Courting Cate by Leslie Gould

According to the cover of this book, it is book 1 of a series called "The Courtships of Lancaster County." If that is the case, I hope Ms. Gould is a fast writer because I can't wait to hear the stories of the other couples she will write about. This was one of the most interesting Amish tales I've read in a while. It shows the difference between the lives of the Amish in different areas of the country, but not only the differences but the "sameness" of their beliefs and traditions.

This is the story of Cate, loosely mimicking Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, but in a modern day Amish setting. Since The Taming of the Shrew has always been a favorite story of mine, that made it all the more fun to read. Cate is the eldest sister in the family and has raised her younger sister since her mother died giving the little girl birth. Cate feels that she is past the age of marrying and also feels that she is a laughingstock in the neighborhood thanks to some mischievous neighbor boys. Betsy, the younger sister, is quite popular in the neighborhood and has reached typical marrying age. Their father, trying to help out Cate in his own bumbling way decrees that Cate must marry before Betsy does. Enter Pete Treger from New York who decides he wants to court Cate. Of course, there are a whole plethora of misunderstandings before they realize they both wanted the same thing all along.

I found the characters and situations in this book intriguing and very "real." I will definitely be looking for more books by this author.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House to review. I did not receive any compensation for completing this review. All opinions are my own.

Real Life Real Miracles by James L. Garlow & Keith Wall

I recently read a commentary by a well-known Christian writer that said God isn't doing miracles today. His belief was that the miracles in the Bible were just to establish authenticity for Jesus. I disagree. The apostles certainly did miracles after Jesus ascended into Heaven and we have heard of many miracles over the time since. I have even experience some myself. This book tells of experiences of people who have had their lives restored, been healed, received needed provision etc. These stories are amazing and the doctors and other observers involved have been forced to admit to themselves that there was no possible way but that a miracle actually had occurred. I have heard these kind of stories and even experiences some miracles in my lifetime. My grandmother used to tell me stories of her parents and grandparents and others she knew that had these kinds of things happen. How wonderful it is to know that our Heavenly Father is interested in our needs and intercedes on our behalf. Anyone reading these stories could not help but be inspired and encouraged in their walk with the Lord. I appreciate the authors' time in compiling these stories and making them available to the public. I hope there will be more coming in a sequel. This very uplifting book will be a page turner for anyone who picks it up.

I received a copy of this book from Bethany House to review. I did not receive any compensation for completing this review. All opinions are my own.