"the wonder of your love" by beth wiseman

Still reeling from her husband's betrayal and unexpected death, Katie Ann Stoltzfus focuses all her energy on her newborn son. When widower Eli Detweiler arrives at Katie Ann's Amish community in Caanan, Colorado, Katie Ann is drawn to him. But he has just finished raising his family, while she is experiencing motherhood for the first time at age 40. Their lives are in different places; can they surmount their differences to find love again?

My take: After reading scads of Amish fiction recently, I'm getting a bit tired of the genre. So I was pleased to discover that The Wonder of Your Love didn't really even focus on the Amish lifestyle. Katie Ann and Eli were Amish, but they had friends who weren't, and they even used cell phones. Really, Katie Ann and Eli could have been Englisch and the story would have remained similar—only a few of the Amish details would have needed to be changed.

That said, as a romance, I didn't really enjoy The Wonder of Your Love. I liked Katie Ann and Eli, and I enjoyed getting to know Katie Ann's friends—especially Martha, a Christian Englisch woman. Author Beth Wiseman did a good job of building chemistry between Katie Ann and Eli, and their attraction to one another was believable. However, I did not enjoy the way their romance played out. Perhaps it's all the reading about relationships I've done on Boundless, but I couldn't get over just how poorly both Katie Ann and Eli handled their relationship! They were attracted to one another immediately, but they quickly acknowledged they could not have a relationship because they were at different places in their lives. Then their relationship became physical. (I'm talking kissing and holding hands here—nothing beyond that!) Then they talked again about how they could be nothing more than friends. This went on for quite a while, with their words saying one thing and their actions another. Basically, I wanted to knock some sense into them, and I got fed up with their backing-and-forthing.

I give The Wonder of Your Love 3 out of 5 stars. You can buy the book here and see what other reviewers are saying here.

About the author: Beth Wiseman is hailed as a top voice in Amish fiction. She is a Carol-award winner and author of numerous bestsellers including the Daughters of the Promise series and the Land of Canaan series. She and her family live in Texas. www.bethwiseman.com, Twitter @bethwiseman, www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-Beth-Wiseman/47576397539

About the giveaway: Beth is celebrating the release of Book 2 in the Land of Canaan series with a Fabulous Facebook party on November 1st. She'll be giving away one of her OWN paintings, several mini prize packs and a sneak peak at the next book in this heartwarming series. CLICK the button (below) to RSVP for the party - then join us on November 1st for a book chat, Amish themed trivia contest, and more! The Wonder of Your Love Facebook Party on 11/1!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."