Summer Promise

Marianne Ellis

Aug 2013 · A Season Novel Book 1 · Sold by Penguin

About this ebook

With the heat of summer comes the warmth of sunlight, shadows of the past, and Miriam’s chance to win the heart of the only man she’s ever loved—her husband.

The death of Jakob Lapp, a beloved member of the Amish community and the builder of the Stonyfield Farm Stand, is difficult for all. On the day of Jakob’s funeral, his beloved daughter Miriam must deal with her grief as well as mounting apprehension, knowing that she will soon see her sister Sarah who left the Amish community to live the Englisch life several years ago.

Sarah’s arrival forces Miriam to face the problems in her marriage. She has been unable to give her husband, Daniel, a child and fears he is not happy. Miriam has always suspected that Daniels’s heart truly lies with her sister, and she worries about the effect Sarah’s return will have on their already strained marriage. But when a disaster threatens the farm stand, everyone must come together, allowing new hope to grow not only for the community, but for Miriam as well . . .

FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!

Ratings and reviews

Summer Promise by Marianne Ellis is the first An Amish Seasons Novel. Miriam Brenneman is dealing with the loss of her father and wondering what it would have been like to have a mother growing up. Her sister, Sarah who lives in San Francisco is returning for the summer. Miriam is hoping it will give them a chance to reconnect, but she is also nervous. Miriam has always felt hat she was her husband’s second choice. She wonders if Daniel regrets marrying her since she has been unable to provide him with a child. When her beloved farm stand is destroyed, Miriam fears it will be her undoing. Summer Promise is well-written with developed, realistic characters. I enjoyed the author’s descriptions of the scenery especially the farm stand. The farm stand is something that benefited everyone in the community. There are good life lessons in the story. People think gossip is harmless, but it is not to the person who is being talked about. Another lesson is the importance of communication is relationships. Holding things in is not good for either party. I love the community in this story. When someone is in need, the others are there for them. They take care of your chores when you are grieving or have just given birth as well as other situations. I liked how Eli was helped. You can see that it does take a village to raise a child. Summer Promise is a simple yet touching story. I wish this writing duo would create more Amish stories like this one. Summer Promise is the perfect type of story for a rainy afternoon. Summer Promise is a thoughtful Amish tale with a caring community, family farm stand, an Englisch sister, a missed mother, a profuse farm, and a startling surprise.

About the author

Marianne Ellis, author of Summer Promise, is the pseudonym for two accomplished writers: JoAnn Brown and Cameron Dokey.Jo Ann Brown has written more than 90 books in the romance genre. She currently writes in The Patchwork Mysteries series for Guideposts and Thorndike, and she wrote the novelization for Thomas Kinkade’s The Christmas Cottage for Berkley. Her interest in the Amish goes back many years when she and her family lived in Pennsylvania not far from Lancaster County.Cameron Dokey began her writing career in 1994. Since that time she has more than 30 works of fiction to her credit including romances for readers of all ages. Her young adult works have appeared regularly on the ALA most recommended lists. Brown and Dokey also collaborated on the Candace Steele paranormal romance series for Ballantine Books.