Keys of Heaven

The Whinburg Township Amish #5

by Adina Senft

Sarah Yoder is learning to help the people in her Amish community as a Dokterfraa, creating teas and tinctures using the herbs she grows. But her latest patient seems to have a problem that can't be resolved with anything in Sarah's garden-a woman who, in Sarah's mind, would flourish anywhere but in the place she lives. Meanwhile, Sarah's relatives have decided to do a little matchmaking between her and a visiting Amish man. He would make a wonderful husband, and she knows she should be willing for God to show her His choice of partner...and not allow her friendship with her neighbor, Henry Byler, to grow into anything more.

Henry has seen some success as a potter since a major store commissioned a line of his work for their catalog. The trouble is that they want to market him as Amish. Though he was raised in the faith and now lives in Amish country, he has never joined church-and doesn't plan to, either. Which means that, despite the attraction between them, he must keep his distance from Sarah. But what happens when Sarah and Henry are called upon to help a runaway whose family is too worldly to see how lost their son has become? The plant Sarah calls Keys of Heaven may be able to grow in impossible places, but it's not so easy for people to find their own place. Which means it's quite a temptation for her to take matters into her own hands...

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

422 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 3, 2015

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Adina Senft is the author of 42 novels published by Harlequin, Warner, Hachette, and Moonshell Books, Inc., her own independent press. She writes Amish women’s fiction; as Shelley Adina, she writes steampunk; and as Charlotte Henry, she writes classic Regency romance. She is currently at work on a PhD in Creative Writing at Lancaster University in the UK. She appeared in the 2016 documentary film Love Between the Covers, is a popular speaker and convention panelist, and has been a guest on many podcasts, including Worldshapers and Realm of Books. When she’s not writing, Adina is usually quilting, sewing historical costumes, or enjoying the garden with her flock of rescued chickens.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

Keys of Heaven is an absolutely charming addition to Adina Senft's delightful Healing Grace series featuring herbalist in training Sarah Yoder. This second installment expands on some of the storylines introduced in Herb of Grace while new story arcs keep this fabulous series fresh. While Keys of Heaven can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading the previous novel to fully appreciate the characters' personal growth. But the main reason I suggest reading them in order is because it is such a magnificent series!

Sarah is widowed mother of two and she has been struggling to make ends meet for quite some time when she begins an apprenticeship as an herbalist. Along with her herbal remedies, Sarah dispenses advice to her patients, but does she always know what is best for the people in her care? Her latest patient, Linda Peachy, is open to trying the herbs she prescribes, but Sarah's suggestions for her personal life are not exactly welcome. Sarah gets a taste of her own medicine when her well meaning family tries their hand at matchmaking when an Amish man arrives for a visit. And last on her list of worrisome concerns, Sarah's attempts to distance herself from her neighbor Henry Byler are complicated when the two offer to help an Englisch runaway explore his passion to become an artist.

Sarah is such a kind-hearted woman it is impossible not to like her. Her attempts to help her friends and neighbors are well-meaning but her efforts sometimes result in her overstepping her boundaries. This also leads to her sometimes passing judgment on her neighbors when she does not have all her facts about their situation. Despite the mistakes she makes in her overzealous efforts to help others, Sarah has a serene quality that is very soothing and when she finds herself becoming frazzled or unsure, her strong faith balances and comforts her.

The one person who continually keeps her off balance is her neighbor Henry. She is drawn to him but since he never joined the church, there can be nothing but friendship between them despite their mutual attraction. Sarah is nonplussed by her jealousy of Henry's close relationship with Ginny Hochstetler, the owner of a local B&B and her idle speculation about the couple leads a misunderstanding that could lead to a permanent rift between Sarah and Henry.

In Keys of Heaven, there are quite a few secondary story arcs but the novel is very easy to follow. The different storylines add to the characters' growth and make it easy for the subsequent books in the series to continue building on the previous story's unresolved issues. In addition, the cliffhanger-ish endings will leave readers impatiently but eagerly awaiting the next novel in this outstanding series.

With the Healing Grace series, Adina Senft has crafted a warm and inviting community through her cast of well-developed and appealing characters, her gentle lessons of faith and storylines that are realistic and relevant in today's world.

[Kathleen (Kat) Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've heard it said, that most people will grow if they are cultivated in a place where love, security and faith abounds. But what some might believe is that people can also grow among the rocks and places where soil is so thin, you would think they simply won't last long. Keys of Heaven by author Adina Senft, the second novel in the Healing Grace Series, explores that theme in a variety of situations involving both Amish and English living together in a small Amish Community.

Sarah Yoder is exploring her knowledge as an herbalist in finding cures where God's plants and weeds grow, turning them into useful lotions, remedies, teas and tinctures for whatever ails the person she is giving it to. Sarah is coming to terms with her brother and son leaving to join a cattle ranch while saying they were exploring their options. It has lead to a division not only in the community but in the family as well. She is praying that they will return soon and until that time will continue to resume training in helping her own people with natural cures.

Henry Byler has landed one of the biggest contracts he ever hoped for as a small time potter. They want to carry his line of bowls and pottery both in their New York stores and also online as well. The one thing Henry didn't consider was they were marketing this product as Amish made but Henry may have grown up Amish but he had made a decision to not follow in their footsteps nor does he want to join the church. That has put him at odds with some in his community and none more so than Sarah whose property adjoins Henry's.

When a wealthy family vacation at the Rose Arbor Inn, things are about to get interesting, from the oldest son, showing an interest in an Amish girl who works there as a maid, to the youngest one who has artistic passions he can't share with his family but finds hope in confiding in Henry. He dreams of one day being a great artist like Henry but hides all his passions from his parents. He believes Eric has the talent and only needs someone could encourage him. Is Henry the right person for the job?

I received Keys of Heaven of Adina Senft compliments of Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Groups for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. This is such a beautiful blending of two very different cultures, the Amish and English as they try to find ways to settle any differences that come between them. It shows how we can often jump to conclusions that we might think are best for someone when in the end, we are simply overstepping God's plan for someone instead. It shows what the reward is for honest, hard work, and faith in small things and I can't wait to read the third novel coming out Balm of Gilead in the summer of 2015. A sneak peek of Balm of Gilead is included at the conclusion as well as a Reading Group Guide. I love how Sarah finds healing in what is growing around the land and I've loved learning about natural remedies through this series. It is well worth 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

[Liam Shaw · Rating 1 out of 5]

After realizing that I needed one more book to fill a requirement for my English class I started looking for an easy read. I picked this one up as a joke, after browsing a library catalog and finding the genre Amish historical romance fiction. This was a bad idea. I don't know why I chose to read a book that I knew I wouldn't like, but I did, and I regret it. This book is super slow-paced, focuses heavily on the Christian faith, and the main activity of the book is collecting and mixing assorted herbs into teas. None of these aspects were interesting to me, and I had a really hard time getting through this book, although if there was anything I gained from it, it would be better perseverance. As much as I hated this book, I think it would be a great pick for people who are into this sort of thing. My favorite quote was, Unfortunately, however, I am not one of those people.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this story better than the first one in the series. I think it was because some of the dynamics between characters (ie Sarah and Amanda, Sarah and Henry, Henry and Caleb, Henry and Ginny, etc) had already been established to some extent in the previous book. This time, I could more easily sit back and let the story unfold around me, even though it did take some pretty interesting twists and turns! I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what happens in the last book of the series! :)

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

no ending

She’s a very talented writer unfortunately this book has no satisfactory ending. You have to read book 3. Even in a series such as this where the final outcome isn’t known until the end of the trilogy, each book should have some sort of positive ending. Not so this book.

[Kim Holm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. Love these books

[REBECCA VONSTETTEN · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

Again, this series kept me entertained and reading with enjoyment. I look forward to the next book for another day of contented reading.

[Cara Noyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful story. I have enjoyed the series. Faith is an important element to the gmee.

[Olatomi Afilaka · Rating 4 out of 5]

A balanced journey in family life

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Keys of Heaven by Adina Senft (A Healing Grace Novel) is wonderful and heart-warming! It is the second book in the series (Herb of Grace is the first). Sarah Yoder is going well learning to be a Dokterfraa or herbal healer. She has been studying with Ruth Lehman from Whinburg as well as reading books on the subject. Sarah’s business is growing steadily. She does, though, miss her son, Simon. Simon went to Colorado to work. Simon wanted to travel and experience the world before deciding to join the Amish church. Sarah’s other son, Caleb is happy and working with neighbor, Henry Byler.

Henry Byler is a potter and just received an important commission from D.W. Firth. Henry has been seeing Ginny Hockstetler who owns the Rose Arbor Inn. Henry’s first commission was making mugs for the inn. The Parker family is staying at the Rose Arbor Inn. Their oldest son, Justin starts following Priscilla Mast. Priscilla has made it clear that she is not interested, but she is having trouble shaking Justin. Their youngest son, Eric is interested in art. After having seen Henry’s sketchbook, he wants to visit Henry. Priscilla takes Eric over to Henry’s and Henry becomes an art teacher.

There are some family members visiting the area and they brought Silas Lapp with them. Corinne Yoder, Sarah’s mother-in-law, tries to do a little matchmaking between Sarah and Silas. Sarah, though, is trying to set up Amanda Yoder (Sarah’s sister-in-law) with Silas. Will Amanda be able to overcome her shyness to talk with Silas?

It is a busy time in the community and it will be interesting to see what will happen with Silas Lapp. I really enjoyed Keys to Heaven. I give Keys to Heaven 5 out of 5. Keys to Heaven is an engaging book that you will not want to put down. I read it straight through and am eagerly anticipating Balm of Gilead.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second novel in the Healing Grace Series is a wonderful follow-up to the first book in the series, Herb of Grace. "Keys of Heaven" sees the return of Sarah Yoder, whose big heart and helping hands are a blessing to the community around her...despite the occasional moment where Sarah's well-intentioned actions have unintended consequences! The story moves along at the perfect pace, drawing readers into the lives of the characters and sharing some genuinely precious wisdom along the way.

I greatly enjoyed rejoining the characters in these novels and watching them navigate through life. The intersecting of Sarah's life with the Amish family and friends around her is a beautiful picture of God's church in action, providing a deep level of care that the outside world so often longs for. A moment of transparency and forgiveness that happens later in the book is truly wonderful to behold! I also enjoyed the character of Henry, as he ends up stepping into the life of an Englisch family and mentoring a young lad named Eric. The difficulties that Eric and his family have in their own relationships simply showcases the negative impact the modern world has on family interactions, causing family members to grow distant and feel misunderstood. And this is where "Keys of Heaven" shines, as it shows readers the absolute gift that living in community is for the Amish people. As I read through the book, I myself longed for the chance to experience the Amish life, where the world seems to move at a slower pace, and people have time to discover the place that God has made for them in the world.

A heart-warming tale that celebrates the best things about being Amish, "Keys of Heaven" is sure to please Senft's fans, and will surely draw some new readers into her fold. 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of the publisher, Faithwords, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

[Kathleen E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friday, February 6, 2015
Keys of Heaven by Adina Senft, © 2015
A Healing Grace Novel, Book 2

Red valerian, sometimes called "keys of heaven" or "Jupiter's beard," often grows in rocky places where other plants don't flourish, such as in stone walls or against fences. But adverse conditions can produce a beautiful plant, brightening hard places with its sprays of red flowers.
There are people like this, too. They grow in hard places where others wouldn't flourish--staying where God has put them, even if they might not have chosen to grow there. But they stay because they're needed, because their spirit transforms the hard place and makes it beautiful...
--author Adina Senft

I liked this story of sharing what we know. A simple solution to us, is an aid to another. Sarah Yoder, continuing from book 1 in A Healing Grace series, Herb of Grace, is beginning to take patients by word of mouth to share her knowledge of healing plants she cultivates. When is it appropriate to pass on information in another's life when the whole story is not known, nor appreciated by the receiver? Sarah finds that it seems simpler to be on the outside looking in than it is to experience it herself. As it is a three-part story, the community and characters expand from their previous days. Growth is seen; beneficial to all?
Author Adina Senft is very expressive in her descriptions and draws us near to the thoughts and feelings of the characters you might meet in daily life. An excerpt intro to book 3 in the series, Balm of Gilead, is placed in the back, along with a reading group guide for Keys of Heaven and a glossary of words used.

***Thank you to Hachette Book Group for sending me a copy of Keys of Heaven for review. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***

[Sandra Stiles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this is the second book in this series, it reads like a stand-alone. I had not read the first book, Herb of Grace, before I read this one. I will definitely go back and read it. In this book Sarah Yoder, a widow and mother of two boys is making her way in the world by treating other people with herbs. She is friends and has a fond heart for Henry Byler, with whom she share a fence. Raised Amish, Henry Byler never joined the church and considers himself an Englisher. He is a potter by trade. No matter how Sarah feels about Henry, she keeps her distance.

Sarah doesn't just help heal people. She offers advice in the hope of healing their heart and life. The problem is that sometimes it becomes pure meddling and is offensive to many of her friends. Sarah makes some comments that offends those that are closest to her and finds she must apologize to them.

The author did an excellent job of creating characters that have flaws we can all relate to. We can see the dilemma Sarah gets herself into and may even be able to relate to some of the things she does. I loved when she talked about the plant from which the books title comes. It is a hardy plant that grows in some of the harshest places. It brightens up the spot where it grows. It is a lesson for us that wherever God plants us we need to bloom and grow. Sometimes those tough spots we find ourself in is the exact place God needs us to help us grow to our full potential.

I've read some of this author's other books and have really enjoyed them. I am sure you will enjoy this one as much as I have.

[Maureen Timerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keys of Heaven is part of the Healing Grace series, and although you should read the others, which are equally enjoyable, you can read this one alone. I felt right after I turned the first page that I was walking into an Amish Soap Opera, I could see it playing out before me.
I loved how families rallied around those in need, and how Sarah is now learning to make a living using what God has provided. She is a Dokterfraa in training using the plants that mostly grow wild for the taking. Made me think that this is where we all need to be heading, and have actually used the elderberry berries to make cough syrup.
We also have a bit of Amish matchmaking, and there are some repercussions that happen here, one going one way, while the other is heading in another direction. Signals sure get crossed, and yet maybe not.
Sarah is also guilty of being judgmental, and we all are guilty of this, hers tends a bit more toward meddling. Will she end up doing more damage that good? Will she be able to find forgiveness, and most important forgive herself.
We also have a side story of an angry teen that defies his parents and ends up in the middle of the Amish. Will he end up learning from this experience, or will his parents punish him? What about Sarah and Henry, or Henry and Ginny? I can’t wait for another book in this series, and I hope for more answers. Enjoy!

I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Faithworks, and was not required to give a positive review.

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chamomile tea is one of my stress and anxiety relievers. I enjoyed reading of Sarah and the herbal teas and tinctures she creates to help the Amish community and her own family. I learned a great deal about some new natural remedies that I did not know about previously. As a retired teacher and lover of crafts and arts, I read with interest as the young English teenager, Eric, explored his desire to create pottery with Henry, who is formerly Amish and does not intend to return to the Amish faith.
There were a great many relationships and storylines going on in this book and a few times, I had to backtrack and reread portions of the book to figure out who was being featured at a given time. Within these relationships, there were many romances and conflicts occurring and it kept me hopping to keep up. I really enjoyed the book though and appreciate the number of lessons learned by several of the characters. There were several lessons of faith learned as characters experienced turmoils and trials of life.
I rate this book 4 stars and highly recommend it to readers. I think this book would also be of particular interest to teenagers, even preteens would find it enjoyable.
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in A Healing Grace series and, while you could read this one as a standalone, there are some plot threads that will make more sense if you've read the first book, Herb of Grace. Like the gnashing-of-teeth and stomping-of-feet romantic thread...and that's all I'm sayin' 'bout that...except I'm yearning for book three in the worst way now.

Sarah is back working with her healing herbs. She's getting more comfortable being a Dokterfraa -- maybe too comfortable as she presses for what she feels is best for her patients...and her friends. There's lots of Amish community shenanigans to keep things hopping and a troubled Englisch boy to make things even more interesting. And then there's this not to be spoken of connection between Sarah and Henry. Impossible. Improbable. Insert a heartbreaking sob here.

Like most continuous type series, this middle book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. We still need to rally around the Yoder family and light a fire under Henry and hopefully smooth out poor neighbour Priscilla's love life (unless she gets her own book later on.) Not to mention sister-in-law Amanda. Sarah's on the look out for the perfect suitor. I am definitely looking forward to more of this heroine's well-intentioned meddling and the complications that will ensue when book three, Balm of Gilead comes out this summer.

[kerrycat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a busy series with many characters, but the tension between Sarah and Henry takes center stage. Readers will look forward to more attention focused on the potential romance between the two in the next title in the series, especially after the cliffhanger ending that leaves a misunderstanding unresolved.

Sarah and Henry continue to dodge their feelings for each other as Henry grows closer to Ginny, who has unexpected drama with an English family staying at her inn. Sarah’s desire to become a better healer leads her to overstep boundaries as she tries to help a stressed friend with fertility issues, while she worries about her son, Simon, who is spending the summer working at a ranch in Colorado. (FAITHWORDS, Feb., 320 pp., $15.00)
Reviewed by:
Kerry Sutherland
- See more at: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-rev...

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books about Amish people and their lives seem to attract me the most lately. I just can't seem to get enough of them. They always seem to have a lesson to be learned for me. And I'm always needing improvement. I like how their reliance on the Lord and their simple lifestyle unfolds in each story. And this book does just that. Sarah and her flowers and their healing touch has a way of soothing the people around her, and I liked how she always thought of others before herself. The family unit is portrayed once again as having a bond that binds them together, even when things seem to go from bad to worse. But everything seems to work out in the end and a happy ending leaves me feeling good all over. This book did not disappoint me and if you're looking for a book of light and entertaining reading, then this is it.

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the 2nd installment of Adina Senft's Healing Grace Christian inspirational romance series, Keys of Heaven, we learn about Sarah Yoder and her Amish community in Pennsylvania. Sarah was a widow and a single mother of two sons, while she learned to become a herbalist healer by growing her own plants. She couldn't help but interfere in other's lives, like healping Linda Peachey conceive a child, when her in-laws try to play matchmaker with a family friend. In this romance, we learn about God's ways through Eric Parker, a young English teen who wanted to become a potter like Henry Byler, and how Priscilla cared for her family and worked in the inn with Ginny. Sarah learned to let God guide the others in his own way, too.

[Barbara Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keys of Heaven by Adina Senft is a good book. This is my first book to read by this author. The author is great with details and I found this book intriguing, but there were too many characters for me. BUT I probably should have read Book One first and maybe that would have helped me. Keep that in mind, I would recommend to read Book One before reading Book Two. These books are the Healing Grace series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.

[Rosemarie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book in the Healing Grace series picks up where book one left off. It's the continuing story of Sarah, an Amish widow, who loves her sons, her garden and herbs, and helping people - almost to a fault. Senft delves deeply into her characters' hearts - where faith, doubt, hurt, and love reside. This book was so good, I read it in two days (and I work fulltime and run my own business on the side)!! On to book three...to see if what I THINK is going to happen in Sarah's life actually will or not.

[Carolyn E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Adina Senft's books, and this one is no exception. I am eagerly awaiting the release of the third book in this series, Balm of Gilead, which is scheduled for release on July 21, 2015.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing improved greatly in this second book in Adina Senft's Healing Grace series. There were several interesting story-lines going, only a couple parts that felt contrived, the characterization is very good, and the setting is skillfully depicted. For those who enjoy inspirational fiction this is a great series. Oh, and still no overused melodramatic tragedies, so thumbs up for that.

[Dorothy Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second book in this series .. didn't care for the ending .. He's walking across the field and she's sitting on the porch. Makes it sound like they'll be together, but that's not the case .... readers left hanging.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keys of Heaven is the second installment to the Healing Grace series. The book was okay to me and I did not like it as much as the first book of the series. It had some good parts to it but it also had some slow parts.
3 1/2 stars

[Caitlin Downey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another good read

It follows the first very well with continuing plot development. I love the characters, and I can't wait until the third comes out. A soothing reminder to obey God's will is always welcome.

[Robin Lesher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up based on the herbalism theme, and for a lighter read. It did not disappoint. Charming with no loose ends, it reminded me a bit of watching one of those children's afterschool specials. Altogether pleasant and somewhat innocent. There is a fair amount of "God's will" language.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sarah is learning to use herbs to help people, but sometimes she tries to help in other ways that backfire.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this and the third one-Bslm of Gilead. This was a sweet, gentle, easy read. It was nice to have no violence, language, or sex!

[Mary Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this second book in the trilogy as much as the first one. Can't wait to see what happens in the third book. I wonder if Henry will marry Ginny or will things change between him and Sarah?