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An Amish Love
What the Heart Sees
Together for the first time, three Amish romances from Kathleen Fuller
"A Miracle for Miriam" from An Amish Christmas
Miriam fell for Seth, but he broke her heart. Years later, after he's nearly killed in an accident, Miriam sees him at a Christmas party and notices something is different about him-not just how he looks, but how he acts. When Seth pursues her, she must decide whether to guard her heart or accept his love.
"A Place of His Own" from An Amish Gathering
When Josiah left Paradise the first time, he didn't even say good-bye. Now he's back, ten years later, and he's changed. Why is he so distant and bitter? Where is the boy who used to be Amanda's best friend? Amanda is learning that there are things even a capable Amish girl can't fix. But can she stand there and watch him walk away...again?
"What the Heart Sees" from An Amish Love
A tragic accident rocks a peaceful Amish community, leaving Ellie Chupp blinded and Christopher Bender's future shattered. But they find love and forgiveness in a place they least expect.
422 pages, Paperback
First published March 8, 2011
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1250 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen Fuller
117 books1,117 followersBest-selling author of Amish fiction. Also a wife, mother, crafter, coffee addict, football fan, and chocolate aficionado.
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September 1, 2021When I was cleaning out my book collection to prove to Steph and Sarah that I did in fact read to all the boys I've loved before I found this. Guess I really liked Amish romance novels at one stage.
March 10, 2011
I with we could give have star ratings.
I give this 4.5 stars.
I enjoyed all three of these stories. In the first one
A Miracle for Miriam I found it interesting to read of a Amish young lady dealing with body image. Reading as these two young people fell in love was heart warming and a good reminder to be proud of who we are. Seth was learning to see everything different after an accident scared him for life and Miriam learned to love herself as she is. A great story.
A Place of His own was a little slower for me I did not feel like the characters got fully developed but it still was a fun read. Josiah had to forgive his father for the way he was treated after his mother dies and it also touched on tempers and control which is another subject one would not expect to read about in an Amish book. Amanda was a sweet girl but to me her character was kind flat. I did not feel like I really got to know her that well and the ending left me going that’s it? But I did enjoy the story over all.
I read What the Heart See’s in another collection a month or so ago. I loved is story. Ellie was blind and feared she would never marry. Christopher is still getting over the death of his girlfriend. Together they both come to better understand who they are and learn to put the past behind them and move ahead together.
Over all a great book. I enjoyed all three stories and if you enjoy Amish Romances then you should grab this book! This author is one of my favorites and I look forward to reading more of her books.
I give this 4.5 stars.
I enjoyed all three of these stories. In the first one
A Miracle for Miriam I found it interesting to read of a Amish young lady dealing with body image. Reading as these two young people fell in love was heart warming and a good reminder to be proud of who we are. Seth was learning to see everything different after an accident scared him for life and Miriam learned to love herself as she is. A great story.
A Place of His own was a little slower for me I did not feel like the characters got fully developed but it still was a fun read. Josiah had to forgive his father for the way he was treated after his mother dies and it also touched on tempers and control which is another subject one would not expect to read about in an Amish book. Amanda was a sweet girl but to me her character was kind flat. I did not feel like I really got to know her that well and the ending left me going that’s it? But I did enjoy the story over all.
I read What the Heart See’s in another collection a month or so ago. I loved is story. Ellie was blind and feared she would never marry. Christopher is still getting over the death of his girlfriend. Together they both come to better understand who they are and learn to put the past behind them and move ahead together.
Over all a great book. I enjoyed all three stories and if you enjoy Amish Romances then you should grab this book! This author is one of my favorites and I look forward to reading more of her books.
May 3, 2011
Looking forward to reading this win from first reads giveaways. On my first day of reading I finished the first of the three novellas, A Miracle For Mariam. I really enjoyed it as it was my first "Amish romance". Couldn't believe how much the German I took in high school paid off all these years later. Kept me from having to refer back to the glossary in the front of the book.
I really liked all three of the stories in this book. A Place of His Own, the second was a great story about a young man that had to overcome a lot of pain in his young life. He finally overcomes his hurt and finds what he has been missing.
The third story, What the Heart Sees, is about a car accident and it's impact on the small community. Very powerful. I was thankful for winning the book, thanks goodreads! I really enjoyed the Amish stories. I will look for more from Kathleen Fuller, she is a great storyteller!
I really liked all three of the stories in this book. A Place of His Own, the second was a great story about a young man that had to overcome a lot of pain in his young life. He finally overcomes his hurt and finds what he has been missing.
The third story, What the Heart Sees, is about a car accident and it's impact on the small community. Very powerful. I was thankful for winning the book, thanks goodreads! I really enjoyed the Amish stories. I will look for more from Kathleen Fuller, she is a great storyteller!
April 30, 2011
Fans of Kathleen Fuller will be delighted to discover that three of her novellas have been repackaged into one volume. The stories, which previously appeared in An Amish Christmas, An Amish Gathering and An Amish Love respectively, are romantic tales of young Amish men and women discovering and rekindling love and healing past hurts.
In A Miracle for Miriam, Miriam must reconcile her memories of Seth, the boy who teased her as a teenager, with the young man he has become. Seth is in for a culture shock, returning to his Amish family after he was seriously injured in a car accident. But his near-death experience has made him to rethink his life, causing him see everything in a different light – including Miriam. In order to pursue a relationship with her reformed would-be-suitor, Miriam has to learn to forgive and let go of past grudges, or miss out on the chance of falling in love.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, especially as it was the first time I’d read about an Amish woman who was insecure about her appearance. It made me rethink my expectation that all Amish are able to focus purely on inner beauty. After all, everyone strives not to be vain and to focus on what cannot be seen, but our human flaws cause us to be concerned with the physical. Miriam’s self-consciousness combined with the hurt she had experienced as an impressionable teen made her a very relatable heroine. Seth also had his own difficulties, regarding the injuries he suffered in a car accident, but he’s such a gentleman that it’s impossible not to fall for him. While I did struggle to believe that one isolated incident – Seth had only teased her about her looks on one occasion, so it wasn’t as if she experienced repeated bullying – would cause Miriam to be so self-conscious about her appearance, I did find it refreshing to read about an Amish woman who struggled with insecurity and low self-confidence. Those who think that the Amish are romanticised will be pleased to find such a realistic and character-driven story.
Amanda is surprised to discover that her childhood best friend, Josiah, has returned from Indiana to fix up his old family home in A Place of His Own. But she’s shocked that Josiah doesn’t want her company, and is keen to sell his old house and leave Paradise as soon as possible. Slowly, Amanda begins to draw Josiah out of his shell and make him face the long-buried wounds that are still causing him pain. Can this healing process rekindle their friendship, and maybe even spark embers of love?
While I found Amanda and Josiah’s story to be the weakest in the collection, I did end up enjoying it once it really got started. Unfortunately, I felt that the plot didn’t really begin until several chapters in, which can be annoying in such a short novella. Other reviewers have commented that they think A Place of His Own would be stronger as a full-length novel, and I’m inclined to agree with them. There was so much potential and a lot of unexplored areas in this novella, so I think Kathleen was just restricted by her word count. And while I warmed up to Josiah after a while, I really struggled with the character of Amanda, who no matter what she said or did, still seemed very two-dimensional and shallow. I hope that readers don’t judge Kathleen based on this story, as it’s still a good effort and is sandwiched by two other excellent stories.
The last novella also shares its name with the collection, What the Heart Sees. This story is my favourite out of the three, and tells the tale of a prodigal son who returns to the Amish for his sister’s wedding and ends up befriending a blind girl. I was fortunate enough to read this story earlier in the year, so please check out my review of An Amish Love to read my thoughts on it.
I’ve yet to read any of Kathleen Fuller’s full-length novels, but if her novellas are any clue, I’m sure they’re an excellent addition to the Amish genre. Although I enjoyed each of the stories in this collection, I think their weakness is that they share very common themes. Seth, Josiah and Chris are all returning from the English world, and all three of the women are late into their courting years and worried that they’ll never find love. I’m sure these novellas worked very well in their original collections, but bound together I felt that they were rather repetitive with their tortured heroes and insecure heroines. This is a storyline that Kathleen does very well, but after reading it three times I couldn’t help but wondering if I should have left a larger gap between reading each of the novellas. I do recommend this collection, especially if you’re a fan of Kathleen Fuller, but I’d suggest spacing your reading of these stories.
Review title sent courtesy of Thomas Nelson.
In A Miracle for Miriam, Miriam must reconcile her memories of Seth, the boy who teased her as a teenager, with the young man he has become. Seth is in for a culture shock, returning to his Amish family after he was seriously injured in a car accident. But his near-death experience has made him to rethink his life, causing him see everything in a different light – including Miriam. In order to pursue a relationship with her reformed would-be-suitor, Miriam has to learn to forgive and let go of past grudges, or miss out on the chance of falling in love.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, especially as it was the first time I’d read about an Amish woman who was insecure about her appearance. It made me rethink my expectation that all Amish are able to focus purely on inner beauty. After all, everyone strives not to be vain and to focus on what cannot be seen, but our human flaws cause us to be concerned with the physical. Miriam’s self-consciousness combined with the hurt she had experienced as an impressionable teen made her a very relatable heroine. Seth also had his own difficulties, regarding the injuries he suffered in a car accident, but he’s such a gentleman that it’s impossible not to fall for him. While I did struggle to believe that one isolated incident – Seth had only teased her about her looks on one occasion, so it wasn’t as if she experienced repeated bullying – would cause Miriam to be so self-conscious about her appearance, I did find it refreshing to read about an Amish woman who struggled with insecurity and low self-confidence. Those who think that the Amish are romanticised will be pleased to find such a realistic and character-driven story.
Amanda is surprised to discover that her childhood best friend, Josiah, has returned from Indiana to fix up his old family home in A Place of His Own. But she’s shocked that Josiah doesn’t want her company, and is keen to sell his old house and leave Paradise as soon as possible. Slowly, Amanda begins to draw Josiah out of his shell and make him face the long-buried wounds that are still causing him pain. Can this healing process rekindle their friendship, and maybe even spark embers of love?
While I found Amanda and Josiah’s story to be the weakest in the collection, I did end up enjoying it once it really got started. Unfortunately, I felt that the plot didn’t really begin until several chapters in, which can be annoying in such a short novella. Other reviewers have commented that they think A Place of His Own would be stronger as a full-length novel, and I’m inclined to agree with them. There was so much potential and a lot of unexplored areas in this novella, so I think Kathleen was just restricted by her word count. And while I warmed up to Josiah after a while, I really struggled with the character of Amanda, who no matter what she said or did, still seemed very two-dimensional and shallow. I hope that readers don’t judge Kathleen based on this story, as it’s still a good effort and is sandwiched by two other excellent stories.
The last novella also shares its name with the collection, What the Heart Sees. This story is my favourite out of the three, and tells the tale of a prodigal son who returns to the Amish for his sister’s wedding and ends up befriending a blind girl. I was fortunate enough to read this story earlier in the year, so please check out my review of An Amish Love to read my thoughts on it.
I’ve yet to read any of Kathleen Fuller’s full-length novels, but if her novellas are any clue, I’m sure they’re an excellent addition to the Amish genre. Although I enjoyed each of the stories in this collection, I think their weakness is that they share very common themes. Seth, Josiah and Chris are all returning from the English world, and all three of the women are late into their courting years and worried that they’ll never find love. I’m sure these novellas worked very well in their original collections, but bound together I felt that they were rather repetitive with their tortured heroes and insecure heroines. This is a storyline that Kathleen does very well, but after reading it three times I couldn’t help but wondering if I should have left a larger gap between reading each of the novellas. I do recommend this collection, especially if you’re a fan of Kathleen Fuller, but I’d suggest spacing your reading of these stories.
Review title sent courtesy of Thomas Nelson.
March 20, 2011
What The Heart Sees by Kathleen Fuller
I received a copy of What The Heart Sees from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.
What The Heart Sees by Kathleen Fuller contains three novellas:
1. A Miracle for Miriam
2. A Place of His Own
3. What The Heart Sees
A Miracle for Miriam is the first story, about Miriam, a young Amish woman who was previously in love with Seth Fisher and has since given up on finding love after he made fun of her during their school years. However, Seth Fisher has been through a lot since that time, including his rumpsringa and a terrible car accident leaving him still limping and in pain. He finds new beauty in Miriam that he had previously not noticed, and she is not eager to accept his attention assuming it is for the wrong reason. As the title implies there is a miracle for Miriam, but what will that be?
A Place of His Own is the next story, and it focuses on Josiah, who left Paradise 10 years before. Now, he is forced to return to Paradise, having gone through a lot and changed in many ways since he left 10 years before without even saying goodbye. Amanda, his former best friend, discovers that he is back and is very excited to see Josiah again. However, when she goes to talk to him she finds out that Josiah is not the same boy she knew 10 years earlier. She desires to find the old Josiah who she thinks must be buried within the bitter shell of the man she used to know, but he makes it extremely difficult. Will Josiah find his old self with the help of Amanda, or is he so lost that she finally has to let him go...?
The last story is What The Heart Sees. This story is about Ellie Chupp who went blind in a terrible car accident. The same accident that killed Christopher Miller's beloved fiancée and Ellie's best friend. Christopher ran away after the terrible accident claimed his fiancée's life after getting banned from the community due to his efforts to get the Amish driver of the car his fiancée was in, Isiah, thrown in jail. He comes back some years later to find Isiah engaged to his own sister, and the betrayal washes over him again, but at the same time he finds his heart falling for Ellie, feelings he thought he would never have again. Will Christopher be able to let go of his pain and anger? Or will his chances at a happy life be ruined when he cannot forgive Isiah for he events that happened and changed his life forever?
I really enjoyed all 3 stories. I had read A Miracle for Miriam several months before in another collection of novellas. The other two were really unique and beautiful.
I thought A Place of His Own really showed a man struggling to find himself again after going through terrible events and discovering that running from one's problems will not solve them.
What The Heart Sees is a beautiful story demonstrating that no one is perfect and one's flaws can actually endear you to another, rather than making you "unworthy" of finding happiness. It's a good lesson to remember when we are down on our own selves for our flaws. Perfection is daunting, and impossible to achieve and flaws are not deal breakers: there is someone out there to love each one of us!
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Good read, but no the most memorable.
I received a copy of What The Heart Sees from BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. I am under no obligation to write a positive review, just an honest one.
What The Heart Sees by Kathleen Fuller contains three novellas:
1. A Miracle for Miriam
2. A Place of His Own
3. What The Heart Sees
A Miracle for Miriam is the first story, about Miriam, a young Amish woman who was previously in love with Seth Fisher and has since given up on finding love after he made fun of her during their school years. However, Seth Fisher has been through a lot since that time, including his rumpsringa and a terrible car accident leaving him still limping and in pain. He finds new beauty in Miriam that he had previously not noticed, and she is not eager to accept his attention assuming it is for the wrong reason. As the title implies there is a miracle for Miriam, but what will that be?
A Place of His Own is the next story, and it focuses on Josiah, who left Paradise 10 years before. Now, he is forced to return to Paradise, having gone through a lot and changed in many ways since he left 10 years before without even saying goodbye. Amanda, his former best friend, discovers that he is back and is very excited to see Josiah again. However, when she goes to talk to him she finds out that Josiah is not the same boy she knew 10 years earlier. She desires to find the old Josiah who she thinks must be buried within the bitter shell of the man she used to know, but he makes it extremely difficult. Will Josiah find his old self with the help of Amanda, or is he so lost that she finally has to let him go...?
The last story is What The Heart Sees. This story is about Ellie Chupp who went blind in a terrible car accident. The same accident that killed Christopher Miller's beloved fiancée and Ellie's best friend. Christopher ran away after the terrible accident claimed his fiancée's life after getting banned from the community due to his efforts to get the Amish driver of the car his fiancée was in, Isiah, thrown in jail. He comes back some years later to find Isiah engaged to his own sister, and the betrayal washes over him again, but at the same time he finds his heart falling for Ellie, feelings he thought he would never have again. Will Christopher be able to let go of his pain and anger? Or will his chances at a happy life be ruined when he cannot forgive Isiah for he events that happened and changed his life forever?
I really enjoyed all 3 stories. I had read A Miracle for Miriam several months before in another collection of novellas. The other two were really unique and beautiful.
I thought A Place of His Own really showed a man struggling to find himself again after going through terrible events and discovering that running from one's problems will not solve them.
What The Heart Sees is a beautiful story demonstrating that no one is perfect and one's flaws can actually endear you to another, rather than making you "unworthy" of finding happiness. It's a good lesson to remember when we are down on our own selves for our flaws. Perfection is daunting, and impossible to achieve and flaws are not deal breakers: there is someone out there to love each one of us!
I gave it 4 out of 5 stars. Good read, but no the most memorable.
May 20, 2011
What the Heart Sees is a collection of 3 short romance stories. Each different and written with its' own unique challenges.
A Miracle for Miriam - is the first story. Miriam is a nineteen year old girl who is re-introduced to her first "crush" after he has been gone for 5 years. Having not liked her previously, he quickly discovers that there is more to Miriam than he ever thought. He falls for her and tries to get her to like him back. He has a bit of a struggle as years earlier he made a nasty comment to Miriam that scarred her. In the end Seth triumphs and both fall in love. It was a sweet story, but my least favorite of the three. The reason: I thought Miriam was too hard on Seth. I understand he hurt her with his comment, but it was made when both were 14 years old. How many have said something in haste that have come back to bite them?!
A Place of His Own - is the second story. Perhaps my favorite. Josiah comes back to his deceased parents home after being gone for 10 years with the intention of fixing it up and selling it. His best friend (Amanda), whom he hasn't spoken to in those 10 yrs is estatic to see him. She pretty much forces him to accept her and her family's help in repairing the house. Always in love with Amanda, Josiah is hesitant because he doesn't want to feed those feelings and hurt Amanda. Amanda, in turn, is surprised by her friends distant behavior and his "grown-up" goods looks. She is falling for him and knows it. What she can't understand is why he is pushing her away. Determined to find out she works on him for answers. Being a short story it moved fast. I would have loved to read the development of the characters more and wish for a full-lenth novel.
What the Heart Sees - is the third story. Another one where I would have loved a full-length novel to delve into the characters more. Christopher is returning home determined to put the past behind him and return to his family. Old issues haunt him and he finds it's hard to let go. It seems nobody understands him besides maybe Ellie. As days go by, Ellie seems to be the only one who can get through to Christopher and the fact that she is personally involved helps them to discuss the events that continue to haunt him. I think Christopher was treated a little too harshly by his family and community. It was clear he was grieving and needed someone to talk to. Shunning him is not the best way to get someone who is that angry to open up and ask for forgiveness. I'm glad he was able to find and fall in love with Ellie. Ellie's father had the best line . . ."He might just need a freind". YES, yes he did!! Good going Dad ;-). In the end everything worked out for the couple and Christopher's peace of mind.
All three stories had tramatic experiences happen that forced one or more of the characters to have a change of heart and see things differently. I'd like to think these changes (of heart) would have evenutally come regardless of these events, but being short stories they had to move along quickly and this was the way to do it. Again, I could definitely read more about Josiah/Amanda and Christopher/Ellie. I received this book free from Goodreads First-Read.
A Miracle for Miriam - is the first story. Miriam is a nineteen year old girl who is re-introduced to her first "crush" after he has been gone for 5 years. Having not liked her previously, he quickly discovers that there is more to Miriam than he ever thought. He falls for her and tries to get her to like him back. He has a bit of a struggle as years earlier he made a nasty comment to Miriam that scarred her. In the end Seth triumphs and both fall in love. It was a sweet story, but my least favorite of the three. The reason: I thought Miriam was too hard on Seth. I understand he hurt her with his comment, but it was made when both were 14 years old. How many have said something in haste that have come back to bite them?!
A Place of His Own - is the second story. Perhaps my favorite. Josiah comes back to his deceased parents home after being gone for 10 years with the intention of fixing it up and selling it. His best friend (Amanda), whom he hasn't spoken to in those 10 yrs is estatic to see him. She pretty much forces him to accept her and her family's help in repairing the house. Always in love with Amanda, Josiah is hesitant because he doesn't want to feed those feelings and hurt Amanda. Amanda, in turn, is surprised by her friends distant behavior and his "grown-up" goods looks. She is falling for him and knows it. What she can't understand is why he is pushing her away. Determined to find out she works on him for answers. Being a short story it moved fast. I would have loved to read the development of the characters more and wish for a full-lenth novel.
What the Heart Sees - is the third story. Another one where I would have loved a full-length novel to delve into the characters more. Christopher is returning home determined to put the past behind him and return to his family. Old issues haunt him and he finds it's hard to let go. It seems nobody understands him besides maybe Ellie. As days go by, Ellie seems to be the only one who can get through to Christopher and the fact that she is personally involved helps them to discuss the events that continue to haunt him. I think Christopher was treated a little too harshly by his family and community. It was clear he was grieving and needed someone to talk to. Shunning him is not the best way to get someone who is that angry to open up and ask for forgiveness. I'm glad he was able to find and fall in love with Ellie. Ellie's father had the best line . . ."He might just need a freind". YES, yes he did!! Good going Dad ;-). In the end everything worked out for the couple and Christopher's peace of mind.
All three stories had tramatic experiences happen that forced one or more of the characters to have a change of heart and see things differently. I'd like to think these changes (of heart) would have evenutally come regardless of these events, but being short stories they had to move along quickly and this was the way to do it. Again, I could definitely read more about Josiah/Amanda and Christopher/Ellie. I received this book free from Goodreads First-Read.
February 27, 2011
"What The Heart Sees" is a compilation of three short stories that have been previously published in other books. While I had read one of the stories in another collection it was nice to have this group of stories together in one book.
"A Miracle for Miriam" was previously published in An Amish Christmas. Miriam was picked on in school by a boy and his friends who told her she was ugly, which affected how she viewed herself. She had longed for a husband, but her self esteem issues followed her into adulthood, making her wonder if she would ever find a mate. When Seth, the bully who taunted her in school shows up in town, and starts paying attention to her, will Miriam be able to forgive him?
"A Place of His Own" was previously published in "An Amish Gathering." At the age of twenty-four Amanda Graeber is plenty old enough to be thinking about a family of her own, but she hadn't met anyone she wanted to marry, so instead she helps her mother take care of her brothers and sisters.When Josiah Botranger left Paradise ten years ago he didn't even get to say goodbye to his best friend Mandy, but now he has returned to fix up their old house sell it and then leave, but perhaps he will instead find what he has been longing for in Paradise.
"What The Heart Sees" was taken from "An Amish Love". I had already read this story but reread it anyway and found that I liked it just as well as I did the first time. In this story everything seemed to change for Ellie Chupp five years ago in an accident where she lost her sight.Chris Miller left five years ago after loosing his fiancee in the same accident that cost Ellie her sight. Ellie wants to be Chris' friend but can he let go of the past?
Each of these stories give the reader a great glimpse as to what a fantastic storyteller Ms. Fuller is.She pulls you into each story with well developed characters and plots that move at a brisk pace. Each story has the reoccurring theme of men returning home to find forgiveness and love.
There is a glossary for the Amish words that are peppered through out the stories. In addition there is a reading group guide and a few Amish recipes for readers to try. Fans of good clean romance with a nice inspirational thread woven in should pick up this book, its a great way to sample the work of one of todays leading Amish authors.
rating 5/5
Book provided by Booksneeze for their blogger review program
"A Miracle for Miriam" was previously published in An Amish Christmas. Miriam was picked on in school by a boy and his friends who told her she was ugly, which affected how she viewed herself. She had longed for a husband, but her self esteem issues followed her into adulthood, making her wonder if she would ever find a mate. When Seth, the bully who taunted her in school shows up in town, and starts paying attention to her, will Miriam be able to forgive him?
"A Place of His Own" was previously published in "An Amish Gathering." At the age of twenty-four Amanda Graeber is plenty old enough to be thinking about a family of her own, but she hadn't met anyone she wanted to marry, so instead she helps her mother take care of her brothers and sisters.When Josiah Botranger left Paradise ten years ago he didn't even get to say goodbye to his best friend Mandy, but now he has returned to fix up their old house sell it and then leave, but perhaps he will instead find what he has been longing for in Paradise.
"What The Heart Sees" was taken from "An Amish Love". I had already read this story but reread it anyway and found that I liked it just as well as I did the first time. In this story everything seemed to change for Ellie Chupp five years ago in an accident where she lost her sight.Chris Miller left five years ago after loosing his fiancee in the same accident that cost Ellie her sight. Ellie wants to be Chris' friend but can he let go of the past?
Each of these stories give the reader a great glimpse as to what a fantastic storyteller Ms. Fuller is.She pulls you into each story with well developed characters and plots that move at a brisk pace. Each story has the reoccurring theme of men returning home to find forgiveness and love.
There is a glossary for the Amish words that are peppered through out the stories. In addition there is a reading group guide and a few Amish recipes for readers to try. Fans of good clean romance with a nice inspirational thread woven in should pick up this book, its a great way to sample the work of one of todays leading Amish authors.
rating 5/5
Book provided by Booksneeze for their blogger review program
April 15, 2011
What the Heart Sees is a collection of three novellas by Kathleen Fuller. A Miracle for Miriam is about a young lady who was once very hurt. She carries that pain with her every day of her life, but masks it under being busy. Seth is recovering from a horrible car accident which has made him see what his priorities in life should be. Can both of them find the healing they need? Josiah has returned to Paradise with intentions to leave as quickly as he can. Can he avoid the demons from his past or will he ultimately confront them and put them to rest? He believes he is fighting alone, but he has forgotten the tenacity of his youthful best friend, Amanda. She is excited to see her friend back, but cannot understand why he has changed so much. In A Place of His Own, we find out that friendship and faith can overcome that which seems impossible alone. What the Heart Sees is the final novella in this book. The Amish community is recovering from a deadly car accident. The survivors are moving forward with their lives, all but one who has fled to get as far as he can from the pain. Christopher must decide if he can come to terms with what happened and truly live again. Ellie must share her pain and accept her disability. Will their friendship help them overcome the tragedy?
I enjoyed reading these three stories. The issues confronting the characters are issues that many people face and these tales can help us to grapple with forgiveness, love, faithfulness, and hope. I found parts of Miriam's tale to go a bit slowly, be somewhat repetitious, so I can't say that was my favorite of the three. I do believe the middle book about Amanda and Josiah is my favorite because of the faithfulness of her friendship. The final story is the most complex of the three, but not to its detriment. This book offers many hours of entertaining reading and I award it 4 out of 5 pieces of bacon.
Kathleen Fuller is a wife and mother as well as an author of novels, novellas, and short stories. She has degrees in early childhood and special education.
What the Heart Sees was written by Kathleen Fuller, published by Thomas Nelson
Trouble was, her heart refused to cooperate.
I enjoyed reading these three stories. The issues confronting the characters are issues that many people face and these tales can help us to grapple with forgiveness, love, faithfulness, and hope. I found parts of Miriam's tale to go a bit slowly, be somewhat repetitious, so I can't say that was my favorite of the three. I do believe the middle book about Amanda and Josiah is my favorite because of the faithfulness of her friendship. The final story is the most complex of the three, but not to its detriment. This book offers many hours of entertaining reading and I award it 4 out of 5 pieces of bacon.
Kathleen Fuller is a wife and mother as well as an author of novels, novellas, and short stories. She has degrees in early childhood and special education.
What the Heart Sees was written by Kathleen Fuller, published by Thomas Nelson
Trouble was, her heart refused to cooperate.
August 29, 2011
"A Miracle for Miriam" ~ Miriam had been in love with Seth for as long as she could remember. Along with remembering how much she was in love with Seth she remembered how he crushed her heart in front of everyone when they were younger. Now that they are adults in the community and have came in contact with each other again she has to fight to keep those feelings for Seth down inside her because she is afraid that he will once again crush her heart.
This is a great short story but I found myself wanting the story to continue so I could find out how their lives turned out.
"A Place of His Own" from An Amish Gathering ~ Amanda lost her best friend, Josiah, when she was growing up and had no idea why he had moved away. Then, one day he comes back into her life for her only to find out that he is leaving again. When they were growing up he was her best friend and she thought that she knew everything about him but boy was she surprised. Both Amanda and Josiah had a lot to deal with in this story but I found enjoyed it very much.
"What the Heart Sees" from An Amish Love ~ Ellie Chupp was in an accident with two other Amish friends and the result was that she had lost her sight. Luckily she was not the one to lose their life but there was so much for her to deal with since the accident. When she lost John she felt like she would never get married and have the family that she always dreamed of.
Then their was Christopher Miller who left the Amish faith because of the accident because he could not bring it to himself to forgive the person who caused the accident which caused the death of his fiance, Caroline. He had dreamed that they would have such a great life full of children and that was taken away from him and because he could not forgive he was shunned by the community. After five long years he decided that he truly missed the Amish faith and his family but when he returned to his family he was thrown a few more surprises that made forgiveness even harder.
I would really like to read more about all three of these stories. This is my first Kathleen Fuller book and I am looking forward to reading more.
You can read my full review at: http://lovemy2dogs.blogspot.com/2011/...
This is a great short story but I found myself wanting the story to continue so I could find out how their lives turned out.
"A Place of His Own" from An Amish Gathering ~ Amanda lost her best friend, Josiah, when she was growing up and had no idea why he had moved away. Then, one day he comes back into her life for her only to find out that he is leaving again. When they were growing up he was her best friend and she thought that she knew everything about him but boy was she surprised. Both Amanda and Josiah had a lot to deal with in this story but I found enjoyed it very much.
"What the Heart Sees" from An Amish Love ~ Ellie Chupp was in an accident with two other Amish friends and the result was that she had lost her sight. Luckily she was not the one to lose their life but there was so much for her to deal with since the accident. When she lost John she felt like she would never get married and have the family that she always dreamed of.
Then their was Christopher Miller who left the Amish faith because of the accident because he could not bring it to himself to forgive the person who caused the accident which caused the death of his fiance, Caroline. He had dreamed that they would have such a great life full of children and that was taken away from him and because he could not forgive he was shunned by the community. After five long years he decided that he truly missed the Amish faith and his family but when he returned to his family he was thrown a few more surprises that made forgiveness even harder.
I would really like to read more about all three of these stories. This is my first Kathleen Fuller book and I am looking forward to reading more.
You can read my full review at: http://lovemy2dogs.blogspot.com/2011/...
March 4, 2011
The three-in-one Amish romance novel titled What The Heart Sees after one of the three stories within it was a pleasant read which I enjoyed. I found each of the three stories sweet and enjoyed each of them, though A Place Of His Own was my favorite and I wish it was a full length book - it would have made it a stronger, less rushed story! But, I still was able to enjoy it.
As I already said, A Place Of His Own was my favorite of the three. I enjoyed reading about Amanda and Josiah and entering both of their lives. Like I said, I would have liked this story more if it was a full length. I felt a lot of character could have been added and that it was too rushed. But, I was still able to enjoy it.
Another one I found pleasure in reading was What The Heart Sees. For some strange reason, I always love reading stories where the hero or heroine is blind - I'm not really sure why. Being it that ___ is blind, I enjoyed this story twice as much. Once again, it was one that I thought should be it's own book - but it was still a good, sweet read!
Last but not least is A Miracle For Miriam. This was the one story that I found to be the perfect length. I found Seth's a Miriam's relationship sweet, and while I didn't enjoy this short story as much as the other two I still found it a good story and worth the time.
In the whole book there's not much to mention content wise, aside from a few brief kisses and the occasional reference to a man longing or desiring a certain woman he fancies.
All around, this book was worth the time reading and I recommend it to anyone who loves sweet Amish romance stories.
Look forward to this books release on March 8th of 2011!
As I already said, A Place Of His Own was my favorite of the three. I enjoyed reading about Amanda and Josiah and entering both of their lives. Like I said, I would have liked this story more if it was a full length. I felt a lot of character could have been added and that it was too rushed. But, I was still able to enjoy it.
Another one I found pleasure in reading was What The Heart Sees. For some strange reason, I always love reading stories where the hero or heroine is blind - I'm not really sure why. Being it that ___ is blind, I enjoyed this story twice as much. Once again, it was one that I thought should be it's own book - but it was still a good, sweet read!
Last but not least is A Miracle For Miriam. This was the one story that I found to be the perfect length. I found Seth's a Miriam's relationship sweet, and while I didn't enjoy this short story as much as the other two I still found it a good story and worth the time.
In the whole book there's not much to mention content wise, aside from a few brief kisses and the occasional reference to a man longing or desiring a certain woman he fancies.
All around, this book was worth the time reading and I recommend it to anyone who loves sweet Amish romance stories.
Look forward to this books release on March 8th of 2011!
August 13, 2011
Set in the community of Paradise, Pennsylvania, Kathleen Fuller’s collection of three Amish romances take the reader into the heart of Lancaster County. In the first story, “A Miracle for Miriam,” we meet a young woman who has never forgotten the teasing she received from Seth when they were in school, but she has forgiven him. When he comes back to Paradise after a devastating accident, she discovers that he may be worth a second chance. The second story in the collection, “A Place of His Own,” we find Josiah and Amanda trying to renew their friendship ten years after Josiah and his father moved away suddenly. Will he stay around long enough for their friendship to blossom into love? And in the third story, “What the Heart Sees,” we meet Ellie and Chris. Five years after the accident that claimed the life of Ellie’s best friend and Chris’s fiancée, Chris can’t forgive the one he holds responsible. But Ellie is holding on to a secret that could change all of their lives. All three of the stories have been previously published.
One thing I appreciated about Kathleen Fuller’s presentation of Amish families is that she doesn’t expect her characters to be perfect. The people who appear in her stories have the same struggles as their non-Amish neighbors. I hadn’t read any of Kathleen’s books before this one, but I will watch for her name in the future.
A free copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers for my review.
One thing I appreciated about Kathleen Fuller’s presentation of Amish families is that she doesn’t expect her characters to be perfect. The people who appear in her stories have the same struggles as their non-Amish neighbors. I hadn’t read any of Kathleen’s books before this one, but I will watch for her name in the future.
A free copy of this book was provided by Thomas Nelson Publishers for my review.
July 27, 2011
I have read a few Amish romances but these three novellas in What the Heart Sees is a win. Among all my Amish fiction books, this book is a favorite. Although the stories are simple and light, there are moral lessons behind each story. Lessons such as forgiveness, changing from selfishness, and acceptance are prominent throughout the book.
An aspect that is very obvious is the way the guys in the stories are facing major problems while the girls seemingly behave better. I wonder if that could be because Amish boys are more likely to turn Englisch than Amish girls?
I liked the endings of the first two novellas, but I did not like the ending of the third novella. It depicted the Amish-turned-Englisch returning to the community after a shunning. I wish it was different. After all, we have dozens of Amish fiction books with the happily-ever-after endings of Amish returning to their community after they were placed in a Bann. It would have been nice to read something different.
Overall, What the Heart Sees is a collection of three light stories that will either cause you to admire the Amish values or cause you to shake your head at the strong do’s and don’ts the Amish adhere to.
An aspect that is very obvious is the way the guys in the stories are facing major problems while the girls seemingly behave better. I wonder if that could be because Amish boys are more likely to turn Englisch than Amish girls?
I liked the endings of the first two novellas, but I did not like the ending of the third novella. It depicted the Amish-turned-Englisch returning to the community after a shunning. I wish it was different. After all, we have dozens of Amish fiction books with the happily-ever-after endings of Amish returning to their community after they were placed in a Bann. It would have been nice to read something different.
Overall, What the Heart Sees is a collection of three light stories that will either cause you to admire the Amish values or cause you to shake your head at the strong do’s and don’ts the Amish adhere to.
March 4, 2011
I have to admit that this was the first Amish romance that I have read. I really enjoyed it. First, for those of you who are knew to the nuances of Amish culture like I was, there is a glossary of commonly used words to help out.
Its really hard for me to choose between the three stories which is my favorite. They were all really great.
The first story was great in that we realize that people hold many scars. Some are easily seen. While others are deep within the heart. It’s how you handle your scars that will determine how you live your life.
The second story was about not holding onto past hurts. We can’t change our pasts, but we can accept that we can have a great future.
The third story was about triumphing over great odds and living our lives with grace.
In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.
Its really hard for me to choose between the three stories which is my favorite. They were all really great.
The first story was great in that we realize that people hold many scars. Some are easily seen. While others are deep within the heart. It’s how you handle your scars that will determine how you live your life.
The second story was about not holding onto past hurts. We can’t change our pasts, but we can accept that we can have a great future.
The third story was about triumphing over great odds and living our lives with grace.
In conjunction with the Wakela's World Disclosure Statement, I received a product in order to enable my review. No other compensation has been received. My statements are an honest account of my experience with the brand. The opinions stated here are mine alone.
August 2, 2011
What the Heart Sees (for me a first reads book) is a collection of three quite typical and rather enjoyable Amish romances. Having read an Amish romance or two in the past, I immediately recognized the familiar style and form: the emotional appeal of a romance without the debauchery that an entirely secular romance probably holds. Although the three stories were not exceptionally original, I thoroughly enjoyed the light read, which took me less than a day. I would definitely recommended this book to anyone looking for an easy, pleasant journey into the quaint and friendly Amish life.
One other note: The three stories contained within the book can be read totally separately; however, if you read them in order, you will get very, very brief glimpses of the characters from the first book in the second book and the characters from the second book in the third book- something like mini epilogues that tell you how everything turned out (even though it is quite obvious at the ends of the stories what will happen).
One other note: The three stories contained within the book can be read totally separately; however, if you read them in order, you will get very, very brief glimpses of the characters from the first book in the second book and the characters from the second book in the third book- something like mini epilogues that tell you how everything turned out (even though it is quite obvious at the ends of the stories what will happen).
July 19, 2011
The stories in this book, Miracle For Miriam, A Place of His Own, and What the Heart Sees are all Amish romances written by Kathleen Fuller. They were all previously published in other Amish collections.
Each story is unique from the others. I liked how each story centers around a character that has come back to the Amish community. The stories are told with humor and thoughtfulness and only about one hundred and fifty pages each.
Miracle For Miriam tells of a romance between two childhood acquaintances. You will enjoy reading how they finally see eye to eye.
A Place of His Own tells of a boy returning to his home a different man and how his childhood friend helps him overcome his difficulties.
What The Heart Sees is about a woman who loses her eyesight and the man who shows her love despite her disability.
The beginning of the book even has a glossary of terms to help you better understand some of the uncommon words used. I enjoyed the stories and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys Christian romances.
I won this in a Goodreads contest
Each story is unique from the others. I liked how each story centers around a character that has come back to the Amish community. The stories are told with humor and thoughtfulness and only about one hundred and fifty pages each.
Miracle For Miriam tells of a romance between two childhood acquaintances. You will enjoy reading how they finally see eye to eye.
A Place of His Own tells of a boy returning to his home a different man and how his childhood friend helps him overcome his difficulties.
What The Heart Sees is about a woman who loses her eyesight and the man who shows her love despite her disability.
The beginning of the book even has a glossary of terms to help you better understand some of the uncommon words used. I enjoyed the stories and would recommend them to anyone who enjoys Christian romances.
I won this in a Goodreads contest
May 20, 2011
Let me start by saying I recieved this book in a firstreads giveaway and am thankful for the chance to read it and review it. I've never read an Amish story before and I have to say... I'm going to read more now. These 3 stories are just great! The writing is easy and still gives you a great picture of what an Amish life must be like. The stories are all sweet, clean, a bit of drama and of course some heart warming romance.
I like the way the author uses some of the Amish language (german maybe?). It has a glossary at the front but I found I didn't have to use it. You can take the words in context and know what they mean. It just adds a bit more to the realistic picture. I'm going to have to watch myself today to make sure I'm not saying "ya" (with an accent) to everyone! :)
This is a 4+ star book in my opinion. Thanks again for the 'giveaway'!I'll be sure to pass this one along!
I like the way the author uses some of the Amish language (german maybe?). It has a glossary at the front but I found I didn't have to use it. You can take the words in context and know what they mean. It just adds a bit more to the realistic picture. I'm going to have to watch myself today to make sure I'm not saying "ya" (with an accent) to everyone! :)
This is a 4+ star book in my opinion. Thanks again for the 'giveaway'!I'll be sure to pass this one along!
February 7, 2012
I am really enjoying this genre....what a surprise. Nice to have a break from foul language, violence, and sometimes too much graphic sex and to get back to what really matters....that feeling of real love when you know you've met the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. Not to say that I won't and don't occassionally read material that is uncomfortable and a little disturbing (i.e.....Drifting Towards Love for my Courageous Books and Brave Conversations class.)
Woman Hollering Creek was also hard to swallow....too much violence, sex and racist attitude. I like to think that I broaden my horizons by tempering required reading with more gentler material. Makes for a more well-rounded person.
Woman Hollering Creek was also hard to swallow....too much violence, sex and racist attitude. I like to think that I broaden my horizons by tempering required reading with more gentler material. Makes for a more well-rounded person.
August 13, 2011
This book is a collection of three Amish love stories, (1) A Miracle for Mirriam, (2) A Place of His Own, and (3) What The Heart Sees.
The first one I have read was the 3rd story, What The Heart Sees. It was a beautiful, sweet and unique love story that had me crying. After reading the 3rd story, I tried reading A Miracle for Mirriam. It was a slow read, I finished reading it after two days. A Place of His Own is a great story too.
This is my first Amish book and I found the second and third stories enjoyable. I definitely look forward to reading more Amish romances! Thanks to the author, this book is a great introduction into Amish fictions.
The first one I have read was the 3rd story, What The Heart Sees. It was a beautiful, sweet and unique love story that had me crying. After reading the 3rd story, I tried reading A Miracle for Mirriam. It was a slow read, I finished reading it after two days. A Place of His Own is a great story too.
This is my first Amish book and I found the second and third stories enjoyable. I definitely look forward to reading more Amish romances! Thanks to the author, this book is a great introduction into Amish fictions.
September 23, 2012
just got done listening to ...what the heart sees: a Collection of Amish Romances audiobook- was a very good set of romance storys set in the heart of the amish comunity brings you back to the origin of true romance and religion in a simpler life what the heart sees the last story in the collection was very touching story about a blind amish girl who finds love anyone whos into true romance storys and not looking for the modernized erotic romance that most storys have followed will truely love this story
November 9, 2011
As this was my first Amish Romance and was not sure what I would think: I totally like it. Each story had a moment that made me think, am I living in the way that I should with out hitting you over the head with scripture that may turn others off. Made me search out verses and open my eyes again to what good is in each person and in ourselves.
I really enjoyed this series of shorts and will be looking for this authour again.
Thanks Kathleen Fuller for bringing me to another genre of books:)
I really enjoyed this series of shorts and will be looking for this authour again.
Thanks Kathleen Fuller for bringing me to another genre of books:)
May 9, 2014
This is the first book I have read by this author. I love Amish books and this was no disappointment. Good stories with good teachings. I think the last one in the trilogy was the best. Honesty and a disability proves you can still give and receive love and forgiveness, and also be a productive person.
March 17, 2013
Holy cow she is a good author. I really loved all three short stories in this book. The love stories are Amish but they are ones that we can all relate too for the most part. This is a good beginner book for those who haven't ventured into Amish land.
May 28, 2012
Loved all of these stories. I had read all of them in other books by the authors.
May 6, 2011
Decent story lines although I wish they had been longer and more actualized. All of them were very abrupt in their endings.
May 21, 2011
I just loved the stories in this book. I enjoyed them all, but I think that "What the Heart Sees" is my favorite.
November 4, 2011
This is a nice "takes you away" type story.
March 11, 2012
Very nice simple romance stories.
July 6, 2014
Excellent book
August 24, 2013
A collection of three novellas. Well written and easy to read. The only complaint is that the third novella is included in another trilogy of novellas that I had recently read.
February 18, 2015
three good stories each one better than the last
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