Years ago, a picnic basket brought two hearts together. For Rachel and Mike, history may be about to repeat itself.
Rachel Fisher is devastated when the young man she’s loved for years leaves her to date her best friend. Her heart is broken, and she has all but given up on love. Determined to keep her mind off the pain, she starts teaching at an Amish school for children with learning disabilities.
Since his father became ill, Mike Lantz has been overwhelmed with the responsibility of providing for his family and caring for his six-year-old brother, John. When John joins Rachel’s class and she learns that his mother is deceased and his father sick, she desperately wants to help the family, even with something as simple as a meal.
With her parents’ old picnic basket, Rachel begins sending food to the Lantz family. As the weeks go by, John’s grades start to improve, and the attraction grows between Rachel and Mike. They can’t deny that their friendship is growing toward something more, but both of them are hesitant to risk a more serious relationship.
The last thing Rachel wants is another heartbreak, and Mike is worried about providing for his loved ones. Will the two be able to reconcile their past hurts with new hope for the future?
My Review:
This is book two in the Amish Heirloom Series by Amy Clipston. It can stand alone although I wondered a few things that might have been answered in the first book. In this book the main story is focused on Rachel Fisher and Mike Lantz. They meet through the school for special children that Rachel starts working at after she is ditched by long time boyfriend for her best friend. Mike is trying to raise his younger brother, deal with his deathly ill dad, and run a business. His younger brother is having some issues so he moves him the special school for more attention. His first week at the new school does not go very well. Teacher Rachel broke some rules her first week by contacting Mike over the phone and in person about it. It did not go good so to make up for it she starts sending meals home with John in a basket she found at her house. She did not know it held special meaning for her parents. The way to man's heart is through his stomach is sometimes an accurate saying. Rachel ends up coming to Mike's house on Saturdays to tutor John. The whole family comes to love her. Rachel and Mike are attracted to each other but they have issues that keep getting in the way. Mike's family situation and Rachel's past bad heartache. The book held my attention and overall I enjoyed reading it. I got mad at Rachel a few times and wanted to shake some sense into her. The ending was sad but satisfying. This was a nice Amish romance story. I look forward to reading Rachel's younger sister's story in the next book in the series. Recommended.
Amy Clipston is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. Her novels have hit multiple bestseller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and three spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at amyclipston.com Facebook: AmyClipstonBooks Twitter: @AmyClipston
Review copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.
