The Waiting (Lancaster County Secrets Book #2): A Novel
4/5
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About this ebook
A multifaceted story about complex people living the simple life, The Waiting is the second book in the LANCASTER COUNTY SECRETS series. Readers will find themselves transported into the world of the Amish and deeply invested in these wonderful characters.
Suzanne Woods Fisher
Suzanne Woods Fisher is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than forty books, including The Sweet Life, The Secret to Happiness, and Love on a Whim, as well as many beloved contemporary romance and Amish romance series. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at SuzanneWoodsFisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and X @SuzanneWFisher.
Read more from Suzanne Woods Fisher
Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Lancaster County Christmas Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Copper Series Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Copper Fire Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5For the Love of Dogs Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amish Values for Your Family: What We Can Learn from the Simple Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Copper Star Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related to The Waiting (Lancaster County Secrets Book #2)
Titles in the series (3)
The Choice (Lancaster County Secrets Book #1): A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Waiting (Lancaster County Secrets Book #2): A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Search (Lancaster County Secrets Book #3): A Novel Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
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Reviews for The Waiting (Lancaster County Secrets Book #2)
37 ratings7 reviews
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5I was confused when I started reading the book. The previous book in the series took place in modern day. This book however takes place during the Vietnam War. There was no indication either in the first book or this book that this was going to happen. Therefore I didn't see any ties at all between the two stories except that maybe they took place in the same town. The first book really intrigued me about the faith of the Amish as it was questioned. However that's not brought up at all in this book so I was quite disappointed.When I first read that there was an African American character in the book, I was VERY excited. There has never been any Persons of Color in any other Amish book I read so I was excited to see how he would be used in the story. Well, my excitement died down fast. What could have been a very interesting addition to the story was pretty much avoided and this character was pretty much just background filler. What could have been a great opportunity to bring multiculturalism to Amish fiction was missed out completely.I don't want to spoil the story but the one other issue I had with the book was the reaction to depression caused by the war. I just did not like the way the Amish handled it. I know they have their beliefs about medicine and interacting with the outside world. However, they have never really had to deal with war before and therefore didn't know the all the side effects caused by it. War is harsh and leaves an impact on the person that is hard to understand by those who did not see combat first hand. Just going back at home and relaxing is not going to cure a person. If this had been something more common, I could have understood the reaction. However because they didn't really know how to handle post traumatic stress disorder, the story made me feel as if medical attention to it is wrong. I felt as if I was being preached at.Now I did like Jorie's character very much. She is the one person in the entire book who I felt for and wanted to read more of. Even though she's Amish, she's obviously had enough education to be able to teach and her thinking is more forward than most of the other members of her community. She isn't a rebel but she's not completely traditional either. She appeared to be more open minded as well. However except for her, I really could not gel with the rest of the characters or the entire story. While others may like this book, it just wasn't for me and I am not sure if I am going to continue with future books in the series
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The book is set during the Vietnam War and lightly touches on the Conscientious Objector status of Amish draftees. Ben wanted to see the world and signed up to go to Vietnam as a CO. While he is gone, his 'girl' and his brother fall in love.While this was an....ok read...the characters seemed stilted and unreal. I could not connect with any of them and the ability to connect is what makes or breaks a book. Fisher is a great writer but this book just could not capture my interest.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5THE WAITING by Suzanne Woods Fisher is a inspirational contemporary fiction set in 1965 Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is the second in her Lancaster County Secrets and can be read as a stand alone. It is well written with details, love,romance,depth, twists and turns. It has devotion, faith, hope, forgiveness, Amish, struggles, friendship, death,grief, laughter and a plain faith.The characters are charming, believable, will grip your heart,and have a strong plain faith. They struggle with grief, some struggle with their plain ways and their plain faith, while others strive to follow their faith and move on with their life. This is an amazing story of life and it's struggles. While, Jorie, believes Ben her friend and supposed to be boyfriend, as joined the Army and is sent to Vietnam, she waits for him.She is close to his brothers and his family. His oldest brother's wife dies, Ben is declared dead, Jorie and Caleb,Ben's oldest brother believing Ben is dead began close. Then they learn Ben is alive. Nothing is simple, they struggle to help Ben recover from his dramatic experience in Vietnam all the while Jorie and Caleb where planning go get married. Caleb backs off while Jorie explores her feelings for Ben. Ben is angry and has been his whole life, especially since his parents died and Caleb took over the family farm and raising his three younger siblings. This is truly a story of the Amish faith, their struggles, especially the story of the triumphant, struggles,laughter, of a young Amish school teacher, her students, and her friend/boyfriend's struggles, while this small Amish community is carried through the turbulent time of the 1960's. I would recommend this book for it is an inspirational in faith and the power of love. This book was received for review and details can be found at Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group and My Book Addiction and More.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5First, let me start this review off with this: Suzanna Woods Fisher is my Julie Lessman of Amish novels!!! She is FANTABULOUSLY AMAZING!!! I first read her novel, The Choice, last year when it released and that was when I was introduced to her novels. Boy, am I glad of that, too! Never, in a million years, did I think I would be hooked on an Amish author the way I am hers. I mean, I read Amish novels by Wanda Brunstetter, Beverly Lewis, Cindy Woodsmall, just to name a few. But Suzanne's books are P-O-W-E-R-F-U-L. You can feel every bit apart of the story as if Suzanne was writing about YOU!In The Waiting, we get a glimpse back into time with this Amish story. It's a unique story, as we read about heartache and pain, laughter and love, and....secrets. So many amazing secrets that make up the twists and turns of this fantastic continuation to Suzanne's Lancaster County Secrets series. The thing that makes this so unique to me is this: Suzanne combines two very DIFFERENT subjects and blend them into one.....the war and the Amish. It was VERY interesting to read those subjects together, as when you read about Amish, they are VERY quiet and loving people.As I was reading this very interesting combination plot line, I felt a pull to ALL the characters, like little Maggie, and even to Esther. But, my biggest pull was to sweet, loving Jorie. She wanted nothing but love and happiness and it seemed for her, she might not find that. I kept wanting to reach out to her and pull into a motherly hug, and tell her all would be alright. Now, just because I was pulled to Jorie, that didn't mean I didn't like the other characters any less! I LOVED Caleb's character. His chiseled character was wonderful and added so much meaning to the story. I wanted to be Jorie so many times! Wonderful work!!!This story has something for every book lover. It has many secrets and twists for the suspense lover. It has romance for the romance lover. It has a wonderful Christian message for the Christian novel lover. It has laughter woven through the words for the humor lover. It has history for the history lover, war for the military lover and most importantly, it has Amish for all us Amish lovers! This is most definitely, hands down, no doubt about it a 5 (or 50!) star book that would make the PERFECT Christmas gift for any book lover! While it is book 2 in a series, it is a wonderful book that would be easy to follow along with out being confused and would be a great stand alone title! I can't wait for book 3, The Search, to release in January 2011.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Set during the mid sixties, when the county is immersed in the Vietnam war. Jorie King is waiting for Ben Zook to return for the war, he is serving as a conscientious objector and has been sent to Vietnam. She told him she wouldn't wait, but has been doing just that, even though she has been getting on with her life, taking the job as the schoolteacher and helping on her grandfathers farm, turning down all requests from suitors. Caleb Zook, Ben's older brother has been thrust into the position as the caretaker of his family, he and his wife Mary Ann live on the family farm, taking care of the younger brothers and and their daughter Maggie, so when the news comes that Ben has been killed in action everyone is devastated. Soon after Caleb is faced with another tragedy that will shake his world even more. Just as Caleb and Jorie start the path toward healing, they are hit again with some life altering news that have them rethinking the choices they are making. It was so easy to get totally immersed in this story. This book is so much more than just another Amish romance. The depth of these characters and the issues they face really give this story a very realistic flavor.The characters are very well developed, I really enjoyed the secondary characters in this novel, the kind nature of Ephraim shines thru in his compassion towards animals as well as how he treats young Maggie, it was so great to see how he started to outgrow his speech problem, you could really feel his confidence growing. I also enjoyed the budding romance between Matthew and Lizzie and hope we get to read more about them in a future book. Even though this book is the second in the Lancaster County Secrets series it can easily be read as a stand alone book. The Waiting is a beautiful story about love, loss, and forgiveness, not a sad story at all but instead a story that gives us hope and encouragement and once again shows us the importance of family. One of the best Amish stories that I have read this year!
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5In this second novel in the Lancaster County Secrets series, Jorie King finds herself waiting for Ben Zook. First, for him to come back to Lancaster County, and then to join the Amish church and hopefully marry her. But life has a way of intervening and changing all she wished for. Nothing seems to run smoothly for this Amish lass, but God has some pleasant surprises in store for her, and maybe even a miracle or two. An entertaining story with interesting characters.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Fisher weaves the Scriptures into every day life in a story that brings hope through hardships. Some unexpected turns created struggles that had to be evaluated.
Although I'm not an expert in Amish culture, some of the situations seemed 'out of character' for their lifestyle.
I enjoyed the reminders of seeing God's Hand in the sunsets, nature and daily events. A good example of how life should be lived.