A Long Bridge Home

Kelly Irvin

Feb 2020 · Amish of Big Sky Country Book 2 · Sold by Zondervan

About this ebook

After her community in the awe-inspiring Montana mountains is suddenly consumed by a raging wildfire, one young Amish woman finds herself in a new town where she’s introduced to the Native culture of the Kootenai people.

When the Mast family is forced to evacuate their home in the West Kootenai region of Montana, Christine chooses not to move with her family to her father’s childhood home in Kansas. Instead, she wants to stay closer to home and to her beau, Andy Lambright, who has yet to ask for her hand in marriage and who seems to be holding tightly to secrets from his past.

Now, living with her aunt and uncle in St. Ignatius, Christine is on her own for the first time in her life. While working in her uncle’s store Christine meets Raymond Old Fox, whom she befriends, and he introduces her to his rich native culture with strong ties to the earth and nature. Despite the warnings of her aunt and uncle, Christine is inexplicably drawn to Raymond, and her mind is opened to a history and heritage far different from her own.

With her newly expanding horizons, Christine wonders if she can return to the domestic life that is expected of her. Her heart still longs to be with Andy, but she isn’t the same person she was before the fire, and she wonders if he can accept who she is becoming. Has too much distance grown between them? Or can they bridge the gap from past to present and find their way back together?

Ratings and reviews

A Long Bridge Home by Kelly Irvin is the second novel in Amish of Big Sky Country. It can be read on its own for those new to the series. A Long Bridge Home is different from other Amish novels (in a good way). I like the setting of Montana with its beautiful mountains. I thought the story was well-written with developed, engaging characters. Christine Mast was content in her world until the fire made them flee. She has been waiting for Andy Lambright to propose (it has been a long courtship). When Christine learns that her family is relocating to Haven, Kansas, she does not wish to be that far away from Andy. Christine had no idea that living in St. Ignatius with her aunt and uncle would be lifechanging. She meets Raymond Old Fox. Raymond teaches her about his native heritage and culture. She is fascinated by their views and is eager to learn more (I found the information fascinating as well). I could certainly understand Christine’s thirst for knowledge even though her relatives did not. Christine finds herself in the position of making a difficult choice. I like seeing Christine grow as a person. While I wanted her to find happiness, I did not want to see her spirit broken (she was so happy learning and meeting new people). Andy has an issue from his past that he feels he needs to resolve before he can move forward with Christine. The problem is that Andy fails to share (communicate) with Christine. Forgiveness is one of the main themes in A Long Bridge Home. We learn the importance of forgiving others and ourselves. Prayer and trusting in God are two other topics addressed. A Long Bridge Home gives us a glimpse into the life of the Amish in Montana where a woman must decide which path to follow. There are discussion questions at the end along with an excerpt from Kelly Irvin’s Over the Line. A Long Bridge Home is an emotional story where love, a strong faith, close family, a loving God and good friends can help us overcome any difficult situation.

About the author

Kelly Irvin is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty novels and stories. A retired public relations professional, Kelly lives with her husband, Tim, in San Antonio. They have two children, four grandchildren, and two ornery cats. Visit her online at KellyIrvin.com; Instagram: @kelly_irvin; Facebook: @Kelly.Irvin.Author; X: @Kelly_S_Irvin.