Mattie's Pledge: A Novel

by Jan Drexler

Overview

A Tender, Poignant, and Heartwarming Glimpse into the Amish Migration West from Pennsylvania

Mattie Schrock is no stranger to uprooting her life. Even as her father relocated her family from one Amish community to the next, she always managed to find a footing in their new homes. Now as the Schrock family plans to move west from Somerset County to a fledgling Amish settlement in Indiana, she looks forward to connecting with old friends who will be joining them from another Pennsylvania community—friends like Jacob Yoder, who has always held a special place in her heart.

Since Mattie last saw Jacob, they've both grown into different people with different dreams. Jacob yearns to settle down, but Mattie can't help but dream of what may lie over the western horizon. When a handsome Englisher tempts her to leave the Amish behind to search for adventure in the West, will her pledge to Jacob be the anchor that holds her secure?

Tender, poignant, and gentle, Mattie's Pledge offers readers a glimpse into Amish life in the 1840s—and into the yearning heart of a character they'll not soon forget.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780800726577
Publisher:	Baker Publishing Group
Publication date:	09/20/2016
Series:	Journey to Pleasant Prairie , #2
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Jan Drexler brings a unique understanding of Amish traditions and beliefs to her writing. Her ancestors were among the first Amish, Mennonite, and Brethren immigrants to Pennsylvania in the 1700s, and their experiences are the basis for her stories. Jan lives in South Dakota with her husband, their four adult children, two active dogs, and a cat. She is the author of The Prodigal Son Returns, A Mother for His Children (winner of the 2013 TARA award), A Home for His Family, and Hannah's Choice.

Editorial Reviews

11/14/2016
Mattie Schrock is daydreamer longing for a different life, so when her father decides to move her Amish family further west she is ready. She remembers their move from Lancaster County to Brothers Valley in western Pennsylvania seven years before, and looks forward to getting reacquainted with Jacob Yoder and childhood friends who are joining them. They are headed through the Great Black Swamp, now fertile farmland in northern Ohio, to Amish settlements in Indiana. Jacob and Mattie renew their friendship, but Mattie yearns to keep moving west instead of settling. Enter the Bates brothers, Englishers who seem to have more on their minds than sharing a meal. Cole Bates takes special interest in Mattie, tempting her with stories of the western mountains. Will Mattie choose to go with Cole or stay with Jacob? Set in the 1840’s. hte story of this Amish migration is a fascinating, fact-based journey through the history, struggles, and beauty of an untamed land. Fans of Amish fiction will enjoy Drexler’s tale of striking out in the wild unknown. Agent: Sarah Joy Freese, WordServe Literary Agency (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly