Genre: Amish/Christian Fiction Release Date: November 2025
This is one of the books in The Heart of the Amish series which is a multi authored series. This book is the only one in the series that I have read.
I was drawn to this book because it does center on the Amish and I always have found it interesting to learn about a different way of living. I find a lot of their ways so peaceful and fruitful. I think we can learn a lot from Amish ways. This story pulled me in and I did enjoy getting to know the characters.
Henrietta absolutely loves everything outdoors and animal related, the last place she wants to be is indoors cooking or cleaning. This of course does not necessarily sit well with her father who happens to be the bishop. When she is not able to to get the vet assistant job she wanted, she is not happy nor is she necessarily kind to Nicholas who does get the position. Nicholas took the job for his own reasons, and is not too fond of Henrietta at first either.
I enjoyed watching their friendship grow as a result of them growing and maturing. They are both struggling with different areas of their faith and contentment. I think as they come to realize that God has a plan for their lives, and it may not be how they imagined it, they are able to really see that God's path is always the better one. I do appreciate the amount of wrestling we get to see, and that the characters learn and grow from their mistakes. They also garner wisdom from those who are older. Overall it was written well and a good story.
One of the quotes which really stood out to me is the following:
"Start thinking about it from the perspective of what you can do, what is allowed, the blessing you can be to the people you love and who love you. Contentment is learned. It's not always easy, but it's always possible. Believe me. I know."
I think so many times we strive for things we think we want or even things of this world thinking they will bring us happiness. Yet often they just keep us in bondage. When we lean into God's path for us and realize how much freedom we have in Christ we can truly find joy. The boundaries He puts in place are meant to protect us, that change of mindset is truly the way God wants us to see things and to live.
I enjoy when books are deep enough that I get nuggets of wisdom which allow me to grow as well.
If you are interesting in learning morning about the book you can head here: A Daughter's Choice
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
Here is some information about the author and all the places you can find her:
One of the fun things Celebrate Lit Blog tours includes is some extra information from the author about the story. So here is what Kelly shared with us about A Daughter's Choice:
Each time I come up with a new story concept, I'm super excited about it. When a publisher lets me know the "pub" committee has approved a contract for the story, I get even more excited. Then I sit down at my computer, open a document, and zoom, my fingers take off on the keyboard . . . . nope. . . not exactly.
What really happens is that I suddenly realize this fabulous story idea will require a ton of research. In the case of A Daughter's Choice, featuring goat lover Henrietta "Hen" Miller, I needed to be an "expert" on raising goats and tending to a horse with colic and making candy from goat's milk, and delivering a foal that isn't positioned correctly (and treating a crochety cat!). The story also required a deep dive into several other kinds of livestock, veterinarians' clinics and vet assistants, and facets of the Amish faith that I wanted to make sure I addressed properly.
Much of this information is easily available on the Internet and in the many reference books about the Amish I've acquired over the years. But on-line research doesn't allow me to get up close and personal with key characters in my story - the animals. I especially wanted to hang out with some goats. To my surprise, I had trouble finding a place int he San Antonio area where I could interact with these frolicking creatures.
Then my daughter-in-law came to the rescue. She found Cavalry Farm, a nonprofit organization that takes in and cares for all sort of livestock animals in little Adkins, Texas, just south of San Antonio. They have frequent open houses where - for a nominal fee - the public can visit, pet, feed, and yes, cuddle some of the animals. My response? ROAD TRIP!
The farm is home to a small herd of pygmy goats as well as larger dairy goats. I have never been close to a goat, so I didn't know what to expect. They were as curious about me as I was about them. They crowded around me, climbed up my rollator, chewed on my purse strap, nibbled at the zipper on my shorts' pocket, and prodded my hands with their noses. I had a fabulous time!
The volunteer who stayed with us in the goat pen shared all sorts of tidbits about the care of goats. My grandson, who's two and a half, chatted with them. I took lots of photos for marketing purposes. Most importantly, I gained an understanding of why Hen is so enamored of goats. They're lively, friendly, and determined to learn all about their visitors.
Of course, Hen isn't simply a "goat whisperer." She also loves horses, which leads to her first encounter with vet assistant Nicholas Byler, a newcomer to Smicksburg, PA, and many other animals, including cats and dogs. At Cavalry Farm, I was also able to visit with horses, pigs, donkeys, alpacas, chickens, turkeys, and cows. I'm from Kansas so I've had my share of livestock sightings. However, I've never been offered an opportunity to snuggle a cow. Who knew that is a thing? My farmer family members will find it humorous, I'm sure.
The cows lounge on the grass just waiting for a visitor to come along, sit beside them, and snuggle up. It's so stinking cute!
No cow snuggling occurs in A Daughter's Choice. However, I can assure readers there is plenty of fun with a runaway puppy up for adoption, goats on the loose tearing through a wedding prep tent, and more. The story also moves beyond the humorous as Hen overcomes past losses and grief, allowing her to make important choices about her future. Nicholas too has to make hard choices about his occupation and his life as a faithful Amish believer. What they decide will determine if they find their happily-ever-after!
I loved getting that behind the scenes look at the book. It's so interesting to get a glimpse behind the curtain so to speak.
Two last things I want to share. First there is a giveaway for the book. In honor of the tour Kelly is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card as well as a print copy of the book!
I want to thank the publishers for a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not required to provide a positive review and all opinions expressed are mine alone.
Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts, I hope you have a blessed day.
Melanie
Im looking forward to reading this book. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful review. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great book!
ReplyDeleteSounds terrific
ReplyDelete