Rebecca Kauffman's tranquil Old Order Amish life is transformed when she suddenly has custody of her two teenage nieces after her "English" sister and brother-in-law are killed in an automobile accident. Instant motherhood, after years of unsuccessful attempts to conceive a child of her own, is both a joy and a heartache. Rebecca struggles to give the teenage girls the guidance they need as well as fulfill her duties to Daniel as an Amish wife.
Rebellious Jessica is resistant to Amish ways and constantly in trouble with the community. Younger sister Lindsay is caught in the middle, and the strain between Rebecca and Daniel mounts as Jessica's rebellion escalates. Instead of the beautiful family life she dreamed of creating for her nieces, Rebecca feels as if her world is being torn apart by two different cultures, leaving her to question her place in the Amish community, her marriage, and her faith in God.
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?
Amy Clipston takes us on a journey from pain and hatred to acceptance and the true love of Christ in A Gift of Grace. Rebecca Kauffman, a simple Amish woman with astounding inner beauty is unable to give birth to her own children. She is given the opportunity to be a mother to her two lately orphaned nieces, Jessica and Lindsay. Her relationships with God and her husband are tested as the two “English” girls struggle to adapt to the Amish way of life, causing tension in both her house and community.
This touching book has a tight, though slightly repetitive, focus; it fluidly leads the reader from one event to another, and each thought to the next. It is an easy story to follow and effectively whisks you away from city life and into the Amish world of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Jessica and Lindsay’s relationship is characteristic of typical American teenaged sisters, and many readers will relate to the irritation tempered with love that the two exhibit toward one another. Rebecca’s yearning to show her nieces proper love and direction is sincerely empathized with by readers, and the strife between Becky and her husband Daniel is keenly felt. The best scenes, however, are those involving Rebecca and her mother-in-law, Elizabeth Kauffman. Elizabeth is the voice of experience and wisdom, speaking gently to the heart of the devoted but stubborn Rebecca. Elizabeth exudes godliness and her words reflect God’s peace; as Rebecca tries to guide her nieces, Elizabeth lovingly guides Rebecca.
Rebecca’s sister, Grace (for whom the book is presumably named) and her husband are killed in a car accident, leaving their daughters, Jessica and Lindsay, without parents or home. In her will, Grace requests that Rebecca and Daniel rear the girls in Grace’s childhood home of Lancaster County. The trouble arrives as Jessica and Lindsay are informed that they are to respect and uphold, to a certain extent, the simplistic, but unfamiliar Amish lifestyle. Lindsay adjusts famously after a few months, but despite many attempts, Jessica cannot develop fondness for a community which denies her desires for education and the freedoms to which she is accustomed. The Kauffmans must discover a way to close the wounds of loss and listen to the Lord’s will without driving loved ones away and destroying their family name in their society.
A Gift of Grace is a fantastic book for preteen to teenage girls. It has value for those who have struggled with guardian-to-child relationships, those who’ve lost family members, or folks who have ever wondered about their place in life. Clipston gets an “A” for reader relationships and substance, integrating a genuine road to God as the answer and provider. Highly recommended. – Hannah Selleck, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com
Average Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars(4.5 out of 5 stars)
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5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Terry Schuch (Temple, Texas), October 15, 2009
From the very start I was wrapped in the Amish traditions and caught in the struggles of leading a plain life. The simple answers to some of the most troublesome problems today were given by two loving people,Rebecca and Daniel, living their lives after God's own heart. This book just goes to show us that we can all learn from one another. Maybe we should take a hard, long look at the way we live our lives. Maybe, just maybe, living a little plainer would make us all a lot better and a lot happier.
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Peggy Eatmon (Bailey, NC), October 08, 2009
I am an avid reader of amish fiction and this book is exceptional. It supports the theory that whomever we are God is with us to help in every situation that we allow Him in. Keep up the good work.
2 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Deborah (Reston, VA), October 07, 2009
With this book, I honestly wanted to really enjoy it. The beginning of the book totally captivated me. There's a bakery (food!), an interesting situation (normal teen girls forced to live in Amish house), and then the fact that the girls were from Virginia Beach (my hometown area). The writing is very engaging and it moves really fast. You get sucked into the story as you want to find out what happens to the girls and their new lifestyle.
However there were many problems though I had while reading it. Enough, that I almost gave up reading the book in frustration. The main one was the fact that Rebecca would not let Jessica and Lindsay go to school because they are too old according to the Amish. What bugs me about this is why she didn't' tell them this BEFORE they got back to Pennsylvania? It was said she spent a month with them before traveling back and even then she was hoping it wouldn't come up until later. Also her husband and her had agreed that the girls did not have to become Amish so I don't' understand why they couldn't have let them just go to school. This really annoyed me because people should NOT be denied an education when they want it. Also, Daniel really got on my nerves with his flip-floppy behavior. On one hand he's annoyed with Jessica because she won't adapt to the Amish lifestyle and stop being worldly and corrupting his family thus making him look bad. However he won't talk to her and won't tell her exactly what he wants. Then he's irritated with Lindsay because she DOES want to fit in with the Amish and learn their way of life. He thinks it's just a phase and refuses to encourage her in anything she does.
I know it sounds as if I really had problems with this book. I'm not bashing it all. I just had problems with the way some issues were handled because I felt they were handled wrongly. While this book may not have been for me, if you are a fan of the Amish lifestyle you will enjoy this book.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Maureen (Syracuse NY), September 10, 2009
An enjoyable read. Now I can't wait for the sequel to come out. The characters were so real...wanted to know them personally! Thanks Amy!
4 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Patt Keen (Fairview, OK), August 06, 2009
I've been a big Beverly Lewis fan for a few years but have been disappointed by other Amish fiction writers like Wanda Brunstetter. I happened upon A Gift of Grace while on a lazy vacation (having read Beverly Lewis' The Secret" in the car without putting it down). I needed something new but was in a small mountain town without a bookstore. I found a book rack in a gift store with this book and decided to give it a try. I can assure it, this may be her first attempt at an Amish fiction, but Amy Clipston is certainly not a first time author. The book is well written and well thought out. It seems pretty true to what I know of the Amish culture. I'm looking forward to her next book and happy to have another author whose books I can look forward to.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Sharon Rand (Ovett, MS), July 21, 2009
This was the first time I had read one of this author's books, however I reall enjoyed the book. I could hardly put it down.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Lesa Brassette (Grand Junction, CO), July 10, 2009
Well done! I read all things Amish, especially the romantic fiction and I absolutely loved this story. Eager to see where our author will go with the second book of the series! Every part of this book appealed to me and delighted me.
5 out of 5 stars
Reviewed by Pam Burke (Potosi, MO), July 01, 2009
Great story. Amy Clipston's first book doesn't read like a first book at all. I've been fascinated with Amish stories for several years -- starting with Beverly Lewis and then Wanda Brunstetter. Recently, I've decided to branch out to other authors of Amish stories, not sure if they would be of the same quality. But this one definitely is. Anxious to read the next book.
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