Beneath the Summer Sun

By Kelly Irvin

 Jennie Troyer knows it’s time to remarry. Can she overcome a painful secret and open her heart to love?

 It’s been four years since Jennie’s husband died in a farming accident. Long enough that the elders in her Amish community think it’s time to marry again for the sake of her seven children. What they don’t know is that grief isn’t holding her back from a new relationship. Fear is. A terrible secret in her past keeps her from moving forward.

Mennonite book salesman Nathan Walker stops by Jennie’s farm whenever he’s in the area. Despite years of conversation and dinners together, she never seems to relax around him. He knows he should move on, but something about her keeps drawing him back.

 Meanwhile, Leo Graber nurtures a decades-long love for Jennie, but guilt plagues him—guilt for letting Jennie marry someone else and guilt for his father’s death on a hunting trip many years ago. How could anyone love him again—and how could he ever take a chance to love in return?

In this second book in the Every Amish Season series, three hearts try to discern God’s plan for the future—and find peace beneath the summer sun.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Jan 16, 2018
• ISBN: 9780310348108

Kelly Irvin

Kelly Irvin is a bestselling, award-winning author of over thirty novels and stories. A retired public relations professional, Kelly lives with her husband, Tim, in San Antonio. They have two children, four grandchildren, and two ornery cats. Visit her online at KellyIrvin.com; Instagram: @kelly_irvin; Facebook: @Kelly.Irvin.Author; X: @Kelly_S_Irvin.

Reviews for Beneath the Summer Sun

[kris_anderson-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beneath the Summer Sun by Kelly Irvin is the second installment in An Every Amish Season series. Jennie Troyer is a widow with seven children in Jamesport, Missouri. It has been four years since her husband, Atlee passed away, and Jennie is content to live without a spouse. Jennie never told a soul about the type of husband Atlee was and how she can still hear his voice in her head belittling her. Leo Graber has been in love with Jennie since they were young. His guilt over his father’s death has prevented him from pursuing a relationship with Jennie or living a happy, fulfilling life. Nathan Walker is a Mennonite traveling book salesman who has fallen for Jennie. He visits her farm whenever he is in the area and enjoys spending time with Jennie and the children. Nathan has been unable to settle down in one place because of resentment towards his parents for their mission work and leaving him behind when he was younger. He is contemplating becoming Amish to be with Jennie. Matthew Troyer, Jennie’s oldest son, has been moody, rude, sneaking out of the house at night and refuses to discuss what is troubling him with Jennie. What will it take for the four of them (Jennie, Leo, Nathan, and Matthew) to resolve their issues and move forward with their lives? While Beneath the Summer Sun is the second book in the series, it can be read alone. You need not have read Upon a Spring Breeze which involves different characters (but in the same community). Beneath the Summer Sun is well-written and engaging. I appreciate this author’s writing style (makes for an easy and enjoyable novel). I was drawn in right away and my attention was held until the end of the book. The story contains lovely characters that are nicely constructed and develop over the course of the book. They are realistic and relatable as well as the issues that they are experiencing. I like how Ms. Irvin handled the subject of domestic abuse (physical and mental). It is an issue that is generally not addressed in Amish novels and the author shows that abuse is not limited to Englischers (as we are called). I am grateful that the author does not paint the Amish in a picture-perfect world. The author has a way of incorporating Christian values into the book (light touch). It flows nicely with the story and does not come across as preachy. Some of the issues that are addressed are faith, following God’s path for your life, power of prayer, scripture, trust, forgiveness (of oneself and others), love, grace and guilt. Beneath the Summer Sun is a captivating book that will stay with you long after you finish it. I am eager to read the next book in An Every Amish Season series which is Through the Autumn Air. We get Mary Katherine Ropp’s story who is in Beneath the Summer Sun.

[alekee_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author had me guessing from beginning to end as to who Jennie’s choice would be, or if she could ever commit again.Shocking facts come out about her marriage to a sadist and shows that abuse crosses all cultures, and Jennie and her seven children are survivors. Will Jennie ever be able to trust her heart again, widows are expected to remarry and provide a father figure for their children, but will she ever be able to trust again.The candidates are a friendly Mennonite man with hidden childhood hurts, and a very quiet Amish man who once had his chance to be with Jennie. I know I found myself rooting for one, and was right, but there is a lot going on to bring myself to the conclusion.We are Jamesport, Mo and back with old friends, and walk with this Amish Community as they go about their everyday life, and try to make ends meet, and we watch as they survive the trials that come their way.I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review.

[harley0326 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the reasons I love reading books by this author is because with a few words I am swep away to another place. Her vivid description of the setting takes my breath away. She is an excellent writer and I fall in love with the characters each time. I loved the story and wanted to sit down with Jennie and hold her hand. She had kept a dark secret for many years. Not every marriage is perfect but Jennie’s was like living a nightmare. Her fear of doing something wrong kept her on egg shells. Now that she has seven children to raise on her own, what will she do? Can she continue to scrape by, or will she follow what the church thinks she needs to do? One of the things I found so fascinating was learning the difference between Anabaptist and Mennonites. There are many things the Mennonites allow, that the Anabaptist don’t. I loved how the author brings Nathan into the story. He is a good man, but I’m not sure he can get Jennie’s attention. They come from different backgrounds and for Jennie she doesn’t want to go against her church. He wants to make roots in the community, but devastating news may change that. What will Nathan decide?Leo is the kind of man who would make a great husband. He is a good hard working man. He is very quiet and hard to talk to though. Many people have talked to him about his guilt over his father’s death. Leo feels responsible and he will have to lean on God to heal him. I loved the turmoil that Jennie and Leo are going through. They each have guilt that is overwhelming them. For Jennie , will she learn to trust another man, or stay in her own raising her children? Can Leo learn to forgive himself ?The story is like a walk through the countryside with beautiful things waiting to be explored. It can bring you new adventure and give you a sense of peace while allowing God to heal hearts. I loved this story and wanted it to not end. I loved this quote from the story ,”It’s a sign of overwhelming pride when a man thinks he’s the only one who can do God’s work.”I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion.