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The Amish Bride's Secret: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance
She looks like the perfect bride
But there’s something she’s hiding…
After a broken engagement leads to a terrible mistake, Cara Lengacher needs to start over, and Matthew Miller’s advertisement is a lifeline. She’ll go to Montana, become his mail-order wife and live happily ever after. But as soon as she arrives, her rosy hopes start to dim. Matthew’s parents disapprove of mail-order matches, and his place in the family is now at risk. To help her husband-to-be, she must show that she’ll be a perfect wife. But the secret she’s carrying could ruin everything…
From Love Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.
But there’s something she’s hiding…
After a broken engagement leads to a terrible mistake, Cara Lengacher needs to start over, and Matthew Miller’s advertisement is a lifeline. She’ll go to Montana, become his mail-order wife and live happily ever after. But as soon as she arrives, her rosy hopes start to dim. Matthew’s parents disapprove of mail-order matches, and his place in the family is now at risk. To help her husband-to-be, she must show that she’ll be a perfect wife. But the secret she’s carrying could ruin everything…
From Love Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.
207 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 21, 2025
8 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Patrice Lewis
62 books42 followersLiving on a remote self-sufficient homestead in North Idaho, Patrice Lewis is a Christian wife, mother, author, blogger, columnist and speaker. She has practiced and written about rural subjects for almost thirty years. When she isn’t writing, Patrice enjoys self-sufficiency projects, such as animal husbandry, small-scale dairy production, gardening, food preservation and canning, and homeschooling. She and her husband have been married since 1990 and have two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 4, 2025
Amish romance is not something I typically reach for, but I've had good luck with the Harlequin LI and LIS writers, so when a book sounds interesting, I'm willing to give it a chance. Marriage of convenience is a favorite trope, and I'm always interested to see how it could play out in the modern era.
Exactly what it says on the tin: after the humiliation of a broken engagement, Cara Lengacher heads west to start fresh, answering an advertisement placed by Matthew Miller in an Amish newspaper. She hopes Matthew will be a kinder soul than either her ex OR her father, because she's carrying some major baggage: so she wants to feel Matthew out before spilling the beans.
Matthew has an equally unhappy past; he's already tried to court one woman long-distance, only to have her refuse to move; and there are literally no eligible women in his town, so what is he to do? His parents are extremely upset that he sends for a mail-order bride, to the point where Matthew feels like they will disown him and turn him out, so he's especially excited and relieved to meet Cara and find her very becoming.
If this sounds like the plot of a historical western, it definitely reads like one - or at least HR western-lite. It is a modern-day story, however, and this Amish community is one that lives among the Englishers. I have some experience with the Mennonites who reside in central Ohio, as that's where I went to college, so this is very believable to me. They live a simple life, but not an antiquated one.
I liked both of the leads, and indeed the entire community around Pierce, Montana where this is set. The canvas is very large and there are lots of supporting characters - with enough hints at potential backstories that I am not surprised to learn that the author has written extensively in this universe. The story itself is very low-angst and is easy to read; indeed, I think it'd be a pleasant way to pass an afternoon with a cup of tea.
Unfortunately, the big bombshell isn't unloaded until the penultimate chapter, which makes the ending feel whiplash-inducing. All of the angst that Cara especially goes through is basically for nothing. Matthew processes his emotions over the course of an evening and he decides to marry her no matter what. Next thing we know, it's two years later and of course all dust has settled. There is exactly none of the fallout that either of them fret about, making this reader wonder what the point of it was?
The religious elements are pretty light, and I don't know how authentic the Amish community in this universe is to real life, but there was nothing that immediately pulled me out of the story. I spotted another novel from this universe that tells the story of a side couple here that I found especially compelling, so I will likely seek that one out. Definitely recommend to those looking for a light, easily digestible story.
Exactly what it says on the tin: after the humiliation of a broken engagement, Cara Lengacher heads west to start fresh, answering an advertisement placed by Matthew Miller in an Amish newspaper. She hopes Matthew will be a kinder soul than either her ex OR her father, because she's carrying some major baggage: so she wants to feel Matthew out before spilling the beans.
Matthew has an equally unhappy past; he's already tried to court one woman long-distance, only to have her refuse to move; and there are literally no eligible women in his town, so what is he to do? His parents are extremely upset that he sends for a mail-order bride, to the point where Matthew feels like they will disown him and turn him out, so he's especially excited and relieved to meet Cara and find her very becoming.
If this sounds like the plot of a historical western, it definitely reads like one - or at least HR western-lite. It is a modern-day story, however, and this Amish community is one that lives among the Englishers. I have some experience with the Mennonites who reside in central Ohio, as that's where I went to college, so this is very believable to me. They live a simple life, but not an antiquated one.
I liked both of the leads, and indeed the entire community around Pierce, Montana where this is set. The canvas is very large and there are lots of supporting characters - with enough hints at potential backstories that I am not surprised to learn that the author has written extensively in this universe. The story itself is very low-angst and is easy to read; indeed, I think it'd be a pleasant way to pass an afternoon with a cup of tea.
Unfortunately, the big bombshell isn't unloaded until the penultimate chapter, which makes the ending feel whiplash-inducing. All of the angst that Cara especially goes through is basically for nothing. Matthew processes his emotions over the course of an evening and he decides to marry her no matter what. Next thing we know, it's two years later and of course all dust has settled. There is exactly none of the fallout that either of them fret about, making this reader wonder what the point of it was?
The religious elements are pretty light, and I don't know how authentic the Amish community in this universe is to real life, but there was nothing that immediately pulled me out of the story. I spotted another novel from this universe that tells the story of a side couple here that I found especially compelling, so I will likely seek that one out. Definitely recommend to those looking for a light, easily digestible story.
February 5, 2025
The Amish Bride's Secret by Patrice Lewis
An Uplifting Inspirational Romance
She looks like the perfect bride
But there’s something she’s hiding…
After a broken engagement leads to a terrible mistake, Cara Lengacher needs to start over, and Matthew Miller’s advertisement is a lifeline. She’ll go to Montana, become his mail-order wife and live happily ever after. But as soon as she arrives, her rosy hopes start to dim. Matthew’s parents disapprove of mail-order matches, and his place in the family is now at risk. To help her husband-to-be, she must show that she’ll be a perfect wife. But the secret she’s carrying could ruin everything…
This is Cara Lengacher's story.
This is Matthew Miller’s story.
Cara Lengacher stopped in front of the large, square three-story building. A sign on the street side proclaimed it was Miller’s Boardinghouse. This, she hoped, would be her new home. A little voice inside her asked, what had she gotten herself into?
She had never traveled much, certainly had never been west of the Mississippi. Yet here she was, about to embark upon the adventure of a lifetime.
The last few days were a blur. Her angry father. Her mother, weeping. A taxi ride to the airport. A flight across the country. A bus ride to the tiny town of Pierce, Montana, located on the mountainous western side of the state.
Within a few moments, the door opened and a man stepped out. He eyed her kapp and spoke in Deutsch. “May I help you?”
“Are you Matthew Miller?”
“Ja.”
“I’m Cara Lengacher.”
His eyes widened with a comical mixture of excitement and alarm. “But your bus... I was supposed to pick you up...you’re early!”
Cara hadn’t known what to expect from her future hutband. Certainly she didn’t expect him to be as good-looking as he was: dark blue eyes with laugh lines at the corners, straight brown hair cut short. He was lean and seemed good-humored. She breathed a sigh of relief and offered her most brilliant smile. “Ja, the bus was about an hour earlier than scheduled. I had no way to reach you, so I walked here from the bus stop. It’s a gut thing the town is so small!”
I recommend reading this book..
The Amish Bride's Secret by Patrice Lewis is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Patrice Lewis .
Uncovering Her Amish Past: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance (Love Inspired)
by Patrice Lewis
An Amish Marriage Agreement: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance
by Patrice Lewis
The Amish Midwife's Bargain: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance
by Patrice Lewis
An Uplifting Inspirational Romance
She looks like the perfect bride
But there’s something she’s hiding…
After a broken engagement leads to a terrible mistake, Cara Lengacher needs to start over, and Matthew Miller’s advertisement is a lifeline. She’ll go to Montana, become his mail-order wife and live happily ever after. But as soon as she arrives, her rosy hopes start to dim. Matthew’s parents disapprove of mail-order matches, and his place in the family is now at risk. To help her husband-to-be, she must show that she’ll be a perfect wife. But the secret she’s carrying could ruin everything…
This is Cara Lengacher's story.
This is Matthew Miller’s story.
Cara Lengacher stopped in front of the large, square three-story building. A sign on the street side proclaimed it was Miller’s Boardinghouse. This, she hoped, would be her new home. A little voice inside her asked, what had she gotten herself into?
She had never traveled much, certainly had never been west of the Mississippi. Yet here she was, about to embark upon the adventure of a lifetime.
The last few days were a blur. Her angry father. Her mother, weeping. A taxi ride to the airport. A flight across the country. A bus ride to the tiny town of Pierce, Montana, located on the mountainous western side of the state.
Within a few moments, the door opened and a man stepped out. He eyed her kapp and spoke in Deutsch. “May I help you?”
“Are you Matthew Miller?”
“Ja.”
“I’m Cara Lengacher.”
His eyes widened with a comical mixture of excitement and alarm. “But your bus... I was supposed to pick you up...you’re early!”
Cara hadn’t known what to expect from her future hutband. Certainly she didn’t expect him to be as good-looking as he was: dark blue eyes with laugh lines at the corners, straight brown hair cut short. He was lean and seemed good-humored. She breathed a sigh of relief and offered her most brilliant smile. “Ja, the bus was about an hour earlier than scheduled. I had no way to reach you, so I walked here from the bus stop. It’s a gut thing the town is so small!”
I recommend reading this book..
The Amish Bride's Secret by Patrice Lewis is a wonderful well written 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Patrice Lewis .
Uncovering Her Amish Past: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance (Love Inspired)
by Patrice Lewis
An Amish Marriage Agreement: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance
by Patrice Lewis
The Amish Midwife's Bargain: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance
by Patrice Lewis
March 4, 2025
A hard to put down book. If you enjoy a good, fast Amish fiction read this book is for you.
Cara Lengacher answers an add for a mail order wife. She had recently been left at the alter and needed a change. She has a big secret.
Matthew Miller has placed the ad after a broken engagement. He is ready to find a wife and start a family.
Cara and Matthew seem to get along great but when Cara reveals the big secret will Matthew send her packing? Will their love stand the test ?
Cara Lengacher answers an add for a mail order wife. She had recently been left at the alter and needed a change. She has a big secret.
Matthew Miller has placed the ad after a broken engagement. He is ready to find a wife and start a family.
Cara and Matthew seem to get along great but when Cara reveals the big secret will Matthew send her packing? Will their love stand the test ?
August 13, 2025
I would have given this book a rating of 2.5 stars if I could. The book kept your interest; however, I don’t feel this story accurately depicted the Amish. I usually enjoy reading about mail order brides, but I don’t believe the Amish found wives this way. Deceiving or omission of the truth is not acceptable under any circumstances. Be upfront and truthful always, and trust in God when you are going through difficult times. He will work all things for His good and in His timing.
February 14, 2025
I would give this 3.5 stars if I could.
The story was well written and the storyline was interesting. Good characters kept things interesting. However I struggled with Clara. She came across as quite manipulative. Praying for direction then doing whatever she wanted? As I say, I struggled with her. Maybe that was the point?
If you enjoy Amish fiction give it a read.
The story was well written and the storyline was interesting. Good characters kept things interesting. However I struggled with Clara. She came across as quite manipulative. Praying for direction then doing whatever she wanted? As I say, I struggled with her. Maybe that was the point?
If you enjoy Amish fiction give it a read.
January 24, 2025
A very uplifting book. Well done!!
March 17, 2025
Loved this book. I am excited to read more from Patrice Lewis.
March 20, 2025
Another wonderful book written by Patrice Lewis. I always enjoy reading her books.
May 21, 2025
This was a fun book to rad with a great ending!
Want to read
May 29, 2025E
June 15, 2025
very good book
March 8, 2025
Secrets
While there are reasons for someone to hold onto a secret, there are times when holding onto a secret is not the best thing. How a secret plays out for Cara and Matthew is a mixture of heart-wrenching, heartfelt, and endearing, making this a sweet and touching read.
While there are reasons for someone to hold onto a secret, there are times when holding onto a secret is not the best thing. How a secret plays out for Cara and Matthew is a mixture of heart-wrenching, heartfelt, and endearing, making this a sweet and touching read.
April 17, 2025
A beautiful love story with a religious background, loved it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews