An Amish Harvest

The Amish Bachelors #1

by Patricia Davids

Nursing His Heart

When Amish carpenter Samuel Bowman is injured in an accident, he fears he'll never see again. He's always provided for his family--and now that it's harvest season, the Bowmans are needed in the fields, not at his bedside. So when a young Amish widow becomes his nurse, Samuel expects Rebecca Miller to make his life easier. But his caregiver is bossy, outspoken and challenges him to move on with his life. Though Samuel's sight is in question, he can plainly see the woman he's come to care for won't let herself love again. Now it's Samuel's turn to heal her heart.

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

222 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 16, 2015

About the author

I was born and raised in Northcentral Kansas. I'm a farmer's daughter, but I now make my home in the city of Wichita. I'm an RN. Neonatal nursing has been the main focus of my career. What can I say? I love babies. I was invited to the highschool graduation of a baby I took care of. Talk about making me feel old!

In June of 2011 I became a widow after my husband of 36 years and 11 months died from multiple brain tumors. It was a very sad time, but thanks to the three f's, my faith, my family and my friends, life is moving forward. I have four brothers, one daughter and two grandchildren who all work at making me feel loved.

I'm the author of more than 30 books and I'm currently writing a series called The Brides of Amish Country for Love Inspired.

Reviews

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Will he be badly scarred?" Rebecca asked, thinking of Samuel's rare smiles. He wasn't known for his sense of humor. ... Samuel was always a serious fellow, one who seemed to study others rather than try to entertain them. She always thought his dark brown eyes looked more deeply into things than most other men.

I can't say I really liked this. Samuel scars himself while working, he has burned face and hands, and he can't see. Rebecca, a 25-year-old widow, comes to nurse him.

THE GOOD

Rebecca has a sharp and fast tongue and I really like to see it in action. She cuts through people easily and always has a quick retort. She's sharp and smart. Seeing her verbally spar with Samuel is glorious, although he's not her equal, she wipes the floor with him each time.


THE BAD

I really don't like the mother-son dynamic set up here between Rebecca and Samuel. Rebecca acts as a mother to him, scolding him, reprimanding him, helping him put on his shoes and walk, she is filled with wisdom and guides his life. She shapes and forms where he is supposed to be and how he is supposed to act.

Samuel, for his part, acts like a spoiled brat. He's petulant, whiny, self-pitying, and recalcitrant. It's not pleasant.

He's injured and she's his nurse, Carmen.

Yes, yes, I understand this. But the dynamic to me is a HUGE turn-off. It's icky. Watching Samuel whine and pout and then watching Rebecca give him a good talking to is very unromantic for me. I don't find anything cute, sexy, or romantic in this set-up.


How's the sex, Carmen?

No sex, they kiss lightly twice at the end. Whatever. Not feeling this.


THE CHRISTIANITY
The Christianity is just NEVER-ENDING and SO ANNOYING. I don't see why you have to discuss God every second of every day. It's boring.

Also, let's think about the message here. God severely injured Samuel so that he could meet Rebecca and fall in love. Not sure how I feel about this. At least this book acknowledges that God is responsible for injuring and scarring Samuel. In other Christian fiction they often give praise to God for everything good that happens in their lives but mysteriously attribute anything bad happening as 'from the devil' or simply 'troubles life gives you' that apparently God has no hand in. In this one they just blankly stated that God hurt Samuel and scarred him and he might be blind for life because of God.


Tl;dr - Only read this if you think a mother-son dynamic between a couple is sexy. For me, it's very icky. The only thing I enjoyed in this novel was Rebecca's sharp tongue and quick wit.

CATEGORIES:
Amish Romance
Contemporary Romance
Inspirational Romance
Virgin Hero
Non-Virgin Heroine

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've added a new author to my favorites list! I loved the way we got to know Rebecca and Samuel, with their strong personalities, flaws, and heartaches. Rebecca would rather laugh than cry, and finds great fulfillment in being a caretaker. I could understand Samuel's despair as he recovers from painful burns and waits to see if his sight will return, while worrying over the effect the accident is having on his family's livelihood. Rebecca challenges him in just the way he needs, which also provides entertainment for his family and the reader ;) Rebecca is facing pressure to marry again, but her fear of loss is overwhelming. I felt like she was able to hide from the future in serving others, because her jobs are temporary and she isn't committed to anything long term. The members of Samuel's family are quite likeable, even Samuel as he becomes stronger and begins to find happiness again. I liked the way their romance unfolded slowly as they experienced each other at their worst and best and everything in between. I loved their scenes together by the river where they were the most genuine. I grew just as attached to the Bowmans as Rebecca, and I can't wait to read more in the series!

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. LOVED. this. book. Rebecca is hysterical! I adored her sense of humor and how well her character played off of Samuel's grumpiness. On many occasions I laughed out loud, and I'm pretty sure I had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading An Amish Harvest. The romance was breathless, the Bowman family a delight, and Samuel and Rebecca became one of my favorite couples I've read about this year. Fantastic start to a new series! I (almost) didn't miss Hope Springs at all!

(I won a copy of this book in a giveaway with no expectation of a review.)

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t want this book to end, what a delightful read, the banter that goes on between Samuel and Rebecca is so funny. Yes there are serious moments here and we weather them along with some joy.
Rebecca has lost her husband; the love of her life, and her brother-in-law appears to be courting her as the book opens. Then there is a serious injury, and that ends up being Samuel. He feels he is entirely responsible for their families furniture business, and when he is injured he takes the blame for everything.
As you can guess, Rebecca is called to help by Samuel’s Dad; she took care of her husband when he was ill. Now opens the door to maybe a new life in Amish nursing, moving away and learning, or a bit of romance? It appears that one of Samuel’s brothers may be interested?
Can Samuel accept his disabilities, and will the family business be able to continue. Ms. David’s has written a really compelling read, and it was so very enjoyable, I for one cannot wait for the next book in this series.
I received this book from the Publisher Harlequin through Net Galley, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did not want AN AMISH HARVEST to end. The conversations between Rebecca and Samuel were so humorous and I love how Rebecca does not allow Samuel's bitterness discourage her from taking care of him. This story is filled with humor, lost love, forgiveness, and second chances. I found myself cheering for Rebecca while she tried to help Samuel heal. Rebecca's humor is hysterical and it feeds off of Samuel's crabbiness. Patricia Davids is going to pull you right in from the very beginning and having you emotionally invested in Samuel and Rebecca. I had a hard time putting this book down as I had to know what was going to happen. AN AMISH HARVEST is a fantastic start to a promising series.


ARC provided by Net galley for an honest review.

[LINDA BOURG · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh where do I begin, I so enjoyed this beautiful love story.

Samuel has an accident that takes away his eyesight, and in comes Rebecca who will help his family take care of him and to help his mother out also. Rebecca is a widow who lost her first love(husband) Walter to an illness, when feels guilty that she couldn't help him recover. Then she holds fear in her heart to love again and be hurt that way again. Both parties here Samuel and Rebecca deal with fears that they both overcome with a beautiful ending to this love story. I teared up at the end. Love this read. I can't wait to read the next one in this series and read about the brothers of Samuel and the love they will find.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of my favorites of the amish books I've read. Looking forward to reading the other books in this series.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good-hearted story of a man who is injured at his woodworking and a young widow who is asked to care for him while the family gets in the harvest.

Anyone interested in the care of persons with reduced mobility, injured hands or visual impairment will find the tips and situations helpful. The positive, can-do attitude of the practical young woman is encouraging to us all, while the despair felt by the injured woodworker is entirely understandable and could mirror the thoughts of many people during the recession.

As always the Amish setting is well realised by this author and the gentle romance which develops will please readers of all ages. I felt that the tale, especially in the latter part, became something of just a long conversation, which is why I'm not giving more stars, but there is plenty to like.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know that urban myth about men making the worst patients? Well Samuel confirms that it's no myth! He's a take charge, has everything covered, it's my way or the highway kind of guy. Which can be endearing in a annoyingly macho way. But now an accident has left him helpless and he has to learn to let others carry the load. That chafes and makes Samuel cranky. And grumpy. And depressed. All his mother's coddling is only making things worse. Enter nurse Rebecca -- a force to be reckoned with and she won't be swayed by Samuel's pity party. Can you say major clash of wills? The resulting feisty dialogue still has me grinning. Love how Rebecca can hold her own. By the time they're ready to declare a truce they're in over their heads -- both falling head over heels but reluctant to trust in a future together. Angsty and funny and ultimately toe-curling.

[Annette Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, and I hope we will hear more from the Bowman family as Patricia Davids writes more in the series. Being blind myself, I like how the author portrayed Samuel's blindness. this was the first book I've read by Patricia Davids, but it won't be the last. I really enjoyed how Rebecca never allowed Samuel's negativity and perceived helplessness to dissuade her from encouraging him to do all that he could for himself, and I enjoyed watching as he encouraged her as well--to get past her fear of losing a loved one again. I enjoyed this book very much, and look forward to the next books in the series.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome love story.

[Paola H · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

[Anna Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really hate giving low reviews to Patricia Davids. She has really impressed me, in the past. She seems to have lost the realism that I admired in her, though, recently. And this? This was NOT a keeper.

Samuel is a carpenter who gets burned badly in a generator explosion (!!??). His face and hands are covered with second and third degree burns - but they're polite burns, because they don't mess up his nose, take any part of his ears, don't burn away *ANY* hair, and don't affect his facial expressions at all. Yeeeeeeeahnnnno. No. Just... NO.

Anyhow, he's blinded and unable to use his hands, so he needs help dressing, eating, getting around, and they hire a nurse. A widow who had taken care of her husband who died of a heart attack in his 30s. ((!!??))

And of course because we have NO concept of reality, Samuel recovers so well that his hands have absolutely no stiffness from the scar tissue and he has no impediments to his movements at all, and YAY!!! His vision is *completely* restored, with only a few reddish scars on his forehead and cheeks. Because Lollipop World means that everything is wunderbarrrrr in the end!

Blind-dude books are a dime a dozen - I have something like SIX of them on my shelves, right now. I've thrown out three times as many, over the years. I expect more from an author who takes on vision impairment, though. And burns - that's tricky business, too. And this felt cheap, shallow, and badly done.

Another star-taking move is when blind books inevitably have the person who shows up and yells at the sightless character, and said sightless character says, "I can hear just fine, thanks." Because that happens to EVERY. SINGLE. blind person in the badly done books... and YYYYYYUP! It's in this one, too. ((insert growl here.))

In addition, Rebecca moves in to nurse him, leaving her house, chickens, milk cow, and horse with NOBODY to tend them, because in Magical Lollipop World, they tend themselves - or little Amish fairies show up in the night to do it for her, maybe? I'm not sure. (And yes, she has livestock - see pg 123.)

The VERY DAY that his bandages come off his hands (which are still scabbed, sore, and healing), Davids has Samuel combing down a horse. WITH NO GLOVES ON. Um, the dirt/dust/debris would be a terrible thing in his wounds, hello! But she does later mention putting on gloves to sand down wood...? I don't even... it's BADLY done.

Cherry on top is that his blindness (wait for it) is all in his head - there's nothing wrong with his eyes at all. I started banging my head against a wall at that point, and would've thrown it down, but I hate not finishing a book. Probably should have, though. Because DANG that suckz...!!!!!!

While this is the first book in the 'Amish Bachelor' series, it is WAY obvious that this series is a spin-off from the 'Hope Springs' series, and a LOT of references are made to characters and storylines we're not a part of. Be prepared to not know a lot of stuff, and feel like the author was doing it on purpose. Not. Okay.

Another thing - I get that Amish are against 'hochmut'/pride, but NOT ONCE is Samuel concerned about his appearance. His flesh was freakin' BURNED OFF HIS FACE, and he's not worried about being difficult to look at, being a turn-off to Rebecca... not *once* in the book? Seriously??

And he's offering John a handshake, and John's all grippin' his hand... wouldn't people be a little tentative about touching sores like that? About HURTING him? Not in Lollipop World, apparently - the bandages are off, so A.N.Y.T.H.I.N.G. goes, baby!

No. I've read FAR better blind-guy books, and this is not joining my LI collection on the shelf. I'm working my way thru 900 of them (I've collected, this year!)... but this is NOT a keeper.

[Lucy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would I have ever picked up this book if not for a reading challenge? Probably not but I was glad for the chance to try this subgenre. It isn't really going to be my subgenre but I'm definitely glad I tried it. 

Samuel gets injured in an accident, blinding him and taking away the use of his hands, leaving him scared of the future and what it holds for him. Rebecca Miller, a fairly recent widow who didn't know anything about Samuel apart from as a member of the Amish community, is hired by Samuel's father to nurse him back to health. The two of them mesh like oil and water but eventually they grow closer as they navigate their feelings and their community. 

I will say that I was expecting to dislike this book a whole lot more than I did. Samuel and Rebecca's romance is fairly sweet and I liked seeing them grow closer throughout the novel. I also liked how Rebecca didn't let Samuel get away with taking out his bad mood on her, though I could have done without so much of the nurse/patient relationship. Their scenes by the river were a great way of setting them up as the endgame couple and I liked the use of the false lead, John. 

There were several things I disagree with in this novel, more than disliked, but that was far more to do with disagreements about the Amish way of life rather than the book itself so I'm not going to get into that here. What I wasn't a fan of was the scene over halfway through the book where Samuel broke down over possibly being blinded for life and Rebecca scolded him from taking out his anger at God and we were supposed to see Rebecca as in the right, though I did appreciate how it was resolved in the end. 

This is not going to be a series I'll continue but I'm glad I tried it all the same. 

3 stars! 

[Pamela Pavkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amish Harvest is the first book written by Patricia Davids in her Amish Bachelors series. This book continues the journey of little Hannah from a previous story. The storyline is amazing and moves along quickly to keep the readers interest. It has an amazing conclusion.

The characters are very likeable and realistic. Samuel is injured in a devastating accident and is trying to cope without his sight. When Rebecca Miller is hired to help Samuel recover from his injuries the two find they are not compatible but Rebecca is a very strongwilled young lady and is determined to help. There were times I found myself frustrated with the journey these two were on and could not see a wonderful ending for them.

I was not given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not approached by anyone to post a favorable review. I have rated this book with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful story that I can highly recommend to others.

Congratulations to Patricia Davids for writing another fantastic story for her readers to enjoy and I look forward to the next book in this series.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have great empathy for Samuel’s surly attitude when he loses his sight after an accident in his woodworking shop because he’s also temporarily lost the use of his hands as well. I can’t help but put myself in his place when his faith wavers due to his helplessness and the loss of identity he feels when he can no longer carve wood which is his what he loves most. I loved Rebecca’s determination to teach him ways to help him cope and her strong will and no nonsense attitude is just what he and his family need though they offer much resistance at first. I enjoyed the growing relationship between Samuel and Rebecca, the antics of the Bowman brothers and the Bowman family unit. I especially enjoy the strong message of faith in Patricia’s stories which is one of my favorite things about her Amish romances.

[Arthur Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Amish Harvest

I love reading Patricia David’s books. Trying to live a Godly life where faith in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and reading these books shows the practicality and the results all within the story. Life without God is not life fulfilled, it’s desolate and lonely. It’s a true struggle and without love. Sure love is thrown about casually until the reality of life becomes a nightmare. It’s good that this story witnesses to the real life and the world that God is present and He is there.

[Patti Fischetti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Patricia David's!

I just devoured this book. I couldn't stop reading it. I tried staying up all night but I fell asleep so I finished it in a couple of hours. I have fallen in love with love Inspired Amish romance because they are so very pure and simple. They take you into a world of innocence and peace. Patricia is a great writer. She fleshed out her characters in a short amount of time and you as the reader gets caught up in their lives. A must read.

[Karen Mcnicol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just loved the story of Rebecca and Samuel. Samuel gets hurt in a accident at his wood working shop and Rebecca a widow with nursing experience is asked to help out with him. Rebecca starts off showing him who is boss by putting water on his feet to get him out of bed and it just takes off from there. They learn to care about each other against all there good intentions not too. Great way to spend an afternoon. Meet the Bowman family and settle in!

[Chanover55 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Samuel is a skilled wood worker but an accident in the shop has left him burned and blind. Rebecca is a young Amish widow known for nursing skills; she is hired by Daniel's father, Isaac, to nurse Samuel and help Anna, his mother, around the house. What follows is a lovely story of faith, and healing for both Samuel and Rebecca.

[Margaret Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good book by Patricia Davids. This takes up where the Brides of Amish Country series ends, so it's fun to have characters from that series show up now and then. The handling of the main male character's injury and healing are well done. I really enjoy Davids' books.

[Jeanie Harper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating story of the recovery of a burn victim and it's implications.

Has some comical aspects too.

[Cary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay this took me totally by surprise as I had made fun of this genre but this was a cute, sweet love story with witty dialogue.

[Heather Bridson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very sweet story. I love how the power of love and faith overcomes in these stories. A great read, uplifting and wonderful. Overcoming loss and pain to find love.

[Dorel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book's storyline. I really liked the Christian ✝️ theme in this story. I really liked Samuel's character. I really liked Rebecca's character. I really liked the ending.

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the best Amish fiction books I've read. Great character depth, authentic problems and solutions, and solid faith all combine to make a nice autumn religious read.

[Deann Doolittle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great summer read

[Rebekkah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great beginning to a new series

[Vicki Clifton · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

another great read love this series