Their Amish Secret: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance

Their Amish Secret by Patricia Johns is a sweet story. I thought it was well-written with realistic, developed characters. I enjoyed getting to know Claire Glick, Joel Beiler, and young Aaron. I like the unique premise of this story. I liked that the main character was a basket weaver. It takes skill, patience, and practice to make an attractive and useful basket. Claire is giving a basket weaving lesson to Gloria and Ted Wassel when Joel Beiler arrives. Claire has not seen Joel in five years. Claire and Joel let their passion lead them astray. Claire gave birth to a son, Aaron. Joel had promised to return when he departed, but this is the first time she has seen or heard from him since his departure. She is hoping that living in Redemption will give them (Claire and Aaron) a fresh start. Soon after Joel arrives, a severe storm settles into the area. A downed tree over the only road in and out makes it impossible for anyone to leave. It is soon apparent that the feelings between Claire and Joel have not changed. However, Claire no longer trusts Joel to keep his word. I thought Gloria and Ted gave Claire and Joel good advice. Aaron was a sweet and busy boy. He loved the dog that had wandered onto the property. As Aaron learns, doing the right thing is hard sometimes. While Their Amish Secret is the second book in the Amish Country Matches series, it can be read as a standalone. I was glad that we get to catch up with Naomi and Mose. I am looking forward to Sarai's story (Claire's best friend) in The Amish Marriage Arrangement. I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. One of my favorite lines from Their Amish Secret is, "Because with just a teaspoon of blessing and two hearts determined to do right, she knew they'd be just fine." I like how the line relates back to the teaspoon of sugar Claire would give Aaron when he had an injury. There are sweet moments in this charming story as well as some amusing ones. There are also good life lessons. The ending left me smiling. Their Amish Secrets is a special story with beautiful baskets, a severe storm, a tumbled tree, a caring couple, lost trust, a found dog, and a giving Gott.