Plain Return: The Plain Fame Series, Book 4

Plain Fame #4

by Sarah Price

Amanda Beiler, a young woman raised Amish, is determined to make her marriage to internationally beloved Cuban singer Alejandro Diaz work. Since they spend more time apart than together, she decides to join her superstar husband in the spotlight and accompany him on his South American tour.

Despite their deep love for each other, the pressures of maintaining Alejandro's fame and the media's constant hounding begin to take a toll on the young couple. When someone from his past makes a startling appearance during the tour, Amanda is forced to face not only the complexities of his hedonistic past - and the unexpected responsibilities that accompany it - but also her own desire to return to a simple life rooted in devotion to family and God. As Amanda's needs start to conflict with Alejandro's obligations, the couple must decide if their love is strong enough to save their new marriage.

Genres: Amish, Romance, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Contemporary

Audible Audio

First published October 20, 2015

About the author

ECPA Christian Fiction Bestseller (June 2014, July 2014)

Amazon Top 100 Author for Books & eBooks (January 2016, September 2013, August 2013, May 2013, April 2013, February 2013, January 2013, December 2012)
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The author of over 30 novels, Sarah Price publishes with Realms, an imprint of Charisma House and Waterfall, an imprint of Brilliance Audio.

Her book, An Empty Cup, was #3 on Amazon Top 100 eBooks in January 2016.

Follow her on social media:
Blog:http://www.sarahpriceauthor.com.
Facebook: http://facebook.com/fansofsarahprice.
Instagram: @SarahPriceAuthor
Twitter: @SarahPriceAuthr
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/SarahPrice

FAMILY HERITAGE

During the early 1700s, the Preiss family arrived in America aboard an old sailing vessel called the Patience. The family left Europe, escaping Catholic persecution for their Anabaptist beliefs. Sarah Price comes from a long line of devout Mennonites, including numerous church leaders and ministers throughout the years.

In 1969, Sarah Price was born in Pennsylvania and lived on the land of her ancestors, Johannes Preiss and "King Tammany", otherwise known as Tamanend, a chief of the Lenni Lenape nation in the Delaware Valley.

In the early 1970s, her family moved to Morristown, New Jersey where she still resides with her husband, two children, and assortment of animals.

Ms. Price has advanced degrees in Communication (MA), Marketing (MBA), and Educational Leadership (PhD).

Ms. Price was a former full-time college professor. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, she now writes full-time.

Reviews

[Samantha Barron · Rating 2 out of 5]

This being the 4th book in the series, the writing was obviously good enough to keep me hooked. Unfortunately, I'm finding that I like each new book less and less. The first one was very unique and interesting. The second one drove home a lot of the problems and was also entertaining. However, as the books progress I start to despise the main characters.

I find Alejandro to be incredibly demeaning, demanding, and downright rude in his treatment of Amanda. No good person, Christian or not, can be this blase about lifelong beliefs held by your spouse. He constantly forces her into situations he knows she won't enjoy and uses his "love" as the reason. This is an abusive relationship!

What also pissed me off if that he makes it up to her by doing things he thinks are nice without any regard as to what she wants. He throws her parties she doesn't want, buys her stuff she feels awkward about, and other stuff that only makes him feel better and not her.

However, she's not blameless either. People can only treat you like crap if you let them. The amount of times she said something to the effect of, "He loves me and I love him, so I'll do it" drove me CRAZY!!!

I have not yet finished Book 4 but I have found some spoilers about it. I can't decide if it's going to make me sad or unbelievable angry. Either way, I am tired of people saying how amazing Alejandro is. He's a disrespectful jerk!

Furthermore, why on earth is he so hell-bent on forcing her into his spotlight. I can't think of any celebrities that make this spouses go on all their interviews, do their own press, perform in their shows, etc. It's just crazy. She's not the First Lady!

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

Actual Rating: 4.75

This was an amazing read. This was my first series that had themes of the Amish lifestyle. I have to say that this book had me hooked from the first page. I loved how Sarah Price incorporates Faith into her books. It made me love the story more. This book was the continuation of the marriage of Alejandro and Amanda's love story.

They were great characters. Alejandro "Viper" Diaz is a Cuban singer who is known for his bad boy image. However, in real life, he is a polite gentleman. He is a sexy, confident person and definitely qualifies as boyfriend material. However, in this book, I saw him become more protective that ever. He also wants her safe and around her. It is different than what I read at the beginning of the series.

Amanda is an Amish girl who is trying to make her marriage work. In this book, I start to see how insecure she is about herself because she has not been with him for the whole time while he was on tour. I thought that added another layer to her character. She is a very sweet and kind girl, but she also feels insecure. Especially when women try to steal her husband from her.

I love their chemistry and their feelings were very genuine. I was shocked when Alejandro's daughter was brought to the hotel room for Amanda and himself to take care of because her mother died of a drug overdose . I was sad when Alejandro left Amanda at the end . The ending was sad.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't see it coming!!

This is what we all been waiting for , but this has to be the best. , But then with each of Sarah's books I say this. This number 4 book of the series has me wondering what was this leading up to ? Then oh goodness it shocked me ,I was not expecting what happens next. I can hardly wait for the next book in the series. This couple has captured me and many of Sarah's fans . A great clean and Christian series ,you will love it. Please read the other three and you will not be sorry.

[ANNETTE · Rating 3 out of 5]

4th book in series ~
A very stressful time for Amanda who just got married and learning English life styles. I enjoyed this book and will continue to read book 5
Amanda just found out her husband has a young child and learning to love and care for her.

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dragging this story on hasn't done these characters any favors! I feel this continuing story is just an Amazon gift card crusher.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda is giving life on the road with Alejandro a go. She's not too happy about it but she's making the best of it. Alejandro is kept busy with the shows & the little time he spends with Amanda is on the stage during their little dances & interviews. It's not enough time for Amanda but she's accepting of the fact that this life is Alejandro's passion. They get into their routine until they are surprised with a blast from Alejandro's past. With this Amanda has to reevaluate and Alejandro, well he just doesn't cope well with it at all.

Amanda makes her way back home to Pennsylvania, against Alejandro's wishes, and settles in their with their little surprise. Things begin to thrive for Amanda & the new little one and when Alejandro makes a surprise visit he's a little put off by it all.

Can the 2 of them make it through this new wrinkle in their lives? Amanda made a hard choice, only to have to make another and Alejandro, well it's now his turn to do some should searching & make a choice. Will he make the one that keeps them together?

I was provided with an ARC, from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

[Jeanette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely delighted when I discovered that there was another book in the Plain Fame series. Just as the first three, I absolutely loved the romance and all the ups and downs between Amanda and Alejandro. It certainly stirred my emotions towards the end.

I very rarely write a blurb as to what a story is about for fear of spoiling for others. For anyone who enjoys a good Amish series, I can highly recommend the Plain Fame. I was so pleased to discover that there will be a book 5 (Plain Choice) which I cannot wait to read.

I received an e-copy of Plain Return via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Nicki Rhode keck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, but I'm glad there is going to be a book 5 because the ending left me feeling depressed. I know this is a mark of a good series, but wow! I just want to know what happens. I hated the ending, and the only redeeming thing about that ending was I know there will be a book 5. Otherwise, it kept me hooked, and again, I want to know the rest of the story, now!

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh I just loved this series of books

But I did have to take a star off because they keep ending in a cliffhanger and I hate that you have to buy the next book to find out what happened. Thank goodness that all the books are available on kindle unlimited.

[Fiction Aficionado · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the fourth novel in the ‘Plain Fame’ series, and it follows on directly from the end of the previous book. This review will contain spoilers if you haven’t read the first three books in this series. That said, I strongly suggest that you read my reviews for the previous three novels (‘Plain Fame’, ‘Plain Change’, and ‘Plain Again,’) before deciding whether this is a series worthy of the investment of your time.

I commented at the end of my review for the previous book that I was beginning to feel this series was becoming more of a cautionary tale (albeit a very protracted one) than a romance. I still feel that the concept of a young Amish girl and a Cuban hip-hop star meeting and falling in love is a great premise for a novel, but so far I have been very disappointed with the series (which is marketed as Christian fiction) for a number of reasons:

1. Throughout all four novels published to date, the hero (Alejandro) writes and performs explicit and sensual songs, but also professes to have faith in God. So far there is nothing in any of the novels to suggest that these two things are incompatible.
2. The heroine (Amanda) leaves her Amish community and marries Alejandro, ignoring her discomfort with his music and Englische lifestyle, because the strength of her feelings supposedly left her no choice. Her attempts at justifying this decision show a shallow understanding of Scripture.
3. There is a high level of sensuality in the series, despite its ‘closed door’ policy, some of which is describing Alejandro’s interactions with other women.

I began the series thinking that the simplicity and purity of the Amish life would reach out to Alejandro and lead him to re-evaluate his life. Instead, I have watched Amanda compromise her own values more and more in an attempt to fit into Alejandro’s world, all because Alejandro ‘makes her feel like a princess’. Ironically, the man who ‘makes her feel like a princess’ has shown little regard for Amanda’s discomfort with the demands placed on her, and in this book it all begins to come to a head.

So far, Amanda has had to make concessions regarding her clothing, shoes, drinking alcohol, and dancing with Alejandro in public. She regularly watches her husband ‘gyrating’ with female dancers in his concerts and videos, his hands all over their bodies, their mouths less than an inch apart (if you’re getting uncomfortable reading this, I strongly suggest you give the whole series a miss!) He demands that Amanda accompany him on his concert tours, resenting the time she has spent helping out on her parents’ farm following her father’s accident. He deliberately used video footage of her in one of his performances (without her prior knowledge) that shows a close up of her bereft expression as she watches him dance seductively with another woman (because he knew she would say ‘no’ if he asked). But don’t worry folks, it’s all just part of the Viper image, not the real Alejandro. Little does Amanda realise how much more confronting everything will be in South America.

Needless to say, I could see this coming a mile off. Surprise, surprise, Amanda is struggling. She’s noticed that Alejandro never reads the Bible, despite his profession of faith. She admits (to herself) that although his mother raised him to respect God, he chose a path that was as far from godly and righteous as a path could be, and does not attend church. She acknowledges that her love for him is matched by his power over her – that he overwhelms her with his sensual gestures and glances. But still, the huge red warning light and blaring siren don’t seem to register. And that is why she once again gives in when Alejandro informs her (not asks, you will note) that she will be joining him on stage and dancing with him for ‘her’ song – and wearing a far less modest dress than she would like.

If I thought Alejandro’s lack of consideration and respect for Amanda was evident in the previous books, then this one put it on a whole new level. I won’t spoil the story by listing the worst of the examples, but suffice it to say I was almost in tears at the heartlessness of his attitude and his complete inability to see beyond himself (and just a warning, you are really left hanging at the end of this book, so in the event that you finish this review and still want to read the book, consider waiting until the fifth one is out). He repeatedly uses guilt to manipulate Amanda into falling in line with his wishes. He performs sensually with other women again and again, and yet gets irate with the dancing instructor HE HIRED and forced Amanda to take lesson from when he catches them doing a few impromptu dance movements backstage to help Amanda gain more confidence. And the way he handles the ‘someone from his past’ just left me gobsmacked. To be honest, I’m struggling to find anything to like about him after this book.

And yet, in all of this, never does it enter Amanda’s head that perhaps she has followed her own will, not God’s, in marrying Alejandro; that perhaps this is why the Bible exhorts us not to be ‘unequally yoked’. In fact, there are several points throughout the novel where she maintains that this is all part of God’s plan. She even goes so far as to say, “She knew now that God had placed her on that street corner, where she’d been so unfamiliar with traffic lights, and guided her into the path of Alejandro’s car.” Say what now?! There are a number of reasons I think this is an unbiblical conclusion to reach.

Firstly, it negates free will. It suggests that God is a master puppeteer in the sky orchestrating every person’s movement. It is precisely this idea that causes people to label God as cruel, because if it is true, then every bad thing that has ever happened can also be laid at God’s feet. It leads people to ask, “If God is so good, why does he allow bad things to happen?” The fact is, people can choose to act contrary to God’s will. God can guide us, to the extent that we actually give him any room in our lives, but we are the ones who make the choice to heed that guidance or not. The promise that we hold to as Christians is that (a) nothing that happens here on earth can take away our salvation in Christ, and (b) regardless of the poor choices we (and others) make, God can use all for His glory if we turn our circumstances over to Him and seek His will from this point on.

Secondly, the suggestion that God is a master puppeteer in the sky absolves us of our culpability for our sins. Why should we be held responsible for our sins if they weren’t committed of our own free will? Judas’ betrayal of Christ helps to illustrate this more clearly. God knew that Judas would make that choice, and he used that to accomplish His will (this being that Christ offer himself as the final sacrifice for sin), but that does not mean that it was His will for Judas to betray Jesus. In fact, the Bible clearly states that it was the devil that prompted Judas to betray Jesus. Suggesting that God is orchestrating everything that happens here on earth ignores the constant war between waged between good and evil.

I honestly do not remember ever having been this disappointed in a Christian fiction series before, and I’m not convinced that the final instalment will change my opinion. The book of James says, “Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” I wonder whether this isn’t equally true of writers of Christian fiction. Whatever the specifics of the plot, you are making a representation to the reader about good and evil, wisdom and foolishness, temptation and the power to resist; a representation that is often absorbed subconsciously as we get caught up in the world of the characters. This is an awesome responsibility, and I mean awesome as in we should be in awe of the potential to impact people’s understanding of who God is and what it means to be His child in our fallen world. Unfortunately I do not think this series has made an accurate representation at all. Not only that, but the ‘romance’ has been little more than romanticised lust on one part, and naïve response on the other. Not at all what I expect from Christian fiction.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plain Return by Sarah Price is a wonderful Amish romance. It is the fourth book in the Plain Fame series but can be read as a stand-alone.
I really loved catching up with familiar characters. Once again Sarah Price's comprehensive descriptions mean the reader really 'experiences' the landscapes.
God is at the heart of the novel. Faith and trust in His plans are at the forefront. We have to trust that He knows what He's doing especially when we cannot see the way.
Life needs to be done in partnership with God. Building a relationship with Him is important, as is talking to Him in prayer.
The novel shows the conflict between the world and the Amish way. "She straddled the fence between plain and worldly." The Amish way brings peace and contentment. The world is seen to be manipulative, self seeking and lacking in morals. The world seeks to corrupt the Amish way of thinking. The reader witnesses the conflict and hopes for a peaceful solution.
Family and stability are important. Love binds us together. Children are a gift from God. They need love and peace and kindness to blossom. Every child is planned by God even if not by people.
I really enjoyed Plain Return. The novel was warm and welcoming. This is a cracking series.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

[T. Rosado · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Although the last book ended with a HFN, I shouldn't have waited so long to begin this book. I had to think hard as to what happened prior to the ending. Although, I felt a break was needed in order to really enjoy the story's continuation. Overall, I have really enjoyed this series. There were times I wanted Amanda to stand up for herself more, but it showed the adherence to her Amish values, regardless of her marriage to an Englisher. The dichotomy between Amanda's previous life and Alejandro's life in the spotlight, as well as his past, is vast and I feel that the author does a great job in describing the hardships the couple go through because of it. Book 4 does end with more of a cliffhanger than some of the previous books and I am eager to begin the next book immediately.

I've listened to the audio interchangeably with reading the ebook and like I've previously mentioned, this narrator is fabulous. I've listened to her narrate a number of Price's books and I've always been absolutely captivated by her presentation.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I enjoyed this more than the last book, I do still have problems with it.
Why is Alejondro so insistent that Amanda join him and interact with others on the tours? I don't know of other artists that do this. I felt that there were 2 sides to him. The tender loving side and the demanding, side to him. On the 1 hand he says he loves her, and wants a family, and on the other, that's all he seams bothered about, is his tour.
Amanda wants a family and feels really out of her depth on the tours and her husband's life. Also, it takes her away from the farm, her family and sometimes, I feel away from God. I will read the next book to see how it all pans out. I part listened on audio and part read, through KU read & listen.

[Keri (TheAudioAuditor) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audio book review.

I still find this couple endearing, but it's been so long since reading the first three that I forgot how annoying they can be. In this book, Alejandro is on tour in the states while planning a massive tour in South America. We see Amanda's desperate desire to please him and be a "proper wife" (hate that phrase), but we also see just how uncomfortable she is and hear her inner dialogue as she explains how much she doesn't like or doesn't understand. Kinda makes you hate Alejandro for continuously pushing her out of her comfort zone when she CLEARLY is struggling.

One big theme that starts to come up in this book is motherhood. Amanda feels sad and lacking when she realizes she has not become pregnant in the first 6 or 8 months that they've been married. She wants it more than anything, to be a mother, thinks about carrying a child of her own, Alejandro's child, and her sister annoyingly asks why it hasn't happened yet and reminds Amanda that God has a plan that women should build large families (UGH). When Alejandro and Amanda go to South America, the two become parents rather suddenly, and it throws a wrench in their happy relationship. You can see everything just hit the fan, and you're just praying the two make it out of this disagreement. Amanda makes a decision to return to her family in Pennsylvania to embrace her role as mother, but then later decides she has to focus on her marriage so she runs back to support Alejandro? This flip flopping confused me.

Overall, this book left kinda a sour taste in my mouth. Fighting in relationships and trying to lay down defining lines about what a couple should be and do just always rubs me the wrong way. I can't get behind the idea of a "proper wife" because it doesn't exist, or the idea that men and women need to expand their families to be happy and feel complete. I'm also not religious, so maybe that has something to do with it. I do feel like this is a good continuation of the story we've started in the first three books, just not really liking where it's going. We'll see!

[Rebekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cliffhanger

This book ends in a bit of a cliffhanger. And honestly I just don't like Alejandro one bit in this book. He bothers me so much. I don't go into all the details, but he is so inconsiderate and mean.

Content: clean
Language: clean
Religious: Very much, but more asking the lines of Amish faith vs. preachy.

Happy reading!

Happy reading!!

[Sarah Shewey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so invested in the life of Alejandro and Amanda that the ending of this book made me cry. I think because of Amanda's upbringing she didn't share a lot of her feelings with Alejandro and to me it built up resentment in Amanda which I think was more of the reason to leave the tour and go to Lancaster. Did Alejandro make the right choice to let Amanda stay? We will see...

[M. Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 4 of 5 (plus the Christmas follow-on) I read to understand how an author writes multiple romance stories about the same couple. Answer: bring in new characters as antagonists and a new situation to cause a major disagreement between the heroine and hero.

[Misty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grrrr. On to book 5.

[Amy Griffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

For making me angry

... I can't deny the emotions that surfaced during this book in the series so I had to give it a five! I am still mad though, ha ha

[Lewis Romesburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the best book so far in this series. I’m reading # 5 now. We shall see......

[Peggy Ventura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series

I have read this series about 5 times and I love it more each time. I love the character development and the story line.

[Vicki Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my heart

I don't know how much more my heart can take. I'm glad I waited until I could read the whole series back to back. I'm not good with waiting.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plain Return is the fourth installment of the Plain Fame Series by Sarah Price. It opens just a few weeks after Plain Again which ended with the protagonists, Amanda and Alejandro, reuniting and celebrating the New Year in New York together after being apart for weeks. Amanda's sister, Anna, and Anna's new husband, Jonah, have now taken over in managing the family farm and are able to care for Amanda's father who has been recovering from a stroke. Alejandro, also known as Viper, a famous hip hop artist, is about to embark on his South American tour, and wishes to take Amanda along, not only as a travelling companion, but also to participate in his concerts on the tour.


During the South American tour, Amanda finds it difficult to adapt to Alejandro's life when he is Viper. She is beginning to see how much calculation goes into building Viper's brand, a concept that she has difficulty in initially understanding. Because of her love for Alejandro and his wishes for her to be part of his world, she tries her best to be supportive of his work, even though she is uncomfortable with the revealing clothes, the suggestive dancing, and the female fans who throw themselves at Viper. More tension is introduced between her and Alejandro when his promiscuous past catches up with the present. Isadora, the five year old child he had out of wedlock through a one night stand, enters his life. Her mother is dead, and her grandfather is no longer able to care for her because he is dying. If Alejandro and Amanda do not assume responsibility for her, she will be taken to an orphanage.


How will Amanda's and Alejandro's marriage survive all the stressors that are acting upon it? Will Amanda adapt to things that she is uncomfortable with so that she can support Alejandro when he is Viper? Can she shrug off the attention that Alejandro receives from his more enthusiastic female fans? Can Amanda ignore the paparazzi and gossipy tabloids that present lies about the relationship between her and Alejandro? What will the two of them decide to do with Isadora? What if they both have different ideas on what should be done with Isadora?


I found that there was more mentioned about Amanda's private relationship with God in Plain Return than in previous books in the Plain Fame series. We are told that she spends a lot of time in prayer and devotions with the Lord, especially when she is not able to spend time with Alejandro, which happens much of the time when he is on tour. I can recall more specific prayers that she makes in this novel. However, as in previous novels, we don't really get a chance to read or hear any specific prayers that she may make for guidance from the Lord over important decisions that will have a huge impact on her marriage to Alejandro.


In Plain Return, Amanda has also come to realize that Alejandro may make professions of being Catholic, but has shown very few signs of living a life of spiritual devotion. She also can see that he may be too caught up in the pursuit of material things, with his love of luxury, his eye for every possible business opportunity, and his desire for the protection of Viper's brand. In this novel, Alejandro shows a more cold, calculating and manipulative side of himself. He can still be a charmer and shows his romantic side with Amanda, but the other half of his personality is more evident and present in Plain Return. I had actually expected that this development of Alejandro's personality would surface earlier in the series, but as it is, it has come out in the story arc at this point. Perhaps being on tour doesn't allow him much time to be anything other than the focused businessman who aims for success, a success that allowed him to rise above a life on the streets of Miami. Unfortunately, some of the things that he does and allows bring conflict into his relationship with Amanda.


I would not consider Plain Return to be a standalone novel, because it is a continuation of the story of Amanda and Alejandro which began in Plain Fame and which continued on in Plain Change and Plain Again. Their story is still not yet finished; a fifth novel, Plain Choice, is going to be released at the end of March, 2016.




Disclaimer: I received an e-copy of "Plain Return" by Sarah Price from NetGalley in exchange for a review. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

This review also appears on my blog at:
http://whatiscbreading.blogspot.ca

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read this series from the very beginning and have alternated between " this is too far fetched" and "could this really happen?" I thought the premise of the series was interesting - A Cuban-American superstar, Alejandro/Viper, and an Amish girl, Amanda, meeting and being attracted to each other and then falling in love. The more I read about this couple though the more conflicted I am with the entire story.

Alejandro absolutely drove me nuts in this book. He seems to be all about himself and is, well, a jerk. It seems like he only wants to use kind words and show Amanda affection when it benefits him. He also doesn't seem to care about her feelings and beliefs as he wants to parade her around and use her to benefit him and his career. He never seems protective of her as she is always being shuffled off to security guards. He is only protective of her when she is putting his "brand" in danger. Ugh! Get over yourself Alejandro/Viper. Another thing I noticed is it's very hard to almost impossible to see where Viper ends and Alejandro begins. If he cared one bit about Amanda he would tone down the whole "ladies man" persona.

Amanda really grows in this book. She slowly loses the naive Amish girl persona and grows into a woman who stands up for what she thinks is right. I must say I think it's been a long time coming and I was happy to see her character become more mature and strong.

The already complicated lives of these two only get more complicated when they get to South America for Viper's tour. I don't want to spoil anything for you but I will say this is where we see most of Amanda's strength and character growth. This is also where we see Alejandro begin to be at his worst.

If it sounds like I don't like the book that is so not the case. Sarah Price has done a wonderful job of taking two very different people from two very different walks of life and showing readers what happens to them as they try to form a life together. I think she did a wonderful job of representing the life of each character and showing the readers just how opposite these two are. Her writing style makes the story flow easily and the pace of the story kept my interest from beginning to end. This book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger and I can't wait to see what happens in book five in the series. I have to find out if happiness or heartache awaits this couple.

Fans of traditional Amish fiction may not enjoy this story as it isn't the usual storyline for the genre. I do think we will see Amanda get back to her Amish roots in the next book (or I'm hoping so anyway). Readers who don't mind a not strictly Amish storyline should enjoy this story as it's Amish lifestyle meets the glitter and glam of superstardom.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plain Return by Sarah Price is the fourth book in her Plain Fame series. Amanda and Alejandro are together again and are preparing for the South American tour. Amanda is getting new clothes (sexier clothes that make her uncomfortable), doing interviews, and learning to dance. Amanda is now a part of Alejandro’s show (thanks to her surprise in the last book). Amanda is feeling out of her element, but she wants to make her husband happy. Alejandro is busy with rehearsals, interviews, and appearances. Alejandro and Amanda are not getting a lot of alone time. Amanda is also nervous because she has yet to get pregnant (and I think Alejandro is why she is not getting pregnant).

They start the tour with Alejandro’s new manager, Geoffrey. They are busy from the moment they get up until they stagger to bed. There are also more interviews, rehearsals, and public appearances. Amanda is quickly getting burnt out from the schedule. Then one night at a stadium in Rio she notices an older man with a little girl. Alejandro (as well as everyone else) does not tell her anything. The next morning Amanda finds out that the little girl is Isadora, Alejandro’s illegitimate daughter (from a one night stand about 5 years ago). The press go wild with this new story. Alejandro does his best to ignore Isadora while Amanda spends all her time with the little girl. It is impossible to raise a child while on tour. Amanda decides to leave the tour and take Isadora home to Miami. Isadora gets to meet her Mrs. Diaz (Alejandro’s mother) who is thrilled to finally meet the little girl. After rattling around in the Miami apartment, Amanda decides to take Isadora to the farm in Letitz, Pennsylvania. She believes it will be the best environment for Isadora who has had so much change in her life. What will this do to her marriage? And what about the press? Can Alejandro stand being on tour without Amanda?

Plain Return was my least favorite book in the Plain Fame series. I think the Plain Fame series has been too drawn out. I was hoping Plain Return was the final book, but it is not. I am not liking Alejandro in this book. He is becoming more selfish and less appealing (I also believe he is hiding a secret from Amanda about why she cannot get pregnant. We have been given little hints throughout the series). I give Plain Return 3 out of 5 stars. I really hope the author ends the Plain Fame series with the next book.

I received a complimentary copy of Plain Return from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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[Tina Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Plain Return" by Sarah Price picks up where she let off in "Plain Again", the third book in the Plain Fame series. We, the reader fans, followed Cuban singer Alejandro Diaz' love story with Amish Amanda Beiler in the series so far; from how they met to Alejandro bringing Amanda into his singing world lifestyle to him proposing to her on New Year's Eve in New York in front of his fans, with tests along the way that life has a tendency to do.

Now in "Plain Return" we follow them in their fictional lifestyle of kind of what goes on behind the scenes of a life of a singer; to working on the music with his band, to learning new dance routines for each song to be used on tour, to photo shoots, to shopping for clothing, to interviews, and finally traveling for the tour.

This time the music tour is not in the United States, but in South America with almost nonstop traveling for six to eight weeks. And again, life throws twists and turns along the tour. Each twist and turn are to test their faith in each other and their trust as a couple. But does one of them see it as such or reading more into it than what's there? Will their marriage survive the tour? I can't give you those answers to these question. I can suggest that you are going to want to read the series, so you can read this book!!


I was in love again with Sarah Price's writing and her ability to bring these characters Amanda and Alejandro to life in my mind's eye and their life that's going on around them as I was reading "Plain Return". I am looking forward to "Plain Choice" when it is released next year.
Thank you to Sarah's publisher(s) for allowing her to write the last few books in this series.



I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. And I also received a kindle copy from NetGalley. No money was exchanged from either and this is all my opinion in my own words.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amanda and Alejandro are now in the swing of things in there relationship they have over come so much in the small time they have been together. Now Amanda is ready to take the next step and have a baby she has always dreamed about. Alejandro is getting ready to start off on his South American leg of his tour and he knows with Amanda by his side they will be able to do so much together. When on tour they are hit with one thing after another but its not till one of those things become a bomb shell that will either make or break them.

This book is a continue to the other books in the Plain series, which including this one I had a hard time not putting it down. With this one though I had to say I was not a big fan. The point of view is only from Amanda and with everything going on in the book I feel like you a really missing the other half of what is going on. It seemed that they both want two different things and none of which lines up with the other. It seems that in other books past you could really feel the love they had for each other and in this one it seemed to be very lacking, and it seems that Amanda is trying to convince herself and the reader that Alejandro loves her. Alejandro is treating Amanda as a child or a business arrangement and shes willing to sit there and take it. At the end it leaves you with a ton of questions as the book does end in a cliff hanger. There is a 5th book coming out not sure when. If you have read all the books up to this point I would say read this one maybe you will see it different but at least you will know what happens. Also there is a very big plot twist dropped in this one that you really don't see coming till your on it.


Disclosure: I received this book free of charge from the publisher, but this review consists of my honest opinions, not influenced in any way by the author or publisher

[Holly (2 Kids and Tired) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just as the previous books in this series do, this one picks up where Plain Again leaves off. Amanda has returned to her husband's side while he is on his South American tour. In love with Alejandro, Amanda wants nothing more than to become pregnant and start a family with him. But, as pregnancy eludes her, Alejandro's secret daughter comes back into his life when he discovers that the child's mother has died.

Amanda embraces the child and grows to love her. When she realizes that a life on tour is no place to raise a little girl, she takes the child back to the farm. Alejandro struggles to accept his daughter's place in his life, but he resents it and believes he is losing Amanda's love and affections.

Alejandro has never been my favorite character and I think he's incredibly selfish and self-centered. He has improved since the first book, but not enough. The story ends with somewhat of a cliff-hanger and you must read the fifth one to know what happens. Unfortunately, the fifth one hasn't been published yet and so we're all left hanging, which you know is a huge pet peeve of mine.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda leaves the Amish faith and community with her famous Cuban singer husband, but things take place in his world that she simply can not overlook any longer. Especially since they are now raising Alejandro's young daughter, Amanda is convinced that traveling the world with immoral performers is no life for their family. Alejandro just wants her with him. But her mind is made up, even though both their hearts are broken. Where will Amanda and little Isabella go? Will they be able to weather this storm?
Readers will thrill to the tension and love this couple share. I can certainly imagine what great conflict the circumstances must create! I don't feel the Amish are accurate in believing that all English live the sort of life that Alejandro lives. This series addresses two very different worlds: the Amish and the famous English. I can also feel great sympathy for Amanda as she tries to do what is right by her own faith and her stepdaughter. Now I am super excited to read the fifth book in the series!
I rated this book 5 stars and can't say enough good things about it.
I received an ebook of this novel from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am still captivated by this story, and I love the way the author makes what is really a very implausible tale quite believable. This 'chapter' in the lives of Alejandro and Amanda is no different in that respect, though many new things happen and there is plenty of surprise and suspense. I've already started the next book!

The one difference for me, as someone who is *not* a follower of "Christian literature" at all (I began the first book because the description of the plot intrigued me, and didn't even realise it *was* classed as "Christian lit" until I later started reading reviews here...) was that this book is a bit more "preachy" than the others. No offense for those who are Christians, it's just not an essential part of the story to add those extra bits, and it *was* a new emphasis in the series to have them expounded. "Mayhaps" other readers who do follow the genre complained that there was not enough! I think though that if the first book had been similar, I'd never have gone on to the others. Still, I'm hooked! It's a fun story well-told. It's also hard to believe any other author could tell it so believably.