Join Mandy and Ellen on a trip of a lifetime to Hawaii in this two-novel collection. Will the discoveries these Amish girls make forever change the direction of their lives?
The Hawaiian Quilt Mandy Frey has always longed to see Hawaii, so before joining the Amish church and settling into family life, she convinces three friends to join her on a cruise of the Hawaiian Islands. When Mandy and Ellen miss the ship after a port of call on Kauai, they get a room at a bed & breakfast where they make new friends, learn about local history, and participate in Christian church. But when it is time to fly home, Mandy feels torn between feelings for Ken Williams, an organic farmer on Kauai, and Gideon Eash, her boyfriend who has been waiting for her in Indiana.
The Hawaiian Discovery Ellen Lambright thought she was going back to Hawaii only to help her best friend through multiple challenges, but she also befriends a man who has been hiding from his past. Reuben Zook works on the Williams family’s organic farm, far from his past mistakes and burning regrets. The attraction is mutual, but Ellen’s commitment to the Amish faith stands between them. Could a heartfelt discovery lead to forgiveness, reunion, and love? Or is Ellen’s destiny waiting for her in Indiana?
New York Times bestselling and award-winning author, Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
I grabbed it to have something to read while I convalesced from a surgery, since I wanted something easy to read to keep me occupied.
I'm not sure what to rate it exactly, it was really rather formulaic and predictable: you knew exactly where it was going and there were no real surprises. I enjoyed the first story (Mandy's) better than the second one though.
I adored the descriptions of Hawaii though, and I kind of wish I had copied down some of the recipes before I returned it to the library.
This volume is two books. The first one, The Hawaiian Quilt, was slow but okay. The second one, The Hawaiian Discovery, was not enjoyable for me. Too much sadness to be enjoyable. How many bad things can happen? Way too many in this book. I read to escape. If I want sadness I can dwell on the sickness and death in my own family and Christian community. I’ve purchased more by these authors. I hope they are better and more interesting with less tragedies. I’m very disappointed in this read. All I can say to someone reading these books is too not judge Amish romance by this volume. There are so many wonderful Amish romances that are uplifting and fun and interesting and teach their ways and culture.
These are sweet stories. This time Wanda Brunstetter put them in a one book format. Mandy and Ellen go to Hawaii. Some people stay behind. A camera/phone gets lost in the ocean. Love is in the air and the descriptions make the reader feel like they are in Hawaii themselves. Please read this book. You will be glad you did.
meh, I appreciate this book educating me on Amish & Hawaiian culture but not really that great of a book especially not in terms of its literature. I was kinda hooked to see how the love triangle between her, the man in Hawaii & her BOYFRIEND would play out, even funnier that the girls best friend ends up having an affair with the bf
I enjoyed reading this book because from beginning to end there was not anything that could be predicted. It kept me guessing from beginning to end. I really enjoy reading amish novels by Wanda and Jean Brunstetter
I picked up this book because it is about Hawaii. It did not disappoint. The first book especially was full of accurate descriptions of this beautiful island state. Placing an Amish romance in these settings was unique. These are easy to read fun stories.