An Unforgivable Secret

Amish Secrets #1

by J.E.B. Spredemann

Hannah has a good life. A beautiful home, a loving husband, and a wonderful Amish community are only a few of her daily blessings. But she has carried a heavy burden for years: a secret that no one must know. When tragedy strikes, her secret threatens to be revealed, jeopardizing everything she’s ever loved. Will Hannah be able to face her greatest fear and find God's purpose for her life?

Genres: Amish, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Christian, Ebooks, Amish Fiction

268 pages, ebook

First published June 8, 2013

About the author

Jennifer (aka J.E.B.) Spredemann seeks to pen compelling stories that captivate readers and bring glory to GOD. She has authored two dozen Amish fiction titles in her can't-put-down writing style, two of which have won awards and topped Amazon’s bestseller lists. She resides in Indiana Amish Country with her family on a former Amish farm where the documentary Breaking the Silence was filmed. "...Spredemann weaves a thread of love and intrigue into a quilt of faith and values." - reader review

Author can be contacted via email at jebspredemann@gmail.com

Would you like to join our mailing list to be the first to hear about upcoming releases and be eligible for monthly giveaways? Sign up on our website: www.jenniferspredemann.com

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To God alone be the glory!

Reviews

[Nancy Steinle gummel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Unforgivable Secret by J.E.B. Spredemann is a Christian book about the Amish. This story is about Hanna Stolzfus and Christian Flick. He asks Hannah to marry him and the very next night Hannah spies Christian dressed as an Englisher holding and kissing an Englisher girl with Blondel curly hair. She is heartbroken. Christian's best friend Samuel also like Hannah. He defers to his friend Christian but he is angry at him for cheating on Hannah. Samuel writes to Carolanne in Ohio. The next day there is a song meeting. Hannah tells Christian off and breaks up with him. She asks her sister Deborah to ride back alone. She's going to walk back to clear her head. Samuel sees her leave follows and overtakes her. She tells him what happened. Samuel tells her he's always loved her, they kiss. There near his barn. He tells her the cat had kittens that cheers her up. In the loft they begin kissing and end up making love. Hannah gets pregnant. The next day Samuel leaves a note for Christian and his family. He's going to his Uncle Timothy Beachy in Ohio. See how Hannah handles the pregnancy and the troubles she gets into.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its hard to write a review without spoiling the story line. So I will try to dance around the plot with care.

The story deals with the deep pain and damaged relationships that unconfessed sin can have in our lives. When we bury past sins in the deep crevices of our lives and try to carry that burden alone we impact everyone around us. Living with the fear of rejection by God, friends, and family colors every aspect of our existence. Forgiveness is freeing and redeeming.

J.E.B. Spredemann draws us into the life & emotional turmoil of a young wife and deals tenderly with a topic often taboo in the Amish community as well as in many Christian homes. Tragedy turns to triumph in this story.

[Vicente William Saenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is like no other Amish book that I have read. The way God turned a bad situation into victory for not only Hannah's life, but for many others for years to come. Thank you for stepping up and writing on this subject that I hope will stop another life lost and hurt.


This book is like no other Amish book that I have ever read. The way God turned a bad situation into victory, for not only Hannah's life,but for many others for years to come. Thank you for stepping up and writing on this subject that I hope will stop another life lost and hurting for a long time. There is hope and help at the end of the tunnel.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a secret weighing heavily on Hannah Glick's conscience. This secret defines her life and the guilt she feels affects the way she sees everything. At the beginning of the book we meet three main characters: Hannah, Christian and Samuel. These three friends have grown up together. Hannah and Christian eventually fall in love and begin courting. Samuel also loves Hannah, however, he has a girl far away that he has been courting through letters.

Behavior decisions that Christian makes directly affect Hannah and the subsequent choices she makes. Everything follows from this. We also know that Samuel has made some bad choices as well. There are some significant time jumps in the book as the author is telling a story that spans many years. We see what is happening to these three characters over the years and begin getting glimpses of what might have occurred years earlier that has so affected Hannah.

The author did a good job at really surprising me in a few key moments of the story. I enjoyed reading about these characters. I felt their despair and their triumphs and I was impressed with the way the author wove in the message of salvation throughout the story. (4 stars)

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review, which I have given.

[Joan · Rating 1 out of 5]

(The formatting in this book is for spaces between paragraphs instead of indents. It makes for difficult reading, as does the use of bold font for the start of new times/places.)

I Dnf'ed at 30%. This had to be one of the most boring books I have ever read. There was NO depth to any character, no emotion, no richness... nothing. It’s little more than a list of dry events with a slew of Amish words thrown In to make it fit the genre.

Are the Amish really as lifeless and dull and dead as this?

[Tina Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.E.B. Spredemann had me on the edge of my seat while I was reading An Unforgivable Secret. J.E.B. Spredemann's word descriptions are really good and making the story come to life, as if you are apart of the story too. I love books like that. This was my first time reading anything written by J.E.B. Spredemann AND am I very glad that I finally read one of her books; I plan on reading more of her work.

Have you ever had a secret that you had kept someone(s)? Did that secret come to the surface? Was that secret so bad that you asked for forgiveness? Did the other person give you forgiveness?
In An Unforgivable Secret is just that an unforgivable secret. A secret that Hannah had hoped to take with her when she departed earth. But like all secrets, they do have a way of coming out to the open. The question is can everyone involved forgive and heal after going through the normal shock and anger emotions.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I've read (listened to) by this author. I plan to read many more because I enjoyed this one so much.

Hannah lives with a secret that she has shared with no one. It's amazing how one secret can affect so many people but this story illustrates just how that can happen.

Hannah grows up with Samuel and Christian who are best friends. Samuel leaves their Amish community without warning but leaves a note behind saying goodbye. Hannah and Christian get married and attempt to start a family when tragedy strikes, threatening to reveal her secret.

This is not your typical "feel good" Amish novel. It brings up real-life situations that can, and do, happen and the harsh consequences of our decisions. Because of some bad choices we make, we can struggle with shame, remorse and many more heartbreaking emotions. Fortunately, this story also focuses on forgiveness and trusting in God. If you make it through this book with dry eyes, you are much tougher than me.

I highly recommend this novel to anyone wanting a closer relationship with God or desiring to learn the importance of forgiveness.

I received an audio version of this story from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[C · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was abhorrent when it came to views on abortion. Yes, I understand - it is an Amish book and they are very against the subject. They are also the most forgiving group of people I have ever had the pleasure of living amongst. To have the reactions of more than one person be utter and complete disgust when this poor woman was going through the worst times of her life was flat-out wrong. She had already hated herself for years, believing she was unworthy of her god's love no matter what she did, and that alone is a terrible and extreme thing for an Amish woman. She did not have the support she needed so desperately, and her feelings, emotions, and well-being were cast aside to make a point about abortion being a sin. This book was simply a tool for pro-life viewpoints, and could be extremely damaging for those who have had or are planning on an abortion.

At no point, at any time, is a woman's life less important than that of an unborn fetus. In this book, she was worthless compared to what could have been potential sons. Revolting, disgusting, and I will say so to everyone who considers reading this novel or this author's work.

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

"An Unforgivable Secret" by J. E. B. Spredemann is a five star story. It is the first book in the "Amish Secrets" series . It deals with a subject, most people don't want to hear about or think about , abortion but it is a subject that is very much real in the English world and even in the Amish world,( just not as much in the Amish world)

This book was a very emotional read for me, but I couldn't put it down until I had finished reading the last page.

I have to be honest and say I probably wouldn't have read this book because it wasn't by one of my favorite authors, but it was the book chosen for my online book discussion . A friend gifted me the ebook version. I am glad she did. I believe if you took the time to read this book you will be saying : What a powerful story of love and forgiveness and healing. You definitely won't feel like you wasted your time reading it.

Hannah and Christian are the ideal Amish couple, or Hannah though so until one night she found out differently by a chance outing with her sister Deborah. Hannah is crushed and finds comfort with Samuel. This comfort leads to a secret and this secret is found out many years later but the damage is done!

Can Hannah and Christian and Samuel found peace, healing and forgiveness ?

This book is about love and forgiveness and healing. I think this will be another book that will long remain a favorite one of mine!

I will definitely be getting book 2 " A Secret Encounter"

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Powerful Story of Forgiveness (4 Stars)

An Unforgivable Secret (Amish Secrets #1) by J.E.B. Spredemann

This is a powerful story of one woman’s past that has effected her whole life. Hannah Stolzfus is a sweet Amish young woman and her beau, Christian Glick, are going to get married. But before that, Christian has something important to take care of. When Hannah finds out that Christian was seeing someone else, she is heart broken and she makes a huge mistake. One that follows her for years. She forgives Christian and they marry and he has changed and loves her very much and they are having a good life. That is until everything starts to fall apart.

I really don’t want to say more about the story, because the best part of reading a good book is not knowing what is going to happen, but to discover it piece by piece yourself. To let it grab you unexpectedly and touch your heart in ways that I don’t think it can if you know it’s coming. Have tissues handy and be ready for God to touch your heart as you read this book.

I received a complimentary e-book copy of this book from the author for my honest opinion and did not receive any compensation for a favorable review. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely wonderful book. I haven't read this author before, but definitely plan to do so again.

I'm not sure exactly what to say in this review. Why? It's certainly not because I didn't like it. On the contrary, I loved it.
No, it's because I don't want to ruin it for future readers by leaving spoilers.

I don't know what I thought the secret would be, but it wasn't what I was I expected (careful not to leave spoilers, here). You'll have to read the book to find out what the secret is.

The characters were well developed, the writing very good. I don't know what the next book in this series is about, however I hope that some of the characters from this one will make an appearance.

Also, the author's note at the end of the book was an added bit of insight into the Amish. I wish to thank her for adding it.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very engaging work of Amish fiction but I was surprised that several main characters had great difficulty in forgiving since the Amish faith is very outspoken about their forgiveness. It does show the Amish in this book, though, to be very human and struggling with many of the same issues as Englisch. I appreciated the way that the Bishop and elders handled the difficult issues in the book, as well. I won't spoil the book by revealing what those issues were. I finished this book in one evening as I just could not stop reading. I rate this book 5 stars and highly recommend it to others.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read

A great read

This is very good story about three people and how they suffered so much by not trusting enough in the families are God to help them.A secret that was kept for so many years and the terrible price for it. This is all I am going to say for I do not want to spoil it for you. We will also have this in our next book discussion . Be sure to get it if you have not already.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This books really make you think about forgiveness. The characters and plot are great. Highly recommended. Cannot wait for the next one in the series.

[Becky Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had this on my kindle for almost a year, and I have wanted to get to it earlier. It really speaks to the reader with quotes like: “if he’d only known the outcome of his actions.” And, “Choices made, whether bad or good, follow you forever & affect everyone in their path one way or another.” I cannot give my favorite quote without revealing too much of the book, but this was another favorite: “there is NOTHING unforgivable & there are no secrets before an all-knowing merciful God.” And, in the author’s words: “God is more than a salvager. He is a blessed redeemer. God not only forgives, He restores.” This book is definitely thought-provoking!! I’m very interested in reading more from this author.

[Lesley Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a bit confusing but loved reading it. This story broke my heart in so many ways Hannah is like us and I'm glad she wrote a book about her journey it's about healing forgiveness love faith in God it a must

[Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I appreciate the quick paced storyline and the redemptive theme, I was just not expecting such a dark and sad story. It’s worth a read if you don’t mind sad stories, but I generally avoid such books. The characters were great, it’s well written, just not what I prefer to read.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! powerfully written story that addresses the
life as she grows older. The guilt weighs heavily on her as she knows if she were to "come clean and confess her sin", that in the Amish community her sin is considered unforgivable and she would be shunned (horrible dorm of punishment as it basically leaves the shunned person with no allies to talk to and to help deal with the guilt and other issues related to the occurrence (I'm intentionally being ambiguous in wording as don't want to spoil the plot for readers).

How is anyone supposed to feel when they've done something wrong and want to repent but know that in doing so they will lose all connection to their family and friends leaving them without any support system at all. As a result many in the Amish community will hold onto these secrets creating such inner turmoil they cannot function properly and it effects not only their lives but those around them.

Many will read this book and immediately begin bashing the Amish ritual of shunning as horrific and extreme, myself included. But if we were to really stop and think about how often we as a culture judge the "so called sins of others" and "shun them" through our actions of avoiding them, whispering behind their backs and yet not offering support...which is what the person truly needs. whether or not we agree with what was done, as Christians, or people who claim to be moral, we have an obligation to help others,when we can and not be so judgemental of others. We do the same thing but because we don't have an official name for it and don't publicly state that this person is to be considered persona non grata in our society, we make ourselves feel better when in fact, it's just semantics but the fact that we mock others for the behavior we ourselves may do, we become hypocritical. Either way, the person who wants to acknowledge their sin and be forgiven and loved is left alone and often can easily fall into depressive state.

This was an excellent, albeit it hard to read due to the intensity and controversy of the subject. I did not agree with what the main character did but I understand her reluctance to come forward with her sin knowing she would be shunned and others would be negatively effected.

It's so easy to sit and read a book, or in real life hear part of a story and instantly become the judge and the jury, without stopping to hear and trying to understand what led person to fall into this predicament. And if we truly want to better society we need to stop judging the sinner and offer our support in any way we can to show Christian/moral love. Too often, and I admit for a long time I had hard time distinguishing between the sin and the sinner until I realized sin is sin and everyone of us is guilty of it in some form. we want others to forgive and love us after we have sinned and as such others deserve the same from us.

The book was very well written and drew you into feeling for each of the characters in strongly felt emotions...some I felt sad for and wanted to reach out to hug and others I deplored for their harsh reactions but whatever my feelings for each individual, the author made them come alive and pull you into their life story, which is exactly the point of well written storyline.

I would highly recommend reading this book if you are looking to face real life hard to deal with issues and are willing to recognize that although this story was set in an Amish community, the problem is not limited to the Amish and society needs to take a harsher look at this and find a way to help these girls, hopefully before it becomes an issue or if not, to be there for counseling after the fact, so that they can face their inner demons and deal with them in attempt to have a productive future, which cannot happen if they can't forgive themselves or have society remember that it is okay to hate the sin but we are still to love the repentant sinner.

Was a definite book that needed to be read with the depth of real life reflections and not just a book to dismiss the Amish community as a whole.

[Beverly Lytle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful story of the redeeming grace of Jesus. Although it deals with a very sad and difficult topic, it is a great reminder that no matter what we have done, Christ forgives. The subject matter is one you don’t often hear about, particularly within the Amish community, but it is real, it is emotionally painful, and it is redeemable.
Being a part of a strong religious community, Hannah feels she must keep her secret hidden. If others found out, it would likely bring great shame to her and her family as well as end her chances of marrying the man she loved. When her secret mistakenly spills out in the presence of another person, her life suddenly takes a turn and begins to spin out of control. What will it take to help Hannah face her greatest fear? How could God possibly use this for good?
This book had me in tears, made my heart smile, and made me once again marvel at how God can take the most difficult of situations and turn it into something that can be used for His glory.

[Julie Costanzo · Rating 2 out of 5]

So totally unrealistic. Me, who loves fantasy, could not bring myself to suspend my disbelief long enough to get into this book. Terrible writing, unrealistic characters, and frankly, the author is just plain lazy. Would have been better if she wasn't trying to dazzle us so much with her continuous use of Pennsylvania Dutch....which is ok as she provides a key to it but some words are missing?! Almost zero character development and really, not a lot of plot development. She'd just move on to the next thing and as the reader it almost felt jarring....like, wait, did I just accidentally skip a chapter? Not, the author just didn't bother to develop that part of the plot!

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hannah has a secret, a secret that she thinks is unforgivable.This secret could ruin her marriage and have her shunned. How can she go on with life as this secret affects not only herself, her husband and her family and close friends. Will her husband forgive her and more importantly can God forgive her.

I listened to this book on Audible and I cried as I listened to the breaking heart of Hannah as her secret is revealed.

This book touched me in so many ways and the forgiveness of God and how it healed Hannah's heart and marriage.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked how this author used the Biblical injunction that our sin will always be found out to set the premise for his story. The main character battles guilt and shame, but eventually must come clean in order to move forward, both in her marriage and in her spiritual life. ***SPOILER ALERT The best part of this author's work is that it is a moral ending -- where many books leave you wishing the girl will get the new guy, this one reverts to honoring the marriage vows and allows things to work out as God's word intends.

[Crystal · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read through the whole book after wanting to stop half way through. I wish I hadn't. I am a fan of books on the Amish but not this one. This book forces "Amish speak" where it's unnecessary and it makes for less than smooth reading. Also, for someone who thinks that the Amish are not Christian enough or the "right" kind of Christian perhaps Spredemann should move away from writing about the Amish. Too much righteousness for my taste.

[Renee Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not your average Amish book!
This book dealt with issues of life that not all Amish books have. I stayed interested throughout the story. There were a few moments when the narrator seemed to have a difficult time making sentences flow smoothly. A couple times there were small annoyances with how she used her voice, but I don't think it was so bad to not listen.

[Rebecca "Rebaka" Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Unforgivable Secret by J.E.B. Spredemann is the first of her Amish Secrets series. If you enjoy reading Amish books you’ll enjoy this one. I actually was given the audiobook by the author and even though I love books I enjoyed listening to it even more.

For more of my review go to my website http://rebakaspot.blogspot.com Saturday 11/23/13.

[marsha arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

enjoyed so much that I didn't put down until completed. Excellent read that brought tears thru much of it. showed me that I don't give God credit for being with me and forgiving me when I fail.

[Kathy Barter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amish fiction

I will definitely read more of this author. I know I will get the second book, A secret encounter book 2 in the series. This story touched my heart. God can salvage the mess a person makes of life by going our own way.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this very much. A very powerful story about forgiveness. I can't help but think this book has changed my outlook on so much. Religion, beliefs, forgiveness, trust, and dealing with situations as they arise. Definitely a book to read if you are going through any type if struggle.

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming!

[Tammy Bernadt · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know sometimes you can figure out how the book is going to end. I was wrong !! I was in shock. I cried