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Missouri Amish #2
Her Amish Protectors
She had wanted a simpler life in Amish country… The caring community in her new Missouri small town was a healing salve for Nadia Markovic's wounded spirit…until someone broke into her apartment above her Amish quilt shop and robbed her while she was sleeping. The thief made off with all the funds they'd just raised through the sale of her neighbours' handmade quilts. And police chief Ben Slater can't rule her out as the prime suspect. Only her Amish friends are willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. People are angry enough to even target her with violence… But while Ben might not trust her, he's committed to protecting her, confusing her feelings for this man who's pulling her apart!
295 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2017
7 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
About the author
Janice Kay Johnson
289 books191 followersJanice Kay Johnson is the author of over a hundred books for children and adults. Her first four published romance novels were coauthored with her mother, also a writer who has since published mysteries and children's books on her own. These were "sweet" romance novels, the author hastens to add; she isn't sure they'd have felt comfortable coauthoring passionate love scenes!
Janice graduated from Whitman College with a B.A. in history and then received a master's degree in library science from the University of Washington. She was a branch librarian for a public library system until she began selling her own writing.
She has written six novels for young adults and one picture book for the read-aloud crowd. Rosamund was the outgrowth of all those hours spent reading to her own daughters, and of her passion for growing old roses. Two more of her favorite books were historical novels she wrote for Tor/Forge. The research was pure indulgence for someone who set out intending to be a historian!
Janice is divorced and has raised her two daughters in a small, rural town north of Seattle, Washington. She's an active volunteer and board member for Purrfect Pals, a no-kill cat shelter, and foster kittens often enliven a household that already includes a few more cats than she wants to admit to!
Janice loves writing books about both love and family — about the way generations connect and the power our earliest experiences have on us throughout life. Her Superromance novels are frequent finalists for Romance Writers of America RITA® awards. Along with her books for Harlequin, Janice has written the Cape Trouble series of romantic suspense novels, and is about to launch a new series, Desperation Creek, set in rural eastern Oregon.
Janice graduated from Whitman College with a B.A. in history and then received a master's degree in library science from the University of Washington. She was a branch librarian for a public library system until she began selling her own writing.
She has written six novels for young adults and one picture book for the read-aloud crowd. Rosamund was the outgrowth of all those hours spent reading to her own daughters, and of her passion for growing old roses. Two more of her favorite books were historical novels she wrote for Tor/Forge. The research was pure indulgence for someone who set out intending to be a historian!
Janice is divorced and has raised her two daughters in a small, rural town north of Seattle, Washington. She's an active volunteer and board member for Purrfect Pals, a no-kill cat shelter, and foster kittens often enliven a household that already includes a few more cats than she wants to admit to!
Janice loves writing books about both love and family — about the way generations connect and the power our earliest experiences have on us throughout life. Her Superromance novels are frequent finalists for Romance Writers of America RITA® awards. Along with her books for Harlequin, Janice has written the Cape Trouble series of romantic suspense novels, and is about to launch a new series, Desperation Creek, set in rural eastern Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 9, 2020
After a near death experience, Nadia Markovic moves to the peaceful Amish town of Byrum, Missouri, hoping for a new start. She opens a quilt shop where she sells handmade quilts made by the townsfolk and holds quilting classes. After taking part in a charity auction that raised money for townspeople who were devastated by a tornado earlier in the year, Nadia holds on to the money that was raised overnight, and the money ends up getting stolen. She is looked upon as the prime suspect and many people she thought were her friends have turned against her. She is even targeted with violence. She does have the support of the Amish community who stand up for her, but that may not be enough for her to stay in business. Nadia is also developing romantic feelings for police chief Ben Slater, but it’s complicated since he initially treated her as a suspect as well.
This was a very entertaining read with lots going on, and some very likable people and some not-so-likable people. I really liked Nadia and felt for her. She thought she found the just right place to live and set up her shop, and made new friends, only to have so many turn against her and be quick to judge her. I also liked Hannah, who was a lovely Amish woman and a true friend to Nadia, and I admired how she still worked for Nadia when Nadia could no longer afford to pay her. I liked Ben’s sister Lucy a lot. Lucy was a rape victim. She came to visit her brother in Byrum, looking for a safe place. It was nice seeing her becoming fast friends with Nadia and how she took a liking to quilting. It was nice to see Nadia finally cleared of the theft after being treated badly and unfairly by so many people who thought her guilty. This story always managed to keep my interest and it was a wonderful read.
This was a very entertaining read with lots going on, and some very likable people and some not-so-likable people. I really liked Nadia and felt for her. She thought she found the just right place to live and set up her shop, and made new friends, only to have so many turn against her and be quick to judge her. I also liked Hannah, who was a lovely Amish woman and a true friend to Nadia, and I admired how she still worked for Nadia when Nadia could no longer afford to pay her. I liked Ben’s sister Lucy a lot. Lucy was a rape victim. She came to visit her brother in Byrum, looking for a safe place. It was nice seeing her becoming fast friends with Nadia and how she took a liking to quilting. It was nice to see Nadia finally cleared of the theft after being treated badly and unfairly by so many people who thought her guilty. This story always managed to keep my interest and it was a wonderful read.
September 17, 2017
Fantastic book. I was hooked on it from the very first chapter. Nadia has come to Byrum to escape the memories of what happened to her and get a new start on her life. She has her quilting store, which allows her to indulge her passion, has made some good friends in both the Englischer and Amish communities, and has organized a fundraiser to help her neighbors recover from a devastating tornado. When someone breaks into her apartment and steals the proceeds, Nadia is heartbroken. It's even worse when it appears that the police chief believes that she is the most likely suspect.
Ben is also a relatively new arrival to the small town. He left his big-city cop job when he realized that his loss of objectivity when dealing with particular criminals impacted his ability to do his job. Though his new job isn't as intense, he still harbors a deep cynicism about what his fellow humans are capable of. When he gets the call about the missing money, Nadia is at the top of his suspect list.
The initial meeting between Nadia and Ben is very antagonistic. Nadia still harbors some resentment toward law enforcement thanks to an event in her past and takes it out on Ben. On his side, Ben's experience causes him to be a bit less sympathetic toward Nadia than he could be. Underneath it all is a simmering attraction. Ben fights the attraction, knowing that he has to remain objective to do the investigation properly, but his heart tells him that she is innocent. It takes Nadia longer, as she has to deal with the effects the investigation has on her life and business. I liked how Nadia slowly begins to trust Ben and believe that he is working to prove her innocence. Ben has a couple of instances of foot-in-mouth disease, but his growing feelings for Nadia are obvious. I liked the effect that Ben's support had on Nadia as she came to terms with her past and opened herself up to what she could have with him.
The mystery of the missing money was very well done. Nadia's desire to help the people of her new home was clear from the beginning, and I ached for her when the money was stolen. Not only was she heartbroken that the much-needed money was gone, but she was also hurt by the attitudes of so many of the people she thought were friends. The lack of clues made finding the culprit even more difficult. Ben was also suspicious that there were two unsolved crimes that took place in the same building. Things became even more intense when Nadia was shot. I loved seeing the support she received from the Amish community and how it contrasted with the attitudes of the other townspeople. The scene outside her shop was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The resolution of the missing money was a complete surprise to me, as I never suspected the person who did it. The final confrontation with the shooter was intense, and the identity of that one was exactly who I thought it was.
I also loved the various secondary characters. Nadia's Amish friends were wonderful. It was sweet to see the older woman and her fierce defense of Nadia and her innocence. I really enjoyed seeing them include her in their quilting frolic. I especially loved Nadia's friend and employee Hannah, and how she insisted on remaining even if Nadia couldn't pay her. I'd love to see her get her own story. I also adored Ben's sister Lucy. I ached for what she had been through and loved that she was ready to start taking back control of her life. Ben's protectiveness of her was understandable, even if he took it a little far sometimes. I loved his shock when she stood up to him over spending time at Nadia's shop. I liked how quickly she and Nadia became friends. I would really like to see her get a story of her own, and wonder if it would involve Jacob or someone else.
Ben is also a relatively new arrival to the small town. He left his big-city cop job when he realized that his loss of objectivity when dealing with particular criminals impacted his ability to do his job. Though his new job isn't as intense, he still harbors a deep cynicism about what his fellow humans are capable of. When he gets the call about the missing money, Nadia is at the top of his suspect list.
The initial meeting between Nadia and Ben is very antagonistic. Nadia still harbors some resentment toward law enforcement thanks to an event in her past and takes it out on Ben. On his side, Ben's experience causes him to be a bit less sympathetic toward Nadia than he could be. Underneath it all is a simmering attraction. Ben fights the attraction, knowing that he has to remain objective to do the investigation properly, but his heart tells him that she is innocent. It takes Nadia longer, as she has to deal with the effects the investigation has on her life and business. I liked how Nadia slowly begins to trust Ben and believe that he is working to prove her innocence. Ben has a couple of instances of foot-in-mouth disease, but his growing feelings for Nadia are obvious. I liked the effect that Ben's support had on Nadia as she came to terms with her past and opened herself up to what she could have with him.
The mystery of the missing money was very well done. Nadia's desire to help the people of her new home was clear from the beginning, and I ached for her when the money was stolen. Not only was she heartbroken that the much-needed money was gone, but she was also hurt by the attitudes of so many of the people she thought were friends. The lack of clues made finding the culprit even more difficult. Ben was also suspicious that there were two unsolved crimes that took place in the same building. Things became even more intense when Nadia was shot. I loved seeing the support she received from the Amish community and how it contrasted with the attitudes of the other townspeople. The scene outside her shop was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The resolution of the missing money was a complete surprise to me, as I never suspected the person who did it. The final confrontation with the shooter was intense, and the identity of that one was exactly who I thought it was.
I also loved the various secondary characters. Nadia's Amish friends were wonderful. It was sweet to see the older woman and her fierce defense of Nadia and her innocence. I really enjoyed seeing them include her in their quilting frolic. I especially loved Nadia's friend and employee Hannah, and how she insisted on remaining even if Nadia couldn't pay her. I'd love to see her get her own story. I also adored Ben's sister Lucy. I ached for what she had been through and loved that she was ready to start taking back control of her life. Ben's protectiveness of her was understandable, even if he took it a little far sometimes. I loved his shock when she stood up to him over spending time at Nadia's shop. I liked how quickly she and Nadia became friends. I would really like to see her get a story of her own, and wonder if it would involve Jacob or someone else.
June 15, 2017
The second of her titles that includes Amish characters, this story examines the relationship between people living that life and people who represent the dominant American culture. Within that framework, we get to know Nadia Markovic, whose previous life experience included a near-death experience that was truly horrific. She has moved to the little Missouri town to escape her memories (impossible) and to indulge her love of quilting when she purchases a fabric store and begins to take Amish quilts on consignment to sell to the tourists who come into town. She loves her little store, although she has questions about what really happened to the former owner, whom the Police Chief, Ben Slater, thinks was murdered.
When Nadia is accused of having stolen the moneys gained from a special auction--originally designed to help townspeople who'd lost their homes from a tornado earlier in the year--the Chief has to investigate. He concludes she had nothing to do with the theft, but she's stolen his heart in the process, something he wasn't expecting.
Then his sister, still recovering from a horrific rape as a college student, comes for an extended visit, intent on getting away from her overprotective parents and determined to regain some sense of control over her life and her fears. Lucy becomes good friends with Nadia, but when someone comes after Nadia and tries to kill her, Ben now worries about his sister's safety, too.
Into this mix of intriguing and flawed characters comes Hannah, an Amish woman who works parttime in Nadia's quilting shop, and several of her relatives and friends. They trust that Nadia is innocent and come to her rescue when others are intent on blaming her while ignoring who might have designs on her demise. The crises that occur in rapid-fire manner kept this reader turning pages from start to finish. A truly satisfying read.
When Nadia is accused of having stolen the moneys gained from a special auction--originally designed to help townspeople who'd lost their homes from a tornado earlier in the year--the Chief has to investigate. He concludes she had nothing to do with the theft, but she's stolen his heart in the process, something he wasn't expecting.
Then his sister, still recovering from a horrific rape as a college student, comes for an extended visit, intent on getting away from her overprotective parents and determined to regain some sense of control over her life and her fears. Lucy becomes good friends with Nadia, but when someone comes after Nadia and tries to kill her, Ben now worries about his sister's safety, too.
Into this mix of intriguing and flawed characters comes Hannah, an Amish woman who works parttime in Nadia's quilting shop, and several of her relatives and friends. They trust that Nadia is innocent and come to her rescue when others are intent on blaming her while ignoring who might have designs on her demise. The crises that occur in rapid-fire manner kept this reader turning pages from start to finish. A truly satisfying read.
July 9, 2017
JKJ ticks all the boxes for me. Everything I love about her books... with bonus Amish community. Love this series.
July 17, 2017
*Review to follow*
August 5, 2025
very good book
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews