A Gift of Grace (Kauffman Amish Bakery Series #1)

A Great Read!

Amy Clipston has truly captured the voice of fifteen-year-old Jessica. Any parent who has raised a teenager knows that the teenage years are challenging under normal circumstances. But what happens when you take a child that age, whose parents have been killed, pull them from everything familiar - their home, school, and friends - and send them to live with relatives in an Old Order Amish community? No TV. No Internet. No place to charge an IPOD or cell phone. Add to that - Jessica will no longer be attending school since the Amish only believe in taking an education through the eighth grade. There go her dreams of graduating with her friends and going to college. But Jessica's younger sister, Lindsay, adapts quite well to the Old Order ways, much to Jessica's horror.

All Rebecca wants is a happy family and to be a good guardian to her two nieces following the death of her sister and brother-in-law. It's the family she's always wanted, and despite the unhappy circumstances surrounding the situation, Rebecca is certain that it is God's will for the girls to live with her. Early on, Jessica's rebellious behavior causes upset in the community, and Rebecca's husband, Daniel, is held accountable for Jessica's actions. This leads to troubles within the marriage as Rebecca is pulled between her husband and the duty she feels to be a good mother-figure to her nieces.

The Old Order Amish believe that everything that happens is God's will. But what happens when our own wants and needs block out the voice of God and what is truly His will? Clipston does a great job of posing this question to the reader through Rebecca's thoughts and actions. Rebecca is so determined to be a good mother to these children and to have the happy family she's always wanted, sometimes she doesn't see the bigger picture. My heart ached for both Rebecca and Jessica as they each struggled with the changes within their lives. The ending both surprised and pleased me. It was real and stayed true to the characters.

This is Clipston's debut novel, and she did an excellent job of capturing the ways of the Old Order Amish. Fans of Amish fiction will enjoy this book, and even if you haven't read stories set within an Amish setting, give this one a try. I look forward to more of Amy Clipston's books.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A Delightful Read!

A Gift of Grace is a charming, well-written novel which focuses on the emotional and spiritual conflicts which arise between family members from two completely different backgrounds. Ms. Clipston's writing style is both lovely and riveting as she describes the everyday life of a childless Amish couple struggling to adapt to the presence of their Englisher nieces in their home. This is a fantastic story and I could not put A Gift of Grace down until I had finished the very last page! I have already recommended it to my friends, my family members, and my Ladies' Bible study group. This is definitely a MUST READ for anyone who enjoys a wholesome, well-written inspirational romance.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

The Perfect Glimpse into the Amish Community

A Gift of Grace is a delightful book set in the Amish Community. The author has obviously done extensive research on the Amish Community of Pennsylvania. The places in the book are based on actual places in Lancaaster County. I enjoyed being transported into the Amish community. I was given insight to the traditional ways. Rebecca's sister, Grace, left the Amish community, married, and had 2 daughters, Jessica and Lindsay. After an accident that killed Grace and her husband, the daughters are sent to Bird in Hand to live with their Aunt Rebecca. This novel describes how 2 teenage girls felt being thrown into the Amish community. Rebecca and her husband had tried for years to have a child, however, she was unable to conceive. Now suddenly, they become the guardians to 2 teenagers raised in the "English World." The girls have just lost their parents and now they are expected to change their way of life to fit into the Amish ways of life. Could life get any more complicated??

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Must read!

Couldn't put the book down! Wonderful!

A Very good read!

The stability and faith of the Amish draws you through the pages. It was hard to put the book down. I felt I knew the charaters and finished this book wanting to read the next in the series. KD-BR

Love it!

This was the first book I read of any Amy Clipston books. The story kept me reading from chapter to chapter until I was finished and wanted to read more! I ended up buying the whole series to read on my eBook. I am on book #4 now and still excited about reading them. I picked a great series and highly recommend it. I will be checking out more books from Amy Clipston.

True to Life

Although this is considered an Amish Romance, the author has sucessfully combined the very real feelings of a contemporary troubled teenager with the love story of two married folk who suddenly find themselves guardians. You are able to see both sides of the story in a plot that never feels phony. Terrific read, especially for those of us who appreciate the notion that God is with us even when he works in myterious ways.

Great read

I couldn't put the book down! It reminds us that our will is not always God's will and that besides praying, we also have to listen for the answer. I can't wait to start the next one in the series

I really enjoyed this book-- I loved the character development a

I really enjoyed this book-- I loved the character development and the great realism of the characters' reactions to the situations they found themselves in. Amy Clipston has a real talent for writing the voices of teenage girls as well as the adults in the Amish community. I can't wait to read the next one!

Loved it!

So glad to find another author that pulls me into her story and won't let go. Heartwarming story of faith and family-just what I love. Can't wait to get into the next ones in the series.

Old School VS New School - We Can Learn From Both

Amy Clipston's first book will certainly not be her last. She has a flair for telling a story that includes in depth meaning. From the beginning of the story until the end Amy has you wanting to turn to the next page to find out more.A few of the values that jumped from the pages into my life were: (A) "Jessica shook her head. 'I don't get you people. You claim to be such wonderful Christians, yet you're the most two-faced people I've ever met.'" This was a soul searching thought to ask myself are there different standards that one sets and do we live what we preach. (B) When Rebecca's mother-in-law said to her: "Have you listened to what God has been telling you? Have you really listened _ with your heart?" What a great question to each of us and one that I want to remember. Decisions in life are made after listening to what God is telling us. How easy it is for us to forget and do it backwards.Readers will love how the older Amish life is spun into the current life of English sisters who lost their parents in an automobile crash, yet the love of God comes shinning through even in the most difficult of times.

Extremely touching storytelling

I really enjoyed this book. I instantly connected with the characters and was actually in tears at the end of the first chapter. I felt like I had also suffered loss with Jessica and Lindsay. As a new Amish fiction reader, I highly, highly recommend this book! Beautifully written and wonderful ending.

Contemporary and Amish

Each year my familhy and I pass through the Amish town of Yoder, Kansas on the way to our state fair. As an outsider, I look at the buildings and people and find myself wondering about their life. What interests me in their lives is how they reconcile themselves with the modern world. I am so glad that Amy Clipston wrote such an insightful book. It is very easy to read and I feel that I've had a chance to understand some of their lives and traditions. I no longer feel that they are "different" and appreciate their desire for simplicity in life. The main dilemma in the book is whether children raised in current society can actually appreciate and embrace the Amish life. As the mother of a 17 year old girl, I found myself relating to the dilemma that Grace's daughters found themselves in. The end is not a trite finish that leaves you empty. Ms. Clipston did a fantastic job describing their reactions and emotions. I enjoyed these characters and would like to see more of this community. What an enjoyable read this is!

So Good!

When Rebecca Kauffman's older sister, who left the Amish community when she was a teenager, dies in an automobile accident, Rebecca is left custody of her two modern non-Amish teenage nieces, Jessica and Lindsay. Will she be able to reconcile the two worlds in her home-or will the clash of cultures tear her world, including her marriage, apart? My Review - I use to love to read Amish books and for some reason I haven't read any in a really long time. But I'm glad that I decided to read this book. I'd bought this book back in December right after getting my Nook aka Herbie, and I'd put off reading it because it's apart of the series. When I was looking for a book I just said to myself I'm not putting it off any longer, I'm going to read it and if I like it I'll either buy the second one or I'll see if the library has it. Well, I loved it! I'm stingy with my four and five stars but this was definitely a four star. I loved Rebecca and Lindsey. Jessica on the other hand got on my nerves. And I couldn't imagine Jamie and I arguing the way the Amish do in this story. Before I even finished this book I had the second and third book on hold at my library (because they are $10 on Herbie) and I'm sure when the fourth one comes out I'll be reading it too. SO GOOD!

My New Favorite!

After reading "A Gift of Grace" I have a new favorite Amish fiction author. Amy Clipston has a God given talent for writing interesting stories with great character development.

This is a MUST read!

This is the first time I have read anything by Amy Clipston and I have feel in love with her writing. I'm writing this after I read all three but I could't wait for the next one to come out.

0 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

a woderful read

i loved it and i cant wait for the the others

A Gift of Grace

Amy Clipston's debut novel, A Gift of Grace is the first book in the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series. Readers will be enthralled by Clipston's descriptions of the Old Amish Order community and it's people. This is a book about the shock of trying to blend two totally different cultures and the author does a wonderful job of showing the differences in between the Amish way of life and that of the Englisher.

Rebecca Kauffman's dream was to be a mother and a good Amish wife. But, her dreams had to be put on hold when she was unable to have a baby. The Old Order Amish community she lives in, believes that everything that happens is God's will and for a purpose. There faith is sorely tested when Rebecca's sister is killed in a car accident and her two teenage daughters are left in her custody. Not only are they teenagers who have lost their parents, but they are English, raised outside the Amish community and totally unprepared for the Amish way of life. Lindsay adjusts well to the Amish life and is a joy to both Rebecca and Daniel, but Jessica is another story. There's no TV, no internet, nothing familiar in her life and she begins to rebel at the quiet, simple Amish life. When Daniel is held accountable for her actions it begins to cause problems in Rebecca's marriage. Rebecca struggles to help the girls adjust while trying to be a good Amish wife. Will she be able to blend the two cultures or will it change her life forever?

A Gift of Grace is a very poignant novel. The characters are faced with a situation that would challenge anyone. Two teenage girls who have lost their parents. They not only have their whole lives changed in the blink of an eye but they must leave their home, their school and their friends behind, go to a place they have never been and start a completely different life. Talk about culture shock! They go from an English lifestyle which includes: TV, internet, ipods, cell phones and college plans to a totally different existence. I can't imagine what both Rebecca and her nieces must have felt. Clipston does wonderful job of voicing the teenage angst that Jessica feels as well as Rebecca's fears and worries. She is able to get inside the heart and mind of teen who is devastated by loss and a woman who finally has what she always wanted a family, though it isn't what she expected.

Rebecca goes through some very big changes throughout the book. It seems like her dreams have been dropped in her lap, only to cause more problems than she ever dreamed. Problems in her marriage, her community and in her heart. She is full of doubts and worries as she tries to guide these two high-spirited young girls and still do her duty as an Amish wife. She begins to doubt herself and even her faith at one point in the book, and the author was able to show readers how Rebecca was feeling with compassion and a lot of feeling. I think readers will really identify with her character because many people face issues in their lives that either strengths their faith or defeats it. Rebecca is a very inspirational character who shows us how to reconcile two worlds.

Jessica a young girl in turmoil. Most teens who are emotionally unsettled a lot of the time, but they don't have the added devastation of losing their parents and everything they feel that is normal in their lives. Not only is Jessica transported to a whole new way of life, she has to give up her friends and her dreams of attending college, since the Amish do not believe in girls

sweet

the idea behind this story is a bit too predictable but it was overall a good read. my only complaint is the ending......it ends a bit quickly....its like there is a huge build thru the whole story and then it ends and the ending doesnt have anything to do with the main characters really.

highly recommended

wonderful story. looking forward to more from this author.