#1: The Beekeeper's Son

Did you ever wonder what would have happened if you had chosen bachelor #1 instead of bachelor #2 I write a great many reviews each month and I do my best to never reveal any spoilers, but I think I can mention a few special characters without spoiling anything for you.

For example, this book is about Deborah Lantz and Phineas King obviously.

I really enjoyed getting to know Deborah and her family and Phineas and his family. Kelly writes about them beautifully I could feel Phineas embarrassment when he thought Deborah had screamed at the sight of his face but she was just as embarrassed because of her clumsiness.

Now, the question is is Phineas bachelor #1 or bachelor #2?

But wait theres another couple the reason for moving from Tennessee to Texas is so widowed mom-of-5 Abigail Lantz can marry up with Stephen Stetler. When I started writing about bachelors #1 and #2, I was actually thinking of Abigail, her deceased husband, and Stephen.

Hmmm and the question is is Stephen bachelor #1 or bachelor #2?

And will everything work out or will there be a need for bachelor #3?

Be warned you wont want to put this book down. If you pick it up, do so when you have a good opening of space to sit back and enjoy the story! I had so much fun reading this book. I began yesterday evening and I honestly didnt put it down until I was done. I even finished the last few chapters in bed, using my iPhone flashlight.

And believe me, you are going to LOVE the story! Aside from the fact that Kelly Irvin is an amazing writer, its a fantastic story!

Kelly has created a wonderful community in Bee County Texas. The characters are a little surprising at times (for Amish folk) with their whining, questioning, assertive personalities. But this is exactly what makes them real to the reader! When Deborah mentions sharing a room and having to deal with someone elses sweat and bad breath well, it certainly made it real to me!

Read it for yourself!

Sunday, June 21, 2015

The Beekeeper's Son by Kelly Irvin, 2014

The Amish of Bee Country series, Book 1

A change is coming to Bee County, Texas!

Wondering how this desolate looking place can be a harbor for anything to anchor them down, Deborah Lantz looks backward to what she has known, not seeing the richness before her. "All in the perspective," those who live here would say to this newly arrived family.

Beauty in the eyes of the beholder.

Immediately, warning signs prevail; I hope Abigail Lantz will heed them! Concern for her children and her heart, I want better for them than is portrayed in the beginning moments and days. Can what has been left behind truly be worse? She has it right. She has been seen as an image and not a real person in the memory of one who has built her up to more than she can be. Oh, to be recognized for who she is. She is more than a commodity. She is flesh and blood and worthy of love, true love that endears and beholds.

I liked how this story unveiled, gently and beautifully as risks are taken to be known. Walls come down as we let others in to reveal themselves in the safety of our sight unhinged by preconceived notions. A very good story of building trust, not rushed but daily being open a little more.

Kelly Irvin is the author of the Bliss Creek Amish series and the New Hope Amish series. She has also penned two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-six years. They have two young adult children, two cats, and a tank full of fish. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and read books by her favorite authors.

***Thank you to author Kelly Irvin and to Zondervan/HarperCollins for sending me a copy of The Beekeepr's Son for review. This review was written in my own words. No other compensation was received.***

Yep, another great book by Kelly. I've had this on my Kindle for a while, really wanted it in paperback, and finally 'picked' it out of my TBR list. I felt that it would be a good story and I was right, oh how I love it when I'm right about a book! Many of us have scars, some just aren't visible, unfortunately Phineas's were visible and Kelly does a wonderful job telling the story of how the characters get over their scars and disappointments in life. I will hopefully not wait so long to read the second book in the series, "The Bishop's Son", the paperback is on pre-order right now and it is due out on September 29th but I can't find anything on the Kindle edition. Purchase/Borrow, read and enjoy this book soon if you have not done so yet.

A beautiful story about being open to following God's path instead of your own. Both Deborah and Phineas have internal conflicts that cause them to look back instead of forward. They are so mired in what could have been that they nearly miss out on the glorious future God has planned for them. I really took that message to heart. And I'll smugly admit to learning the lesson way ahead of the hero and heroine. :-) At their expense, of course.

There's great tension and conflict within the pages of this book-- so stark at times that it matches the equally stark Texan countryside. An unusual and alluring setting for an Amish story. The author has created a fascinating community in Bee County, Texas. It is struggling to remain viable despite an increasing number of families leaving for more thriving Amish communities. I loved the modern day pioneer spirit of those who stayed. A fresh angle for this genre and it makes for a compelling read!

Author Kelly Irvin gave us another fantastic book in The Beekeeper's Son. This book held my attention from the beginning and is so fascinating. I love Author Kelly Irvin's style of writing and it makes her books very well-written. The specific details and descriptions makes the characters seem realistic and that I'm literally experiencing the same joys and troubles. For me, The Beekeeper's Son was unpredictable and has a couple of surprises, which I extremely enjoyed. I highly recommend reading this book. I love and enjoyed The Beekeeper's Son and feel Author Kelly Irvin wrote a fantastic book to start a new series called The Amish of Bee County. The Beekeeper's Son is Book One and I'm unquestionably looking forward to Book Two in this series.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and the author in exchange for my honest review. This review is one hundred percent my opinion.