Read more
Zusatztext Praise for the Novels of Marta Perry “What a joy it is to read Marta Perry's novels!...everything a reader could want—strong! well-defined characters! beautiful! realistic settings! and a thought-provoking plot. Readers of Amish fiction will surely be waiting anxiously for her next book.”—Shelley Shepard Gray! New York Times bestselling author of the Sisters of the Heart series “A born storyteller! Marta Perry skillfully weaves the past and present in this heart-stirring tale of love and forgiveness.”—Susan Meissner! author of Secrets of a Charmed Life “Sure to appeal to fans of Beverly Lewis.”— Library Journal “Perry carefully balances the traditional life of the Amish with the contemporary world in an accessible! intriguing fashion.”— Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Perry crafts characters with compassion! yet with insecurities that make them relatable.”— RT Book Reviews “[Perry] has once again captured my heart with the gentle wisdom and heartfelt faith of the Amish community.”—Fresh Fiction Informationen zum Autor Marta Perry Klappentext An Amish widow must rely on her faith and the kindness of her close-knit community as she mends her broken heart in this compelling novel in the Pleasant Valley series. It has been almost a year since the Amish community of Pleasant Valley lost Ezra Brand to a tragic accident. Since then, his wife Rachel has struggled to raise their three children and run their dairy farm... Rachel's friends and family have come forward to help. But all of their constant advice, however well intentioned, puts undue pressure on Rachel. And when Ezra's best friend, Gideon Zook, asks her permission to build the greenhouse that Ezra had always promised her, she finds his presence too painful a reminder of the past. As spring turns to summer, and Rachel puts her heart into growing the plants that have always brought her joy, can she discover the courage to embrace new beginnings?Chapter One A flicker of movement from the lane beyond the kitchen window of the old farmhouse caught Rachel Brand's eye as she leaned against the sink, washing up the bowl she'd used to make a batch of snickerdoodles. A buggy-ja, it must be Leah Glick, already bringing home Rachel's two older kinder from the birthday party for their teacher. Quickly she set the bowl down and splashed cold water on her eyes. It wouldn't do to let her young ones suspect that their mamm had been crying while she baked. Smoothing her hair back under her kapp and arranging a smile on her lips, she went to the back door. But the visitor was not Leah. It was a man, alone, driving the buggy. Shock shattered her curiosity when she recognized the strong face under the brim of the black Amish hat. Gideon Zook. Her fingers clenched, wrinkling the fabric of her dark apron. What did he want from her? She stood motionless for a moment, her left hand tight on the door frame. Then she grabbed the black wool shawl that hung by the door, threw it around her shoulders, and stepped outside. The cold air sent a shiver through her. It was mid-March already, but winter had not released its grip on Pleasant Valley, Pennsylvania. The snowdrops she had planted last fall quivered against the back step, their white cups a mute testimony that spring would come eventually. Everything else was as brown and barren as her heart felt these days. A fierce longing for spring swept through her as she crossed the still-hard ground. If she could be in the midst of growing things, planting and nurturing her beloved garden-ach, there she might find the peace she longed for. Everything was too quiet on the farm now. Even the barn was empty, the dairy cows already ...
