Miriam and the Stranger

Jerry S. Eicher

Oct 2015 · Land of Promise Book 3 · Harvest House Publishers

About this eBook

Miriam Yoder is living a happy life as the beloved school teacher in the small Clarita, Oklahoma Amish community having accepted the fact that she will likely never marry. But when a local freelance reporter enters her world, Miriam is astonished to find herself attracted to the handsome Englisha man.

The very next week, widower Mose Stoll arrives from her home community of Possum Valley, Ohio, in search of a second frau. Mose has spoken with Miriam's father and is ready to meet Miriam in person. If he finds no serious flaw in Miriam, Mose plans to marry her and take her home to Possum Valley.

When Miriam follows her heart instead of her head, she finds herself facing excommunication. Suddenly her happy life has been turned upside down with no possible solution...unless God intervenes.

Jerry Eicher's many fans (more than 600,000 books sold) will delight in this concluding volume in his Land of Promise series.

Book three in the Land of Promise series

Ratings and reviews

Miriam and the Stranger by Jerry Eicher is the third book in the Land of Promise series. Miriam Yoder is twenty-four years old and living in Clarita, Oklahoma. Clarita is a very small Amish community in Oklahoma. Miriam has been teaching for the last three years while living with her Uncle William and Aunt Frannie. Miriam receives a letter from her mother stating a surprise will be coming her way. Miriam has no idea what the surprise could be, but she has an idea. Tyler Johnson is freelance journalist who took an assignment to write on how the local Amish community has recovered from the tornadoes a few years ago. One of the farms Tyler visits is the Beiler’s. William welcomes him to the greenhouse and invites him to dinner. Miriam is instantly taken with him (gets tongue tied and flustered) and Tyler with her. Miriam, knows though, that it cannot be. Miriam surprise is Minister Mose Stoll from Possum Valley, Ohio. He is a widower looking for a new wife. Miriam’s future brother-in-law mentioned her to Mose. Mose then asked several people about Miriam including her father, the deacon, and the bishop. Mose has come to Clarita to see Miriam in person (to interview her). After talking with Miriam (and just about everyone else in the small community), Mose decides she is the right person for him and asks to correspond with her (to get to know her better). Miriam is not really not given a choice in the matter and agrees. She knows that marrying Mose is what her family wants for her. Her heart, though, does not agree especially as she encounters Tyler more and more in the community. Does Miriam follow her heart or her head? What will be the right choice for her? I was a little disappointed in this last book in the Land of Promise series. Can you imagine having no choice in who you marry? I felt that Miriam should have spoken up (but then there would not have been a story). I have just told you a little of what goes on in the book. There is also Tyler’s investigation. His research uncovers some startling information. It was nice to revisit Clarita and the characters we have come to know in the series. It is a nicely written book with a good flow. Miriam and the Stranger has a lovely and enjoyable ending. I give Miriam and the Stranger 3.75 out of 5 stars (I liked it, but did not love it). I received a complimentary copy of Miriam and the Stranger from NetGalley (and the publisher) in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading the last book in this last trilogy. However, I did not enjoy the mental and emotional abuse Miriam received. All my years of reading Amish fiction and the numerous books I have read, Mose by far, was the most arrogant and self righteous character I have read about. No woman in any religion or religious group should be treated like that or any person for that matter. It's demeaning. I did appreciate her aunt and community finally coming to her rescue and the beautiful ending of redemption.

About the author

Jerry Eicher’s Amish fiction has sold more than 800,000 copies. After a traditional Amish childhood, Jerry taught for two terms in Amish and Mennonite schools in Ohio and Illinois. Since then he’s been involved in church renewal, preaching, and teaching Bible studies. Jerry lives with his wife, Tina, in Virginia.