Review by Booklist Review
Ellie Hostetler loves her family's orchard, her family, and their world. But it's 1970, and the Vietnam War is impacting the deeply religious Amish community. Local hooligans attack young Amish men for not being willing to go to fight; instead, they traditionally apply for conscientious objector status. Ellie's twin brother, Evan, mourning the death of his English (i.e., non-Amish) friend in the war, refuses to take that route and is drafted. Ellie then takes on responsibilities in the orchard and begins to go on double dates with a cousin, soon realizing that one's crush may not turn out to be the right partner. As Ellie realizes who her true love might be, Lewis' tale of the courtship customs in this Amish community offer a different look at this time when mainstream America was experiencing conflict over free love, war protests, and drugs. Best-selling Lewis presents a chaste and gentle romance that is focused as much on family relationships and the community as it is on the hopes of a young couple.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Lewis (The Beginning) delivers a distinctive historical set in the Lancaster County, Pa., Amish community during the Vietnam War. The Hostetler family is stunned after their youngest son, Evan, bucks Amish mores and declines to register as a conscientious objector. His twin sister, Ellie, struggles to make peace with Evan's decision, viewing it as a "betrayal... for Evan to have abandoned the teaching of his childhood," and as he goes overseas, his family wonders what will become of the family orchard Evan had been expected to take over when he came of age. Ellie must also contend with her budding feelings for her best friend's brother, Sol Bontrager, whom her closest cousin has a crush on and who makes her question whether she wants to stay with her boyfriend. The twists in Ellie's relationships will keep readers turning pages, and the Vietnam War--era backdrop allows Lewis to explore fresh ground in the Amish romance genre as she probes the tensions and turmoil that the Amish community faced for their pacifism during that period. This serves as a reminder of why Lewis continues to top bestseller lists. (Sept.)
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