Of the 4 books in this series, this one really touched me. If you've read any of the previous books, you know Bertha has a very strong will. She is a protector, a problem-solver and faithful to serve. Reading her backstory was so touching and real that I wanted to reach into the book and give Bertha a huge hug!
I enjoyed the past and present narrative approach the author took with this story. I thought it flowed very well and kept me turning the pages to see what would happen next.
We immediately meet Calvin and his relative, Alex. All isn't quite right and it doesn't take Rachel and her aunts long to find a way to befriend these two newcomers in Sugarcreek. Rachel and Joe and still adjusting to family life and all the changes seem to bring up memories from Bertha's past that she doesn't welcome. This is truly the golden thread in this tapestry!
If you haven't read books 1-3, I highly recommend starting from the beginning to truly appreciate the beauty in book 4. Each book is written so that the reader can pick up any of the books and begin reading, but this family has so much to share you'll want to start with book 1.