The Thorn

Rose Trilogy #1

by Beverly Lewis

Lancaster County, with its rolling meadows and secret byways, may seem idyllic, but it is not without its thorns. THE ROSE TRILOGY is the stirring saga of two Amish sisters on the fringes of the church, and the unforeseen discoveries that change their lives.

Rose Kauffman, a spirited young woman, has a close friendship with the bishop's foster son. Nick dresses Plain and works hard but stirs up plenty of trouble too. Rose's sister cautions her against becoming too involved, but Rose is being courted by a good, Amish fellow, so dismisses the warnings. Meanwhile, Rose keeps house for an English widower but is startled when he forbids her to ever go upstairs. What is the man hiding?

Rose's older sister, Hen, knows more than she should about falling for the wrong man. Unable to abandon her Amish ways, Hen is soon separated from her very modern husband. Mattie, their young daughter, must visit her father regularly, but Hen demands she wear Amish attire--and speak Pennsylvania Dutch, despite her husband's wishes. Will Hen be able to reestablish her place among the People she abandoned? And will she be able to convince Rose to steer clear of rogue neighbor Nick?

Genres: Amish, Christian Fiction, Fiction, Amish Fiction, Christian, Romance, Adult

346 pages, Paperback

First published September 7, 2010

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, has been an award-winning author for over a dozen years. Her acclaimed novel, The Preacher's Daughter, was a 2006 Quill Book Award finalist in the romance category. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Colorado."

Reviews

[Rebekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book... although I wish it had been a little more suspenseful and gripping. However, some of the characters, especially Nick, we're very intriguing. I am looking forward to finding out what happens in the next two books.

[Sara (sarawithoutanH) · Rating 1 out of 5]

i think the biggest sin of all is being a boring book

vlog: https://youtu.be/QpCY3r9sA3E

[Steven Walle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book emmensly. It is a story of two sisters on the fringe of the Amish religion making a life in the Pennsilvania Douch country of Lancaster County PA.
I recommend this book highl
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamondy

[Amy Clipston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping story of faith during troubled times and family issues. Readers will be gripped by the story on page one and will be left wanting more. Can't wait to ready book #2!

[Katrece · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm sure some diehard Lewis fans "loved" this book. But...

First, this book is a little slow. Get on with it! Was my sentiment many times.

It's been several years (probably about 10 years) since I've read any of her books (only read a few). This book was well written. However, I don't like how Hen's situation seemingly ends. Also, I don't like Lewis' final choice of a beau for Rose Ann. <:( Well, at least from a secular, romantic standpoint. (I was hoping for Nick to get saved, move to the "English" world, grow in spiritual maturity over a few years, then, find that Rose Ann wants to live there too) From the Christian standpoint she made the right decision and prevented herself from going down Hen's path. So, I was really disappointed; and that's not how I like to feel when I finish a book. Partially disappointed? That would be Ok. But really disappointed? Yes. Not a good place to be after 300+ pages

I just had a thought and now hope springs eternal...Rose Ann didn't marry Silas at the end, they'd just started getting serious. Maybe Lewis will have Rose and Nick marry in the second book?

[Jerry (Rebel With a Massive Media Library) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Quickie Review

Yet another Amish book by Beverly Lewis, this one depicts a culture clash in 1985.  After a Amish girl marries an outsider, her parents are shocked to discover what her daughter--that is, their granddaughter--is exposed to.  The Amish girl wants to come back to her native soil...but will she be accepted again? If you've read any of Beverly Lewis' Amish books, you know what to expect, and that's what you'll get from this book.



Score: 4/5

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, SO good! So much depth and emotion in this first book of the Rose Trilogy. I really love that this book has a few main characters, but the entire Amish community plays a large role in the story line, and everyone's individual story line ties together. Two of the main characters are sisters, Rose and Hen. Rose is the younger sister who lives at home with her Amish family in their Amish community, and Hen, who left her Amish upbringing, lives in the English world with her husband. Hen's upbringing begins tugging her back to her roots at the same time Rose begins to be tugged on by someone in the Amish community who has his eyes on the world.

Very rich in Amish culture, I felt like this book painted such a great picture of the Amish lifestyle, roles, and dynamics between family members. Very descriptive.

There's so much depth in this story for Christians. And it brings up a lot to think about regarding being unequally yoked. Although I've read several Amish fiction books before and they have all been faith based with the community being founded on relationship with God, this book was different. There was a deeper insight into relationships with God as well as the roots that faith can provide for us if we're willing to have Him as our anchor. This book also really exposed the truth about faith and how it boils down to our own personal choice to be rooted in Him or reject Him and His ways, and the type of path that will take us down. It also went pretty deep into the reality that Christian parents can do everything they know to raise godly children but ultimately, a persons choice to follow God is theirs alone to make.

This is hands down my favorite Beverly Lewis book I've read and I'm very much looking forward to reading the other two books in the series as soon as I can get my hands on them! Highly recommend!

[Christina DeVane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had some unusual storylines that I enjoyed.
• A bishop’s foster son who is disgruntled with the Amish faith.
• A sister who wants to come back home after having married an Englischer.
• A mother bound to a wheelchair after a buggy accident.
Mostly light read, and looking forward to the other 2 books.

[Evelyn (Ev’s Novel Delights) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Clean Amish Fiction) *Full Review*

🌹The Thorn by Beverly Lewis🌹

Ok.. so I don’t usually like reading Amish fiction for a variety of reasons, but this one was actually really good! It probably will be one of my favorite series by Beverly Lewis 🙃.

~* Plot *~
First things first! I will say that just because I read an Amish book does not mean that I agree with the Amish cult and beliefs. I do not.. that’s why I had to take away a half star. Anyways, I liked the story and how intriguing it was. It did make me want to read the rest of the trilogy to see what will happen to Rose Ann and Nick!

~* Characters *~
All the characters were done well. I just didn’t like how Rosie’s father and the bishop constantly trying to force Nick and others to join the church. I don’t see the gospel in any of that so it was a little disappointing, but everyone else I liked. Rose Ann was a good FMC.. she really cared for everyone around her and was always trying to be selfless. Hen wasn’t my favorite, but she was alright. I didn’t like how she was disobeying her husband and not submitting to him.
Nick I loved most of all! He’s a lot of the reason why I want to finish the series lol.
He was a very sweet best friend to Rose! I was rooting for him the entire time.. but Silas Good had to get in between them and ruin EVERYTHING! I seriously don’t like Silas..he seems flat to me, like he has no depth.
I’m really hoping something will happen between Rosie and Nick.

~* Conclusion *~
Overall, I enjoyed this book and hope to continue this trilogy! If you enjoy Amish fiction and some light romance, then this is a great book to put on your TBR!
[Spoiler!] ⬇️
And please, please tell me it isn’t over yet with Nick!

⚠️ Age recommendation: 13-14+ (caution for 13 year olds) ⚠️

My rating: 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ages 10-12 rating: ⭐️⭐️

Ages 13-14 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ages 15-16 rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Sexual Content:
A married couple kiss once(not detailed), A few cheek kisses (most of them by a married couple; one or two that weren’t by a married couple), a forehead kiss, 3 hand kisses, a couple of embraces, and light touches on the hand. Noticing (light), Attraction, Nearness, and slight blushing.
A mention of waiting to lip-kiss on a couple’s wedding day and a mention of a man asking a girl if she saved her lips for her beau.
A “sexy” (describing a pair of jeans).
A mention of a girl wishing to know the joys of marriage and having children. A mention of a man snipping off a strand of hair off a woman’s head. A mention of a short-lived crush on a tall, muscular, and handsome boy. A mention of a woman’s sweaters to be too revealing. A mention of a man asking his wife if she wanted to have another baby (not sexual or seductive). A mention of a woman on a TV show “prancing seductively”. A mention of a woman being a man’s “steady girl”. Many mentions of the troubles a married couple is going through.
Love and the emotions. (2 couples)

Profanity:
A stupid. A string of unsaid curses by a passerby.

Violence:
A couple mentions of wanting revenge.
Some death and threats. Some Pain. [All of this is semi-detailed]
(There’s not a lot violence in this book)

Other Content:
Mentions of Nick’s mother being an alcoholic. A mention of a man finding bottles (liquor) hidden by his son.

POV’s: Switches between
Rose Ann Kauffman
Hannah (Hen)
and Solomon Kauffman a couple of times

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rose Kaufman and her parents live as Old Order Amish in southern Lancaster county Pennsylvania. She has an older sister named Hannah that is married to an Englisher and they have a young daughter named Mattie Sue. Hannah and her husband Brandon do not live as the Amish. Brandon is repugnant towards Hannah's family and the Amish world. In this first book of The Rose Trilogy, Hannah (nick-named Hen) and her husband are at odds against each other. As Mattie Sue grows, Hen sees the error in marrying an Englisher and in leaving the Amish world behind. Rose is smitten, although she does not acknowledge it, to a boy named Nick, who was adopted in to the Amish world by their Bishop. Nick is at odds with this new lifestyle, because he has experienced the "other" life.
The story expounds on choices that sometimes lead to results that are life-altering----especially in choosing life-mates.

I will probably be tar and feathered but I just did not care for this book. Sorry to all those Beverly Lewis fans out there. I saw on Christian Book review site that this book has 5 stars, as well as the others in the trilogy. On Amazon 4 1/2 stars.

I do appreciate that the book addressed an important issue in choosing wisely our marriage partners. But, I was not swept away by the story. Hannah I could relate to and feel sympathy for and I was more engaged in her situation. Rose seemed too picture perfect....including the air-brushed front cover of the beautiful gal.
I like to see more dimensional characters, as we all have idiosyncrasies and quirks.
No I did not hate this book. I would though give it 3 stars for okay.

Thank you to Bethany House and An Open Book program for my free review copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had been awhile since I read Amish fiction, so I was happy to get a chance to read this! There are so many issues with the Amish lifestyle (particular in the area of salvation), and while I couldn't disregard this while reading, I absolutely love how the author portrayed the emotions of several members of the community.

At first I didn't have much in common with Hen (Hannah), but halfway through I began to understand her more and enjoyed seeing how she strove to save her marriage. Rose and Nick were probably my favorite characters, particularly Nick because he's so mysterious and throws a wrench into the "perfect" Amish community. Beth was incredibly sweet, and I loved how she and Rose grew closer to one another.

I wasn't always keen on the switch of POVs in the middle of some scene, but thankfully it wasn't too much to really bother me. I thought it strange how little Sean was in the book, considering the circumstances! Content wise, this is very clean. Some feelings and emotions, but I loved how the author portrayed them so purely.

But that ending...I really gotta get my hands on the second book! Really intrigued to see how things continue with Nick.

[Nina Foster · Rating 3 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading these amish stories and I enjoyed this one. I plan to read the rest of the series.

[Jjean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting - well written about the Amish life style, family issues, romance, mystery - the ending does leave you to "read" book #2........

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story revolves around sisters Hannah (Hen) and Rose Ann Kauffman. Hen left the faith to marry Brandon, and Englisher, but after five years and a daughter she is longing for the life she left behind. She takes a job working in a fabric shop and soon starts wearing amish attire and making amish dresses for her daughter Mattie Sue, even though her husband is against it. When she decides to take a break from her marriage and move back home, will it be the end of her marriage, and how will the community accept her return?
Rose Ann has always known she wanted to stay in the faith, even skipping her rumspringa to join the church at fifteen. Her days are spent as the primary caregiver for her mother Emma, who was injured in a buggy accident several years prior that left her confined to a wheelchair with continuous pain. Rose works one day a week as a housekeeper/cook for an English neighbor Mr. Browning. There has always been stories that Mr. Browning's house is haunted, so when Rosie starts hearing noises upstairs, a place Mr. Browning has forbidden her to go, she is determined to figure out what is going on. When Rose has a bit of free time she is fond of reading and spending time with her best friend Nick Franco, and her love life starts to look promising when Silas Good starts calling on her, but Silas doesn't like the friendship she has with Nick. She also has Hen warning her against Nick, what will Rose do?
This story really moves along at a brisk pace, the author does a great job of giving us several different characters but presents them in such a way that you are drawn into each of their stories, giving us a glimpse of family structure, as well as the complexities of their daily life. While the main characters in the story are Rose and Hen, I found the secondary characters had rich stories of their own. The character of Nick, was compelling for me, plucked out of his English world to live among the amish had to be hard, and even though he had been with the community for years, he still longed for his English mother, although he was pretty good at hiding his feelings, Rose saw past his exterior and was the only friend he had.
I felt like this book was a great beginning for the Rose Trilogy, and since there are many unanswered questions I am anxious to read the next book in the series titled "The Judgement" due out April 1st.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I wanted to read this book:

* I believe that no one does Amish fiction like Beverly Lewis and whenever she has a new book I'm the first on the list of requests!!

What worked for me:

* I absolutely loved the premise of the storyline for this trilogy. I think Lewis is really taking risks in this book and writing about taboo subjects within the Amish culture and shedding some light on them.
* Lewis portrays the Amish as real humans, not saints and that is why I really enjoy her books.
* Many of us have went against our parent's wishes, but few of us are ever shut out of a way of life because of it. I'm intrigued by how strictly the Amish adhere to their customs, even though they themselves may not agree with what the Bishop dictates, they nonetheless follow it.
* The sister relationship in this book has many different layers. I loved both girls, Hen and Rose. I could easily understand how Hen's falling in love with an outsider made her make a rash decision to leave her Amish roots behind her. It isn't until she has her own child that she realizes something very important is lacking in her life and the life she wants her daughter to live.
* I can not wait until the next installment because I really need to know what is going to happen with Hen's marriage and Rose's love interests!!
* I have found myself just a smidgen in love with Nick who is the Bishop's foster son. He remembers enough of his previous English life that prevents him from embracing the Amish way of life.

What didn't work for me:

* I thought that Lewis made Hen's husband too much of a jerk. I can understand how he may be upset because she wants to start dressing plain again, but he takes it to an extreme that borders on abusive.

Recommend? If you love Amish fiction then absolutely make sure you read this one. I've read all of Beverly's books and I can say that this one is my favorite of them all and I believe the next two will be outstanding!!!

My Rating: 4.75/5

[Teresa Creek · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of two Amish sisters….Hannah (nicknamed Hen, yep beyond me too) the older sister and Rose the younger sister

Hannah at a young age took a walk on the wild side to speak and ended up marrying an Englischer Brandon and leaving the Amish community. Well you can take the girl out of the Amish but you can’t take the Amish out of the girl, meaning that Hen starts to mourn her rash decision. She packs up her 4 year old daughter Mattie Sue and heads back home to mamm and dat. This of course causing a world of hurt with her husband.

Meanwhile Rosie is courting wonderfully conventional Silas Goode but having feelings for the rebellious Nick Franco, the foster son of her Bishop, the boy she grew up best friends with, the young man she sneaks out at night with to ride their horses…..you see where we’re going here right. Meanwhile as Rose works in the household for her English employer she senses something not right in the house as though there’s someone else living there.

Follow the series to continue the trials and tribulations of Hannah and Rose

[Shari Larsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book of The Rose Trilogy. It is the story of the two Kauffman sisters. Rose, a young Amish woman who joined the church at 15, has a close friendship with the bishop's rebellious foster son Nick, and is also being courted by Silas, a good Amish man. Rose also works doing cleaning and cooking for an English widower, but is curious as to why he never lets anyone upstairs, and she wonders what he is hiding. Rose is also primarily responsible for caring for their crippled mother.

Rose's older sister Hen impulsively married a non Amish man about 5 years ago, but now has a 4 year old daughter and a yearning to return to her old way of life, and differences with her husband cause them to separate. How can Hen save her marriage, and yet remain true to her faith? How can she steer Rose away from Nick?

I really enjoyed this story, and can't wait to read the next book in the series. The characters are all interesting and well written, and the conflicts are believable.

[Emilie Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, Mrs. Lewis has done it again! This book was not only heart-wrenchingly beautiful but also so well thought out. I cried in some parts while laughing in others, and if a book can make me do that I say that it is a good book.

Thank you Mrs. Lewis for writing this wonderful book. Will definitely be continuing the series
4.5/5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

For some reason I struggled to stay with this story. It didn't keep my interest enough to read the next 2.

[Becca Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rose Kaufman is at the age where she is expected to start thinking about marriage and a family of her own. Just 5 years ago when her sister Hen (Hannah) was the same age, she ran off with an Englisher named Brandon. Hen is starting to strongly regret some of her decisions in leaving the old order especially after looking at how her 4-year-old daughter Mattie Sue is being raised outside of everything she's ever believed in. Her husband Brandon wants to hear nothing about Hen's desires to be closer to her people again. Knowing the struggles that her sister has had, Rose wants to make sure she makes the right choices when it comes to choosing her partner in life. She has been courted by a young man named Silas Good, but as the story goes it's easy to see that her time and attention are spent more on her good friend Nick, who is the foster son of the Bishop. Nick was born an Englisher and came to the Bishop's family when he was 10. Many of the people don't believe that Nick will be Baptized as Amish and are simply seeing how much longer he will remain with them before returning to the English. Rose sees differently than others, and hopes that Nick will change his mind and join the church. She even attempts to play matchmaker for him. There is no question that she sees him as her best friend, and to a certain extent is fairly naive to his feelings towards her. It isn't until her sister shows up to stay for a while with her daughter that Rose starts to see those feelings and wrestle with her own thoughts of not wishing to see him with another girl either. While Hen feels for her sister, she doesn't want the same life for her that she has dealt with herself. When spouses don't share the same worldview or views on child-rearing, it makes life difficult to say the least.

Overall it was a very good read, and one that I sat down to "read a few chapters" before I ended up reading the whole book. Beverly Lewis is known for writing good, clean Amish romances that leave you waiting for the next book in the series... which is sitting beside me to be read next of course. This book (probably series once I finish reading), actually carries an important message when it comes to choosing a spouse. "Love" may seem like enough in the beginning, but if both partners don't share the same faith, worldviews, child-rearing views, etc. it can put a very difficult strain on your relationship and make life seem near impossible. Unfortunately book 1 has ended with a cliffhanger so I will need to keep reading to find out what happens in their relationships in book 2.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book in The Rose Trilogy series, a new series by Beverly Lewis.

I was graciously sent this copy to review by Bethany House Publishers but am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest review.

The Thorn primarily follows the stories of two sisters, Rose Ann (aka Rosie) and Hannah (aka Hen). The two have taken drastically different paths with Rosie getting baptized into the church at a young age, and not even participating in a running around period. Hen however, was never baptized into the church. Instead, she had a desire to do more with her life than be Plain, and so when she was swept off her feet by an Englischer, she married him.

Rosie spends her days at home, helping care for her injured mother, and feeling a bit guilty about her mother's accident.

Hen spends her days with her young daughter, Mattie Sue, keeping the home clean and tidy for her husband, Brandon.

Rosie wonders if she'll ever get married, or if she'll stay an old maid after she stopped seeing her beau, Silas.

Hen wonders if she made a mistake leaving the Plain people, and longing to be closer to her family, and for Mattie Sue to grow up Amish.

Rosie and Hen both long for things they don't have, and the two are very different but very similar. Rosie has become good friends over the years with her neighbor, Nick, who is the adopted son of the bishop, but has never felt like he fit in with the Amish, since he came from the outside world. Rosie also spends her time cooking for a nearby neighbor who isn't plain, and quickly discovers he has a secret that he's been trying to hide: a daughter, one that he is trying to keep from seeing the outside world.

Hen begins to try to find a way back into the Amish world, but her husband does not approve, and will not allow for it. He believes that Hen left that world behind her, and that's where it should stay. He won't even give his approval to let her get a job at an Amish fabric shop.

Rosie receives a letter from her former beau, Silas, asking her to meet him, and their romance begins to rekindle. Hen and Brandon keep arguing and they problems grow worse until Brandon decides a trial separation is in order, and Hen goes to live with her parents, taking Mattie Sue with her, against Brandon's wishes.

Will Rosie and Silas work out? Or is there something more between Rosie and Nick that even she is unaware of? And what about Brandon and Hen? Will Brandon find God and decide to join the Plain people? Or is Hen forced to choose between her religious convictions and her husband? And if so, what will she choose, and where will their daughter, Mattie, go?

Read The Rose Trilogy series to find out!

I really enjoyed The Thorn. I thought it was interesting, and much more deep than many other Amish fiction novels. Instead of presenting the Amish as relatively perfect people who do not have too many internal struggles, it, more realistically, I think, shows the struggles that members of the Amish community deal with either in deciding to join, or in the very real decision that each member must make to join the church or to forever leave its fold.

There was a lot that happened in this book, and unfortunately for me, since it is a series, and the second book isn't released yet, there are many questions which are yet to be answered.

I am really interested to find out what will happen with Hen and Rosie. I am curious to know what happens to Nick after a certain tragedy befalls his adopted family. And I want to know more about Rosie's employer's secret daughter, Beth. I see so much potential for Beth, if only her father will loosen his tight controlling grip on her, and let her begin to grow into a woman.

I highly recommend you begin this series. However, if you cannot stand books ending with questions unanswered, then perhaps don't start this series until all three books are released.

The second book in the series, The Judgment will be released in April 2011, and I can't wait!

[Rosa Davis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the second before this one. I was intrigued with a lot of the plots that were continuations of this book. I am sad to say I was disappointed.

I was looking forward to the whole Brandon and Hen back story and I really don't know why or how they ended up together as long as they did. I know why they got married, to be able to do the deed. Other than that their chemistry is nonexistent. They don't even work as friends. Brandon has such open disgust and hate for the Amish and just religion in general I am still left wondering why he even courted Hen. Also get this, Hen ran away with their daughter cause she caught her dancing to Madonna's like a virgin song. That is not the only thing. Her daughter was simply acting like the child she is and figured she needed that harsh Amish discipline. The behavior she was displaying was normal child behavior. Hen made it seem like she had one foot in juvi. Overall both adult characters suck in this plot. Brandon tried to take back his daughter like a creepy guy in a van. He tried luring his daughter to his car with a puppy. Hen also shouldn't have ran away with their daughter in the first place.

Nick and Rose's plot was probably the best. They had some chemistry even with the whole love triangle.

Overall a meh read with blah plots. I will read the third just to see if Hen and Brandon divorce (they never should've gotten together in the first place) and to see who Rose ends up with.

[Casey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two sisters, one Amish, the other Fancy. Both yearning for the place in their roots, where they belong.

Amish fiction abounds in today’s Christian book market, but I truly believe that one of the few authors that does it incredible justice is Beverly Lewis. Though her stories can often tend toward the slow side, I know I can always count on her fiction delivering a strong story.

I enjoyed this first installment in the new series The Rose Trilogy, THE THORN. With one sister in the “world” and the pull of her Amish roots beckoning her, and the other sister torn between two young men claiming her affections, I wasn’t sure where this book was going to go. The ending took me by surprise in the sudden twist and where the other two books will go is mystery, one I am most anxious to see solved. Will Brandon except Hen’s Amish ways? And will Nick come back for Rose?

The characters are warm and welcoming, but it is their struggles that make them “human”. The depth of their growth has just begun. Where they will go from here will keep me restless to read the coming novel, The Judgment.

This is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers for my copy to review through CFBA.

[Elizabeth]

Beverly Lewis is along-time favorite author of mine, so I just had to get this book (and the rest in the series). Her books aren’t just romance novels they are inspiring and an encouragement to the people who read them.

The Thorn is the story of a young woman named, Rose Ann. Her heart is devoted to the Bishop’s foster son but has agreed to marry another.

Rose Ann and Nick have many fun times together, though some of the things they do are frowned upon by the church.

When Nick and his brother Christian (the bishop’s real son) go riding together, Christian gets hurt. When he dies from his injures, Nick runs away from home, leaving the girl he loves, and the people who raised him, behind.

Hen, Rose Ann’s sister, wants to come back to the life she left behind when she married her Englischer husband, Brandon. He refuses to let her go back, as she left that life behind for him. She defies him and takes their daughter and moves back to parents home.

If you love Amish fiction this is a book to get. Romance, a little mystery and suspense are entwined together to give an awesome read.

[Kathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've read at least a dozen other Amish novels by Beverly Lewis. I've enjoyed all of them. Unfortunately this one has been my least favorite. For some reason I still can't figure out I just didn't connect with the characters in this one or really care about the story. It was still a good read, one I don't regret taking the time to read and I'll likely read the sequels sometime in the future just to find out how the story ends. I think it was just a problem of having too high of expectations and being a little disappointed when those expectations weren't met.

If you are a fan of Amish fiction definitely give this one a try. If you haven't read Amish fiction I wouldn't recommend starting with this one. Try one of Beverly Lewis's others series first like her Abram's Daughter Series, I really enjoyed those.


3 Stars - Worth Reading

Content: Clean

Source: Library

[June Guymon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was a little disappointed and dismayed when I read the first 3 or 4 chapters of this book. It seemed to take an awfully long time for the story to really get rolling and I was even becoming quite irritated by a couple of the characters who seemed to be revisiting the same issues and repeating the same words again and again. However, I will probably read the next book just to find out what happens to these people.

[Teri · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really hate giving up on a book I do. But I gave this one until chapter 15 and it was such a snoozefest I found I was forcing myself to read it. I gave it a good honest try but there are too many other books on my TBR list to continue with this one. Don't get me wrong it's well written just totally boring to me.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This genre is certainly not for me!
It was too slow. The ending made me want to burn the book. I get that it was done to create a series; to entice you to keep reading. But...ugh! I did not like it.

[Becky Day · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written; I want to read the next in the series; quick read.

[Molly Jaber (Audiobooks And Sweet Tea) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review coming soon!