Seattle native Holly Fisher is smitten by Lancaster County, its simplicity and her long lost relatives. In the sequel to bestselling Leaving Lancaster, Holly embraces the Amish culture, learning to slow down to see what - and who – really matters. Meeting the family that her mother had kept hidden from her, Holly comes face to face with her real life and blood legacy. She also falls for the charming Zach, a handsome Mennonite veterinarian who is everything she’s ever wanted in a husband: confident, kind, successful, and authentic. And Zach proposes marriage. Is this too soon? Is this the right choice? Mother and Amish grandmother think she’s rushing into too much of a lifestyle change. Holly is in love with Zach and that precludes everything. Until she meets an attractive Amish man. And an old suitor shows up. Pennyslvania Patchwork is the moving, richly told story of one woman’s heart, her faith and trust, and the choices she makes. Never easy, but one choice can change your destiny.
A native of Baltimore, bestselling author Kate Lloyd and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest, the setting of Reinventing Ruthie. She has worked a variety of jobs, including restaurateur and car salesman. When she isn’t writing she enjoys travel, but would rather walk the beach with her cairn terrier, Piper. She still misses her dear Welsh corgi and couldn’t live without a dog.
Kate Lloyd has done an incredible job of melding the Amish and English world in Pennsylvania Patchwork. I did not read book #1 of this series as I did not realize there was another one and a few times, I was wondering what I had missed but Kate does a great job of filling in the blanks for readers. I do want to find book 1 and read it now though. I have long imagined what it would be like to convert to the Amish faith and Holly made it possible for me to experience this through her. Several times, I was very conflicted ov er which man Holly ought to be with but Holly let God lead and guide her. I truly felt the regret of Holly's mom concerning her past choices. Kate's writing style is so true-to-life. I received a free pdf copy of this book from netgalley and the publishers in exchange for my honest review.
I love the cover of this book and I had high hopes! I really wanted to love this story but I just couldn’t get into it.
The book was written first person which I do struggle with but this book was just hard to get through.
I felt like it hopped views and I kept getting Holly and Beth confused. To be honest I would read something and scratch my head and say “okay, wait! Who is Esther?”
I just didn’t connect with the characters so I even had trouble keeping them straight. I don't think the story is bad it just wasn't the story for me. That's life! You're not going to like every single book you read!
Holly has moved to Lancaster to be with her mother and grandmother however, she plans to leave the Amish to be with her fiancé, Zach. There are rumors going around about Zach though, and Holly isn’t sure what to believe. The rumor is that Zach fathered a child with his ex-girlfriend who has suddenly shown up with the child.
Holly’s mother (who I honestly can’t remember her name because I just couldn’t connect with her—Esther maybe?) is engaged to an Amish man and plans to settle down in the community. She hopes that Holly will do the same and it seems there may be a chance for that as a handsome young Amish man and an old suitor have both shown up seeking out Holly.
Of course things wrap up in the end but I won’t spoil it for those of you that haven’t read it but in terms of an Amish love story it was a pretty good ending. I just wish I’d connected more with the characters so that I could have felt the emotions that go into wrapping up a good love story! View all my reviews
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For the most part, I am one who absolutely adores Amish fiction. I have only been reading it for a few years, but there is something often quite charming and endearing about these books, and very rarely do I read one with which I cannot connect. In addition to this, it seems that Amish fiction is all the rage amongst authors. I think that it behooves a prospective Amish author to truly consider whether she can write a believable story that will draw readers into the simple, quaint Amish way of life.
As much as I wanted to like this story, I have to admit that almost from the beginning, I was rather turned off. It is true that I did not read the first book in the series, and possibly that was my issue. If you choose to read this series, make sure you start with the first book. I spent the first fifty pages or so trying to figure out who everyone was, and it was quite difficult. It was as easy as swimming against the current at times.
Now, don't get me wrong. There are some pretty interesting moments in the book. It was clear that Kate Loyd had done her homework. She painted a splendid picture of Amish life and examined many issues surrounding the decision to convert to this way of life or not. And the trio of men who were pursuing Holly made me want to read to the end. I was also grateful to the allusions to Seattle and the beauty of Washington state. That is what first drew me to this book, as a matter of fact. I also appreciated the bit of mystery and intrigue the author inserted into the story.
I found the book rather vapid at times, and I did not like the ending at all. I am sure that true romantics out there would absolutely love the ending, but it just did not sit well with me. The author's writing style was fine, but I just did not connect with the characters nor the story. I honestly felt that the Christian principles in the book lacked depth. In fact, I was horrified when one of the characters chose to conceal something she never should have. I realize that the author may be setting the stage for the next book, but I can only hope that she would have catastrophe in store for that character. I would have appreciated it much more if Kate Loyd had concentrated more on the faith of the characters. I wish this book could be more complimentary, but this book was more of a struggle than a delight. But realize that this is only my opinion, and I am possibly in the minority with what I think.
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
Title: PENNSYLVANIA PATCHWORK Author: Kate Lloyd Publisher: David C. Cook June 2013 ISBN: 978-0-7814-0873-8 Genre: Amish/family saga
ONE HEART. TWO LOVES. ONE CHOICE. Seattle native Holly Fisher is smitten by Lancaster County, its simplicity and her long lost relatives. In the sequel to bestselling Leaving Lancaster, Holly embraces the Amish culture, learning to slow down to see what - and who – really matters.
Meeting the family that her mother had kept hidden from her, Holly comes face to face with her real life and blood legacy. She also falls for the charming Zach, a handsome Mennonite veterinarian who is everything she’s ever wanted in a husband: confident, kind, successful, and authentic. And Zach proposes marriage. Is this too soon? Is this the right choice? Mother and Amish grandmother think she’s rushing into too much of a lifestyle change. Holly is in love with Zach and that precludes everything. Until she meets an attractive Amish man. And an old suitor shows up.
PENNSYLVANIA PATCHWORK is the moving, richly told story of one woman’s heart, her faith and trust, and the choices she makes. Never easy, but one choice can change your destiny.
PENNYSLVANIA PATCHWORK is the sequel to Leaving Lancaster, and while it does stand alone, readers will want to read Leaving Lancaster first so they are up to date with how Esther and Holly come to be in the Amish community.
I liked this book better than I did Leaving Lancaster, but still didn’t connect with the characters the way I’d like. Also the book ends with unanswered questions, so I’m guessing there will be a third book following PENNSLYVANIA PATCHWORK. I did like getting to know the characters better as they tried to understand and unravel the mysteries and matters of the heart, relationships, and their pasts.
If you like Amish family sagas with a thread of romance, you’ll love Ms. Lloyd’s books. There are three main female points of view, the grandmother, the mom, and the daughter/granddaughter. $14.99. 384 pages. 3.5 stars.
Esther Fisher was drawn back to her Amish roots in Lancaster, PA where she was raised, but left as a teenager. Living on her childhood farm with her aging mother, Esther prepared for Amish baptism and marriage to her widowed childhood neighbor. Her daughter, Holly, had never met her Amish relatives, and after the loss of her job in Seattle, Holly flew to Pennsylvania to meet her family. Upon traveling from the airport to her new home she received a marriage proposal from her driver, a local veterinarian with a questionable past. Soon Holly found herself attracted to her Amish neighbor's younger brother, who did the farm chores for her grandmother. As Holly's questions arose regarding her future, a previous friend from Seattle arrived at Holly's door with an engagement ring in hand. With three men competing for her attention which suitor will win Holly's heart? Numerous other questions arise as unforeseen events develop.
This story is filled with romance and adventure! Discovery through past experiences is a strong theme. There is not a dull moment in looking to the past for guidance toward the future. The characterizations in this book are varied and realistic. Relationships are the driving force throughout the book, and decisions made by the various characters are adventurous, and in some cases careless. Holly's dilemma surrounding her relationships was a major theme throughout the book, but there are numerous other underlying layers within the story. Unexpected events keep this story moving at a rapid pace.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from Wynn-Wynn Media for the express purpose of my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine, and no monetary compensation was given for this review.
Holly Fisher was raised in the suburbs of Seattle by her mother, Esther. What Holly finds out is that Esther had been keeping her Amish family a secret. When they move back to Amish country to take care of Holly's grandmother, Holly seems to adjust rather well and finds herself getting engaged to a Mennonite veterinarian.
While I enjoyed this story, I found it to be a little difficult to follow especially in the beginning. (Maybe this was partially because I did not read the first book in the series.) It switched from first person (being told by Holly) to third person, which I found to be quite confusing.
This is a sweet story about family, heartache, loss, Christian values and love. Forgiveness and honesty were also valuable lessons brought out by this story.
I received a copy of Pennsylvania Patchwork from bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone seems so desperate to get married in this story. Holly, her mom Esther, even her Mommy Anna, seems desperate to marry Holly off to a good Amish man so she can die. I really had trouble with this concept and this story. The story seemed very disjointed to me, jumping from each character's perspective and point of view. Add to that a very large cast of characters and I just stayed lost in this story. While this book can stand alone, reading the first book will help a bit to understand where Holly and her mom came from, and their back story. 3 stars. 384 pages US $14.99 This book was provided for review purposes only, no payment was received for this review.
I realize Amish customs are different in each community, but there are no excuses for mixing and matching forbidden customs Willy nilly. A lot of things in this book would have been brought before the Bishop prior to events. Destroying the final letter, really had me wondering. As the character declared she is going to get married, and be baptised before that. I wondered how can she if she is not a widow. That also would have been brought to the Bishop. The other thing that turned me off was dating is done secretly. What was with all the parental interference & self righteousness?
Finished the second book in the Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy by Kate Lloyd called Pennsylvania Patchwork. The saga continues about three generations living together. Anna, the Amish grandmother, who they fear is getting dementia, Esther, the daughter, who left her home during her Rumspringa and didn’t return for almost 40 years and her daughter, Holly, who never knew anything about her mother’s past or that her grandmother even existed. This second book has Holly searching for a relationship with three contenders: one Amish, one Mennonite and one Englisch. I enjoyed this book and look forward to finishing the series.
I love to read stories about the Amish, their life styles, and their faith in God. This story centered around Holly and her Mother, Esther. They had lived in Settle, and Esther had started an Amish store. She had a partner, left and went home to their Amish village. Esther had met Nathaniel, and they were to be married. Esther had to be baptized into the Amish church. It is a real interesting story, for hHolly has three men wanting to marry her, and Nathaniel has news that his wife, who supposedly dead, might be alive in another town living by a river. So many things to work out but the end result is a happy ever after. Enjoy getting there.
This story was an ambitious adventure with 3 suitors vying for Holly's hand, and the possibility of a living wife interfering with her Mom's engagement thrown in for good measure. The story was going along fine, then it seemed as if the author got tired of writing and ended abruptly without resolving many of the questions that were quite pivotal. What happened to the dog? What was attacking the livestock? What prompted Holly's final decision of whom she would marry? What did the Amish think about Esther's husband still being alive? How did that affect her future marriage? All of these situations were suddenly dropped when the story abruptly ended. I was sorely disappointed!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
A mother, born & raised Amish and her daughter return to the Amish Community. Both mother & daughter are involved in a romance, mother with an Amish widower and the daughter with a Mennonite vet but a former friend comes calling as well as the brother of her mother'S fiance. Twists & turns in the story leave both women wondering how things will work out; will they marry or does God have something else in mind. While I liked the story I hated the ending; it just seemed that the author needed to end the story & chose the easiest way to do so which, for me, made no sense.
Good Book. I just kept getting confused between characters; let alone their personal story lines. I guess it might have helped if I had read Book One, but didn't know there was one until I realized there were background stories going on with Esther and Holly. Would have liked to see a little more character development in Armin, but maybe I missed that one also in Book One...not sure. Anyway, good book and interesting details of the Amish life.
Absolutely a must read for amish fiction readers! I have enjoyed Kate Lloyd's Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy Series. Kate's writing made me able to connect with the characters and love the story! If you have the chance read Leaving Lancaster by Kate Lloyd. An enjoyable easy read clean Amish fiction.
As a transplant to southern Pennsylvania, I enjoy reading about the area and getting to know my "neighbors." I appreciate how the author weaves in the Amish traditiona with a compelling personal story.
I didn't like this book as much as the previous one in the series. The story moves quickly with well developed characters and has a fantastic ending. I do recommend the books be read in order to understand the story.
I really liked the continued following of the characters. I didn't think this story flowed as well as the first one, but I also read it in one sitting. I truly appreciate the discriptions, both of characters and scenery.
Such a lovely sequel to Leaving Lancaster. I lost myself completely in the web of relationships and the mysteries that kept me coming back for more. Looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.