The Devoted (The Bishop's Family Book #3): A Novel

Suzanne Woods Fisher

Oct 2016 · The Bishop's Family Book 3 · Revell

About this ebook

Fan Favorite Suzanne Woods Fisher Offers Readers Tender Romance, Humor, and Plenty of Surprises

Bright, curious, and restless, Ruthie Stoltzfus loves her family but is stuck in a sea of indecision about her future: Should she stay Amish? Or should she leave? She's done all she can to prepare to go--passed the GED, saved her money--but she can't quite set her journey into motion.

Patrick Kelly is a young man on a journey of his own. He's come to Stoney Ridge to convert to the Amish and has given himself thirty days to learn the language, drive a buggy, and adapt to "everything Plain." Time, to Patrick, is of the essence. Every moment is to be cherished, especially the hours he spends with Ruthie, his Penn Dutch tutor.

Ruthie's next-door neighbor and cunning ex-boyfriend, Luke Schrock, is drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame. Rebellious, headstrong, defiant, Luke will do anything to win Ruthie back--anything--and Patrick Kelly is getting in his way.

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites readers back to Stoney Ridge for a story of dreams deferred and hopes fulfilled--complete with Fisher's signature twists that never fail to leave readers delighted.

Ratings and reviews

I think this is the last book in the series... Sigh... This was such an enjoyable series to read. I loved every book. Each book could stand alone, but I would recommend that you read each book as they all kind of go together. This book is mainly about one of David's daughter's Ruthie and her restlessness. She isn't happy being Amish, but she really doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. Until... Enter Patrick, a young man with limited time on his hands and a deep seated desire to become Amish. At first she isn't very fond of him, but the annoyance soon turns to intrigue, as she feels a compelling calmness about him. It seems he truly knows how to enjoy life. Without realizing it, he is teaching Ruthie to live "in the moment" and appreciate all the simple things in life. So much so... that even Amish life... might not be so bad after-all. But tragedy strikes as Luke, Ruthie's ex-boyfriend, jumps in and things get out of control. This may be my favorite book yet in the series . One of the things I love about these books is that they don't seem to me like your typical Amish. There is a lot going on in this book. David, the Bishop, feels as though something just isn't right in his community. After some difficult times, the community has become prosperous, wealthy even. And although it seems like things are looking up, David is concerned about the undertones - the feeling that something is missing. But he can't quite pin point the problem or how to solve it. I like the fact that Suzanne doesn't make it all about rules and regulations. She makes it about relationship with God and raises some awesome thought provoking ideas for the reader. I am truly impressed and was myself convicted various times throughout the read. I would highly recommend this series. I am really hoping Suzanne will write a few more - there are still characters to work with. This book was provided to me free by Celebrate Lit. I was not required to review it positively, and all opinions are my own.

The Devoted by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the third book in The Bishop’s Family series. Ruthie Stoltzfus is seventeen years old and living in Stoney Ridge, Pennsylvania. Ruthie knows she wants something more. She even took the GED without anyone knowing. She is inspired by her aunt, Dr. Ruth Stoltzfus. Ruthie just needs to figure out exactly what she wants. Patrick Kelly has come from Canada and is determined to become Amish. He wants to totally immerse himself in the culture and has given himself thirty days to learn everything he needs to know to become a good Amish person. He has hired Ruthie to teach him Penn Dutch. Ruthie enjoys spending time with Patrick. He is different from Luke Schrock, her ex-boyfriend. Luke does not like seeing Ruthie with someone else. But Luke is not ready to settle down. He has too much fun drinking and getting into trouble (which is why he is an ex-boyfriend). Dr. Ruth is having some problems of her own. Thanks to her boyfriend, Ed Gingerich she is now out of job. Dr. Ruth now has the chance to take over Dr. Max Finegold’s practice in Stoney Ridge. Dr. Ruth ran away from this town when she was younger. Is she ready to come back? Will the Amish community accept Dr. Ruth as their new doctor? Life is never dull for the citizens of Stoney Ridge. The Devoted was an enjoyable book to read. It is a heartwarming novel with enjoyable characters, nice setting, and good messages. The Devoted cannot be read alone. In order to understand the characters and their dynamics, you need to read the other novels in the series (otherwise, you will be confused). The novel is well-written and has a sweet ending. The Devoted deals with alcolhism, teenage growing pains, illness, love, faith and much more. Scripture verses are sprinkled throughout the novel to help reinforce the messages (sometimes it is a little preachy). I give The Devoted 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). If you enjoy Amish novels, I recommend The Bishop’s Family series. I look forward to reading more books by Suzanne Woods Fisher in the future.

About the author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than a dozen novels, including The Imposter, The Quieting, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher.