Hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray a Litfuse Book Review

hopeful-e1387259966426About the Book:  Return to Sugarcreek, Book One

In the Amish town of Sugarcreek, love comes in many forms. But will it come at all for Miriam?

Miriam Zehr has worked at the Sugarcreek Inn longer than she cares to admit. The restaurant is a favorite of town residents as well as the many tourists who come to taste the famous Amish fare. Though she always tries to have a smile for every customer, deep down Miriam knows something’s missing: a family of her own.

Miriam has never felt particularly beautiful, especially because she’s always been a bit heavier than other girls her age. When Junior, the man she’s pined for all her life, suddenly seeks her out, she’s thrilled to be noticed . . . until she realizes he’s only asking her to help get the attention of Mary Kathryn Hershberger, her pretty friend.

If Miriam helps Junior court Mary Kathryn, she’ll get to spend a lot of time with him, but she might lose him in the process. Are these few stolen moments worth a lifetime of sacrifice? Is Miriam right to even hope for the life she dreams of?

 

My Review: I really enjoyed this book. Shelley weaves a great tale that brings you in. This is a heartwarming tale of a young lady who has often felt the wallflower. And not only that she has a crush on the best looking guy in town. Never expecting him to look her way one day he asks for her help which she misinterprets as interest. What follows is a roller coaster path to happiness.

The book starts right in with Miriam’s tale of being a wallflower and, Junior, the object of her affections. You know what she’s thinking and what he’s thinking. You don’t hate him because he does genuinely seem nice but you say “aaarggh!” in frustration that he cannot see that Miriam likes him and what his new attention is doing to the situation.

Grocery Bags with Food

Meanwhile Mary Kathryn, with her own story to tell, is not interested and we wonder how this will all turn out. Miriam’s parents are so sweet in their hopes for her and their guarding care. Mary Kathryn is guarded and sullen and Junior is just looking for the perfect wife.

Let me just say as a female I do appreciate that in many of the Amish novels the men are attracted to much more than beauty. Sure they are attracted to beauty but when everyone is dressing the same and not flaunting things that are better left to the imagination it is nice to see a “good personality” sometimes does win the beau.

If you enjoy Amish fiction pick this up for a sweet heart tugging read.

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About the Author: Shelley Shepard Gray is a two-time New York Times bestseller, a two-time USA Today bestseller, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Holt Medallion winner. She lives in Southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.

Learn more about Shelley at: http://www.shelleyshepardgray.com

 

Buy the Book: Hopeful: Return to Sugarcreek, Book One

More Litfuse Reviews: http://litfusegroup.com/author/sgray

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Litfuse Publicity Group as part of their Blogger Review program. 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.”

 

 

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