From award-winning author Barbara Cameron comes A Time for Peace, Book 3 in the Quilts of Lancaster County series. Jenny Bontrager, an Amish woman with a complicated past as an Englisher, has a loving family and peaceful home. But when tragedy, illness, and betrayal strike Jenny's family, she is forced to face the doubts and fears that haunt her.
Throughout the novel, Cameron writes in an emotionally evocative style. The story centers on the complexities of relationships and develops an especially healthy view of Christ-centered marriages. Characters, though lacking much in the way of personal dimension, are portrayed as loyal members of a flawed family.
Because of physical injuries Jenny sustained during her years as an international news reporter, she is unable to have children. The story's main conflict stems from Jenny's insecurities surrounding this issue. Jenny's inability to communicate her feelings to her family creates emotional distance between herself and those she loves. When Jenny uncovers a letter that reveals a long-hidden family betrayal, her world is utterly shattered. It is only when Jenny's stepson, Joshua, is severely injured in an accident that she realizes the healing power of forgiveness and the renewing strength of hope.
Though Jenny Bontrager is characterized as a timid, distraught woman, she also possesses several strong and admirable traits. Her desire to be loved, her struggle for acceptance, and her battle to rise above everyday challenges paint an inspirational picture of the struggles that comprise motherhood. Throughout the story, positive themes of physical and spiritual healing uphold the message of Jeremiah 30: 17, which says, "'For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,' says the Lord."
A Time for Peace is a novel that can be compared to a buggy ride across the Pennsylvania countryside. The first few miles of scenery are pleasant, but before long the view can become tiresome and dull. During the first chapters of her story, Cameron does an admirable job of forming a new perspective on Amish life. However, she fails to sustain interest throughout the book. The remainder of the plot sometimes seems contrived and the accented dialogue can become stilted. Nonetheless, the novel contains enough warm, family drama to keep fans of Amish Christian fiction in the buggy until the end of the ride, regardless of how many times they are jostled in their seats. Kari Lynn Travis, www.ChristianBookPreviews.com
