“Abby Finds Her Calling” by Naomi King Book Review

About Naomi King

Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi, longtime Missourian Naomi King writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle in her new Home at Cedar Creek series. Like her series heroine, Abby Lambright, Naomi considers it her personal mission to be a listener—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls—and to share her hearth and home. Faith and family, farming and frugality are hallmarks of her lifestyle: like Abby, she made her wedding dress and the one her mom wore, too! She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and when she’s not writing, she loves to travel, try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Naomi now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie, Ramona.

My Review

I have read many books over the years and have enjoyed (and not enjoyed) quite a few of them. I am new to the world of the Amish but their lifestyle has always fascinated me.  While reading this book I felt transported to their world, the author doing an excellent job of writing and setting a pace that makes for an easy and extremely enjoyable read.

This book is centered in Cedar Creek, Missouri amids an Amish community. Zanna is due to marry James but while hundreds of their friends and family are gathered for the wedding, Zanna is nowhere to be found.  Thankfully Zanna has someone she can rely on – her older sister Abby.  Abby is the one that everyone seems to turn to when they need advice or a shoulder to cry on.  But, she has loved James for most of her life and even though she would have been reluctant to rejoice in her sister’s wedding, she was more than willing to put her only feeling aside to celebrate her sister’s happiness.  But, she finds out why Zanna could not marry James and wonders if this is a sign of a future that is very different that the one she thought was going to happen.

Extremely well written and a pure joy to read, this book is highly recommended.  I can’t wait for the next installment to come out.

About Abby Finds Her Calling

Bad enough that Zanna abandoned James Graber and disgraced her family on her wedding day: older sister Abby Lambright is the one Zanna returns to, to reveal she’s pregnant. As speculation whirls around Cedar Creek, Zanna confesses and is shunned, yet refuses to reveal the identity of her child’s father. She spends her time at Abby’s little house making rag rugs, until finally—when Adah Ropp insists on knowing who disgraced Zanna, the Lambright family, as well as James and the Graber family–Zanna reveals that Adah’s own son, rebellious Jonny Ropp, is to blame. She can’t possibly marry Jonny because he’s left his family rather than be baptized into the Amish faith—not that he’ll ever settle down and marry anyone.

ABBY FINDS HER CALLING as she guides her sister through some tough times while convincing her family—and even the bishop—that because Zanna truly loves this baby, she should keep it rather than giving it up for adoption. Meanwhile, because Abby has always been in love with James (who is oblivious to the torch she carries) she tries to soothe his emotional wounds as he watches the young woman he was to marry swell with Jonny Ropp’s child.

When disaster strikes, however, and the Ropp home burns to the ground in December, the folks in Cedar Creek put forgiveness into action . . . and even Jonny is changed by the power of this love! This time Zanna shows up for her wedding, with baby Harley charming all who meet him—and their ceremony sets the stage for the second book of the Home at Cedar Creek series, due out in October, 2012.