Restless Hearts

The Flanagans #6

by Marta Perry

A search for her roots brought midwife Fiona Flanagan to Pennsylvania Dutch country-- and made her wonder whether she should turn back. The area's mixture of Amish and English culture confused her, and her first encounter with local police chief Ted Rittenhouse didn't help. he'd thought she was breaking into her own office! Despite the misunderstanding, Fiona could see that Ted's tough-as-nails exterior hid a kind soul-- one caught between two worlds, seeking a place to belong. She felt the same, but trusting him with her heart would require the biggest step of faith she had ever taken.

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

256 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 27, 2007

About the author

Marta Perry is a Pennsylvania-based author of over 35 novels, many of them inspirational romances. She uses her rural Pennsylvania life and her Pennsylvania Dutch heritage in writing her books, especially in her Pleasant Valley Amish series for Berkley Books and her new Amish-set suspense series for HQN Books.

Marta and her husband live in a centuries-old farmhouse in a quiet central Pennsylvania valley. They have three grown children and six beautiful grandchildren, and when she's not busy writing her next book, she's usually trying to keep up with her gardening, baking for church events, or visiting those beautiful grandkids.

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Christian Romance Fiction (Clean Romance), and this is the 6st book in the Flanagans series. I loved the characters in this book. The romance in this book was just ok, but there was so much more than just a romance in this book. I loved the writing in this book.

[Shirley Chapel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading Restless Hearts . It's book 6 of The Flanagans series by Marta Perry. I usually start a series by reading book one but years ago I bought this book used and it's been waiting for me to read it since then.
Fiona Flanagan never got to know her mother ,who died shortly after her baby girl was born. Her father couldn't or wouldn't raise his infant daughter . He sent her off to live in foster home after foster home until years later after he remarried he bought his daughter home once again. However he had another family with his new wife and Fiona felt out of place and unwanted.
After college Fiona went out in the world on her own. She was a licensed midwife in San Francisco and saw very little of her Father. Making the decision to get to know her father's family she moved across country to Crossroads Pennsylvania. She meets up with the Flanagans from her father's side of the family and is warmly excepted by them. Her mother was Amish before marrying her Father but Fiona has little desire to meet them since they had turned their back on her mother and made no effort to meet her in the years since.
Fiona sets up her midwife practice and seems to be rather well excepted and even becomes attracted to the Crossroads chief of police. Quite by accident she meets her Amish Aunt and grandmother who seem to shut her out of their lives. Why? They hadn't wanted anything to do with her all these years! Why now were they acting like Fiona had done something wrong?
I thought this was a very warm and touching story. I had trouble putting the book down . The story didn't disappoint this reader and I would like to read the other five books in the series.
If you love reading books penned by Marta Perry this book is for you. If you enjoy Amish Fiction or contemporary fiction you will enjoy this book. I recommend it to my Good reads friends.
I bought this book used and a review was not requested. All opinions shared are my own.

[Mya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such an inspiring story. I am really glad I took a chance on it.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently finished reading Marta Perry's book, "Restless Hearts". This book is a Love Inspired book and was originally copyrighted in 2007 by Martha Johnson , then copyrighted in 2008 by Harlequin Books. This edition of the book was published by arrangement by Steeple Hill Books.

This book is a romance mystery. Yes, it does have some "Amish" in it, but it is a mix between the "Amish" and "English" worlds. The main character, Fiona Flanagan has been brought up in the "English" world. She decides to leave her home in California and set down new roots and a new mid-wife private practice in Pennsylvania. Little does she know what she has in store for her when she arrives in this new town.

She settles into an primarily Amish community called Crossroads. This name of this town is soo fitting because Fionna does find herself in crossroads in her own life. She does not realize how connected to the "Amish" culture and community she really is. The people she meets and the experiences she has in this new town will definetly have a major impact on her life and will change her life forever.

I found this book to be inspirational~~full of hope and faith. I would highly recommend it to my reader friends;-)

Blessings to you all.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fiona Flanagan is a young midwife moving to the Pennsylvania Dutch area where her mother was born & raised. Fiona's mother left the area to marry an "English" and died in childbirth. Fiona has to adjust to being an outsider in an area where she has many relatives that are not ready to accept her. Ted Rittenhouse is the local police chief who has been part of both the English and Amish life and helps Fiona adapt. Sweet story.

[Sally Lindsay-briggs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this on my shelf forever (too much dust) and I am glad I cleaned and read it. It didn't take long to finish. Fiona is a midwife who moves to a place where her mother used to live. Her mother left the Amish to marry her father. The author writes well and weaves love, fire, vandalism and family shunning into an entertaining story.

[Andrea Guy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seldom like Christian Romances as they usually seem too wholesome for real life, but because this one was set in PA Amish country, I gave it a shot and I'm glad I did.

The book opened my eyes to the Amish lifestyle a little more than they had been and the love that blossomed between the two characters, well it wasn't really love it was a realization that they were attracted to one another beyond the friendship they had throughout.

Marta's story is fast-paced and an easy enjoyable read for women and girls. Definitely one of the best works of romantic fiction I've read this year, and without the smut.

[Mary Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have liked all of the books by Marta Perry I have read so when I see her name on the cover, I buy the book. Restless Hearts was a good, safe, quick read about a young mid-wife who has moved to Pennsylvania to try to find out who she was. I would have liked to have seen more interaction between Fiona and her mother's family and more character development of her grandparents and Ted. Nevertheless, this was a good story which provided good escape.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute.

[Lena Morrison · Rating 2 out of 5]

One day I will understand what possessed my young mind to be able to truly enjoy these books. They are all basically the same. There are always two reluctant people who aren't looking for love, and yet their attraction literally leads them to each other, and then they discover some friendship, and then they reluctantly fall in love. At the very end, they finally confess their love for each other, once they've faced a conflict that appeared would tear them apart. The whole point is merely for them to confess their love. :/ It's literally on the last pages that the characters start being together.

This story had a little bit of focus on the Amish, and I actually liked it. I like learning about different cultures. I also understood the conflict of belonging. Fiona and Ted were so-so as characters. They were neither interesting nor plain old boring.

It was merely okay. The only reason I'm reading these books is because I'm slightly attached to the Flanagans and because I used to really love them.

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fiona Flanagan decided to search for her ancestors in Pennsylvania Dutch Country... but with the community being a mixture of Amish and English she was not sure how or IF she would fit in. In looking for a place to call home and also have it be suitable for her plans to open an office for her mid-wife practice, Fiona finds an old, in need of much renovation, house for sale. She meets the town sheriff, Ted Rittenhouse, in awkward circumstances when she is attempting to "break-in" to get a better look.
Will he be able to lead her to her mother's family... and will her father's family be glad to see her.?
If she stays, Amish women will certainly be in need of her services... but will they accept her into their hearts is the question???
I just love Amish stories and this is a wonderful one.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not really sure how to rate this book. I mean, I finished the whole thing in an hour or two because I was curious to know what happened...but it is, of course, a ridiculous Christian romance novel. I like to think of it as containing two different romantic story lines: the obvious one between the protagonist, Fiona Flanagan, and small-town cop Ted Rittenhouse; and the love that develops in the background between Fiona and her discovery of Amish culture.

Of course, the ending was totally predictable; the biblical verses and prayers scattered throughout were over-the-top; and the portrayal of Amish culture is...interesting. Then again, I think it gets bonus points for having discussion questions in the back. Also, I'm a sap, so I got a little teary-eyed at times.

Two stars seems fair. I did kind of like it.

[Jodi · Rating 3 out of 5]

As I have stated in the past, Christian fiction is not my forte. However, this had a wonderful Amish twist that made it much more interesting. In fact, it would have been a better book had it been longer and more focused on the Amish piece. Perry did not stick to all the standards that are common knowledge and that kept the book flowing. Fiona Flanagan comes to Pennsylvania Dutch Country to reconnect with her father's family but she ends up meeting her mother's family and learning about a side of herself and her history that she never knew or knew how to put into context. Along the way, she meets the town's only full time police officer and discovers that maybe it isn't too late to find family. This was a Harlequin freebie and I am ultimately glad that I read it.

[Wen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute quick read for me. I knew little about the Amish before reading it so made it more interesting for me since I learned something in the process of reading the story. Very sweet.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really a 3.5 ..bumped up because it's a look into the Amish culture which is distinct and interesting.

[Tenielle Honeycutt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, light, easy read. Learned a little bit about the Amish while enjoying a good story.

[Kayla Upchurch · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me fall in love with Amish
books..and every chapter had something exciting happen where you couldn't put it down

[Deb Jordan]

Was a very good book,I enjoy the story !

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice, easy, relaxing read -- sent to me by my dear friend, Donna. THANKS!!

[Jennifer Robb · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's more of a story about "outsiders" within an Amish/Mennonite community. Both main characters have familial ties to the Amish but for various reasons choose to live a more contemporary lifestyle than the Amish do. Fiona is a midwife, who expects much of her practice to eventually be from the Amish community. Ted is a lawman. Fiona's mother was Amish, but she left the community during her rumpschpringa to marry a non-Amish man. She never contacted her family and died giving birth to Fiona. Ted grew up Amish but left before joining the church.

I liked that there was some good information on the "shunning" process within the Amish community. Shunning isn't used for those who aren't members of the Amish church. Fiona assumed her mother was shunned by her relatives--instead it was that her mother never communicated with them so they didn't know what had happened to her. Though, honestly, at one point, it did seem like her mother's relatives were giving her a type of shunning (at the auction).

I couldn't quite figure out Fiona. She seems to try to hide or not be noticed. I don't know if that stemmed from her years in the foster care system or her years with her father, second wife, and their family. I can understand not wanting to get an innocent person in trouble, but she almost seems like she doesn't want to stop the vandalism that's happening around her new hometown.

I think I'd have given up on Ted long before she did--but love can do strange things to a person.

[Victoria Marie Lees · Rating 3 out of 5]

Restless Hearts by Marta Perry is the first Christian romance I’ve read. This well-written romance deals with two troubled souls as most romances do. Fiona Flanagan, a nurse-midwife, is searching for her roots, her family. She’s looking to finally belong someplace, to be accepted as she is, to be loved by family. Ted Rittenhouse is the town police chief. He truly cares about the people he serves. His Amish upbringing and career choice often collide and cause tension in his life. And then Flanagan moves to town.

The town is called Crossroads and sits in Amish country in Pennsylvania. Perry not only teaches the reader about the Amish through her story, but also invokes deep meaning with her choice of names given to places and people.

The main significance is in the town name. Crossroads. Both protagonists, Flanagan and Rittenhouse are at a crossroads in their lives. Trying to come to terms with their life choices. Trying to fit in. trying to find a place to call home. And trying to realize that it is okay to love and trust another.

Perry laces her story together through action and intense inner thought and strife. I was hoping for a little more romantic closure at the end, but this is a good story.

[Joanne Reese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Midwife Fiona Flanagan settles down in the Pennsylvania Dutch country in search of her mother's roots, only to find out that the Amish and English culture are way out of her comfort zone. But when law enforcement shows up in the form of handsome Ted Rittenhouse, Fiona follows his lead by making friends with her new neighbors. Unfortunately, the past carries a certain isolation she never expected.

Fiona's pursuit to help deliver the community's babies gets thwarted when a group of vandals hits every part of town, including her new business. But the surprising support of those she's begun to care for create a home for Fiona's heart she never dreamed possible, especially with somebody like Ted in the center. I highly recommend this sweet story about the complications of bringing life and love into the world, and sustaining it across the generations.

[Doris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book off the shelf as the first one I hadn't already read. I finished it over a 2 day weekend, reading about the Amish reaction to an incomer from California (our heroine) as she tries for acceptance and work in the Crossroads community.

I enjoyed most of the character interactions, having to take on faith the factual presentation of the Amish world, but the one character I didn't like was also not well built - the main male character. He just didn't seem like someone I would like to know - too suspicious, untrusting and demanding, although he did care about the locals.

Overall a good read.

[Lady Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wouldn't have read this book had it not come to me for free in the mail.
I don't care for the writing style or the content. What really bothers me is all the harmful strict gender conformity. For example, we have this character introduction, "'I'm Ruth Moser.' Fiona found her hand caught in a grip as strong as a man's. 'I'm Fiona Flanagan. I just bought the house next door.'" I mean, really? The word rankled throughout the book is also annoying, coincidentally enough. Has Ms. Perry never heard of a thesaurus? I do appreciate the attention to the Amish culture throughout the book, which is one redeeming quality.

[Kim Bakos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time I read one of Marta Perry's books I remember how much I enjoy her writing - she knows how to balance suspense, romance, family and faith, and gets it right every time!
I didn't know that this is book six in a series, and in no way did not having read any of the others detract from this story in any way.

[Hilary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice, gentle, somewhat predictable Christian romance about a woman abandoned by her family and a man who chose a different path.

I didn't realize it was one of a series till I got here to GR, and it stands well on its own as a novella.

[ANNETTE · Rating 4 out of 5]

Found this book at Lending library.
Loved the clean story. Ms Perry does a good job on this story
A mixture of mystery & Amish. A wholesome love story ,trust and faith.A plot twists and interesting conflicts keep me on my toes.

[Laura Jean Potter-Bucek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this inspirational story! I loved the characters n the story! I especially liked how the story dynamics fit together really well! A qoute that I liked the best was "Happiness is worth fighting for" (Page 234)

[Misty Grim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Awesome Amish read.
loved the storyline.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable, but I learned something about the Amish.