What do you think?
Rate this book
Dakota #3
Home Is Where the Heart Is
The final novel-following The Homestead and Hope on the Plains-in bestselling Amish novelist Linda Byler's Dakota Series, set during the Great Depression.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 1, 2018
99 people are currently reading
185 people want to read
About the author
Linda Byler
84 books225 followersLinda Byler grew up Amish and is an active member of the Amish church today. Growing up, Linda Byler loved to read and write. In fact, she still does. She is well known within the Amish community as a columnist for a weekly Amish newspaper. Linda and her husband, their children and grandchildren live in central Pennsylvania.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
May 3, 2018
The winds, rain, numerous tragedies were described perfectly.
I disliked Hannah throughout all three books in the series, and finally tolerated her in this last book. I don't believe I've ever wanted to shake a little common sense into a character in a book before. I waited for this last book hoping that this book would round off Hannah's rough sides and polish her up, but I was disappointed that she remained thorny like the roses and possibly never found the true love a heavenly father that could have refined her to shine. Nevertheless the series was good, entertaining and descriptive as well as thought provoking.
I disliked Hannah throughout all three books in the series, and finally tolerated her in this last book. I don't believe I've ever wanted to shake a little common sense into a character in a book before. I waited for this last book hoping that this book would round off Hannah's rough sides and polish her up, but I was disappointed that she remained thorny like the roses and possibly never found the true love a heavenly father that could have refined her to shine. Nevertheless the series was good, entertaining and descriptive as well as thought provoking.
January 1, 2023
Such an unusual and intriguing Amish series. Sorry to see it end.
November 3, 2020
This was my favorite book in the series! Loved the story!
March 3, 2024
I had a hard time with this one. I read the first two books in the series so I felt compelled to finish it despite the fact that I can’t stand the main character.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I really wish I hadn’t read the back of the book before I stared reading because I felt it spoiled the story for me. But that’s what you do, isn’t it? When it said her husband was going to die, I spent the whole time reading dreading his death. Now, why would they ever put that in the summary? It ruined a book I already wasn’t too keen on in the first place. I dislike the character of Hannah so much, I found myself wishing she would be the one to die and we could move along with Jerry’s story instead. He is a much more likable character.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the bad proofreading. Using the wrong spelling of words. Just, no. The worst thing was referring to FDR as Teddy Roosevelt. Somebody dropped the ball on that one!
Then, I thought the last third of the book could have been a book or two in itself. Her whole relationship with Dave seemed rushed, like the author wanted to give you a happy ending but didn’t want to take the time to flesh out the story. We see Hannah having ten children in the last ten pages of the book. I’m sitting there thinking ‘WTF? That was fast!’. Anyway, I gave it three stars because I thought the writing was good.
SPOILERS AHEAD
I really wish I hadn’t read the back of the book before I stared reading because I felt it spoiled the story for me. But that’s what you do, isn’t it? When it said her husband was going to die, I spent the whole time reading dreading his death. Now, why would they ever put that in the summary? It ruined a book I already wasn’t too keen on in the first place. I dislike the character of Hannah so much, I found myself wishing she would be the one to die and we could move along with Jerry’s story instead. He is a much more likable character.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the bad proofreading. Using the wrong spelling of words. Just, no. The worst thing was referring to FDR as Teddy Roosevelt. Somebody dropped the ball on that one!
Then, I thought the last third of the book could have been a book or two in itself. Her whole relationship with Dave seemed rushed, like the author wanted to give you a happy ending but didn’t want to take the time to flesh out the story. We see Hannah having ten children in the last ten pages of the book. I’m sitting there thinking ‘WTF? That was fast!’. Anyway, I gave it three stars because I thought the writing was good.
March 17, 2018
I loved it. Hannah, the heroine, the protagonist, is cranky. She's been traumatized, so this leaves her snarky and guarded. This is the third book in the Dakota series, and the only one of the three that I read. Linda Byler does an excellent job of inferences and subtle nuances, so I was able to fill in some holes, not all, but some. Actually, I'd like to go back and read the first two. Byler also writes like a painter in that she helps the reader see the characters, the way they physically appear, and how they they think. Hannah is a person we've all met, we've all known. Her fortitude, her honesty is admirable, even though I just wanted to shake her, and say, "Lighten up, Lady." I have always admired the Amish anyway. Their way of life, their humble spirituality, is the shaker of salt we could all use to bring back some flavor into our deteriorated society. But that's just me.
The two men in Hannah's life are reminders of an old fashioned gentility and strength. When Hannah meets Dave King, he loves her fiercely, but takes no guff, and it is clear that she has met her match. Great story of struggle, Amish life, and love.
The two men in Hannah's life are reminders of an old fashioned gentility and strength. When Hannah meets Dave King, he loves her fiercely, but takes no guff, and it is clear that she has met her match. Great story of struggle, Amish life, and love.
June 4, 2018
This is book 3 in the Dakota series.The main character is a young Amish woman named Hannah.She does not like any of the rules that the Amish have and struggles to find peace and happiness.When they try to homestead in North Dakota they have one tragedy after another happen.Even with all the struggles they have she loves it there and tries to keep her land.Will her and her husband make it there or will there be another tragedy happen?Will they have to move back to Lancaster,Pennsylvania where her Mom and siblings returned to?Will Hannah ever find the peace and happiness she's been searching for in all of her life?This series is so good I couldn't stop reading it.It has a different ending that I didn't expect.VERY GOOD!
February 24, 2023
Taming of the Shrew at its finest.
Hannah Detweiler, now Riehl, lives on her isolated North Dakota ranch. She loves the plains, but the plains do not love her back. Severe drought has scared her family members and many fellow greenhorn ranchers back to East. But Hannah refuses to declare defeat. Instead, she gets married to Jerry Riehl, not because she loves him, but because he has money to keep the ranch going.
Beside not giving up on the ranch, Hannah refuses to do or to be a lot of things. She is never kind or friendly; she often throws a tantrum until she gets her way. In fact, she is perpetually mean, sarcastic, offensive, criticizing, fault-finding, finger-pointing, angry, yelling, etc. In a word, an utterly toxic person. And Hannah knows it. She carries her meanness like an armor and uses her hurtful words to manipulate people. She hates people.
The plains, however, are not kind to her either. One devastation after another cause hairpin cracks in her armor of fierce independence. The last calamity, the wave of locusts that destroy everything on the ranch, finally brings her to a place of humility, and the Riehls also pack up and move back to Pennsylvania.
Hannah's joy of seeing her family again does not last long. She resumes her old hateful ways around people. Even the death of Jerry has next to no effect on Hannah. But then she runs into Dave King, a mountain of a man who is not intimidated by Hannah's rebellious behavior. And the taming of the shrew begins. It continues into all the years Hannah and Dave are married and raise their ten children. And it is her brood that finally mellows the sassy damsel and shapes her into a forgiving and caring woman.
"Shot through with fiery remorse, Hannah begged forgiveness for her past and was rewarded with a spirit of humility, and sweetness in her nature of which she was quite unaware."
This is quite a story. The setting descriptions are amazing; I feel like I have been to North Dakota now. Hannah is without a doubt the most antagonistic female lead I have ever met. Her constant sour attitude is peppered with some wholesome qualities, like her hardworking nature or her love and dedication to an orphan baby. But most of the time, I was just holding out hope that she will not die bitter and angry but will experience redemption and the blessing of a community.
It is one of the best Amish novels I have read and suggest it to anyone interested in Amish fiction.
Hannah Detweiler, now Riehl, lives on her isolated North Dakota ranch. She loves the plains, but the plains do not love her back. Severe drought has scared her family members and many fellow greenhorn ranchers back to East. But Hannah refuses to declare defeat. Instead, she gets married to Jerry Riehl, not because she loves him, but because he has money to keep the ranch going.
Beside not giving up on the ranch, Hannah refuses to do or to be a lot of things. She is never kind or friendly; she often throws a tantrum until she gets her way. In fact, she is perpetually mean, sarcastic, offensive, criticizing, fault-finding, finger-pointing, angry, yelling, etc. In a word, an utterly toxic person. And Hannah knows it. She carries her meanness like an armor and uses her hurtful words to manipulate people. She hates people.
The plains, however, are not kind to her either. One devastation after another cause hairpin cracks in her armor of fierce independence. The last calamity, the wave of locusts that destroy everything on the ranch, finally brings her to a place of humility, and the Riehls also pack up and move back to Pennsylvania.
Hannah's joy of seeing her family again does not last long. She resumes her old hateful ways around people. Even the death of Jerry has next to no effect on Hannah. But then she runs into Dave King, a mountain of a man who is not intimidated by Hannah's rebellious behavior. And the taming of the shrew begins. It continues into all the years Hannah and Dave are married and raise their ten children. And it is her brood that finally mellows the sassy damsel and shapes her into a forgiving and caring woman.
"Shot through with fiery remorse, Hannah begged forgiveness for her past and was rewarded with a spirit of humility, and sweetness in her nature of which she was quite unaware."
This is quite a story. The setting descriptions are amazing; I feel like I have been to North Dakota now. Hannah is without a doubt the most antagonistic female lead I have ever met. Her constant sour attitude is peppered with some wholesome qualities, like her hardworking nature or her love and dedication to an orphan baby. But most of the time, I was just holding out hope that she will not die bitter and angry but will experience redemption and the blessing of a community.
It is one of the best Amish novels I have read and suggest it to anyone interested in Amish fiction.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2021
Life hasn’t gotten any easier for Hannah. Just when it seems things out west are getting better, a horde of grasshoppers destroys everything, including Hannah’s courage. Disheartened and giving up her dream, she and Jerry move back east. But an even worse tragedy awaits her when a freak accident claims the life of her husband. Hannah must now make her way herself, alone, and yet there is another who is intrigued by this unusual creature. There may, at long last, be happiness for Hannah when she learns to forgive herself for her many shortcomings, and strives to finally please someone other than herself. Many readers find fault with Hannah, and while it is true that she is a hard character to like, she still has some redeeming qualities that finally surface. Today we might say that she is a product of her unhappy childhood, or even diagnose her as bipolar. Hannah certainly is an unusual protagonist, but it was her overwhelmingly strong personality and my curiosity to see if she ever changed that kept me reading and looking forward to the conclusion of the series, to discover what the future held for Hannah.
June 7, 2022
The last book in the Dakota series. I liked the series as a whole buy sometimes the author went on a tangent describing in too much detail. I found myself skipping paragraphs and even pages sometimes.
Hannah and her husband Jerry are still at their ranch in North Dakota. One tragedy after another force them to move back home to Lancaster. Hannah finds solace in her family. Jerry dies and Hannah is beside herself thinking about how she never truly showed Jerry how much she loved him. She decides to open up a fabric store and then she meets Dave. She is her prickly self but he falls in love with her. Eventually they get married and move to Illinois to start a turkey farm. They are very successful and have 10 children. They grow old together and are content.
Hannah and her husband Jerry are still at their ranch in North Dakota. One tragedy after another force them to move back home to Lancaster. Hannah finds solace in her family. Jerry dies and Hannah is beside herself thinking about how she never truly showed Jerry how much she loved him. She decides to open up a fabric store and then she meets Dave. She is her prickly self but he falls in love with her. Eventually they get married and move to Illinois to start a turkey farm. They are very successful and have 10 children. They grow old together and are content.
August 18, 2019
Hannah is stubborn, independent, impatient, and doesn't like people much.
When all of her family and other members of the Amish group are defeated and return home, Hannah wants to stay on the prairie to get her dream of a ranch to come true. Jerry is a nice guy, in love with Hannah. They are married but on paper only. Hannah doesn't love him and married him only for his money that can make her dream ranch come true.
After several horrendous things happen, they too, return home to Pennsylvania.
Trouble finds Hannah back home, too. How much can one woman take?!
When all of her family and other members of the Amish group are defeated and return home, Hannah wants to stay on the prairie to get her dream of a ranch to come true. Jerry is a nice guy, in love with Hannah. They are married but on paper only. Hannah doesn't love him and married him only for his money that can make her dream ranch come true.
After several horrendous things happen, they too, return home to Pennsylvania.
Trouble finds Hannah back home, too. How much can one woman take?!
February 27, 2021
Again with the typos. And the whole story about Jerry getting kicked by the horse is not even believable. The story goes, they did not own anything even a horse, so they had to ride to church with her uncle. After church Jerry goes out to the barn to get his horse. What? Two pages ago you just said he did not own a horse. That whole scene made no sense. This whole series was poorly written and badly proof read.
December 13, 2024
I absolutely loved this book!!! In my opinion it is the best in the series. I have NEVER cried while reading a book, but I almost cried while reading this book!! I felt like every single emotion was hit!! There is romance, near-death experience, hardship, joy, and even a death. I feel like this series would be a great series for both boys and girls. Since there is romance, and adventure. It is an INCREBIBLE series. and I would highly suggest it.
June 23, 2018
I was so anxious to read this last book in the series, & I did mostly really like it. However, it seemed like the author may have made an error in one pivotal part of the story. Also, I got really frustrated w/ Hannah & her need to always be right, but I guess a lot of us are like that, including myself.
September 4, 2018
GreAt book
I really enjoyed reading this book. You never knew what Hannah was going to do next.
It was so nice to read a good clean book. I am not Amish but enjoy reading a out them.
I felt sorry for her first husband. I felt so bad when......sorry I do not want to give away the story.
Keep the good books coming.
I really enjoyed reading this book. You never knew what Hannah was going to do next.
It was so nice to read a good clean book. I am not Amish but enjoy reading a out them.
I felt sorry for her first husband. I felt so bad when......sorry I do not want to give away the story.
Keep the good books coming.
August 10, 2019
Had to force myself to finish this series! I wish I would have just skipped it all entirely and not wasted my time. Main irritant is that the daughter (main character) is completely unlikable - the entire series! Not 1 but 3 men love her because she's beautiful despite her horrid attitude to them and all others. Crap series, skip it!
July 31, 2022
I did not read the 1st two books in the series. While I enjoyed the story, certain parts didn't seem believable while other parts dragged too much. I think the ending tried to include too much detail in too little space.
April 28, 2025
Enjoyed series in spite of how selfish/narcissistic/controlling main character Hannah was. She never changed even after husband/Jerry’s death or marrying Dave, raising ten children. Her selfish behavior revisited in several of her children, payback, LOL
July 25, 2018
I thought it ended to quickly. It was a long story, then it was over. It was full of rebellious energy. A good story about being obedient.
October 20, 2018
Great read .I love this author.
Great read. I love this author.I really enjoy reading about the Amish and her writing seems so true to their lifestyle.
Great read. I love this author.I really enjoy reading about the Amish and her writing seems so true to their lifestyle.
July 20, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed this series
This trilogy was a very good example of humans trying to be greater than God. I definitely recommend this series.
This trilogy was a very good example of humans trying to be greater than God. I definitely recommend this series.
August 3, 2019
Loved reading about the hardships living in the plains. Just could not stand Hannah and Jerry was a doll who deserved more. Would give it 5 if I could stand Hannah more😁
December 4, 2020
good book last of series
September 14, 2021
Excellent. Great ending to the great series. A must read.
December 29, 2022
Hannah's trials
This was a very good book.IT SHOWED THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE GO THROUGH God will bring us through it.And we'll be a stronger person for it.
This was a very good book.IT SHOWED THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE GO THROUGH God will bring us through it.And we'll be a stronger person for it.
Read
December 30, 2022I loved this whole series
July 5, 2023
Again, Byler manages unexpected plot twists. A most satisfying end to the Dakota Series. Brava!
October 7, 2023
I so enjoyed reading this series!
More adventure, heartbreak, and an ending I didn't expect!
More adventure, heartbreak, and an ending I didn't expect!
February 13, 2025
This book made me get up and go wash the dishes. Hannah's obstinate behavior is so out there.
November 10, 2025
very good
August 18, 2021
The book was captivating with the on going trials and tribulations of the land.
Merged review:
A good finish to this sequel..
Merged review:
A good finish to this sequel..
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews