyhill books are Small Town, America books set in the 1960's. Angel Sister, a Rosey Corner book set during the Great Depression, was a best-seller and was followed up by two more stories about the Merritt sisters. She keeps her stories in Kentucky and has enjoyed going to the Kentucky Appalachian Mountains for some stories including These Healing Hills and Along a Storied Trail. And if you like mysteries, you can try her Hidden Springs Mysteries published under the author name, A.H. Gabhart. Visit Ann's website http://annhgabhart.com to find out more. There you can sign up for her newsletter where she does giveaways several times a year.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
July 6, 2012
I’ve heard of the group of people who were known as the “Shakers” before. My curiosity was instantly aroused—who were the Shakers? While The Blessed is Ann Gabhart’s fourth Shaker book, it’s the first one I’ve read by her. The story inside this thick book was simply amazing. It’s not your typical romance, which I was very happy about. (It’s nice to take a break from the heated romances that are out on the market nowadays.) I just about devoured the book in my quest to find out more about the Shakers and their beliefs. (I love history!) When I reached the end, I couldn’t be more satisfied at where Lacey ends up, and my knowledge of the Shakers and their beliefs have broadened.
Lacey is, in many ways, much like myself. When she chafed at the Shakers outlandish beliefs or rules, I found myself feeling the same way. After reading about them, I know I’d make a terrible Shaker! Too many rules to possibly remember! Haha! I liked the different angle that Isaac gave to this story. While he wasn’t a firm believer like Asa and wasn’t in the Shaker village because of a loved one like Lacey, he was trying to climb out of his own painful past. I loved watching him heal.
Ann Gabhart has weaved together a very unique plot. Neither Lacey or Isaac are Shakers, but both find themselves living among them. And while neither agree with the Shaker’s odd beliefs and life style, both leave the village spiritually healed and renewed. It’s amazing how the Lord works sometimes, and you can really see that in The Blessed!
It took a little while to really get “into” the book at the beginning. While the first chapter—when Isaac is standing over his wife’s grave—is gripping, the many flashbacks Lacey takes were hard to get through. I wanted to push on with Lacey’s story, but she kept stopping to think back. In consequence, I found myself skipping a wee bit, but once the story took off, I didn’t have any trouble reading it. :-)
The Blessed was such a great introductory for me into the Shakers. What odd beliefs they had! Especially in there thinking that marriage was an abomination to the Lord. Wow! I just wanted to ask, “where’d you get that? Right after the verse when God tells Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply?” It just baffled me how they called marriage a sin. But it did explain why they were always recruiting new believers—if not, they’d soon die out, lol! All in all, Ann Gabhart has crafted together a wonderful story that puts you right into the minds and beliefs of the Shakers through the eyes of two very extraordinary people. Definitely a book worth reading.
Lacey is, in many ways, much like myself. When she chafed at the Shakers outlandish beliefs or rules, I found myself feeling the same way. After reading about them, I know I’d make a terrible Shaker! Too many rules to possibly remember! Haha! I liked the different angle that Isaac gave to this story. While he wasn’t a firm believer like Asa and wasn’t in the Shaker village because of a loved one like Lacey, he was trying to climb out of his own painful past. I loved watching him heal.
Ann Gabhart has weaved together a very unique plot. Neither Lacey or Isaac are Shakers, but both find themselves living among them. And while neither agree with the Shaker’s odd beliefs and life style, both leave the village spiritually healed and renewed. It’s amazing how the Lord works sometimes, and you can really see that in The Blessed!
It took a little while to really get “into” the book at the beginning. While the first chapter—when Isaac is standing over his wife’s grave—is gripping, the many flashbacks Lacey takes were hard to get through. I wanted to push on with Lacey’s story, but she kept stopping to think back. In consequence, I found myself skipping a wee bit, but once the story took off, I didn’t have any trouble reading it. :-)
The Blessed was such a great introductory for me into the Shakers. What odd beliefs they had! Especially in there thinking that marriage was an abomination to the Lord. Wow! I just wanted to ask, “where’d you get that? Right after the verse when God tells Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply?” It just baffled me how they called marriage a sin. But it did explain why they were always recruiting new believers—if not, they’d soon die out, lol! All in all, Ann Gabhart has crafted together a wonderful story that puts you right into the minds and beliefs of the Shakers through the eyes of two very extraordinary people. Definitely a book worth reading.
December 25, 2011
I can't help vacillating in my thoughts on this book, but the bottom line is I simply didn't like it. Some parts were interesting, like the whole odd Shaker culture and the era the novel was written in. Some parts were very dull and I found myself skimming a lot. I finally decided I couldn't finish the story even though I ended up reading to page 216 or so. It was too drawn out and the pacing lagged. Plus, it was kind of depressing. I'm thinking this is just not an author I plan to read. I started another book written by this same author several years ago and I couldn't seem to finish that one either. I guess because I read a lot I need more to keep my interest than slowly building the scene and the characters in a book. Even though in theory each of the main characters' stories started out with a compelling issue (she married a man she couldn't imagine being married to in order to keep parenting a child that she loved, and the hero had lost his wife to a fever and he blamed himself for it) that wasn't enough to keep the pace or the plot going, in my opinion. For that reason I can't recommend this story. I like to be inspired by stories I read even if they start out with dark themes. I simply didn't care enough to keep reading.
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December 9, 2025Very interesting historical read.
July 11, 2011
Lacey Bishop has been living with Preacher Palmer and his wife since she was thirteen. Her father brought her to them so that she could help take care of the preachers sickly wife Miss Mona, while staying there a baby who they named Rachel was dropped on the preachers doorstep and Miss Mona and Lacey had raised her as their own. When Miss Mona dies the community thinks its improper for a twenty one year old girl to live under the same roof as the preacher. The preacher who is much older than Lacey decides they should marry and Lacey does what she has to do to continue to take care of Rachel. When the preacher decides they need to move to the Shaker village Lacey doesn't want to go but the preacher tells her he will take Rachel regardless forcing Lacey to go along. Once in the village she feels drawn to a Shaker man but relationships are forbidden. Will she ever find peace and happiness living the Shaker way of life?
Isaac Kingston's dreams of settling out west are shattered when his wife dies. His wife's parents blame him for their daughters death and vow to make his life miserable. Without food or a place to stay a kind Shaker man invites him to their village. Isaac doesn't really believe the way the Shakers do but he stays because he really has no place else to go. When he meets Lacey he feels drawn to her but he knows she is married to the preacher.
I normally read about the Amish so I was delighted to read a bit about the Shakers. The great thing about reading historical fiction is the fact that the author often weaves a history lesson into the story and with this book we certainly get a look at the Shaker lifestyle during the mid 1800's. I really thought the characters were compelling, and Lacey was someone that I found quite believable. I could easily understand how she made the choices she did so that she could take care of Rachel.
Even though this book is part of a Shaker series that the author is writing, it can easily be read as a stand alone work, I haven't read any of the other books but had no problems jumping right into this one. I enjoyed this book so much I have already downloaded the other three books in the Shaker series and look forward to reading them.
If you enjoy reading historical fiction that will give you a bit on insight into the Shaker way of life then you really should check out Ann Gabhart's Shaker series.
Isaac Kingston's dreams of settling out west are shattered when his wife dies. His wife's parents blame him for their daughters death and vow to make his life miserable. Without food or a place to stay a kind Shaker man invites him to their village. Isaac doesn't really believe the way the Shakers do but he stays because he really has no place else to go. When he meets Lacey he feels drawn to her but he knows she is married to the preacher.
I normally read about the Amish so I was delighted to read a bit about the Shakers. The great thing about reading historical fiction is the fact that the author often weaves a history lesson into the story and with this book we certainly get a look at the Shaker lifestyle during the mid 1800's. I really thought the characters were compelling, and Lacey was someone that I found quite believable. I could easily understand how she made the choices she did so that she could take care of Rachel.
Even though this book is part of a Shaker series that the author is writing, it can easily be read as a stand alone work, I haven't read any of the other books but had no problems jumping right into this one. I enjoyed this book so much I have already downloaded the other three books in the Shaker series and look forward to reading them.
If you enjoy reading historical fiction that will give you a bit on insight into the Shaker way of life then you really should check out Ann Gabhart's Shaker series.
March 4, 2022
The information about the Shaker lifestyle was fascinating. I had no idea that they believed in their founder, Mother Ann, as the second coming of Christ. It was a very religious heavy book with lots of Bible verses and religious thinking even before the main characters got to the Shakers. But the story was really good and I learned a lot about the Shakers so I gave this 4 stars.
August 11, 2018
Having enjoyed the first three of Ann H. Gabhart's Shaker series and knowing that they read well enough as standalone novels, I jumped back into the series where I'd left off when one of my Goodreads groups, Christian Fiction Devourers, named Gabhart as the featured author for this August. As I expected, this novel was well written, and the characters were well drawn and interesting. The historical setting among this short lived cult was also intriguing as well because I believe that if a novel also makes you think of what you believe and why as well as entertains, it is a bonus to a well written story.
May 27, 2024
Love the main character!
July 11, 2011
The Blessed adds to the author’s collection of novels dealing heavily with a Shaker theme. This is the first novel I’ve read by Gabhart, and the first that features Shaker characters.
I appreciated the author’s brief history of the society before reading the book. The Blessed takes place in the mid nineteenth century in a small rural community at the home of the local Baptist preacher and his ailing wife. As a teenager, Lacey Bishop was sent to be the hired girl for Miss Mona. During this time, a newborn baby is left on the preacher’s doorstep, taken in and raised by Miss Mona and Lacey. When Miss Mona passes on, Lacey is forced into a marriage of convenience on her part, but not the pastor’s, in order to maintain propriety and stay in the preacher’s house and continue to care for the growing child. After a visit from two gentlemen from the nearby Shaker community who come proselytizing, the pastor leaves his church and moves his household to join with the Shakers. Once there, Lacey is oddly attracted to a young man, Brother Isaac. But Isaac is another refugee from the outside world, who has been in mourning and rejected after the death of his wife, a prominent judge’s daughter. Isaac was befriended by a Shaker brother who’d come to town on business, and decided to accompany the brother to his home, where he eventually meets Lacey.
The style of writing is introspective, mournful, dour, yet ribboned with snatches of joy and hope as Lacey attempts to keep memories of her happy childhood alive for her young charge. Brother Amos, the man who befriends Isaac, is a delight. But in all honesty, Isaac’s story of guilt and widowhood was a tough start to the book, and I was confused about the preacher’s household setup. The marriage of convenience took place so early in the book that I wondered what would happen to free Lacey even while she met her true love interest. Life in the Shaker community reminded me a lot of other nonfiction books I’ve read about closed societies. People are people no matter how they worship or how they live, and this early Shaker society held little attraction for me.
Gabhart’s fans will surely enjoy this story as an addition to the collection. The story doesn’t exactly fit in the “romance” category, category, however, so if you expect any sparks to fly or relationship ups and downs between the protagonists throughout the book, you won’t find that with The Blessed.
“Available July 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
I appreciated the author’s brief history of the society before reading the book. The Blessed takes place in the mid nineteenth century in a small rural community at the home of the local Baptist preacher and his ailing wife. As a teenager, Lacey Bishop was sent to be the hired girl for Miss Mona. During this time, a newborn baby is left on the preacher’s doorstep, taken in and raised by Miss Mona and Lacey. When Miss Mona passes on, Lacey is forced into a marriage of convenience on her part, but not the pastor’s, in order to maintain propriety and stay in the preacher’s house and continue to care for the growing child. After a visit from two gentlemen from the nearby Shaker community who come proselytizing, the pastor leaves his church and moves his household to join with the Shakers. Once there, Lacey is oddly attracted to a young man, Brother Isaac. But Isaac is another refugee from the outside world, who has been in mourning and rejected after the death of his wife, a prominent judge’s daughter. Isaac was befriended by a Shaker brother who’d come to town on business, and decided to accompany the brother to his home, where he eventually meets Lacey.
The style of writing is introspective, mournful, dour, yet ribboned with snatches of joy and hope as Lacey attempts to keep memories of her happy childhood alive for her young charge. Brother Amos, the man who befriends Isaac, is a delight. But in all honesty, Isaac’s story of guilt and widowhood was a tough start to the book, and I was confused about the preacher’s household setup. The marriage of convenience took place so early in the book that I wondered what would happen to free Lacey even while she met her true love interest. Life in the Shaker community reminded me a lot of other nonfiction books I’ve read about closed societies. People are people no matter how they worship or how they live, and this early Shaker society held little attraction for me.
Gabhart’s fans will surely enjoy this story as an addition to the collection. The story doesn’t exactly fit in the “romance” category, category, however, so if you expect any sparks to fly or relationship ups and downs between the protagonists throughout the book, you won’t find that with The Blessed.
“Available July 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
July 10, 2011
The Blessed is the fourth book in Gabhart’s Shaker Book Series and is well researched, as are all of the books in her Shaker series. Ann lives close to a restored Shaker village in Kentucky and has had the opportunity to see and walk through the same type of village written about in her books.
As I’ve mentioned many times before, I am a HUGE fan of historical fiction because I learn something just about every time I sit down to read. For example, many people think that the Shakers and the Amish are one in the same. Shaker communities were much different in that they did not believe in marriage or having children. They treated each other as “brothers and sisters” and were committed to a life of celibacy. I didn’t know much about Mother Ann Lee, who eventually became the leader of this group but Ann’s writing spurred me to do my own research and learn more about this woman.
In The Blessed, readers meet Lacey Bishop who is living with the pastor’s family, taking care of his frail wife, Miss Mona and Rachel,the child that was left on their doorstep. Four years after Mona’s passing, Lacey is 20 years old and now the target of vicious gossip, as the ladies in the church congregation speculate what’s going on behind the pastor’s closed doors.
For the sake of propriety, and in order to stay with Rachel, Lacey ends up marrying Preacher Palmer after getting him to agree to separate beds – at least for a time.
Although Lacey has a roof over her head, it comes with a husband she doesn’t love and she finds herself constantly looking over her shoulder hoping the pastor won’t forget his promise.
Lacey finds herself with another unimaginable change, whenher husband decides to join the local Shaker community. He gives her the option of making her own choice but Lacey decides to follow him knowing that once they join the Shakers,her sham of a marriage will no longer exist.
This interesting story is full of conflict, heartache,longings and deception and every character plays an important role. I thought the story flowed very easily and highly recommend to this book to those who enjoy historical fiction.
Ann’s books on the subject of Shakers are not only interesting but they are also informative. For anyone home schooling and studying this time period, I would highly recommend Ann’s books. They are clean, family friendly and wholesome.
“Available July 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell,a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
As I’ve mentioned many times before, I am a HUGE fan of historical fiction because I learn something just about every time I sit down to read. For example, many people think that the Shakers and the Amish are one in the same. Shaker communities were much different in that they did not believe in marriage or having children. They treated each other as “brothers and sisters” and were committed to a life of celibacy. I didn’t know much about Mother Ann Lee, who eventually became the leader of this group but Ann’s writing spurred me to do my own research and learn more about this woman.
In The Blessed, readers meet Lacey Bishop who is living with the pastor’s family, taking care of his frail wife, Miss Mona and Rachel,the child that was left on their doorstep. Four years after Mona’s passing, Lacey is 20 years old and now the target of vicious gossip, as the ladies in the church congregation speculate what’s going on behind the pastor’s closed doors.
For the sake of propriety, and in order to stay with Rachel, Lacey ends up marrying Preacher Palmer after getting him to agree to separate beds – at least for a time.
Although Lacey has a roof over her head, it comes with a husband she doesn’t love and she finds herself constantly looking over her shoulder hoping the pastor won’t forget his promise.
Lacey finds herself with another unimaginable change, whenher husband decides to join the local Shaker community. He gives her the option of making her own choice but Lacey decides to follow him knowing that once they join the Shakers,her sham of a marriage will no longer exist.
This interesting story is full of conflict, heartache,longings and deception and every character plays an important role. I thought the story flowed very easily and highly recommend to this book to those who enjoy historical fiction.
Ann’s books on the subject of Shakers are not only interesting but they are also informative. For anyone home schooling and studying this time period, I would highly recommend Ann’s books. They are clean, family friendly and wholesome.
“Available July 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell,a division of Baker Publishing Group.”
July 14, 2011
This book is about Lacey - a motherless woman who came to live with a preacher and his wife as a youngster. After her father re-married, her new stepmother didn't want her living with them. Lacey has a strange relationship with her new "parents" and as an adult, her and the preacher seldom speak, but she's extremely close to Miss Mona, the preacher's wife. Miss Mona is kind and she teaches Lacey a lot about faith and Christianity. Lacey's life changes for the worse when Miss Mona dies, leaving 20-year-old Lacey and Rachel (an abandoned baby who was left in a box on their doorstep a few years ago). Now Lacey feels forced to marry the preacher - who's old enough to be her grandfather, since the church ladies believe it's sinful for her to be living with the preacher as an unmarried woman. When the preacher is sucked into the peaceful, cult-like Shaker community, Lacey and Rachel feel they must live with the Shakers, too.
Also, Isaac, another "worldly" person, is part of the Shaker community. His wife died and he feels guilty for her death. The Shakers take him in and he finds himself attracted to Lacey.
I enjoyed this book, but, as I said in previous reviews, the Shakers still left me with an unsettled feeling, with their strange unBiblical beliefs. One of the Shaker characters kept "seeing" angels and she danced with them in the field and her Shaker brothers/sisters were mesmerized and amazed by her "angelic" ability. I sensed that this book did portray an accurate picture of the Shaker way of life and showed how hard, almost impossible it would be to convert to their way of life. This is a great read if you want to find out more about the Shakers and about how difficult it is to fall in love amidst ones that feel marriage is a sin. I thought the characters were well-developed and the story was enjoyable.
The author also did an awesome job in showing the love between a mother and her child. The Shakers don't believe in families - everybody is a brother and sister to one another. Families are separated - for a mother to be separated from her child...well, just kind of hard to deal with and Ann really did a great job showing these familial-bond emotions.
Many thanks to Baker/Revell for providing me with a free review copy of this novel.
Also, Isaac, another "worldly" person, is part of the Shaker community. His wife died and he feels guilty for her death. The Shakers take him in and he finds himself attracted to Lacey.
I enjoyed this book, but, as I said in previous reviews, the Shakers still left me with an unsettled feeling, with their strange unBiblical beliefs. One of the Shaker characters kept "seeing" angels and she danced with them in the field and her Shaker brothers/sisters were mesmerized and amazed by her "angelic" ability. I sensed that this book did portray an accurate picture of the Shaker way of life and showed how hard, almost impossible it would be to convert to their way of life. This is a great read if you want to find out more about the Shakers and about how difficult it is to fall in love amidst ones that feel marriage is a sin. I thought the characters were well-developed and the story was enjoyable.
The author also did an awesome job in showing the love between a mother and her child. The Shakers don't believe in families - everybody is a brother and sister to one another. Families are separated - for a mother to be separated from her child...well, just kind of hard to deal with and Ann really did a great job showing these familial-bond emotions.
Many thanks to Baker/Revell for providing me with a free review copy of this novel.
November 20, 2011
Review by AmieLou: When I got the notice to review The Blessed by Ann H. Gabhart, I have to admit that I was overly excited to read a novel—said to be a romance—about the Shakers. For those who don’t know, the Shakers were a religious sect formed in the eighteenth century. I say “were” because the Shakers didn’t believe in marriage or sexual relations for any reason. They didn’t have families nor children born into their communities. Consequently,their beliefs died out with them. And so I was very interested to see what Gabhart could do with a romance set in such a strict community.
I was instantly enthralled. The writing is beautiful, near poetic. The turns of phrases took me back in time and the distinctive voices of the characters kept me there. The Blessed is the story of Isaac and Lacey, both of whom have made multiple mistakes in life that have lead them to the Shaker community called Harmony Hill. Isaac, near suicidal over the death of his wife, allows himself to be taken in as not to be incarcerated. Lacey, who has no family to speak of, gets drawn there as the household where she was living gets torn apart. Neither one belong in such a stringent community, but both lack the will, the strength, or the means to leave.
The romance lover in me protests that the novel truly starts at page 250 and begs to know more about this gentle love story between two such likable and sympathetic characters as Isaac and Lacey. However, Gabhart does such an amazing job describing the habits of the Shakers and the strange way in which they lived that I cannot imagine the book presented any other way. Ann Gabhart’s knowledge of the Believers’ lifestyle makes for incredibly entertaining and informative reading. The Blessed is the perfect book for romance lovers, as well as those interested in historical fiction and Christian literature.
I was instantly enthralled. The writing is beautiful, near poetic. The turns of phrases took me back in time and the distinctive voices of the characters kept me there. The Blessed is the story of Isaac and Lacey, both of whom have made multiple mistakes in life that have lead them to the Shaker community called Harmony Hill. Isaac, near suicidal over the death of his wife, allows himself to be taken in as not to be incarcerated. Lacey, who has no family to speak of, gets drawn there as the household where she was living gets torn apart. Neither one belong in such a stringent community, but both lack the will, the strength, or the means to leave.
The romance lover in me protests that the novel truly starts at page 250 and begs to know more about this gentle love story between two such likable and sympathetic characters as Isaac and Lacey. However, Gabhart does such an amazing job describing the habits of the Shakers and the strange way in which they lived that I cannot imagine the book presented any other way. Ann Gabhart’s knowledge of the Believers’ lifestyle makes for incredibly entertaining and informative reading. The Blessed is the perfect book for romance lovers, as well as those interested in historical fiction and Christian literature.
July 15, 2011
These days it's hard to find any kind of romance be it Christian, general market or otherwise, that has such an original and complex setting as Ann H. Gabart's Shakers series. Where Amish fiction seems to have flooded the market it's nice to pick up a "bonnet" book that doesn't quite fit the mold. I'm not the biggest fan of slower paced novels like this one but Ms. Gabhart definitely catches the oddities and strangeness of the Shaker religious sect.
That said it was a little too much for me. I found that since most of the book took place in a Shaker village with little interaction from the outside world or a secondary story line set in the surrounding town I got a little bored. Not much happens until the very end that held my attention for more than a few chapters at a time. I was a little frustrated that there seemed to be absolutely no happiness or pleasantness, not even a smile shared among the Shakers. I was also a little frustrated at the relationship between Rachel and Lacey. At one point in the novel it was mentioned that Rachel no longer wanted Lacey as her mother, which I understood, but all seemed to be forgotten and came together too easily for my taste by the end of the book.
Don't get me wrong I liked the book and it was a good conclusion to the series but after having read and loved The Seeker, book 3, I was a little let down by this one. For those readers who love multi-layered characters (you either love or hate those in this book!), different religious groups, or just plain ol' historical fiction you might want to give The Blessed a try!
* I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review.*
That said it was a little too much for me. I found that since most of the book took place in a Shaker village with little interaction from the outside world or a secondary story line set in the surrounding town I got a little bored. Not much happens until the very end that held my attention for more than a few chapters at a time. I was a little frustrated that there seemed to be absolutely no happiness or pleasantness, not even a smile shared among the Shakers. I was also a little frustrated at the relationship between Rachel and Lacey. At one point in the novel it was mentioned that Rachel no longer wanted Lacey as her mother, which I understood, but all seemed to be forgotten and came together too easily for my taste by the end of the book.
Don't get me wrong I liked the book and it was a good conclusion to the series but after having read and loved The Seeker, book 3, I was a little let down by this one. For those readers who love multi-layered characters (you either love or hate those in this book!), different religious groups, or just plain ol' historical fiction you might want to give The Blessed a try!
* I received my complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for posting my honest review.*
July 11, 2011
This book is excellently written. I enjoyed it from the very first page.
Young Lacy Bishop's life was a web of sticky mess that had her tangled in obligations she wanted nothing to do with. Would the Shaker Village be a way out of this mess?
As a young girl Lacy Bishop is sent to live with Mona and Preacher Palmer. There words of truth are spoken into her life and the scripture becomes her strong foundation. However, Mona dies just as Lacy is becoming a young woman and she and the orphaned girl (a baby that had been left on the door step of the Preacher's house) find themselves the center of church gossip. Preacher Palmer takes matters into his hands and convinces Lacy to marry him. Devastated and heartbroken but wanting to stay with the young child she has taken as her own she agrees.
On the other side is Isaac, the young widower of the judge's daughter. His life is turned upside down when his beloved wife dies. As they lay her body in the grave the judge vows to make Isaac's life miserable.
In the end all end up at the Shaker Village, searching for the truth and peace that will set them free. In that village truths are uncovered that rock Lacy's world. In the midst of the strange religion Lacy is pulled ever closer to God as the truth instilled in her by Mona echos in her heart. It is here that all those involved find a new life - and freedom from old things.
Truly an insightful story. I found it to be very eye-opening in regards to the Shaker religion and system of beliefs.
Thank you Revell for this review copy.
Young Lacy Bishop's life was a web of sticky mess that had her tangled in obligations she wanted nothing to do with. Would the Shaker Village be a way out of this mess?
As a young girl Lacy Bishop is sent to live with Mona and Preacher Palmer. There words of truth are spoken into her life and the scripture becomes her strong foundation. However, Mona dies just as Lacy is becoming a young woman and she and the orphaned girl (a baby that had been left on the door step of the Preacher's house) find themselves the center of church gossip. Preacher Palmer takes matters into his hands and convinces Lacy to marry him. Devastated and heartbroken but wanting to stay with the young child she has taken as her own she agrees.
On the other side is Isaac, the young widower of the judge's daughter. His life is turned upside down when his beloved wife dies. As they lay her body in the grave the judge vows to make Isaac's life miserable.
In the end all end up at the Shaker Village, searching for the truth and peace that will set them free. In that village truths are uncovered that rock Lacy's world. In the midst of the strange religion Lacy is pulled ever closer to God as the truth instilled in her by Mona echos in her heart. It is here that all those involved find a new life - and freedom from old things.
Truly an insightful story. I found it to be very eye-opening in regards to the Shaker religion and system of beliefs.
Thank you Revell for this review copy.
November 1, 2018
At first I was just furious with this book and originally thought that no way was I ever going to give it a higher rating than two or three stars. I then realized that if a book could get my feelings so worked up I had better give it a full five. I knew about the Shakers but it wasn't until I read this book that I realized what a strange cult they were.I alternated between being angry and amused at their ridiculous rules. I was shocked at their deception since I wasn't expecting such weird and false beliefs regarding Mother Ann (whoever that is?) and the spirits/ angels. That was a almost a bit to creepy for my taste. As a Christian reader I have my doubts whether they truly were of God.
Lacey had been forced to marry a self-righteous, hypocritical preacher who in the end dragged her to the Shaker community. Rachel was her foster daughter whom she dearly loved but when joined the Shakers she was taken away from Lacey. Lacey was deeply grieved and hoped to be reunited with her daughter.
In the meantime, Isaac is facing his own grief. His beloved wife had recently died and his father-in-law blamed him for her death. Isaac was inclined to agree causing him deep sorrow. He was contemplating suicide when a Shaker brother prevents him and convinces him to go to the Community. It is there that that begins to find peace but he struggles with a forbidden love for Lacey.The characters were what kept me reading. I truly cared about Isaac and Lacey and wondered how they would get out of the bind they were in.
Lacey had been forced to marry a self-righteous, hypocritical preacher who in the end dragged her to the Shaker community. Rachel was her foster daughter whom she dearly loved but when joined the Shakers she was taken away from Lacey. Lacey was deeply grieved and hoped to be reunited with her daughter.
In the meantime, Isaac is facing his own grief. His beloved wife had recently died and his father-in-law blamed him for her death. Isaac was inclined to agree causing him deep sorrow. He was contemplating suicide when a Shaker brother prevents him and convinces him to go to the Community. It is there that that begins to find peace but he struggles with a forbidden love for Lacey.The characters were what kept me reading. I truly cared about Isaac and Lacey and wondered how they would get out of the bind they were in.
August 24, 2011
When I first started reading Ann H. Gabhart's books on The Shakers, I was intrigued. Then I was surprised that a cult like this existed way back then. Who says you can't learn anything from novels?
It is 1844 and The Blessed follows Lacey Bishop, who due to circumstances beyond her control, finds herself living in a Shaker village. The Shakers are an odd bunch. They believe marriage is a sin and that children should be separated from their parents (no matter the age). So they take Rachel, Lacey's adopted daughter, away from her. Everyone is now a brother or sister. Unfortunately for the Shakers, nothing can stop Lacey from wanting to see her little girl.
While Lacey tries to fit in and obey the many rules in the hopes that they will let her see Rachel, she soon finds that temptation has come knocking at her door in the form of another Shaker man. Isaac is also trying to obey the rules of the Shaker Village. He is there trying to forget his past and what happened to his now deceased wife. His guilt over her death is overwhelming and he is hoping the Shakers beliefs will bring him peace. Unfortunately, there is one important rule at the Shaker village - relationships between a man and woman are forbidden and Isaac can't get Lacey off his mind.
This is a wonderful book on knowing what you believe and why. It is a compelling, beautifully written story on one woman's journey to "own" her faith. I highly recommend it!
It is 1844 and The Blessed follows Lacey Bishop, who due to circumstances beyond her control, finds herself living in a Shaker village. The Shakers are an odd bunch. They believe marriage is a sin and that children should be separated from their parents (no matter the age). So they take Rachel, Lacey's adopted daughter, away from her. Everyone is now a brother or sister. Unfortunately for the Shakers, nothing can stop Lacey from wanting to see her little girl.
While Lacey tries to fit in and obey the many rules in the hopes that they will let her see Rachel, she soon finds that temptation has come knocking at her door in the form of another Shaker man. Isaac is also trying to obey the rules of the Shaker Village. He is there trying to forget his past and what happened to his now deceased wife. His guilt over her death is overwhelming and he is hoping the Shakers beliefs will bring him peace. Unfortunately, there is one important rule at the Shaker village - relationships between a man and woman are forbidden and Isaac can't get Lacey off his mind.
This is a wonderful book on knowing what you believe and why. It is a compelling, beautifully written story on one woman's journey to "own" her faith. I highly recommend it!
September 24, 2011
Ann Gabhart has done it again with "The Blessed", the 4th book in her series. At a glance this is a thick book, but once a reader becomes acquainted with Lacey and Isaac the pages fly by. You want to finish the story but not the friendships made with the characters. Gabhart's style of writing draws me in and I become emotionally invested with the characters. I laugh and cry with them. Situations become hopeless and I feel for them. She stays true to the Shakers and gives readers an interesting history lesson in the midst of a compelling romance. Reading about the ideas and customs of the Shakers will have you shaking your head in disbelief! It's no wonder their cult did not become popular. I love her dialog and colloquialism as they are reminiscent of my grandparents that grew up in Richmond, Kentucky. Messages of faith, hope, and inspiration are strong throughout her book. I have yet to be disappointed in anything Mrs. Gabhart has written and this book tops the list. This is a wonderful book and you won't be disappointed in it.
December 3, 2018
I've enjoyed all of Ann Gabhart's shaker books and couldn't believe I'd missed one ... but I had! So I grabbed a copy and read it in a couple of days. As usual, it was full of the characters who had not always experienced the best things in life, had not always made the right choices, and these characters were living through the consequences of their actions. In short, Ann Gabhart writes real-people-type characters the reader can relate to.
What I love about these Shaker books is that while they deal with a group of people we'd label as a cult today, the author treats them with the dignity and respect they deserve as people trying to do their best with what they know and believe. She never demeans them or makes them into caricatures. They are fully-rounded characters with strengths and weaknesses, beauty and warts. And into the lives of these people, the author weaves a tale of hardship and hope.
Well worth reading.
What I love about these Shaker books is that while they deal with a group of people we'd label as a cult today, the author treats them with the dignity and respect they deserve as people trying to do their best with what they know and believe. She never demeans them or makes them into caricatures. They are fully-rounded characters with strengths and weaknesses, beauty and warts. And into the lives of these people, the author weaves a tale of hardship and hope.
Well worth reading.
September 20, 2023
This next book in the Shaker series is seriously just so good. I feel as when I'm reading them that they just keep getting better.
There seems to be a leaning towards the unhealthy mental state of a few characters in this book, something that I thought was so interesting and well done. *Trigger warning: suicide*
Also, even being raised plain myself, I would never have been able to be a Shaker. I did look up some videos of their dances though, which seemed very rhythmic and fun to do. But, the belief that marriage was a sin as well as the relationships between family such as mother, father, son and daughter, make me question how someone could ever live that way. It makes me sad that some of the very things God places us on the Earth for were sinful to them. There was no room for sadness or even too much joy.
Every element of this story was beautifully woven together. Rachel's story is especially interesting.
These books will long stick with me after I'm done reading them.
There seems to be a leaning towards the unhealthy mental state of a few characters in this book, something that I thought was so interesting and well done. *Trigger warning: suicide*
Also, even being raised plain myself, I would never have been able to be a Shaker. I did look up some videos of their dances though, which seemed very rhythmic and fun to do. But, the belief that marriage was a sin as well as the relationships between family such as mother, father, son and daughter, make me question how someone could ever live that way. It makes me sad that some of the very things God places us on the Earth for were sinful to them. There was no room for sadness or even too much joy.
Every element of this story was beautifully woven together. Rachel's story is especially interesting.
These books will long stick with me after I'm done reading them.
May 28, 2016
This books was OK, nothing really wrong with it. As I read it, I felt pretty sure I have read at least one other in this series before. It just didn't have really deep messages in it for me, nor did it give me very much to think about later.
So I will remind myself not to read more in this series, since I have so many other books I would like to read.
So I will remind myself not to read more in this series, since I have so many other books I would like to read.
August 15, 2011
Interesting historical romance centered around the Shaker faith and tradition. I enjoyed it!
May 7, 2017
2.5 stars. I realized about halfway through that I had actually read this book before; so that should say something about how memorable it is. Disregarding that, I think there was some unmet potential in "The Blessed." The basic premise intrigued me, it sounded more unique than many Christian books. However, the execution fell short of my expectations. I can't really speak as to the predictability of the work, but the characters weren't all that believable, and acted in ways that more often worked for the plot than made sense. One thing that I did not remember from the last time I read it was how forced the romance was. The two characters interact far too little to create a believable bond. I do have to say that, from what I remember, I did like it more the first time around.
May 3, 2021
I was looking for something to read just a little different than the typical Amish fictional books that I normally read. This was my first time reading Ann Gabhart and reading about Shakers. I was not disappointed with this book at all. I was totally intrigued as it was different than anything I'd ever read! Even though this is a book of fiction, I learned alot about the Shaker tradition. I could feel the pain and heartbreak experienced by Lacey and Isaac from the very beginning. This book led me through a gamut of emotions - sorrow, anger, happiness, confusion. There was even a bit of mystery as the story unfolded and the deception unraveled. My only disappointment is that there is not a sequel so that I know how Isaac and Lacey fare in life after the Shakers.
May 4, 2021
Loved this book most of all
I've read almost all the Shaker books Ann Gabhart has written. This has to be 1 of my favorites. I lived Lacey's character, she was a spitfire for sure! One of my favorite lived of when she's missing about the teachings of the Shakers and their Mother Ann, she says, Like the good Lord didn't do it right the 1st time and has to send someone else to do His work for Him! That made made laugh! I enjoyed this book but also feel unsatisfied at the end of all the Shaker books they end abruptly but happily.
I've read almost all the Shaker books Ann Gabhart has written. This has to be 1 of my favorites. I lived Lacey's character, she was a spitfire for sure! One of my favorite lived of when she's missing about the teachings of the Shakers and their Mother Ann, she says, Like the good Lord didn't do it right the 1st time and has to send someone else to do His work for Him! That made made laugh! I enjoyed this book but also feel unsatisfied at the end of all the Shaker books they end abruptly but happily.
December 1, 2025
Amazing
I didn’t realize this was part of a series. I apologize to Lacey for, as they might say, putting the horses before the cart.
I enjoyed this book as much as the 2 previous reads by Mrs. Gabhart.
I will read the first book in the series and then follow in the correct order.
If you are a true reader and relish in a good story. Lacey and Isaac’s tale will check all the boxes.
I also learned a bit about the Shaker religion.
Thank you for a very delightful read. Until next time…
I didn’t realize this was part of a series. I apologize to Lacey for, as they might say, putting the horses before the cart.
I enjoyed this book as much as the 2 previous reads by Mrs. Gabhart.
I will read the first book in the series and then follow in the correct order.
If you are a true reader and relish in a good story. Lacey and Isaac’s tale will check all the boxes.
I also learned a bit about the Shaker religion.
Thank you for a very delightful read. Until next time…
June 24, 2019
My favorite of this series so far
Love this book! This Shaker Series has been a blessing to me. It reminds me that I am truly blessed and to be thankful for many gifts both seen and unseen. Ann H. Gabhart is wonderful author who completely draws you into the story making it seem you are a bystander, that you can hear the words spoken and feel the emotions felt by the characters involved. You won't be disappointed with any of her books!
Love this book! This Shaker Series has been a blessing to me. It reminds me that I am truly blessed and to be thankful for many gifts both seen and unseen. Ann H. Gabhart is wonderful author who completely draws you into the story making it seem you are a bystander, that you can hear the words spoken and feel the emotions felt by the characters involved. You won't be disappointed with any of her books!
August 20, 2019
Lovely
This was a very interesting and different story learning about the shakers and people struggling to find truth, forgiveness, and love. I did enjoy it overall I wish there was an epilogue or sequel.
This was a very interesting and different story learning about the shakers and people struggling to find truth, forgiveness, and love. I did enjoy it overall I wish there was an epilogue or sequel.
April 26, 2023
first time I have read book by this author. I was impressed by how smart she is. I also don't like these new reads that jump all over the place. I was able to enjoy a novel. If I was to exercise my memory I'll do brain games. reading for me is a pleasure.
February 1, 2018
Better than book 2, but not as good as book 1.
April 7, 2018
Who isn't just a bit fascinated by the Shakers? This was a good story that also gave me some insight to this strange group.
September 4, 2020
I think the audio reader annoyed me. Otherwise I might’ve liked it.
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