A Shining Light

Home to Amana #3

by Judith McCoy Miller

The kind people of Amana have been her guiding light, but her greatest trial is yet to come...

West Amana, Iowa, 1890

After Andrea Wilson receives the devastating news that her husband has been lost at sea, she returns home to Iowa with her young son, Lukas. But what she finds there causes more heartache: The family farm has burned and her father has died, leaving Andrea with nothing.

Andrea must rely on the kindness of the people from the nearby Amana village who invite her to stay with them for a time. She discovers much generosity and contentment among the Amanans--especially from the tinsmith, Dirk Knefler, who takes her son under his wing. But is the simple, cloistered life in Amana what Andrea wants for Lukas's future? Is she willing to give up the comforts and freedom of the outside world? And when yet another round of shocking news comes her way, will Andrea ever be able to find the serenity and hope that have eluded her for so long?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Inspirational, Historical, Amish, Romance

352 pages, Paperback

First published March 4, 2014

About the author

Judith McCoy Miller is an award-winning author whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her bestselling novels. Judy and her husband make their home in Topeka, Kansas.

Reviews

[Lynne Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, it had everything a good book has and grabbed my interest from the first page. Right from the beginning the reader becomes involved with Andrea and her son. What an energetic boy he is too, so full of questions and curiosity! When Andrea learns her husband was lost at sea she is both happy and sad and sets out to start a new life on her fathers farm. But what waits for her there is both a surprise and a disappointment. She soon sees God's hand at work and finds there is a silver lining in everything, even if there are large bumps in the road.

I really enjoy reading a book that builds the suspense while moving the story along at a good pace. This book does that. While some of the things that happened were predictable, how they happened were not. I have read several books by this author, both on her own and in collaboration with other authors, and I have enjoyed them all very much. I look forward to the next book by this author.

I was given a review copy of this book by netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find the Amana colonies enthralling and everything I know about them is courtesy of this amazing author and her incredible research skills. I really enjoyed viewing the colonies through Andrea's eyes -- as an outsider looking in. I struggled right along with her as she tried to find a place to belong. Miller has crafted a compelling story of loss and hope in the midst of a fascinating setting.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. More than I thought I would, honestly. It goes along with those Amish novels I read, except this one takes place in the Amana colonies, because why not. All joking aside I thought the author did a great job of building the story and making me like the characters. I did think the perspective switching was a little odd, especially the scenes with Fred. I also liked that when Fred showed up, he didn't have a 'come to Jesus, everything's amazing now' moment. I also like that he didn't show up and immediately die, there was actually some build up and it felt like some real tension to him being there rather than a plot device. Even though I knew he was going to show up from the beginning of the book. I can't attest to how accurate the information about the colonies is, as I am not as familiar with Amana, but I thought the information presented was interesting and it makes me want to learn more. All in all, if you like Amish fiction, I would give this one a try.

[Catherine Richmond]

A criminal lands in the Amana Colonies. Like real life, some questions are left unanswered and some people don't change.

As I struggle to cook for myself, I'm amazed at the kuchebosses who led teams to plan and feed huge groups. Without convenience foods and refrigeration, they not only prepared daily meals, but canned.

Miller's Amana stories give readers a feel for life in Amana - how the colonies functioned, how each part differed, and how they interacted with the world at large. Iowa had its share of communitarian groups; Amana was the most successful and most long-lived.

[Lora Burch · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a Treat!

Enjoyed this book very much! I've read a lot about Amana (both fiction and non fiction)and Miller's certainly done her research. My grandmother grew up in Amana back in the 1800's so I love that Miller's books can help me discover what
her life might have been like. Thanks Judith Miller!

[Lanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

I honestly don't know why these books are considered a series. They are complete stand-alones, share no common characters, and don't even take place in the same Amana villages. With that being said, it was a quaint story perfect for curling up with on a cold winter's night.

[Jan St Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the series!!

Judith Miller did a fantastic job on this book and the other two in this series! Time flies as you read the captivating stories of the Amana colonies!

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't even finish. It is too slow paced and a boring story! I don't even care enough to finish to see how it ends. I also don't like or feel a connection with any of the main characters.

[Deedee · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars...

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful story of what important and a second change to happiness

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Take:
3.5 Stars!
Christian Fiction
341 pages of enjoyable reading pleasure!
It is 1890, and as we read in the description of this book, Andrea, abused and abandoned from her husband ends up getting s a visit (I presume it was from the captain of the ship) with news for her. He had some bad news for her, or was it good news given what he liked to do to her? Supposedly while her husband was working on their ship out at sea, he has now been lost at sea, presumed dead. There was no question about it, according to the crew on the ship, although his body had not been found, so there was nothing to bury.
Now a widow, Andrea decides to return home with her son, Lukas, in Iowa, only to find her father had died and left her with nothing. Now she and Lukas are on their own, homeless, until she meets up with the Amanas a few miles away from her father's old place. They welcome her in to their community to stay and work until she can figure out what she will do next.
As she is working away, she ends up meeting a nice young man named Dirk. He liked her, and the feeling was mutual. Even her son, Lukas, liked Dirk.
Andrea is working in a communal kitchen, then lo and behold, who should show up out of nowhere? Her husband. How did he find her? She was scared because all he did was abuse her and Lukas. She had a lot of questions, such as how could he be alive when he was supposed to be dead? The story continues on, and these characters have a lot to work out. Now we have some suspense. The quiet little community they were living in gets stirred up, a fire happens in the flour mill, and the rest is for you to find out if you read this book!
I will admit the first chapter did hook me! The story was very enjoyable, very well written with characters you could relate to very easily throughout the book, and I wanted to learn more about the Amanas. I wish the book gave more information about them.
Who are the Amanas? I know the Amanas are not Amish because I have read a LOT of Amish books. I know a LOT about the Amish from real life as well. The religion the Amanas practiced doesn't even match an ounce of what the Amish does. I had to Google to find out who the Amana were/are? I know I never heard of them before, not even in History class back in High School, not until this book. I looked them up on Wikipedia and found them under 'Amana Colonies', in case you would like to learn more about them. It gives all the information you could ever want to know about the Amana's.
This book happens to be Book 3 in the Home to Amana series. This is a stand alone novel, even though it is part of a series of three. From what I understand, none of these books need to be read in order to enjoy them, and none of the other characters make an appearance in any of the other books, so if this sounds interesting to you, you don't have to worry about missing books 1 or 2, just go ahead and READ!
Book 1 is called: "A Hidden Truth, A Home to Amana Series, Book One" by Judith Miller (same author for all 3 books.)
Book 2 is called: "A Simple Change, A Home to Amana Series, Book Two" by Judith Miller, again.
These other 2 books sound just as great as this book was! Enjoy!
If you like the 'Home to Amana' series, not only are there these other two I just mentiond, but Judith Miller also has another series of 3 books about the Amana's. called:
"Daughters of Amana". I'll list the names of the books:
"Somewhere to Belong", A Daughters of Amana series, Book One, by Judith Miller
"More Than Words", A Daughters of Amana series, Book Two, by Judith Miller
"A Bond Never Broken", A Daughters of Amana series, Book Three, by Judith Miller
From the inside cover of this paperback book, it shows this extremely accomplished author has at the least twenty-two books in total she has written! She could have more, too, as these are the books in the very front of this paperback. All of her books she has written may not all be listed here. Just by the books listed, it is clearly evident just how accomplished this author truly is!
I received this book for FREE from the Publisher, Bethany House through NetGalley in exchange to read and write a review about it. It is NOT required for this review to be either positive or negative, but of my own honest opinion. "Free" means I was provided with ZERO MONIES to read this book or to write this review, but to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it! I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa... Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

[Melissa Watros · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home to Amana Book 3: A Shining Light
April 27, 2014 3:10pm

My review on A Shining Light, Book 3 of the Amana series is written on the late side of April. I wanted to read the complete series of Amana before I wrote my personal view.

A Shining Light is the 3rd and final book the Home to Amana Series and is written by Judith Miller, published by Bethany House.

I have read other books by Judith Miller and I really enjoy her books.
The representation of the book cover does catch your attention and makes you want to take a peek and see whats inside.

Again, I have read all three books to get a feel on how the books flowed together. You might be surprized to learn that you do not need to read these books in order. Each book is written independently of each other. I read them in order because I thought the series would continue with some of the characters into book 2 and in book 3.

I think I understand why the author approached this style of writing.
I believe, the author wanted to put more emphasize on the History of Life inside the Amana Colonies. So if you are looking to read this book by itself, then you are in luck!
However, I do recommend you do read all the books in the Amana series. I have enjoyed reading all of them.

With that being said, there are a couple minor things for me on this series that I would consider as needing improvements.

I have read books by other authors on Amish and Older Amish stories.
When I finished the book, it left an assumption that the people in Amana were Amish because of the similar styles of living between the Amish and Amana Colonies. This is my personal view because of the similarities to the Amish Life. I wish the author would have included some history facts at the end of the book to explain more about the Amana Colonies. I know there was a credit the author gave and mentioned a fact or two about her research, but nothing to leave the viewer with a distinction between Amana and Amish people.
Maybe, if you read heavily into Amish books, you might have noticed that the people in the book are not Amish.

The second thing I noticed is there really wasn't anything new added to the 3rd book in the series regarding the lifestyle of Amana people. The Plots and Characters were beautifully written and I enjoyed them tremendously.

I just wished there would be a few new snipets introduced in the book that was not mentioned in previous books. Once you fall into the Amana routine from previous books, you kind of know what to expect for the third one.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book and the series. I give credit to the author, she did an amazing job with the plots, characters, and historical information on the Amana Colonies. I am glad she chose to write about the Amana people because I never heard of them. I did google more about them after reading the book.

Thank You Bethany House for publishing Judith Miller Books.

Also, for supporting viewers with free books.

*I received A Shining Light from Bethany House for free, in return for my opinion.*

Melissa W.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have finished reading A Shining Light written by Judith Miller. A Shining Light is a Christian Fiction, it was also a hard book for me to read. Not because of the way it is written, it is hard to read because of the story. A little information I will give away is, her husband wasn't nice. I didn't give much away because you will find out about her husband in the beginning of the book. I found this book decently written, the Author wrote the book in three different point of views and it wasn't hard to follow along. I found it neat that she set this story in West Amana, Iowa 1890, because there were actual communities in that area. I read on Wikipedia that they are just tourist attractions now. If what I read on Wikipedia is true, it seems this author did her research about this community. Here is a link. That is neat! I like it when authors do their research if they are going to write about a certain historical item, even if their story is fiction. Like I mentioned earlier I was very frustrated at reading this book, because of what Andrea and her son had to go through. It also shows how trusting in God will help you get through such awful situations. I find reading Christian Fiction helps remind me of how I need to be, how I need to have more faith. What made me choose this book was mainly the cover of the book. I thought it was a pretty photo, and yes the story sounded interesting once I actually read the synopsis. I am such a sucker for book covers. I also love that they have a woman on the cover helps me picture what the main character would look like. I sometimes have a hard time trying to picture a new person for each book, sometimes the characters I imagine blend with other characters of books I have read. It can be very frustrating, but always good to have a little help with the main character is on the cover of the book. lol I don't know if this is a re-reader for me, maybe later on in life I may give it a go again. It is worth reading at least once though. It was very interesting learning about the life in the Amana communities. I don't believe I could live there though, ever. Especially since the women only had so many jobs they could choose from, I'm not the best home maker. lol If you like adventure, love, and learning how God works through people to help others. You should give this book a chance. Oh, one more thing. Even though I was frustrated about what was happening in this book, I couldn't put it down for long.

[Vera Godley · Rating 5 out of 5]

When presented with the opportunity to review A Shining Light I agreed to do so primarily because I have never read a historical novel based on the Amana Colony in the 1890s. Knowing that Judith Miller researches well when she writes, I looked forward to this romp in historical fiction amongst the Amana colonists. Since I knew virtually nothing about the Amana Colony, I did a bit of my own internet research prior to beginning my read. So as the story unfolded, it came to life for me. (Overview on Wikipedia of Amana Colonies)

Our heroine and her son, Andrea and Lukas, have come upon really hard times after the death at sea of her rough, unloving husband. So she seeks out her father and his farm which just happens to be adjacent to the Amana holdings. Upon arrival she sees the homestead has burned down and learns that her father is dead. Prior to this unhappy occurrence, her father had sold the farm to the Amana Colony with right to dwell there until his death. So Andrea now has absolutely nothing.

Faced with untold sorrow and misfortune, Andrea and Lukas are taken in by the folks in the Colony until they can reach a decision about their direction in life. Andrea is not completely ignorant of the beliefs and customs of the Amana Colony, so she and Lukas seem to adjust and fit right into daily life.

I found that as the story proceeded the beliefs and customs of the Amana folks seem to be a mixture between Amish and Quaker. While they have families that dwell together as the Amish do, they work in community kitchens and on community farms. The flour mill is owned by the Colony. It seems no one works for pay. They simply live, work, eat, and sleep there and all do their part to make the community work. One has to be voted in by the leadership group similar to becoming Amish. But there are differences.

The story's resolution surprised me but I was not disappointed. It is a sweet story of reliance on God to supply one’s needs and the support that a community of faith can give to a believer in sweet communion with the community.

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of A Shining Light from Bethany House a division of Baker Publishing Group in exchange for my honest review. Opinions expressed are solely my own and I received no compensation for this review.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Publication Date: March 2014
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
ARC Copy from NetGalley.com and Bethany House Publishers

Andrea Wilson flees the city of Boston with her young son, Lukas, for life in rural Iowa upon hearing that her husband has been declared dead at sea. Andrea’s loss sadly brings only relief to her mind and soul after many years of physical and verbal abuse. She packs her meager belongings and heads to the family farm in Iowa hoping to give her son a better life only to find that her father died in a fire and that the farm had been sold prior to the fire.

Andrea meets Brother Bosch, a member of the local Amana community, at the farm when she arrives there from the nearest train station. The house has burned and only the barn is left standing. The kindly Brother Bosch offers her a short term solution of living at the Amana village in exchange for working in one of the kitchen houses. After some thought, Andrea realizes she has nowhere else to turn.

Andrea and Lukas settle into the community and are welcomed by the people. She slowly begins to feel safety for herself and her son, and she once again starts to reaffirm her faith. There are many underlying stories throughout the book adding to the character and depth of the novel. The lifestyle of the Amana bring a true sense of community and friendship to the story. Woven into the main storyline the reader is introduced to Dirk, the local tinsmith, who gradually weaves his way into the life of Lukas and Andrea.

The book was very enjoyable and heartwarming. The story really touched a quiet place inside of me to read about people within a community living and caring about each other without the pressures of financial worries and the struggles of everyday life. It is interesting to read about a community that places so little value on worldly goods. These people worked hard and lived for their faith. I believe the book will help the reader reflect on their own life and faith. For readers of inspirational Christian fiction, this book offers the elements of drama, suspense, and romance as well as the inspirational basis upon which it is written.

This ARC copy was received from Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. The above thoughts and opinions are wholly my own.

http://thenovelgnome.wordpress.com/20...

[Mariejkt · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Shining Light" by Judith Miller is the newest book in her collection about the community of West Amana, Iowa. At the beginning of the book we found our main character Andrea with her young son Lukas finding out that her husband is dead at sea. She decides she is going to go home to her father and the community of West Amana in Iowa. When Andrea gets back home she finds her father's home has burned down and then she finds out that her father was killed in the fire. She also finds out that her dad sold the property the community. I have to admit at this point in the story I thought I knew where the story was going but I was wrong. Yes a mystery does happen but not the one you would think. Andrea decides to stay in the close Christian group she grew up in West Amana, she is not sure on how they will treat her as she had left home and married an outsider. Her son in my opinion is the one who helps her soften her to the community and to his new friend/mentor the tinsmith named Dirk. As she is trying to find out what happened to the money that her dad received from the property sale, she gets told she needs to get to town quickly as someone needs her. I am going to leave you here as this starts the mystery and adventure portion of the story. This does have some romance with Dirk and her but the not the overly sickly sweet kind. This book I did not expect to enjoy as much as I did. Once I started it I could not put it down. The story flows very well with very good characters. It had just enough story, side story, character development that it was not over done. I would highly recommend this book.
Now I will say that there was one thing that bothered me but it has nothing to do with the content of the book. This is the 2nd fiction book I have received from Bethany House Publisher that has the same type of cover a young woman looking down with her eyes closed and holding something in her hands. By just going by the cover I would think both books were the same but after reading them I knew they were not. When it comes to Christian fiction a lot of people will pick up one because they like the cover, so I was disappointed to see very similar cover on two different books by two different authors. So please remember the old adage don't judge a book by its cover.

I received this book from Bethany House Publishing for my honest review.

[Jalynn Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

About the Book:

The kind people of Amana have been her guiding light, but her greatest trial is yet to come...

West Amana, Iowa, 1890

After Andrea Wilson receives the devastating news that her husband has been lost at sea, she returns home to Iowa with her young son, Lukas. But what she finds there causes more heartache: The family farm has burned and her father has died, leaving Andrea with nothing.

Andrea must rely on the kindness of the people from the nearby Amana village who invite her to stay with them for a time. She discovers much generosity and contentment among the Amanans--especially from the tinsmith, Dirk Knefler, who takes her son under his wing. But is the simple, cloistered life in Amana what Andrea wants for Lukas's future? Is she willing to give up the comforts and freedom of the outside world? And when yet another round of shocking news comes her way, will Andrea ever be able to find the serenity and hope that have eluded her for so long?



About the Author:

Judith Miller is an award-winning writer whose avid research and love for history are reflected in her bestselling novels. She is the author of the popular Daughters of Amana and Home to Amana series, which explore the closed communities of the Amana Colonies. Judy makes her home in Topeka, Kansas. Learn more at www.judithmccoymiller.com.



My Review:

Just when Andrea Wilson, was trying to move on with her life, she is consequently dealt another blow. She and her son Lukas, hear uncomprehendable news about her husband that he has been lost at sea. She decides to return to her parents home in Iowa only to be given the news that the family farm has burned to the ground and her father has died, leaving her destitute.

But when God is in control he takes whats left and He mends us. Soon the people in Amana hear about Andrea's & Lukas and the loss that they have suffered. Not a moment too soon that aide the two of them by providing a place to stay. Soon she and Lukas capture the attention of Dirk Knefler, the local tin smith and things start looking up or do they?

Third in the Home To Amana series, A Shining Light is a page turner and instant hit! Finally when you think you have the story all figured out another surprise pops up.

**Disclosure** This book was sent to me free of charge for my honest review from Bethany House.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

More suspense than I thought possible in an 1890 Amish colony!

Within the first few pages, a young Baltimore mother receives news that her husband was lost at sea, and she uses his death benefit to go to Iowa -- home to her father, her only living relative. When she arrives, she learns that her father sold his farm to a nearby Amish colony, and that he and the proceeds of the sale perished in a fire shortly thereafter. The Amish extend an offer to Andrea and her young son to live with the communal colony indefinitely, and the bulk of the book is the story of their adjustment to the Amish lifestyle and her re-evaluation of her faith in light of the example of true Christianity that the Amish extend to her and her son (i.e. a widow and an orphan).

I expected the story would be a benign "feel good" "learn to live in the old ways" story and I was very pleasantly surprised by the plot twists and turns. The character development is excellent, and although overall it is very sympathetic to the Amish lifestyle, there are a number of all-too-realistic conflicts among them. There is a touch of everything in this book: romance, faith, suspense, deception, redemption, danger, illness, and even disaster and loss of life. It would make a fabulous Hallmark movie!

I highly recommend this book, and it will be among the 5% of Advance Read books that I forward to my mother with my recommendation. The plot is great and the book itself is well-written. I actually read it out loud to my husband, and it was a good book for that purpose (not too many characters or separate themes to keep track of orally). Suitable for family reading: recommend ages 10+.

Disclosure: I was randomly selected from among numerous GoodReads readers to receive an advance copy of this book; I have read it and this is my honest evaluation. I have no connection with this author or publisher and have received nothing from anyone in consideration for publishing this review.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Shining Light by Judith Miller is the third and final book in the Home to Amana series. I really enjoyed this last book. It was a different plot, and I loved hearing more about how people lived back then. Each book in the series is a stand alone novel, and if you enjoy reading Amish fiction then you will definitely like these books. I'm a historical fiction nut who likes some Amish fiction, and it was perfect for me. :-)

Andrea Wilson has just found out her husband died at sea. With a seven year old son and no job, Andrea has no choice but to go home to her father's farm. Using up all the money she has, she travels home only to find a burned down house, a rickety barn, and no sign of her father anywhere. Distraught and confused, Andrea and her son sleep in the barn overnight hoping to find some answers in the morning. The morning does bring answers, but not the ones she was hoping for. Her father sold his farm to the Amana colonies and soon after died in the house fire. With no money and no home, Andrea has no idea what to do next. When one of the Brother's from the colonies offers her a place to stay in West Amana until she figures out what to do, Andrea has no choice but to accept.

While there, Lucas thrives and Andrea feels free for the first time in a long time, but she isn't sure if she wants to stay here her whole life. When she meets Dirk Knefler, the tinsmith, her views start to shift toward staying. But then some disturbing news comes to her and disrupts all the peace she has begun to feel.

The people of Amana were a beacon of God's goodness and mercy to Andrea and Lukas. I loved seeing her journey from living scared to living with joy even amidst hard times. I don't want to say too much, but her character really resonated with me because of how she handled challenging times. In fact, her depth of maturity made her my favorite character in this series.

I was given this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Deanna Gottreu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Shining Light by Judith Miller takes place in West Amana, Iowa, and is a most enjoyable story. Andrea Wilson and her young son Lukas leave Baltimore to return to her father’s farm in Iowa after she receives news that her husband has been lost at sea. Unfortunately, Andrea’s father has sold the farm and then died when the house burned and he was trapped inside. The generous people of the Amana community invite Andrea and Lukas to live with them for a while. Andrea finds that she really likes the way of life in the community and dreads the day when she and Lukas will be asked to leave. Dirk Knefler, the tinsmith, is attracted to Andrea and he forms a very strong friendship with Lukas who is in desperate need of a father figure in his life. Andrea and Lukas are happy in the simple life when another problem rears its ugly head.

All the characters in the story were extremely well developed with most of them being very loveable but one was impossible to love. I liked the way the author had the story told from the perspective and in the voice of the main characters with the name of the character at the beginning of a chapter. Although I loved the entire cast of characters, well except for one, my favorite was Lukas for he was such an adorable little boy with a heart full of love. There were several surprises in the plot but they only made the story more interesting. I appreciate how the author had God as a very important part of the story and how God working through Dirk, helped Andrea find peace and have her faith restored. I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the workings of the Amana community.

I definitely recommend this book to anyone that loves a great story with a happy ending.

Bethany House provided me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Shining Light by Judith Miller begins when Andrea Wilson finds out that her husband has been lost at sea. It is hard for her to grieve over him since he was abusive to her and their son Lukas. Andrea makes the decision to return to her father's farm, but when she arrives she only finds more heartache. The family farm has burnt to the ground and her father has died. On top of that her father had sold the farm to the Amanan's before he died. Andrea has no money and no place to go.

The people of the nearby Amana village invite Andrea and Lukas to stay with them until she makes other plans. The people are so kind and it doesn't take long for Andrea and her son to find their place among the people. Lukas befriends Dirk Knefler, the village tinsmith and sparks soon fly between Dirk and Andrea. It seems as if Andrea and Lukas have finally found their place and are content with the life they are now living, but right when everything seems to be falling into place in Andrea's life the unexpected happens and Andrea has to learn to trust in God for her future.

I am not really fond of books written from first person narrative. It is just a personal preference of mine. This book is written from that perspective and because of that I struggled with it a little bit. The author writes from each character's point of view and has it laid out in a way that is easy to keep up with the changes in perspective. It took me a little while to really get into the book and I do think it has to do with my preference of the first person narrative, but once I got into the book I could hardly put it down. It was a great story line although somewhat predictable. I really enjoyed reading about the Amana people and would like to check out some of the author's other books. This book was actually the third book in the Home to Amana series, so I guess I'm going to go backwards. : )

[Patricia Kemp Blackmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrea Wilson is anxious to return to her father's home after receiving news of the death of her husband at sea. She can now ask her father's forgiveness for marrying without his blessings or permission. Andrea and her son Lukas's lives have been nothing short of starvation. poverty and abuse at the hands of her husband. Now she can give her son a better life living with her father in Iowa. But when she arrives at her father's farm her hopes for a better life seem out of her reach.

She is offered help by the elders of a local village of Amanans. She finds herself at their mercy. They give her and Lucas much more than food and shelter, they find peace and an abundance of love.

Lucas finds a mentor in Dirk Knefler as he learns the values and ways of the Amanans. This is does not go unnoticed by Andrea as she finds many good qualities in this kind man.

The village receives a surprise visitor that could end any hope or happiness for Andrea and Lukas's future in Amana.

I found this story heart wrenching. This woman felt that for lack of better judgement in men she had caused her and her son to suffer. Women did not have many if any rights back in the day. The life offered to her in Amana was God send bringing them into the fold of his loving and faithful people of Amana. I love the character of Dirk with his patience and tender love for the boy and his mother. Also Dirk's trust in God's plan for his life.

The author has captured me with this series. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

I highly recommend this book.

I rated this book a 5 out of 5.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from Baker Publishers/Bethany House for an honest review.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this book a 3.5 rating.

First off the cover is beautiful!

One thing I really enjoyed about this book was that the storyline started immediately. The book started off with a bang of Andrea finding out her husband has died at sea. In the very first chapter you get a great look at the characters and their strengths and weaknesses.

I loved how the main character Andrea grew through the book. It was wonderful to see her grow her faith and find redemption.

The author does a great job at describing the daily chores of Andrea as a cook helper in the Amana Community's kitchen as well as describing the areas where the story takes place.

The story also has a great story line with unpredictable twists and turns.

I would have liked to have had a little back ground about the culture and community that Andrea decides to join with her son.

I would have liked more parts of the story to be from Dirk's view. Also, I would have enjoyed more dialogue between the two main characters and how their love grew. I would have liked to have some growth in Dirk's character.

Another thing I would have enjoyed is more background about Andrea's relationship with her first husband. It is mentioned many times how her husband was sweet at first in their marriage but then turned abusive. I would have liked to read more about how Andrea and Fred met and how their loved developed.

Overall, this was a good book about a sweet and tender romance that meets many bumps and curves along the way. If you are looking for an easy romantic read, I would recommend this book.

I received this book from Bethany Publishing Group, Goodreads First Reads, for my honest review. I was not required to give a positive review.

[Sally · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrea Wilson suddenly finds herself a widow with her young son, Lukas, to support. She packs their few belongings and leaves Boston to return home to Iowa in hopes of giving her son a better life only to find her father is dead and the family home has burned. She has no one to turn to until she meets Brother Bosch who is a member of the local Amana Community. He offers her a short-term job of working in the kitchen. Andrea realizes she has no place to turn so accepts the generosity of the Community and feels welcomed by them. She feels safe and also feels her faith being restored.

The characters in this book were well developed. I fell in love with Andrea and her son. I love the way the Amana Community accepted her and how she respected their rules and regulations. There were several underlying stories throughout the book, and I love the way MS Miller weaves Dirk, the local tinsmith into the heart and lives of Andrea and Lukas.

To me this book was about finding peace, love and faith no matter what you face in life and no matter where you may end up. With God on your side He will always provide a way if you have an open heart. Many years ago I visited the Amana Community and have always been fascinated with their lifestyle. I love reading about them so this book for me was a “must-read”. I highly recommend this book, especially if you are looking for an inspirational uplifting read. MS Miller does a wonderful job of subtly incorporating God and faith in her book without being preachy.


Disclosure: I was given a copy of this eBook by the publisher, Bethany House, through NetGalley blogger program for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.

[Kellyreads04 · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the vast bookshelves filled with romance novels, this one is just as refreshing as a walk in the sunshine! From the front cover to the end, I could not put this book down. Judith Miller is an extraordinary writer. Her writing style is expressive and her character descriptions are so vivid you feel as if you are in the story right there with them.



Andrea Wilson's life has not been easy. Leaving the safety of her father's farm,she marries Fred and has her son, Lukas, who are the main characters of this book. They live a life of turmoil and abuse and Andrea doesn't know much happiness or security. When a knock on the door from Mr. Shaw, her husband's employer, tells her he has died at sea, she has no choice but to return home to her father's farm and start over. Sadly, she makes the journey with her son only to find out that he has passed away and the farm burned to the ground.



She finds refuge in the Amanan community and quickly finds her place working alongside the women and cooking and helping until she can get back on her feet. What she doesn't expect is to fall in love along the way. The relationship with Dirk, an Amanan tinmaker in the community,
is so very sweet and tender and melts the heart to know that such goodness exists. He loves her son as if he were his own and takes him under his wing.


Shockingly, Fred returns to find her and demand that she not only return with him to live but also give him all the monies from the sale of the farm. This book has a wonderful plot, twists and turns. While the book does prove to be predictable through-out, the message of faith and love and purity is one that will melt your heart and leave you with a smile.

[Paula-O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Home to Amana series by Judith Miller "A Shining Light"

This author puts a lot of research into writing her books and it shows...I like picking up a book to read and knowing it will have this research making the places come right to mind and I can see myself walking the area the characters have walked.
Andrea Wilson gets news that her husband is lost at sea and she must make choices so that she and her little boy can survive. Her father lives on a farm in Iowa and she decides they will move back and Lukas will get to meet his grandfather.
Upon arrival though they find out the farm burned and that grandfather was gone..nothing was left.
A kind man from the Amana colonies invited them to stay with them until they knew what they could do. This was a life so different from the way they had lived but they became used to the routine and the love of the people here helped shore up their faith that had been neglected.
Dirk Knefler lives in the colonies and takes Lukas under his wing so to speak and the boy flourishes from the attention. He has an attraction to Andrea also but knows they must not get too close while she is grieving the loss of her husband.
How would you feel if you were left all alone with the responsibility of a child and no monies or family to help out?
The kind people of Amana gives this small family a guiding light to light their path but what next happens will rip a tear into that fabric and cause much confusion...read and enjoy this wonderful story as I did.

This book from Bethany publishing to read and review thank you so much.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I saw that Judith Miller had a new book, and again about the Amana Community, I knew I had to read it. So when the opportunity was offered to review this book, a hearty yes! I was not disappointing, only that it eventually ended, makes me want to live there, if it still existed!
As always we get to see the hard workers and yet the peace and rewards of communal living, and although it ended with the changes of society, it looks like one big family, with everyone caring for one another.
This is the story rather typical of a young girl who has her teenage disagreements with her parents and was easily swept off her feet. She marries against the approval of her folks, and embarks off to Baltimore from Iowa. She soon finds out that her husband is not what he appeared to be. Amanda Wilson is being abused by her husband and so is their young son Lukas.
We see evil at its finest and we find the righteous turning the other cheek and helping and praying for Fred Wilson. Oh how I loved the love of God these people showed in all that they did. There is also a love story, that although it cannot continue, you feel the warmth of it.
The story is a really quick page turning read, and I enjoyed it all, and right to the end. You never see what is about to happen, and probably a good thing. Thank you Ms Miller for sharing your gifts!


I received this book from the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Maryann Skaritka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Andrea Wilson and her son Lukas have endured abuse, both verbal and physical from her husband Fred. Upon learning of her husbands death, Andrea seeks to reconcile with her father and heads on a journey to the family farm in Iowa. Things dont turn out as planned and Andrea has to rely upon the kindness of the people of the West Amana colony.

The book is told in a 3 person narrative. We get to hear from Andrea, Brother Dirk the tinsmith and Fred.
Andrea finds warmth, comfort and solace among the people in Amana. She finds allies in Greta and Sister Erma who runs the kuche. The kuche is the communal kitchen and meals are prepared there. Most of the time Andrea is cooking and serving 6 meals a day. The morning, lunch and evening meals along with the mid morning and mid afternoon meals.

The story shows how the people trust God in their faith, prayer life and community.

Andrea longs for something more and she finds peace and contentment with God and within the community of believers.

The author did a great job in describing in great detail the history and every day workings of the colonies. They were divided into 7 communal areas. I had never heard of the Amana colonies and I did a little research after reading the book. People gave up almost all their earthly belongings and went to prayer meetings, church etc. 11 times a week.

The book shows how Andrea matures in her faith and she learns the importance of prayer and trusting in God and seeking his will for her life.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about A Shining Light by Judith MIller. It was too predictable for me. While it did have some really good spiritual applications throughout the story and it showed people learning to trust in God more and more I would have rather seen this book take a different direction.

*Spoiler* This book was too neatly wrapped up and tied with a bow, leaving me feeling like something was missing. I would have rather seen the heroine reconciled with her husband and him coming to faith in God and being a changed man because of it. In saying this I would have liked to have seen the couple who fell for each other, be able to, with God's help, lay aside their feelings for each other, go on with their lives in different places and learn to accept the life that God had given them.

While it was good that the author showed the depravity of man it just really bothers me that the whole story was a romance between two other people rather than having the married couple reconciled in the end. Granted the husband does die, so there's no issues of divorce and remarriage, which would be another ball of wax to deal with! *End Spoiler*

The writing style drew me in and I did enjoy learning about another Christian culture within the United States. It definitely is a page turner of a book!

I received this book from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review.

[Virginia Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told in alternating first-person segments, "A Shining Light" is a compelling inspirational historical romance from author Judith Miller. Set in the 1890's, the story begins in Baltimore, Maryland as Andrea Wilson learns that her husband, Fred, has died at sea. After years of suffering abuse and poverty due to her husband's cruel nature and drunkenness, Andrea feels more relief than grief. She determines to make a better future for herself and her young son, Lukas, by returning to her family home in Iowa. Hoping to reconcile with her father, Andrea is devastated to discover that he died in a fire on the farm, and the property now belongs to someone else. Members of the nearby Amana village offer refuge, and Lukas finds a friend and mentor in the tinsmith, Dirk Knefler. As time passes, even as they must get used to a very different life than they had known, Andrea and Lukas find a measure of comfort in the simplicity of the village life. The bond between Lukas and Dirk grows, as does a tentative relationship between Dirk and Andrea. However, an unexpected and life-changing turn of events will threaten the future happiness of them all. Their religious faith and their faith in each other will be put through a mighty test--one they cannot afford to lose. Will their devotion win out over all? "A Shining Light" is Book Three in author Judith Miller's involving "Home to Amana" series.

Review Copy Gratis Bethany House Books