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About the book:
A Daughter's Dream (Avon Inspire, May 2016)
A young teacher and farmer discover they have much in common, especially when it comes to healing old wounds from the past . . . and finding love in one another.
Rebecca Kinsinger has always dreamed of being a teacher. But when she's given the opportunity she's been waiting for at Charm Amish School, she's dismayed to discover that teaching is hard work---work she's afraid she's not very good at.
That is, until Lilly Yoder joins the class. A thirteen-year old who's just lost her parents, Lilly is in need of someone like Rebecca. For the first time since starting her new job, Rebecca feels a sense of purpose. But when she meets Lilly's uncle, Jacob, his good looks and sweet, easy-going temperament are hard to ignore. How can she even entertain romantic thoughts of Jacob when his niece is her student?
Suddenly becoming Lily's sole caregiver, Jacob Yoder never thought he'd be a single parent---or a farmer. Having been living in Florida as a carpenter, Jacob feels more at home wielding a hammer than a backhoe. The only bright spot in his life is Rebecca Kinsinger. As Lily and Rebecca develop a bond, Jacob's fondness for the pretty teacher grows, too.
But when a fateful accident brings them together, Rebecca and Jacob must choose between duty and desire. Will they follow the path before them? Or set out to find true happiness . . . and true love?
About the author:
Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, 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.
Dynamic Uno here: I'm enjoying learning more about the Kinsinger siblings and the small Amish town of Charm, Ohio.
Rebecca so wanted to be a teacher, but when she actually had to cover for her friend she realized that teaching was not really her passion. (I can completely relate, only it took me about 17 years to actually leave the profession.)
When Rebecca and Jacob meet, I could tell that they were a match made in heaven. They were both honest with themselves and each other and decided to take a chance on a relationship, starting with a courtship. (Their brave honesty encourages me to be the same way within my relationships with others.)
I also thought it was cute that Lilly's relationship with Peter somewhat mimicked Rebecca's relationship with Jacob--especially since Lilly and Jacob were having to start their lives over in Charm and both met helpmates in Rebecca and Peter.
Overall, book #2 was a quick and cute read. I wish there had been more about the courtship between Rebecca and Jacob, but honestly, the story line between them didn't really need it. (I just wanted to live vicariously through them.)
If you're looking for a cute romance with a lot of heart, then this is the book for you!
Let me know what you think and Happy Reading!