A is for Amish

by Shelley Shepard Gray

Four siblings raised together in a dysfunctional way. Four siblings searching for where they really belong. This quartet unites to discover if they could not just survive, but thrive, for a year in the Amish community of their grandparents with whom they spent a lot of time growing up. Their parents had given up the Amish way and gotten divorced. Then they funneled most of their attention into finding their own happiness with another spouse. The children went back and forth between Mom, Dad, and grandparents. Martin, the oldest at twenty-five, assumed the role of protector and guide for the others, Beth, Kelsey, and Jonny.

Each at their own crossroad, they travel together from Cleveland to discuss moving in with their grandparents to learn the Amish way. Because Mommi and Dawdi are overwhelmed with the idea of training four adults at the same time, the young adults decide that just two of them should stay. Martin and Kelsey are the volunteers who remain. Martin, with a very successful career in finance, finds the transition more difficult; he just wasn’t used to working with his hands. Kelsey immerses herself in helping her grandmother and learning Pennsylvania Dutch. Other than conflict with a bossy hen, she has less trouble adjusting.

While Martin and Kelsey are dealing with the restrictions of Amish life, new cultural norms, and issues of faith, they are generally accepted into the community. Martin is enchanted with Patti, his grandparents’ neighbor, who was bullied as a child because of a port-wine birthmark on her neck. Spunky Kelsey captures the heart of Preacher Richard who is trying to help her assimilate. Martin and Kelsey are keenly aware of the need to separate their romantic feelings from the decision to become Amish. Not an easy task.

I had a lot of fun with this Amish novel. The characters are likable—except the one who shouldn’t be. Even his actions and attitude are interesting, moving the story along as he reveals his true nature. In my reading of previous Amish novels, there was usually a Bishop as there is in A is for Amish. This book mentions the selection process for a preacher: “even putting one’s name into the lot was stressful. Discovering the marked Bible was sometimes seen as both a blessing and a curse. No man accepted this fate easily—especially if he was chosen by the Lord to be a preacher at such a young age.” There is a lot of character growth in this novel, but not resolution for everyone. With four young adults as the focus, you can expect a “hook” to draw you into other books in the series about the various siblings.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5/5

Category: Christian, Religion, Romance 

Notes: 1.#1 in the Amish ABCs series

    2. I did a brief Internet search on Amish bishop versus preacher/minister. It was interesting, and I unsurprisingly, as there are various Amish orders, found conflicting information on the role and selection process.

Publication:   June 25, 2024—Kensington

Memorable Lines:

“Now I understand. You’re not afraid of giving up your life…you’re afraid that even after doing all this, you still won’t be happy.”

“We do,” Kelsey said in what she hoped was a gracious tone. “We have more than enough. I, for one, would be delighted if you joined us.” Of course the moment she said those words, she wished she could take them back. She sounded like a spinster in the middle of a Jane Austen novel. 

“We’re all scarred one way or another, child. We live on earth, not heaven. But you mustn’t forget that our Lord doesn’t make mistakes. You were meant to be special because He sees all of us that way.”