This Passing Hour

Amish Memories #2

by Leslie Gould

After the death of her parents, Mennonite Brenna Zimmerman relocates to the Lancaster County farm of her Old Order Amish relatives. There, she befriends Rylan Sanders, a disabled veteran, and commits to rising above her own grief to help him as much as she can. But when things take a turn for the worse, Brenna finds herself at a loss for what to do.

As Brenna struggles, her Mennonite friend Johann Mazur, a soldier in the Ukranian Army, encourages her to distance herself from Rylan. But when she discovers that Rylan's army buddies are withholding secrets that could help with his psychological healing, Brenna is torn between her feelings for Johann and her commitment to help Rylan.

Inspired by the story of her great-great-aunt who served with the Red Cross and supervised German POWs during World War II, Brenna considers her own future and must decide if she has the courage to give up the comforts she craves for the life she truly wants.

Bestselling author Leslie Gould continues her evocative Amish Memories series with a compelling dual-time tale set during World War II and present-day Lancaster County.

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

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 28, 2023

About the author

Leslie Gould is the #1 bestselling and Christy Award-winning author of fifty novels. She received her MFA in 2009 and has taught writing on the university level. Leslie enjoys traveling, hiking, and history. She and her husband, Peter, are the parents of four adult children and two grandbabies. Visit her at http://www.lesliegould.com/.

Reviews

[Kailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is my new favorite series by Leslie Gould! I absolutely love they way the past timeline is told in story form during the present day timeline. I found myself stopping reading because I was so concerned for Brenna and her family. I really loved this book! I highly recommend it!


I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

[Dana Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Passing Hour is the second book in the Amish Memories series. This book features Brenna. She has trauma and depression issues, and she is thrust into a situation to help someone who has his own PTSD. To help Brenna, her aunt Rosene tells her a story about her aunt Martha during WWII.
I really enjoyed the dual timeline stories. I love learning about history in a fictional book because it makes learning fun, and it also allows me to feel like I'm there. One of the interesting things I learned while reading was that 400,000 German POWs were shipped here to America to work.

The author really did her research and weaved a creative and wonderful story. I highly recommend to all history lovers.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher, and this is my honest opinion.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Passing Hour by Leslie Gould

Summary:
After the death of her parents, Mennonite Brenna Zimmerman relocates to the Lancaster County farm of her Old Order Amish grandparents. There, she befriends Rylan Sanders, a disabled veteran, and commits to rising above her own grief to help him as much as she can. But when things take a turn for the worse, Brenna finds herself at a loss for what to do.

As Brenna struggles, her Mennonite friend Johann Mazur, a soldier in the Ukrainian Army, encourages her to distance herself from Rylan. But when she discovers that Rylan's army buddies are withholding secrets that could help with his psychological healing, Brenna is torn between her feelings for Johann and her commitment to help Rylan.

Inspired by the story of her distant relative who served with the Red Cross and supervised German POWs during World War II, Brenna considers her own future and must decide whether she has the courage to give up the comforts she craves for the life she truly wants.

Review 3-Star
The story as a whole is very well written. The characters are all well-developed and feel real. The editing is spot on. Now this is why only the 3-star review lacks research on how the VA works along with how the Reserves work. As a veteran who first served as a reservist and then on active duty, I understand how both works. In this day and age, it’s so easy to find the information or find someone who is willing to give you that insight. First when you join the reserves you have twelve months to complete basic training and yes you can go to reserves meetings before you go to basic training and then your job training but you don’t get paid and you can’t use the GI-Bill as that don’t become activated until you’ve been in for a full year that’s after basic and your job training and you aren’t eligible for deployment until you’ve completed both your basic and job training. Now for the VA. I’ve never heard of a case worker. When you start the process to be seen at the VA you are signed to a medical team and all questions go through that team, if they can’t answer the question, they will refer you to whatever part of the VA they think will have the answers you are looking for. Please take the time to do the research.

I received this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

[January · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Passing Hour by Leslie Gould
Amish Memories #2
398-page Paperback story ends on page 393

Genre: Christian Fiction > Amish Fiction; Historical Fiction

Featuring: Epigraphs, Lancaster, Pennsylvania; Mennonite, Old Order Amish, Dual Timelines, Sisters, Orphans, 2017, College Student, Grandparents, Spoiler Recap of Previous Book, Veteran, Amputee, Ukrainians, Afghanistan, Army Reservists, Secrets, Oregon, Family Drama, Germans, Germany, 1945, World World II, Familial Relationships, PTSD, Social Worker, POVs, Red Cross, Volunteering, Serving Others, Politics, Mental Health Care, Racism, POWs, Nationalism, Agents of Chaos, Dual Timelines, Mirrored Storylines Christmas Tree Farm, Therapy, Kindness Trope, Author's Note, Historical Inspirations, Plain Patterns series - Book Covers on Back Cover

Rating as a movie: PG-13 for adult situations and content

Songs for the soundtrack: "All for Jesus!" by Mary D. James, "Gently Lord, O Gently Lead Us" by Thomas Hastings, "Depth of Mercy! Can There Be?" by Charles Wesley, "Amazing Grace" by John Newton, "How Great Thou Art" by Carl Boberg

Books and Authors mentioned: The Holy Bible, The Giver by Lois Lowry, The Story Girl by L. M. Montgomery, Kahlil Gibran

My rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

My thoughts: 📖 Page 178 of 393/398 [Chapter] 16 ~ Martha - I'm only stopping because I'm falling asleep. I will read Book 3 soon. So far, this one is better than the first book, but it has the luxury of not needing to build a foundation. The best thing is that both storylines are equally good.
📖 366 Chapter 34 - I'm torn between finishing this book and watching Damsel with my mom.

This was a very meaningful story. I'm not a fan of Historical Fiction, but this series has a lot of information I'm unfamiliar with that makes it an exciting read.

Recommend to others: Yes! It's nice to read about the parts of history that aren't as popular.

Amish Memories
1. A Brighter Dawn (2023)
2. This Passing Hour (2023)
3. By Evening's Light (2024)

[Edward Arrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great dual-time story that speaks to the reader from two time periods sharing life lessons that are always applicable, no matter the century. The sisters, Ivy, Brenna, and Treva, lost their parents in a car accident at the beginning of the first book in the series. Three years have passed, but Brenna, who was driving the car in which their parents died, is still struggling with the loss of their parents. At the apartment complex where she and Ivy live, she encounters a wounded veteran who has some major issues. One day when his truck fails to start, he asks her for a ride to the college where they have several classes together. She does not know about his psychological issues until he keeps asking for her help with one thing after another. She wants to help but starts feeling used, as she also begins to see his negative traits. She frequently visits her grandparents and great aunt Rosene at their Amish farm where her great aunt shares a story that occurred during World War II. I enjoyed the way Rosene shares the story of her sister Martha in segments each time Brenna visits. Although Brenna gets engrossed in the story, she struggles to see how it has any application to her own situation. Rosene continues the story while assuring Brenna that Martha’s story is definitely applicable. Only by reading the story can you learn what, if any, impact Martha’s story has on Brenna. Rosene is a master storyteller, knowing just how much of the story to share at a time, so that she keeps the interest level high causing Brenna to want to hurry back again to learn more. Leslie Gould uses this dual-time story quite effectively to draw the reader in and communicate valuable lessons. I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.

[Victoria (TheMennomilistReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was something about this book that didn't bring me into the story like the first book had done. Perhaps it was that Rylan was one of the most selfish and annoying characters I have read about in a while. Even I tried to be sympathetic to his situation, but goodness, it was very hard to be so. I don't like when people blame others and don't take responsibility for their actions.

This story is about Brenna, who is going to college and tries to help another student out who ends up wanting to take her family to court. At the same time, Brenna has been talking more to Johann, a character we met in the first book briefly. There was a lot of talk about military forces in other countries and wars. Also, there is another WWII story intertwined in this (but it wasn't as interesting as the first book's story).

As a Mennonite myself, I had a hard time with this book. The last book had a lot more feeling of the Anabaptist way of life, but this one had more of the American patriot outlook of life. Mennonites are neutral and will do their best to help anyone out regardless of where they served, but they will help the oppressed and speak up for their plight, though never would they make excuses for why one would join the military. I feel this one does a little. Also, there was a part where Brenna goes to court and swears an oath. Most Mennonites would hesitate to do so or would refuse, as we believe that you should never swear to anything. The fact that Brenna lives amongst the Amish family she has would make me think she would have hesitated and said something about her beliefs in that situation.

Other than that, the overall message was put through in this story. It was a good message. Love those who may persecute you or cause ill will against you. Be patient and kind to them.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Passing Hour by Leslie Gould is the second book in the Amish Memories series and is just as entertaining as the first!

Rosene is still telling her stories, only this time she shares them with Brenna, and as before, Rosene's stories help the character listening (in this case, Brenna) to make decisions that will help her in her personal life.

Brenna is still suffering mentally and emotionally from the accident that killed her parents. As she deals with her own trauma, she meets Rylan, a veteran who is also dealing with his own problems. I didn't like Rylan one bit. Not even after he changed. The author made me hate him so much that I had no empathy for him when everything came to light about why he was such a jerk. Perhaps it was because I have someone like Rylan in my family, and dealing with this person is so exhausting that I had to cut them out of my life for my own sanity. There is only so much abuse at the hands of another that a person can take. Brenna is clearly made of stronger stuff than I am as is the rest of her family. While they did show Christ-like behaviour, I'm not sure how realistic it was.

I enjoyed Rosene's stories about Martha during WWII. I had no idea farms in the U.S. used German POWs for labour during that time. I love learning history like that!

While this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend you read the first book in the series, A Brighter Dawn, as it will help you understand Rosene and Brenna better.

If you love Amish fiction and WWII stories combined with a bit of romance, you will want to pick up this book!

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a story! Lessons learned never assume anything about anyone! Especially when you don’t know their story! Quote for the day; “That we can’t assume we know someone’s story, or even who they really are.” “And we should always live our values but also use our imaginations. I didn't like Rylan from the get go because I thought of him as a jerk. But as the quote says we never really know that person unless they want us to know them. Fear is the big factor here. Fear Is a strong emotion just as love is and I equally admired Brenna for her compassion and love shown to others. Gould writes an amazing story as always and I just now finished this wonderful story. Gould has really made me stop and think about others. What's their story? I will never look at someone the same again. Just as the Lord says we shouldn't judge others. That's His job. But being human sometimes we can't help ourselves as Arden cooley points out. I loved how he stayed calm, cool, and collected throughout the whole ordeal. Mammi too. It showed their trust in God that's He'd work things out to their benefit. I really loved this story best! I liked Brenna's character. My favorite was the example of prayer that was shown around the dinner table. I wish more families would do that. Maybe the world would be a better place for it. Who know? Only the Lord does. Just trust in Him to get you through the storms in life. I consider life one big adventure just like Martha. I happily give this book 5 stars. I highly recommend it. My thanks to Netgalley and Bethany House for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Passing Hour by Leslie Gould is the second book in the Amish Memories series and is just as entertaining as the first!

Rosene is still telling her stories, only this time she shares them with Brenna, and as before, Rosene's stories help the character listening (in this case, Brenna) to make decisions that will help her in her personal life.

Brenna is still suffering mentally and emotionally from the accident that killed her parents. As she deals with her own trauma, she meets Rylan, a veteran who is also dealing with his own problems. I didn't like Rylan one bit. Not even after he changed. The author made me hate him so much that I had no empathy for him when everything came to light about why he was such a jerk. Perhaps it was because I have someone like Rylan in my family, and dealing with this person is so exhausting that I had to cut them out of my life for my own sanity. There is only so much abuse at the hands of another that a person can take. Brenna is clearly made of stronger stuff than I am, as is the rest of her family. While they did show Christ-like behaviour, I'm not sure how realistic it was.

I enjoyed Rosene's stories about Martha during WWII. I had no idea farms in the U.S. used German POWs for labour during that time. I love learning history like that!

While this book can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend you read the first book in the series, as it will help you understand Rosene and Brenna better.

If you love Amish fiction and WWII stories combined with a bit of romance, you will want to pick up this book!

I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Bethany House through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Passing Hour by Leslie Gould is the second book in the Amish Memories series. It can be read as a standalone. I thought This Passing Hour was well-written with developed characters. I did not like the main characters, Brenna and Rylan. Brenna is a young woman with numerous issues. She certainly showed more patience than I would have with Rylan. Brenna has a great family. They could be a wonderful support system if she would allow them. There are many times when Brenna pushes them away and does not share her true feelings. I did not understand why she moved into an apartment with her sister if she preferred living on the farm. If the farm made her feel safe, Brenna should have spoken up. Rylan is the type of person that I cannot stand to be around. He is manipulative and cruel. He finds himself in a situation of his own making (I believe Rylan feels he does not have to follow rules). I did not understand why his army friends continued to hang around him. I understand turning the other cheek and showing God’s grace through actions. However, there is only so much abuse one person can take. I found both characters to be depressing. I did feel there were some inaccuracies in the research regarding the VA and the Reserves. I did find the World War II portion of the story more compelling. POWs were needed to work the farms with the men away fighting the warm. However, it could be dangerous especially for those Americans of German descent or who spoke German. The pacing in This Passing Hour was sluggish. There is a good wrap up at the end of the story. While I admire Leslie Gould’s writing skills, I am not a fan of This Passing Hour. I will, though, look forward to reading Leslie Gould’s next book.

[Keren Herrera-Lyles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author Leslie Gould crafts a beautiful story of emotional healing and strength. This is the 2nd book in the Amish Memories series. This story is of Brenna who after an tragic accident where her parents pass. She is left with emotional struggles. And when she meets Rylan a disabled army veteran she feels the need to help him. But when his emotional state detours left and right her friend Johann a soldier in the Army of Ukrainian worries about her.

But we always learn from our descendants through relatives within the stories that they share with us and help us move forward. And that is where Rosene, her distant relative serving in the Red Cross and with the POW's of WWII shares with her a story that will place Brenna in the path she should take. Even if at first she struggles to see and learn the lesson within. I enjoy Rosene, she is a master at story telling. Delivering the right story and the right time. Pulling Brenna and the reader little by little to each page. And showing us the healing process, acceptance and family. And also the never judge a book by it's cover. There is always something more within.

Author Leslie crafts beautifully dual time stories. And this one is beyond great with WWII combined into the Amish. If you enjoy this two genres this is the perfect book. With pieces of history to learn about.

I received a ARC from the author/publisher. I was not required to leave a positive thought. All stated here are my own. With that stated I highly recommend this story.

[Gail Hollingsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This split time novel has roots in WWII and travels from there to modern time and back through storytelling. Brenna is Mennonite and moves to live with her Amish grandparents after her parents are killed in an auto accident. She meets a neighbor living in her apartment complex after his vehicle won’t crank. Rylan has college classes with Brenna so she offers him a ride. He is an army veteran that loses a leg in Afghanistan. He takes advantage of Brenna through her generous nature. I don’t know how she could be so nice to him when he tried my very patience as I read. He relied on two of his army buddies for help and began also counting on Brenna.
Brenna’s relative that was a young girl during WWII, shares the story of their family and the POWs that were brought to their family farm to help work the garden and milk the cows. She shares her story throughout the book between everyday happenings in the present time.
The complete story was interesting to read and was enjoyable throughout. I liked all the characters except maybe for Rylan. He was hard to like and so demanding but there were reasons for that as well.
I highly recommend this book. It makes for good reading, sitting by the fireplace with a cup of hot coffee. I might even try a recipe for a meat pie that was mentioned, Haitian Beef Patties.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the author but was not required to write a review.

[Anne Rightler · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Passing Hour is the second book in author Leslie Gould's series Amish Memories. Reading the first book is not necessary but gives further insight into some of the characters in This Passing Hour. Readers are quickly drawn into the story and the interest does not let up. Readers find Brenna, a Mennonite, relocating to her Amish grandparent's farm. Gould does a wonderful job fleshing out her characters so that the reader truly feels like they are real people with very real struggles and heartaches. This book, as is the first book in the series, is a dual-time story. Brenna's great-great aunt, Rosene, reveals the WWII story of another young Mennonite girl as she deals with the POWs who worked on the farm and her desire to work with the Red Cross. Martha's story is just as compelling as Brenna's and the author does a marvelous job of stopping at just the right point in one story to pick up in the other. Gould has researched this story well and gives good historical information on World War II and the contemporary issues of the war in Ukraine. This Passing Hour is a story of courage, of family and friends, and a coming-of-age journey as a young woman yearns to be of service and step into a new beginning for her life. Readers who enjoy historical fiction and dual time stories will not want to miss reading Leslie Gould's book. I read a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a positive review. The opinions are my own.

[Terri Gillespie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leslie Gould continues the Amish Memories series, THE PASSING HOUR, in the same fashion as book one. A dual-time Amish Christian fiction novel set-in present-day Lancaster County and WWII.

While this second in the series could stand on its own, I would recommend reading the first book because the threads of both time periods are chronological, thereby enriching the stories.

THE PASSING HOUR further develops the Zimmerman sister, Brenna. Still struggling with her fragile emotions and how she processes emotions and challenges, Brenna opens her heart to others’ hurts with her relationship with Rylan—a self-centered, snarky soul, bent on suing her family. Brenna’s friend in the Ukraine, Johann is protective of Brenna—as are her sisters—and want her to sever the unhealthy relationship.

Once again, the sisters’ great-great aunt, Rosene continues her story of WWII, this time centering on the POWs who worked on the farm. The continuing story contains insights and inspiration as Brenna reflects on Martha’s journey.

I love how Gould demonstrates the power and insights of history and the people who inhabit our legacy. Just beautiful.

Readers of Amish, historical, romance, and dual timelines will love this book. I can’t wait for the third book in the series.

An ARC was provided by the publisher for my honest review.

[Jeanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dual narration of the past and current events. Current events before covid and past events during world war 2.

Mennonite Brenna Zimmerman is now living in Lancaster County. Leaving her home in Oregon after her parents were killed (Amish Memories of #1). Brenna has been going therapy to overcome the anxiety and the many emotions she is finding hard to deal with. Going to school she befriends a injured vet who has a chip on his shoulder. However, befriending him turns into a disaster when he suffers an accident on her families farm and he threatens to sue. The family encourages Brenna to show kindness to Rylan Sanders. During this difficult time of her emotions being triggered once again, she seeks wisdom from her aunt who shares a story of great grandparent during World war II. How their stories are not so different.

I have some issues with this. It turned political by mentioning the slogan "to make America great again as a threat. Of course, the hatred of Trump that his name is not mentioned but is very obvious. I understand the dislike. However, history will judge him just as history as judged Hitler. There is no comparison and I am surprised that this is indicated. It ruined the story line for me.

A special thank you to Bethany House and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Julie Surface · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Passing Hour, Book Two of the Amish Memories Series, is another time-split novel by one of my favorite authors, Leslie Gould. The book parallels the stories of contemporary Mennonite Brenna Zimmerman and her distant relative Martha Simons. As different as two women can be, they both are touched by the atrocities of war—either directly or indirectly--and both young women struggle with choices they must make in their own lives.

As we begin the story, we meet Brenna who is devastated over the loss of her parents. Though seeking healing, she continues to suffer panic attacks and becomes immersed in the grief of her classmate Rylan Sanders. Throughout the story we watch Rylan manipulate Brenna, and we watch her grow stronger as she recognizes the importance of being kind while still enforcing needed borders. Brenna also gains strength as she learns about her ancestor Martha, a strong woman who faced her own unique set of difficulties.

One of the things I enjoy about Gould’s books is her ability to demonstrate that no woman is an island. No matter how we try to insulate ourselves from the world around us, troubles find us … and we must deal with them. In facing these troubles, Gould’s characters often have to distinguish between what is tradition within their religious groups and what is actually solid biblical truth. Gould challenges her readers to do the same.

[C Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Passing Hour by Leslie Gould is the second book of the Amish Memories series. It can be read as a standalone, but I am sure reading the first in the series would give you more insight to these interesting characters.

This was a very different Amish, Mennonite, book than any I have read but, the story is very well written. Leslie Gould gives us a lot of historical information about WWII, that most of us would not know otherwise, because of her knowledge of history, she was able to share that with us. I think this was well delivered in this split time story.

The characters are all well-developed and feel very real. I did not like Rylan because of his demeaning personality, but really like to see him mature into a better person. Brenna Zimmerman is Mennonite while her grandparents are Amish, Rylan and his friends are English. What a hodgepodge of individuals.

This is an amazing story that shows us how to offer forgiveness and patience to the unloveable and learn thankfulness for all our blessings.

Thank you Bethany House Publishers for allowing me to read this very interesting book. I recommend it Highly. I was not required to leave a positive review.

[Cayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leslie Gould is a good writer. This is probably one of the books that I'm just not "head over heels" in love with and that's okay.

Rylan is the kind of character that drives me nuts. He sounds very manipulative and even bipolar at times. It's a huge turn-off, but Leslie Gould brought him to life in such a real way that I have a very strong dislike for him. Yes, he has a very sad background, but he treats people horribly wrong and I just want to smack him down for that.

Brenna is a lovely young woman who has had a sad background as well. Unlike Rylan, she has a much stronger support system and it shows. She's fairly transparent about her feelings, but she has unbelievable patience when it comes to dealing with Rylan. I don't think I could have shown nearly as much patience or grace for him. Actually, I think I would have washed my hands of him long ago. Yes, Jesus expects us to follow the Golden Rule, but He never expected us to be doormats.

I'm assuming that the next book will focus more on Brenna and Johann. I think it'll be interesting.

[Cayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leslie Gould is a good writer. This is probably one of the books that I'm just not "head over heels" in love with and that's okay.

Rylan is the kind of character that drives me nuts. He sounds very manipulative and even bipolar at times. It's a huge turn-off, but Leslie Gould brought him to life in such a real way that I have a very strong dislike for him. Yes, he has a very sad background, but he treats people horribly wrong and I just want to smack him down for that.

Brenna is a lovely young woman who has had a sad background as well. Unlike Rylan, she has a much stronger support system and it shows. She's fairly transparent about her feelings, but she has unbelievable patience when it comes to dealing with Rylan. I don't think I could have shown nearly as much patience or grace for him. Actually, I think I would have washed my hands of him long ago. Yes, Jesus expects us to follow the Golden Rule, but He never expected us to be doormats.

I'm assuming that the next book will focus more on Brenna and Johann. I think it'll be interesting.

[Cynthia Prosser · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel has 2 story lines. One in the present and the other at the end of the 2nd World War. The present day narrative involves a young woman navigating the realities of her parents death, plans for the future, family relationships, college, and helping a classmate after an accident. The WWII narrative occurs on the family dairy farm and focuses on the family running the farm, German POWS, and a tiny thread relating to spies or spying. While the story lines were interesting, I found the characters to be rather one dimensional, with one characteristic overwhelming everything else about each character and found I couldn't really identify with anyone. Everyone in the book seemed to be worried about one thing or another and were constantly fretting about something - although there are some pretty big events in the story line to be worried about. Ultimately, both story lines resolved satisfactorily and the 2 two stories were interwoven well with some applications from the WWII story for the present day story line.

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This is an exceptional book! It's modern but filled with glimpses of the past. It's a story of friendship, forgiveness, and courage.

Brenna is very relatable! She's been raised to help others, and she struggles with that. She also has anxiety and sees a therapist. Rylan is a difficult guy to like. He's got some scars, both physical and psychological. Once his history is explained, he becomes more likable.

I loved the parts of the book that are Rosene's stories! She helps Brenna by telling her about her relatives. I especially enjoyed all of the history in the book. Leslie Gould does such a terrific job with making the past come alive. I never knew about the conscientious objectors being assigned to state medical hospitals. And that their photographs led to reform in mental hospitals.

This is a definite must-read! I would recommend also reading "A Brighter Dawn," the first book in this series. It has some of the same characters and is excellent!

I was provided a copy of the book from Bethany House through Interviews and Reviews. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sunnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting book as Brenna and Rylan become acquainted through a common class they both attend. It's a different type of Amish story as we travel back in time to the World War II days and also a more current time period. Rylan was not a real likeable character in the story and Brenna was a very compassionate person. The characters do show a faith in God as is shown as the family prays. The characters have challenges as they try to work through them. Brenna's relationship with Rylan, is not a relationship that her friend, Johann and her sisters feel is good and hope to see end.
The story of the POW's that work the farm which is something I recall from the previous book in the series and is an interesting part of the book and something I this was not aware of prior to reading about it in this series.

Amish fans will enjoy this different type of book, and will appreciate the historical events. I recommend this most interesting book.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 2 of Amish Memories, This Passing Hour by Leslie Gould is a dual time story, with the past stories told by Aunt Rosene. It certainly kept me turning the pages as I traveled through time. Things were explained well from book 1 so you can read book 2 as a stand alone if you want.

I leaned towards loving the present day in this story and wanting to know more. It had more of a mystery to me and I wanted to know how it would be solved. Not that the past wasn't interesting, believe me it was.

My favorite character in this story is Brenna. I'm not sure if someone threatens my family if I could be as nice and as caring. She struggles with her own grieve still hanging over her, but is willing to try to help and understand others (to a point).

What I love about Leslie Gould's writing is that in the midst of reading something that graps my imagination, I learn something new about the past. Things I didn't know happened and things we can all learn from.

This book was sent to me by the publisher. All opinions are my own.

[Michelle Kidwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Passing Hour
by Leslie Gould
Pub Date 28 Nov 2023
Bethany House,Bethany House Publishers
Christian| General Fiction \(Adult\)| Religion & Spirituality


Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley sent me a copy of This Passing Hour to review:


Mennonite Brenna Zimmerman moves to the Lancaster County farm of her Old Order Amish grandparents after losing her parents. There, she meets Rylan Sanders, a disabled vet, and commits to helping him as much as she can. Things take a turn for the worse, and Brenna's not sure what to do.


Brenna's Mennonite friend Johann Mazur, a soldier in the Ukrainian Army, encourages her to distance herself from Rylan. When Brenna finds out Rylan's army buddies are hiding secrets that could help him heal psychologically, she's torn between her love for Johann and her commitment to help him.


Brenna gets inspired by the story of her distant relative who supervised German POWs during World War II and must decide whether she has the courage to give up comfort for what she really wants.


I give This Passing Hour five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Passing Hour is Brenna Zimmerman’s story in Leslie Gould Amish Memories series. Brenna is overcoming the death of her parents, discovering who she really is and how she can serve others. The split timeline story with Rosene telling of the past history during WWII with the Zimmerman family gave insight and encouragement to Brenna.

The wounded soldier Brenna met is suffering from war injuries and other losses. His behavior was frustrating at times with Brenna and others as he was so self centered. Gould created this tale with emotions, discovering God’s purpose and reaching out to others to lend a hand never knowing how God might use you. It was nice to catch up with the characters from book one to see how their lives had changed since the Zimmerman sisters lost their parents in a tragic accident and went to leave with their maternal grandparents on an Amish farm plus the history of the Zimmerman family from previous times of wars that impacted Americans.

I borrowed this book from our library thus a review was not required.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Passing Hour is the second book in Leslie Gould's Amish Memories Series. As with the first book in the series, the author has done her historical research, especially on the WW II era. So if you enjoy Amish books and also like a bit of history in your book, you are sure to enjoy This Passing Hour.

I believe either book could be read as a stand alone, but I enjoyed reading them both because they have some of the same characters in them and I quickly understood some of the situations in the second book because I read the first book; however, the author does a very good job of explaining things so that you don't have to worry about getting lost if reading as a stand alone (just sit back and enjoy).

I received .an advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher, and this is my honest review.

[Wendy Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Passing Hour, Bk 2 of Amish Memories was another good read however I found it a bit harder to separate the 2 stories as the past and present about the families were very similar other than the time of life and current world events were definitely different. Learning a bit more about Amish and Mennonite life has been very interesting especially their rolls in WW2. Even though they beliefs were non combative they still wanted to help their country in ways that weren't”combative. I do feel this was still way less harsh than those that had to go fight. A lot can be learned by their kind ways especially the event in this book where they were being sued and treated the person suing lie family as they realized there was more than revenge behind his action. There is a 3rd book to this series coming out and I will definitely be checking it out

[Pamela Pavkov · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Passing Hour is a fascinating story written by Leslie Gould. This is the second story in her Amish Memories series. I enjoyed the storyline and the characters are perfect for this story. With all the interesting facts written within this story it will definitely keep the readers interest. This is another amazing read from this author and I look forward to the next book in this series.

I was given a complimentary copy of this story to read before its release day by Bethany House and the author. I was not approached to post a favorable response and all opinions are my own. I have rated this story with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful story that I can highly recommend to others.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This Passing Hour ( Amish Memories #2 )
Leslie Gould
This Passing Hour is book two in the series Amish Memories. This Passing Hour can be read alone, but would be better if you read the first book in the series first. This was a different Amish story I normally read. This is a split-time story. Mennonite Brenna is a person who loves to help other people. She struggles with ,Ryan, who is a disabled veteran who she befriends. She is inspired about her distant relative who served with the Red Cross and the POW’S during world war 11. Suffering and forgiving. If you are a big fan of split-time novels then you will love this one. I was given a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book two in the Amish Memories series. This book takes us back to Lancaster County, PA and back to the lives of three Mennonite girls living with their Amish grandparents after the death of their parents.

Brenna’s caring and compassion for others are put to the test as she deals with her neighbor in the apartment building she lives in. Rylan is a Veteran who lost a leg in the war. He is the kind of person you just want to shake some sense into. I really didn’t like Rylan until the truth of what he’d been dealing with and why he was so hateful and mean towards everyone came out.

I love the times spent with Rosene. I enjoyed the stories she told Brenna of her ancestors back in Germany.

I recommend that you pick up book one, Piecing It All Together and start your journey with Brenna, Treva and Ivy and their family and friends. Then, of course, you’ll be hooked and need to read this book as well. I can’t wait for book three!