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Land of Promise #1
Miriam's Secret
Bestselling author Jerry S. Eicher (more than 600,000 books sold) brings new characters and surprising challenges to lovers of Amish fiction in the Land of Promise series.
In this first book, Miriam Yoder has a secret. Her compassionate care for Amos Bland during his last days resulted in her receiving a large inheritance. When Ivan Mast indicates his intentions at romance, Miriam suspects he's discovered her hidden wealth and has plans that aren't inspired by his love for her.
Seeking a fresh start where no one knows her, Miriam accepts a teaching position in faraway Oklahoma where she meets Wayne Yutzy, a local greenhouse employee. His interest in her seems genuine and when he proposes, Miriam accepts. Happiness surely awaits the newly engaged couple....or does it?
Book one in the Land of Promise series
In this first book, Miriam Yoder has a secret. Her compassionate care for Amos Bland during his last days resulted in her receiving a large inheritance. When Ivan Mast indicates his intentions at romance, Miriam suspects he's discovered her hidden wealth and has plans that aren't inspired by his love for her.
Seeking a fresh start where no one knows her, Miriam accepts a teaching position in faraway Oklahoma where she meets Wayne Yutzy, a local greenhouse employee. His interest in her seems genuine and when he proposes, Miriam accepts. Happiness surely awaits the newly engaged couple....or does it?
Book one in the Land of Promise series
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2015
38 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Jerry S. Eicher
70 books201 followersJerry Eicher’s bestselling Amish fiction (more than 210,000 in combined sales) includes The Adams County Trilogy, the Hannah’s Heart books, and the Little Valley Series. After a traditional Amish childhood, Jerry taught for two terms in Amish and Mennonite schools in Ohio and Illinois. Since then he’s been involved in church renewal, preaching, and teaching Bible studies. Jerry lives with his wife, Tina Eicher, and their four children in Virginia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
February 16, 2015
What would happen if you unexpectedly won two million dollars? Haven't we all dreamed about how our lives would change and thought about the things we'd buy with our new found money? Now imagine that you are Amish from a proud, poor family that doesn't even believe in selling their wares to the "Englisha" to improve their daily life. Just think how it is to be so poor that you eat potato soup for dinner with a full meal a once a week treat. Or imagine that your oldest daughter must go to work to help support a large family with ten children and one on the way. As sister Shirley exclaims, "The Yoder family is poor, really, really poor and Daett seems to like it that way." That is the premise for the novel Miriam's Secret by Jerry Eicher.
Miriam Yoder, a sweet, kind-hearted girl rooted in the Amish way, has a good paying job helping care for the elderly Mr Bland. The two form a loving father-daughter-like bond so that when the old man dies unexpectedly, Miriam stands to inherit his entire farm which is free and clear from debt. This makes her a wealthy heiress, so that suddenly her plain looks don't matter to potential suitors. Nobody knows, not even her parents, about the additional two million dollars from her inheritance which her lawyer is managing.
Welcome to the mindset of the Amish. What we Englisha would think of as a joy, is only a hurtle to overcome for these god-fearing people who believe in a simple, hardworking lifestyle. Miriam worries over her new found fortune and decides to move from Possum Valley in Holmes County (the busiest Amish tourism center in America), to the quieter Coalgate Community in Oklahoma where her Aunt Fannie is expecting her first child. The Amish in this new homestead welcome Miriam with open arms and her Uncle William's nephew, Wayne Yutsy, seems to appreciate her finer qualities. If only she could be certain that he isn't more interested in her farm than in her personality.
This novel is a quick read and the author is knowledgable about the Amish way of life since he was also raised in an Amish Community. Although the beginning of the book caught my interest, as the plot progressed there was too much repetition of the main character's thoughts surrounding their angsts. While details of life in an Amish community were fascinating, at times the plot dragged. Also, there was no resolution to the major problem addressed, so the story was never completed. Since this is Part One in the Land of Promise series, the reader must wait for the second book to discover what happens next. I'm not a fan of series where each novel can't be read as a stand-alone, so the ending was a disappointment. In essence - Miriam's Secret started with a bang, but petered out to a whimper. However, I am curious enough to want to read the second book to see what the author has in store for Miriam and her family. Three stars due to the above mentioned disappointments.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Harvest House for allowing me to download a free preview of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Miriam Yoder, a sweet, kind-hearted girl rooted in the Amish way, has a good paying job helping care for the elderly Mr Bland. The two form a loving father-daughter-like bond so that when the old man dies unexpectedly, Miriam stands to inherit his entire farm which is free and clear from debt. This makes her a wealthy heiress, so that suddenly her plain looks don't matter to potential suitors. Nobody knows, not even her parents, about the additional two million dollars from her inheritance which her lawyer is managing.
Welcome to the mindset of the Amish. What we Englisha would think of as a joy, is only a hurtle to overcome for these god-fearing people who believe in a simple, hardworking lifestyle. Miriam worries over her new found fortune and decides to move from Possum Valley in Holmes County (the busiest Amish tourism center in America), to the quieter Coalgate Community in Oklahoma where her Aunt Fannie is expecting her first child. The Amish in this new homestead welcome Miriam with open arms and her Uncle William's nephew, Wayne Yutsy, seems to appreciate her finer qualities. If only she could be certain that he isn't more interested in her farm than in her personality.
This novel is a quick read and the author is knowledgable about the Amish way of life since he was also raised in an Amish Community. Although the beginning of the book caught my interest, as the plot progressed there was too much repetition of the main character's thoughts surrounding their angsts. While details of life in an Amish community were fascinating, at times the plot dragged. Also, there was no resolution to the major problem addressed, so the story was never completed. Since this is Part One in the Land of Promise series, the reader must wait for the second book to discover what happens next. I'm not a fan of series where each novel can't be read as a stand-alone, so the ending was a disappointment. In essence - Miriam's Secret started with a bang, but petered out to a whimper. However, I am curious enough to want to read the second book to see what the author has in store for Miriam and her family. Three stars due to the above mentioned disappointments.
I would like to thank Netgalley and Harvest House for allowing me to download a free preview of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2020
Second bonnet ripper in as many weeks, which is quite unusual for me. As to be expected, it follows the tropes, however, this novel actually surprised me a good deal with the deepness of philosophical thought and the maturity shown by the character interactions. It is also the first Amish romance I have read that was written by a man, and by a person who had grown up Amish, also. Perhaps that contributed to the book's authentic flavor and thoughtful tone. This had less than I have come to expect of the semi-voyeuristic 'English people peeking into the fascinating Amish cultural milieu' dynamic. I also liked very much that Miriam's titillating, titular secret had nothing to do with romance or any flavor of sexual misconduct, and that she was successfully written to be a virtuous, likeable character without seeming to lack in depth. Unfortunately, with the exception of her sister Shirley, who is good-naturedly immature, most of the other characters were either blandly flat or fairly unlikeable, especially at the beginning of the story. This improved somewhat in the second half after a change of setting, but still wasn't impressive. I did not enjoy the decision to make Ivan a point-of-view character, especially because the farther his story went the less it had to do with the central characters, and he did not really seem to exhibit any real character growth, merely capitulation to the inevitable. Anyway, I'm not going to start reading any Amish romance I can get my hands on, but this was more enjoyable than several I've read. It's nice.
September 20, 2025
When Miriam's Englisha employer dies, she's saddened but knows that he's with his beloved wife again. What she doesn't expect if him leaving her his farm and $2 million. Her Daett is very traditional in the Amish faith and has drilled into her about money tarnishing things in life, so she only tells her family about the farm. When her former crush hears about the farm, he suddenly acts interested again, even though he has a girlfriend already. Not wanting to marry someone solely because she has a farm, she arranges to go live with her aunt and uncle in a different community. Once there she meets Wayne, and while he has acted interested ever since he met her, she has a hard time believing he could like her and not just her farm. Is it true that her dad is right, and money will cause destruction?
This was a good first book in the series. It set the plot and kept you wanting to read. The only thing that was slightly distracting to me was it used different terminology for Amish words and rituals than other Amish fiction I have read.
This was a good first book in the series. It set the plot and kept you wanting to read. The only thing that was slightly distracting to me was it used different terminology for Amish words and rituals than other Amish fiction I have read.
September 22, 2021
Miriam becomes involved in an inheritance, which is frowned upon in the amish communities.
Author Jerry Eicher has a unique book theme in this novel. Challenges arise. some suspense in this novel makes it very interesting reading for amish fiction. Will Ivan and Jonas still be a part of the sisters lives?
Author Jerry Eicher has a unique book theme in this novel. Challenges arise. some suspense in this novel makes it very interesting reading for amish fiction. Will Ivan and Jonas still be a part of the sisters lives?
July 20, 2025
This wasn’t as good as I had hoped. It ended rather abruptly leaving a lot of questions.
I’ve always admired the Amish for their simple life and Biblical ways. But I guess even they can have drama and troubles. Knowing gossip is a sin, it amazed me how quickly word spread without phones about other’s business.
I’ve always admired the Amish for their simple life and Biblical ways. But I guess even they can have drama and troubles. Knowing gossip is a sin, it amazed me how quickly word spread without phones about other’s business.
June 22, 2017
First in the Pebble Creek Amish series. A schoolteacher and a widowed dad meet when daughter Grace is in her classroom. Although they butt heads at first, they team up to help Grace find her voice. An easy light read but satisfying. This series started in 2012 so I don't have to wait to read more!
August 6, 2017
I've read several books that were Amish fiction but this was the first by this writer. I enjoyed it enough to read the series but I've read ones by other authors that were sooooo much better.
April 30, 2018
Amish at its best
I loved this story as I do with most Amish stories.I was always intrigued. The story always kept me interested
I loved this story as I do with most Amish stories.I was always intrigued. The story always kept me interested
October 26, 2019
A nice light read. I'm looking forward to book 2.
March 15, 2020
Interesting read
I enjoyed this learning about Amish community and have Read this author before and his direct knowledge of Amish life
I enjoyed this learning about Amish community and have Read this author before and his direct knowledge of Amish life
August 15, 2023
Eicher has written another wonderful Amish tale.
December 9, 2024
very good book
November 21, 2014
First of all I would like to thank Harvest House for allowing me to have an advance copy of this book to review. I appreciate their gift to me.
I have read lots of Amish Romance Novels and they all start to blend together after a while, but usually they are a fun read and a wholesome read, nothing too forward in them. So, with Jerry Eicher I was wondering what new twist he might put on an Amish novel. Well, he found a good one and I think that it comes from his having lived in the Amish community as a child. He understands their thoughts and ways and he found a subject that would weave Biblical truths as well as moral values together to help us understand a young woman's desire to serve others, follow God and not succumb to temptation.
The writing is well done and very captivating. I look forward to seeing the final product in print as then I will be able to see the discussion questions that are inserted at the end to help book clubs work through the story and the values that are expounded within.
NOW FOR THE REVIEW:
Miriam Yoder is a fine young Amish woman who has a heart to serve others. She is also the oldest daughter in a family of 10 children, a poor family at that. Her father has a limp that makes working the farm hard, not impossible, but hard. As such he has never made a lot of money, the family lives on a very tight budget. Because of this Miriam feels that she needs to work outside the home. She finds a job doing housekeeping and care giving to an older English gentlemen, Mr. Bland. He has a large farm in their community and is very well taken care of financially.
He offers Miriam the job with a modest salary. As time goes on he gives her raises that are very nice and provides income for her family. She grows to care deeply for Mr. Bland and he cares for her as well. He and his wife never had children and his wife has passed, so all he has left is his sister Rose.
When Mr. Bland dies unexpectedly it is a blow to Miriam, not just because of the loss of a job, but because of a loss of a close friendship. He had come to think of Mr. Bland as a second father to her. His sister Rose is grateful for all she has done for her brother. He tells Miriam that he cared deeply for her and the service she provided was far above what they had hoped for.
Rose picks her up for the funeral. On the way there she tells Miriam that her brother has mentioned Miriam in his will. As such after the funeral Rose and Miriam have an appointment with Mr. Blands attorney. It turns out that Mr. Bland left Miriam his farm and all the land as well as a sum of money to maintain it hopefully forever.
But there is also a second item, he has left her two million dollars in cash. Miriam says she can't take it and it should go to Rose. But she is told that Rose was taken care of by her brother as he provided her with 1/3rd of his entire estate, what Miriam received was equivalent to another 1/3rd and a final 1/3rd was given to charity.
Well to say that this changes Miriam's life and future is an understatement. What is an Amish woman to do with such a gift? Who does she tell? Will the money corrupt her? Will men seek her hand in marriage because of the fortune? What was God thinking?
This makes for a great story. I won't give anymore away, but it will be a test of faith and character for Miriam that will encourage your heart as you see her resolve to deal honorably with the gift.
Enjoy!
I have read lots of Amish Romance Novels and they all start to blend together after a while, but usually they are a fun read and a wholesome read, nothing too forward in them. So, with Jerry Eicher I was wondering what new twist he might put on an Amish novel. Well, he found a good one and I think that it comes from his having lived in the Amish community as a child. He understands their thoughts and ways and he found a subject that would weave Biblical truths as well as moral values together to help us understand a young woman's desire to serve others, follow God and not succumb to temptation.
The writing is well done and very captivating. I look forward to seeing the final product in print as then I will be able to see the discussion questions that are inserted at the end to help book clubs work through the story and the values that are expounded within.
NOW FOR THE REVIEW:
Miriam Yoder is a fine young Amish woman who has a heart to serve others. She is also the oldest daughter in a family of 10 children, a poor family at that. Her father has a limp that makes working the farm hard, not impossible, but hard. As such he has never made a lot of money, the family lives on a very tight budget. Because of this Miriam feels that she needs to work outside the home. She finds a job doing housekeeping and care giving to an older English gentlemen, Mr. Bland. He has a large farm in their community and is very well taken care of financially.
He offers Miriam the job with a modest salary. As time goes on he gives her raises that are very nice and provides income for her family. She grows to care deeply for Mr. Bland and he cares for her as well. He and his wife never had children and his wife has passed, so all he has left is his sister Rose.
When Mr. Bland dies unexpectedly it is a blow to Miriam, not just because of the loss of a job, but because of a loss of a close friendship. He had come to think of Mr. Bland as a second father to her. His sister Rose is grateful for all she has done for her brother. He tells Miriam that he cared deeply for her and the service she provided was far above what they had hoped for.
Rose picks her up for the funeral. On the way there she tells Miriam that her brother has mentioned Miriam in his will. As such after the funeral Rose and Miriam have an appointment with Mr. Blands attorney. It turns out that Mr. Bland left Miriam his farm and all the land as well as a sum of money to maintain it hopefully forever.
But there is also a second item, he has left her two million dollars in cash. Miriam says she can't take it and it should go to Rose. But she is told that Rose was taken care of by her brother as he provided her with 1/3rd of his entire estate, what Miriam received was equivalent to another 1/3rd and a final 1/3rd was given to charity.
Well to say that this changes Miriam's life and future is an understatement. What is an Amish woman to do with such a gift? Who does she tell? Will the money corrupt her? Will men seek her hand in marriage because of the fortune? What was God thinking?
This makes for a great story. I won't give anymore away, but it will be a test of faith and character for Miriam that will encourage your heart as you see her resolve to deal honorably with the gift.
Enjoy!
June 2, 2015
Miriam is an Amish girl who has a heart of gold. She is always eager to help out. She knows her family is very poor and decides she needs to find work to help with finances. Miriam gets a job taking care of an Englisher. At first her father is not happy with this arrangement but let's Miriam continue working because the family needs her wages.
One morning as she is fixing breakfast , she realizes how quiet it is outside on the porch where Mr. Banks went to wait for his meal. He loves being out there in the fresh air. She goes out to check on him and finds that he has passed away. Miriam had gotten very close to him and thought of him like a second father. After the shock of finding him begins to hurt less she contacts his sister.
After the funeral is complete, Miriam finds out that Mr. Banks has left something to her in his will. He has left her with one of the finest farms around and 2,000,000 in cash. Miriam is stunned and now must decide what to do.
After much discussion and hurtful words exchanged between her and her father, Miriam decides to give the farm to her father and mother. She knows this will be a blessing for them and hopefully her father won't worry so much about finances.
There is a secret though that she has not told anyone about. She decides to keep this secret to herself as now one of the young men in the community has suddenly become interested in her. Miriam has many sleepless nights and decides to take her sister with her to Oklahoma to help her aunt out who is expecting a child soon.
Mr. Eicher has written another beautiful Amish story rich in values and struggles. I love how the story shows us that the love of money can change people and can sometimes make us do things that hurt others. He has captured a strong independent woman in Miriam. Will she finally find true love in Oklahoma or back home? Is the attention she is getting because of her wealth? What happens if her secret is revealed? This book has everything you have come to expect from a gifted writer like Mr. Either. He takes us thru hardship , greed, forgiveness and a hope at true love. I can't wait for the next book in this series. Well done Mr. Eicher. ( )
flagHarley0326 | Jun 2, 2015 | edit |
November 16, 2016
Miriam has inherited a debt-free farm and money. What a blessing, you say? But Miriam is Amish and from a poor but proud family, who considers the money being a big deceiver of the hearts. And the money quite seems so...seeing her sister Shirley adoring a young rich Englisha man and her former boyfriend making the eyes on her once again - when he realized she is going to inherit the nice farm. So Miriam is unable to tell anybody about the larger part of the inheritance - two million dollars.
The trip to Oklahoma to serve the aunt expecting her first child seems like a way out of the sisters´ troubles. And maybe a new community has more to offer than just an escape!
There is surely something sweet about this novel. I realize that Jerry S. Eicher is a best-selling author and this sweetness might be the reason for it!
The Amish community in this novel is a picture of a pure at heart community (as the Amish novels tend to be) and he sure can offer a lot of encouragement on our road to perfection = to be the image of God.
But, unfortunately, I haven´t understood the terribleness of this secret. Surely you can tell your loving parents about the monetary inheritance and surely the parents could help you to find the suitable charity to give the money to, if you don´t wish to keep them? Also there is a question of moral integrity - Miriam was very clear in telling on her sister Shirley about her love affairs, because she wished to protect her (and I understand that), but she was dishonest about her own issues.
Maybe because I was not able to understand Miriam, I was not able to connect with her.
And certain black-and-whiteness of the characters doesn´t help the case of connecting with the characters of this novel. The only exception is young and wild Shirley, who is much more human and also shows the process of the character building the most from all of the characters.
Having said all that, this was not a bad read. I appreciate some of the moral messages and the food for thought on the moral integrity.
The trip to Oklahoma to serve the aunt expecting her first child seems like a way out of the sisters´ troubles. And maybe a new community has more to offer than just an escape!
There is surely something sweet about this novel. I realize that Jerry S. Eicher is a best-selling author and this sweetness might be the reason for it!
The Amish community in this novel is a picture of a pure at heart community (as the Amish novels tend to be) and he sure can offer a lot of encouragement on our road to perfection = to be the image of God.
But, unfortunately, I haven´t understood the terribleness of this secret. Surely you can tell your loving parents about the monetary inheritance and surely the parents could help you to find the suitable charity to give the money to, if you don´t wish to keep them? Also there is a question of moral integrity - Miriam was very clear in telling on her sister Shirley about her love affairs, because she wished to protect her (and I understand that), but she was dishonest about her own issues.
Maybe because I was not able to understand Miriam, I was not able to connect with her.
And certain black-and-whiteness of the characters doesn´t help the case of connecting with the characters of this novel. The only exception is young and wild Shirley, who is much more human and also shows the process of the character building the most from all of the characters.
Having said all that, this was not a bad read. I appreciate some of the moral messages and the food for thought on the moral integrity.
December 4, 2014
I discovered Jerry S. Eicher's Amish fiction several years ago and his books never disappoint me but they do always surprise me. Jerry does not write the typical Amish fiction. This one is no different as Miriam inherits a HUGE fortune along with the family farm from Mr. Bland, the elderly gentleman she had been caring for in his home. She tells others about the farm but keeps a secret of the even greater fortune she has inherited. When she decides to leave town and go to Oklahoma and visit with her Aunt and Uncle to be the helper when she has their first baby, she takes wayward sister, Shirley. along with her. Shirley has been dating an Englisch boy and promises her parents to give him up but doesn't. Miriam thinks going far away for a while may help both of them. I really like Miriam, she is mature and independent. Generally the Amish fathers make all the decisions but she is the one to suggest they go away. It must have been a scary decision to leave all that one knows and travel clear across the country to the great unknown. I have great admiration for Miriam. Living in Oklahoma brings with it new excitement for Miriam and she loves living there. She falls in love and begins teaching in the Amish one-room school. Shirley is still immature and does not seem to find her happiness so easily. I love the surprises that Jerry Eicher brings to this book and I won't spoil the story for the reader by revealing too much. I have always fantasized myself about just running off somewhere unknown and experiencing life, but that has not happened for me so I was able to live vicariously through Miriam.
I rate this book 5 stars and highly recommend it to readers. This is book one in the Land of Promise Series and I am very excitedly anticipating the other two books in the series.
I received a pdf version of this book from netgalley and the publishers, Harvest House, in exchange for my honest review.
I rate this book 5 stars and highly recommend it to readers. This is book one in the Land of Promise Series and I am very excitedly anticipating the other two books in the series.
I received a pdf version of this book from netgalley and the publishers, Harvest House, in exchange for my honest review.
April 17, 2015
“I may be tempted at times by the promises money makes, Shirley. But in my heart I know those promises aren’t true.”
I have a deep respect and almost an awe in those that live in the simplicity of life. That is what makes books like this so attractive to me. Miriam the eldest of the Yoder family has been blessed with an inheritance from an aging English man that she took care for several years. Growing up, Miriam’s father saw how the evil of money destroyed men and women. He does not want any part of money’s lure; however he works hard to provide for his family. He deals with pride when faced with Miriam’s inheritance.
With the inheritance of the farm, how will it affect Miriam’s family and the community she lives in? Will people treat her differently? Will she change? Miriam’s sister Shirley sees money differently than her family and she sees the good but is also pulled with temptation. Miriam is troubled with the responsibility of the inheritance so when an opportunity to go to Oklahoma to help an Aunt with a new baby both sisters go to Oklahoma for a new start. Miriam is with a secret and can she learn to trust to share it. Keeping the secret has its own set of turmoil for Miriam as she works this out. Money can and does reveal the heart of women and men. Both sisters are learning to trust and I love how all that is played out in their story.
Where we lack trust, we are not free to love. The trust in the Lord helps us to love others because whatever outcome, we can trust that the Lord’s hand is in it. This is not a free for all trust. Trust is with its boundaries and Miriam and Shirley’s stories reflect that as well.
A Special Thank you to Harvest House Publishers and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
I have a deep respect and almost an awe in those that live in the simplicity of life. That is what makes books like this so attractive to me. Miriam the eldest of the Yoder family has been blessed with an inheritance from an aging English man that she took care for several years. Growing up, Miriam’s father saw how the evil of money destroyed men and women. He does not want any part of money’s lure; however he works hard to provide for his family. He deals with pride when faced with Miriam’s inheritance.
With the inheritance of the farm, how will it affect Miriam’s family and the community she lives in? Will people treat her differently? Will she change? Miriam’s sister Shirley sees money differently than her family and she sees the good but is also pulled with temptation. Miriam is troubled with the responsibility of the inheritance so when an opportunity to go to Oklahoma to help an Aunt with a new baby both sisters go to Oklahoma for a new start. Miriam is with a secret and can she learn to trust to share it. Keeping the secret has its own set of turmoil for Miriam as she works this out. Money can and does reveal the heart of women and men. Both sisters are learning to trust and I love how all that is played out in their story.
Where we lack trust, we are not free to love. The trust in the Lord helps us to love others because whatever outcome, we can trust that the Lord’s hand is in it. This is not a free for all trust. Trust is with its boundaries and Miriam and Shirley’s stories reflect that as well.
A Special Thank you to Harvest House Publishers and Netgalley for ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
January 18, 2016
Suggested Age: 13+:Nothing graphic or inappropriate but likely enjoyed more by an older audience.
Miriam’s Secret is the first book in the Land of Promise Trilogy by Jerry Eicher. I always enjoy reading Mr. Eicher’s books, I feel there’s a certain authenticity to how the Amish speak in his books. This is likely due to the fact that Mr. Eicher had been raised Amish and thus, it just reads as very authentic.
This story has really nice flow to it and while it’s not very suspenseful, I found that I’ve an interest in how their lives are going to turn out and I keep turning the pages to find out.
The only thing that slightly bothered me is how often the amount of money is mentioned rather than just saying, “the money” and in the grand scheme of things it didn’t take away from the story in any way.
I want to know how these characters turn out. I really don’t trust Wayne and I was so mad at Ivan I could have smacked him. Laura infuriates me…
Despite the lack of suspense, I’m very emotionally invested in these characters and I really cannot wait to see how the rest of the books turn out. I will say, I’m almost done with book two and things have gotten very interesting! Be sure to check back in the next few days for my review and thoughts on A Blessing for Miriam. If you thought book one sort of dragged…just wait. You won’t be disappointed.
Click for All Land of Promise Reviews
I received this book or product for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Miriam’s Secret is the first book in the Land of Promise Trilogy by Jerry Eicher. I always enjoy reading Mr. Eicher’s books, I feel there’s a certain authenticity to how the Amish speak in his books. This is likely due to the fact that Mr. Eicher had been raised Amish and thus, it just reads as very authentic.
This story has really nice flow to it and while it’s not very suspenseful, I found that I’ve an interest in how their lives are going to turn out and I keep turning the pages to find out.
The only thing that slightly bothered me is how often the amount of money is mentioned rather than just saying, “the money” and in the grand scheme of things it didn’t take away from the story in any way.
I want to know how these characters turn out. I really don’t trust Wayne and I was so mad at Ivan I could have smacked him. Laura infuriates me…
Despite the lack of suspense, I’m very emotionally invested in these characters and I really cannot wait to see how the rest of the books turn out. I will say, I’m almost done with book two and things have gotten very interesting! Be sure to check back in the next few days for my review and thoughts on A Blessing for Miriam. If you thought book one sort of dragged…just wait. You won’t be disappointed.
Click for All Land of Promise Reviews
I received this book or product for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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April 19, 2015Jerry Eicher brought a new twist into the regular Amish romance scheme: Miriam inherits quite unexpectedly a huge farm and $2 million from an elderly English man she worked for. The gift that was supposed to be a blessing seems to turn into a burden both for Miriam and her family - and her parents don´t know the full extent of it yet.
Miriam decides to move to help out her aunt partly to escape the trouble, partly to help her younger sister to sever her ties to a young man whose family left the Amish years ago. Still, the burden of her secret and her worries about people accepting her just for her wealth follow her to Oklahoma.
Miriam´s Secret was in a way more about money than about love, which was not a bad thing. It was very interesting to follow what wealth or money or even just the idea of it can do to people and how it influences their thinking and behavior. I appreciated very much the complexity of Jerry Eicher´s outlook at this topic. His characters are not black or white, they come in warious shades of grey, just as real people.
I was offered a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Miriam decides to move to help out her aunt partly to escape the trouble, partly to help her younger sister to sever her ties to a young man whose family left the Amish years ago. Still, the burden of her secret and her worries about people accepting her just for her wealth follow her to Oklahoma.
Miriam´s Secret was in a way more about money than about love, which was not a bad thing. It was very interesting to follow what wealth or money or even just the idea of it can do to people and how it influences their thinking and behavior. I appreciated very much the complexity of Jerry Eicher´s outlook at this topic. His characters are not black or white, they come in warious shades of grey, just as real people.
I was offered a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 10, 2015
Received an advanced copy from Harvest House and NetGalley.com
My Review: 4.5 Stars
Miriam has the heart of gold and takes care of Amos Bland who is an English gentlemen until his death. Miriam finds out after his funeral by his sister that he has left her with a large inheritance. What should Miriam do? The Amish doesn’t live this way. Then there is her sister who is finding love in all the wrong places. They leave their home and go to Oklahoma to get away and to help a family member who is expecting a baby. What will happen to Miriam and her sister while they are in Oklahoma. Will they find love and make a new life or will they go back home with a broken heart?
This was my first book by Jerry S. Eicher and I have to say that I loved this writer! I would put him up there with Wanda E. Brunstetter (who is my all time favorite Amish writer). I will have to look for more books by Jerry S. Eicher because he has a new fan!
Thank you Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley.com for allowing me that chance to read this book and review it.
My Review: 4.5 Stars
Miriam has the heart of gold and takes care of Amos Bland who is an English gentlemen until his death. Miriam finds out after his funeral by his sister that he has left her with a large inheritance. What should Miriam do? The Amish doesn’t live this way. Then there is her sister who is finding love in all the wrong places. They leave their home and go to Oklahoma to get away and to help a family member who is expecting a baby. What will happen to Miriam and her sister while they are in Oklahoma. Will they find love and make a new life or will they go back home with a broken heart?
This was my first book by Jerry S. Eicher and I have to say that I loved this writer! I would put him up there with Wanda E. Brunstetter (who is my all time favorite Amish writer). I will have to look for more books by Jerry S. Eicher because he has a new fan!
Thank you Harvest House Publishers and NetGalley.com for allowing me that chance to read this book and review it.
May 6, 2015
Miriam’s Secret is the first book in Jerry’s NEW Land of Promise series.
Jerry Eicher has begun another wonderful, true to life Amish series!
As usual, it’s full of emotion and difficult choices…
When the man Miriam is hired to care for dies, she is surprised to learn that she has inherited a huge fortune, along with his family farm.
Having grown up in an Amish home and teaching in Amish schoolhouses, Jerry Eicher knows very well the ways of an Amish community. This is such a unique situation – I can’t imagine this happens often to young Amish girls.
But you can see her faith in the choices she makes…
I don’t want to give anything away, so I’m going to tread lightly here… but it’s a great story!
From the first word, this story will draw you in – and it won’t let you go until the last page. Whether it is the superb writing or the wonderful plot, you will find this book impossible to put down… and if you’re like me, you’ll be wishing the second book was available the moment you finish the first book!
Don’t miss this wonderful new series – the Land of Promise!
Jerry Eicher has begun another wonderful, true to life Amish series!
As usual, it’s full of emotion and difficult choices…
When the man Miriam is hired to care for dies, she is surprised to learn that she has inherited a huge fortune, along with his family farm.
Having grown up in an Amish home and teaching in Amish schoolhouses, Jerry Eicher knows very well the ways of an Amish community. This is such a unique situation – I can’t imagine this happens often to young Amish girls.
But you can see her faith in the choices she makes…
I don’t want to give anything away, so I’m going to tread lightly here… but it’s a great story!
From the first word, this story will draw you in – and it won’t let you go until the last page. Whether it is the superb writing or the wonderful plot, you will find this book impossible to put down… and if you’re like me, you’ll be wishing the second book was available the moment you finish the first book!
Don’t miss this wonderful new series – the Land of Promise!
August 10, 2015
This is the first in the land of promise series. Miriam comes from a dirt poor Amish family and they need her income to put food on the table as the 11th child is being born. She works taking care of an eldery man, when he dies she is given his farm and 2 million dollars. Her father has never accepted help and tells her to give the farm away, she does to him and makes it so he can't legally get rid of it. He says when she gets married the farm will go back to her. She keeps the money a secret. Her former boyfriend wants to leave his current girlfriend and get back together. Her sister is talking to a rich man who has left the Amish so she and her sister leave the state to live with a relative. Miriam finds loves and a job as a school teacher there. It got really tiresome reading about what a burden having a debt free farm and money is and how she can't accept what it might do to her. It seems even the Amish could figure out a way to be happy about having enough money to feed their family and still live lift in a hardworking, meaningful way.
June 10, 2015
Miriam juggles her fears about her financial windfall along with her concern for her unpredictable and flighty sister Shirley with believable stress, always searching for God’s will as a guide rather than her feelings. Shirley’s rumspringa romance with an English boy, as well as her need to be the center of attention, promise more drama in books to come.
Miriam is terrified when she learns that she has inherited a farm and $2 million from an elderly English man for whom she has worked. Her father’s frequent admonishments about the evils of money make it difficult for her to be completely honest with her family. Giving her parents the farm helps her family’s impoverishment, but when a former suitor learns that Miriam will get the farm back when she marries, she distrusts his renewed attentions. (HARVEST HOUSE, Mar., 352 pp., $13.99)
Reviewed by:
Kerry Sutherland
- See more at: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-rev...
Miriam is terrified when she learns that she has inherited a farm and $2 million from an elderly English man for whom she has worked. Her father’s frequent admonishments about the evils of money make it difficult for her to be completely honest with her family. Giving her parents the farm helps her family’s impoverishment, but when a former suitor learns that Miriam will get the farm back when she marries, she distrusts his renewed attentions. (HARVEST HOUSE, Mar., 352 pp., $13.99)
Reviewed by:
Kerry Sutherland
- See more at: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-rev...
January 22, 2015
Miriam's Secret is an amazing book. Author Jerry S. Eicher has written a captivating, intriguing and uncomparable book. He writes an unusual but most interesting storyline. The details and descriptions make me feel I'm experiencing what's happening with the characters. I love the characters and enjoyed reading this fabulous book. Jerry S. Eicher has a different style of Amish writing and it was a joy to read Miriam's Secret. If you haven't read one of his books, you don't know the great books you're missing. Miriam's Secret is Book One in the Land of Promise series. I can't wait until Book Two comes out.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.
February 5, 2016
Plain Miriam receives a substantial inheritance from an Englisher at the same time her long time friend Ivan seems interested in romantic pursuit until....
Miriam can't bring herself to tell the whole story of the inheritance.
Heartbroken, Miriam and her very pretty, 'though too adventurous, sister go to OK to help their pregnant aunt.
Wayne pays attention to Miriam who is cautious because of past experience.
Miriam's sister is glad for her but can't figure out why he's ignoring her. Suddenly she leaves to return to OH. Who and what is waiting for her there?
Not a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat story, but as situations/ circumstances unfold it kept my interest. Pleasant story. Nice to read in the evening.
Miriam can't bring herself to tell the whole story of the inheritance.
Heartbroken, Miriam and her very pretty, 'though too adventurous, sister go to OK to help their pregnant aunt.
Wayne pays attention to Miriam who is cautious because of past experience.
Miriam's sister is glad for her but can't figure out why he's ignoring her. Suddenly she leaves to return to OH. Who and what is waiting for her there?
Not a sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat story, but as situations/ circumstances unfold it kept my interest. Pleasant story. Nice to read in the evening.
March 13, 2015
Another delightful book by Jerry S. Eicher. The story shows peoples true colors when money or land is involved. When the gentleman that Miriam is taking care of passes away he leaves her a generous gift. The boy that Miriam loved chose someone else but when he finds out about the land he wants Miriam back. Miriam and her sister leave town to help a family member where she meets and nice young man. She is reluctant to trust him but eventually she tells him and he likes her for her and not her money or land. I think we can all relate to this story in one way or another. Jerry pulls the readers in and leaves them wanting more. I can't wait to read the next book.
October 13, 2015
I have read many of author Jerry Eicher's Amish fiction books. I enjoy his style of writing, with well rounded characters and enjoyable story lines.
Miriam's Secret is the first book in the Land of Promise series. I must say this author developed a very intriguing story line, one of which I had never read before in an Amish fiction book. The plot thickened page after page. When I got to the end of the story for me it was, wait, what happens next? To find out, I will have to read book two, A Blessing For Miriam. No problem, I am patiently waiting for it to arrive.
Pick up a copy of Miriam's Secret, sit back and enjoy. I highly recommend it.
Miriam's Secret is the first book in the Land of Promise series. I must say this author developed a very intriguing story line, one of which I had never read before in an Amish fiction book. The plot thickened page after page. When I got to the end of the story for me it was, wait, what happens next? To find out, I will have to read book two, A Blessing For Miriam. No problem, I am patiently waiting for it to arrive.
Pick up a copy of Miriam's Secret, sit back and enjoy. I highly recommend it.
July 30, 2015
This was such a good book....filled with the ups-and-downs of life. I could relate with a lot of thoughts that Miriam was going through. And I liked the energy that Shirley had, if you can call it that. More like impulsiveness, I guess. She meant well but just could not keep her vows she made to her family. As the story goes on, Miriam found a new beau, Wayne, who sounds like the best man ever. This book ended perfectly, with Wayne proposing marriage to Miriam. Yay! Looking forward to Jerry Eicher's sequel book, A Blessing for Miriam.
December 19, 2014
Miriam’s Secret is another Amish story written by Jerry Eicher. I have read by Eicher and this one just had a different feel to it than his other works, as well as, other Amish books written by other authors.
Which I thought was refreshing to read a unique Amish story. I had no idea where Eicher was taking this one. I thought the book was pretty good. I like the characters, the setting, and, again, the unique story.
I recommend it.
4 ½ stars.
Which I thought was refreshing to read a unique Amish story. I had no idea where Eicher was taking this one. I thought the book was pretty good. I like the characters, the setting, and, again, the unique story.
I recommend it.
4 ½ stars.
January 29, 2015
An Awesome Amish series. This is the first book in a new series by Jerry Eicher. It has a unique story line. This is the first of his books that I have read and I will definitely be reading more. I loved the Spiritual thread through this one. I found it difficult to put the book down. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series. I was given a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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