About the Book

Book: The Amish Midwife’s Secret

Author: Rachel J. Good

Genre: Inspirational Amish Romance

Release Date: November 27, 2018

”A beautiful story of forgiveness and second chances.” -Shelley Shepard Gray, New York Times bestselling author

They won’t see eye-to-eye until they meet heart-to-heart…

Kyle Miller never planned on becoming a country doctor. But when he’s offered a medical practice in his sleepy hometown, Kyle knows he must return… and face the painful past he left behind. Except the Amish community isn’t quite ready for Kyle. Especially the pretty midwife who refuses to compromise her herbal cures and Amish traditions with his modern medicine…

The more Leah Stoltzfus works with the handsome Englisch doctor, the more she finds herself caught between the expectations of her family and her own hopes for the future. It will take one surprising revelation and one helpless baby in need of love to show Leah and Kyle that their bond may be greater than their differences… if Leah can find the courage to follow her heart

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About the Author

Inspirational author Rachel J. Good writes life-changing, heart-tugging novels of faith, hope, and forgiveness. The author of several Amish romance series, she grew up near Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the setting for many of her stories. Striving to be as authentic as possible, she spends time with her Amish friends, doing chores on their farm and attending family events.

Rachel’s Amish series include Sisters & Friends (Charisma House/Harlequin), Love & Promises (Grand Central), Hearts of Amish Country (Annie’s Book Club), and Surprised by Love as well as several anthologies—Springs of Love, Love’s Thankful Heart, Plain Everyday Heroes—and the Amish Quilts Coloring Books.

Guest Post from Rachel

The Amish and Herbal Remedies

As many of you know, my Amish novels are based on real life. I get ideas from hanging around Amish friends, hearing their stories and observing their lives. I’d never invade their privacy by telling their stories exactly as they happen, but the things I learn trigger plot ideas.

I’ve always been fascinated by the way the Amish approach healing. Once thing I’ve learned is that, although they’re usually willing to visit doctors, they don’t always take the medicines that are prescribed. Instead, they often substitute herbal remedies. That, and several visits to one of my favorite Amish natural products stores, gave me an idea for one of the conflicts in The Amish Midwife’s Secret.

Leah, an Amish midwife, prefers herbal remedies. Of course, that puts her in direct conflict with Kyle, the new Englisch doctor in town, who only believes in science and traditional medicine. Put the two together and lots of sparks fly. Of course, some of those sparks are also of a romantic nature.

Leah is not only a midwife, but her family owns a natural products store. She knows the best herbs for healing. Rather than sending a small boy to the hospital for pneumonia, Leah covers the baby’s chest with a warm mixture of onions and other herbs and spices (some Amish friends prefer raw onion for congestion), and she feds the baby fresh pineapple juice for his cough.

As a doctor, Kyle is horrified. He wants to admit the baby to a hospital at once. And he expects the old country doctor he’s replacing to back him up. Instead, Dr. Hess informs Kyle that many of the Amish go to doctors for a diagnosis, but then rely on herbal treatments rather than prescriptions.

Kyle, who’s been debating about whether to stay in Amish country or move to a big-city hospital, decides to remain in Lancaster and make it his mission to prevent the Amish midwife from harming newborns and their mothers. He certainly doesn’t expect to have his eyes opened to other ways to handle illnesses. But he has to admit, Leah’s methods do seem to work. When a crisis comes, they soon discover that it takes both of them to save a baby.

***

A extra little secret: Those of you who get my newsletter already know this, but Kyle in The Amish Midwife’s Secret appeared in two earlier books. The Midwife story stands alone, but if you want to know more about Kyle and Emma’s past, you can find it in the Sisters & Friends series, Book 1, Change of Heart, and Book 2, Buried Secrets.

My Review

Have you ever had life throw you a curve ball? How about five of them? Even young children are aware that life doesn’t always go the way we hope or plan. We have to learn to take what life throws us and adjust accordingly. The Amish Midwife’s Secret is the story of two young adults learning to maneuver the world when nothing seems to go as planned.

What’s difficult about sharing a review for this book, is that much of the content occurs due to the unexpected curve balls thrown Kyle and Leah’s way and I don’t want to spoil any of the story-line! So what I will say in very broad terms, is that I felt the author managed the thoughts and emotions of the characters in a very real, raw, and heartfelt way. She doesn’t shy from their wounds and scars, nor does she hide the healing that doesn’t happen overnight. It’s as if you are processing the emotions right alongside each of the characters.

One thing I noticed quickly in the story, is that “boundaries” played a major part in this story. In both past and present circumstances, the characters learn the value behind appropriate boundaries and how they are not only important, but for their own protection. Learning to respect boundaries is a sign of maturity but struggling with them is also a sign of being human. Often we are able to learn the most from our mistakes.

Forgiveness is another major theme in the story. What’s interesting though is that the forgiveness wrestled with in this story is not in relation to others–but to self. There are times in life where we can forgive others and walk on, but our own personal guilt eats away at us. Both Kyle and Leah learn to realize that in order to move on in their lives and seek joy and contentment, they have to first learn to let go of the pieces of their past that haunt them.

Although this is the second book in a series I read this as a stand-alone. I didn’t struggle keeping up in any way, however I enjoyed this one enough I’d be interested in going back and reading the first as well. I recommend this story to fans of Amish Fiction and those interested in how the medical field is viewed and run by different communities of people. This was my first book by Rachel J Good but I’m sure it won’t be my last!

*I received a copy of this book from the author through NetGalley and Celebrate Lit Tours. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

Rating:

Age Appropriateness/Content Warnings:

There are multiple stories of babies out of wedlock throughout the story including a few that result in adoption. It also touches on miscarriages and infertility. The romance itself is clean and I believe there was only one scene that involved kissing. I believe I could recommend this story to ages 14 and up.

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Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away a grand prize package of two faceless Amish dolls and an autographed copy of The Amish Midwife’s Secret and Plain Everyday Heroes!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries! Click the link below to enter. https://promosimple.com/ps/d66f/the-amish-midwife-s-secret-celebration-tour-giveaway