3.5 stars is the rating I will give A Love For Leah by Amy Lillard. This is a sequel to the book A Home For Hannah.
The things I loved about this book:

1. Lillard writes characters that make the reader care for them and their plight. I instantly felt for little Peter and Jamie.
2. I loved Leah’s extended family and the care and compassion they showed Peter and Jamie.
3. I truly love a good Christian book. This one is a mix of Amish and Christian fiction which was a first for me!

The things I didn’t like about this book:

1. This is a sequel but there is no mention of that fact. I had to do a Google search to find out! A lot of the back story is alluded too but not filled in. Many authors make it easy to read a sequel without having to read the first book in the series. Reading “A Home For Hannah” first really is a must in order to understand much of the plot.

2. Leah’s reluctance’s to go back to the Amish baffled me throughout most of the book. No real reason was given until nearly the end of the story as to why she didn’t want to return to the Amish.

3. The love story between Leah and Jamie felt very forced. They argue non-stop and all of a sudden, they are in love?? It was just off-putting.

I do recommend this book for a number of reasons. It is a good, clean Christian book. For the person who enjoys Amish/Mennonite fiction, this book is for you!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Net Galley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. #ALoveForLeah #NetGalley

My Rating: 4.5 Stars

Leah Gingerich has had no trouble making her own decisions. This including staying very close to her family. This could have been very difficult, as she left the Amish faith and became Mennonite, preferring more freedom in her life. One of the things Leah is doing is opening up a second-hand shop. This helps her family in one particular way when it comes to her sister Hannah's son Brandon. Hannah has returned to the Amish faith. However, since Hannah left the Amish years ago, she married and had a teen son,Brandon, and he was raised English.

Leah takes Brandon in while Hannah prepares for baptism and eventual marriage to Aaron Zook. That story is in the first book in this series, A Home for Hannah. Leah is happy in her life, and proves to be just perfect for Brandon. Then she meets Jamie Stoltzfus, a new man in Pontotoc who has arrived with his six-year-old nephew, Peter. The child lost his family in a fire, and has suffered serious injuries. He doesn't speak, and Jamie will do whatever he can to bring joy to Peter's life once again.

Leah senses a connection with Jamie and Peter. Well, with Jamie, they rub each other the wrong way at first. But, Peter is something special. Jamie knows that finding a wife is something he must do, but he is Amish and Leah is not. It doesn't take long for the two to realize that they must deal with their attraction without upsetting the importance of their faiths.

A Love for Leah is another very touching story in the Amish of Pontotoc series. This was another book that I could not put down. How could the impossible ever happen? Amy Lillard wrote a compelling story that really considered faith, prayer and grace. Although this could serve as a standalone, I believe the reader would be robbed if they didn't read the first book prior to this one. The family connection and continuity is very important to get the full effect that this book offers.

I eagerly devoured the third book in the series, A Family for Gracie, right after reading this one. What an incredible series! I look forward to making time to read as much of this author's work as possible.

A Love for Leah by Amy Lillard is the second book in The Amish of Pontotoc series. Leah Gingerich is opening Twice Blessed, a secondhand store on Main Street in Pontotoc, Mississippi. Leah is an independent Mennonite woman with forward thinking ideas. Jamie Stoltzfus and his nephew, Peter have moved into a cabin on the Gingerich property. Peter lost his parents and baby sister in a house fire six months prior and has not spoken since that day. Jamie is a traditional and stubborn Amish man who has certain ideas on how to live life and raise his nephew. Leah and Jamie clash from the moment they meet and somehow, they keep finding themselves together (I believe there is some matchmaking taking place). Despite wanting to avoid Jamie, Leah feels that God is calling her to help Peter and Jamie. Unfortunately, while Peter enjoys spending time with Leah, Jamie does not want her assistance. Leah is not going to let that stop her. But will a blast from Jamie’s past ruin their chances? Can this unlikely duo find common ground?

A Love for Leah is the second book in The Amish of Pontotoc, and I recommend reading the series in order. It will provide you with a better understanding of the characters, their background, the town, etc. Leah is the twin sister of Hannah whom we met in A Home for Hannah. She is present throughout A Love for Leah. Leah is an independent and strong minded woman who cares for her nephew, Brandon. I like the bond between Leah and Brandon as well as their interactions. It is good that Leah is strong willed because she pushes Jamie to do what is best for Peter. God finds a way to help those in need. With Deborah King (Jamie’s ex-fiancé), the author created a character that readers will love to dislike. She is annoying and full of herself. I thought the story was nicely written and it had gentle pacing. I had trouble, though, getting into A Love for Leah and it failed to hold my attention. While it is a cute Amish romance, I found it to be expected. The story could have used editing to tighten it up and it desperately needed to be shortened (way too long). Some of the Christian themes present are having faith, staying hopeful, and the power of prayer. We get to see the importance of being close to family, having good friends, and allowing love into our lives. I like that we get to see some of the differences between the Amish and Mennonite faith. My rating for A Love for Leah is 3 out of 5 stars. A Love for Leah is an uplifting Amish romance that will leave you with a good feeling in your heart and a smile on your face.

A Love for Leah is the second book in the Amish of Pontotoc series. This book can be read a standalone, but I highly recommend you read the series in order. It will give you a better understanding of all the characters.

Leah and Hannah Gingerich are twin sisters and they left the Amish to join the English many years ago. Hannah returned to the Amish community in the first book in this series.
Leah has left the Amish faith and has become Mennonite. Leah is still close with her family, and she helping care for Hannah's son, Brandon. Leah is a headstrong and very independent.

Jamie Stoltzfus has recently moved to Pontotoc with his 7-year-old nephew after a house fire killed his brother, sister in law and their infant daughter, leaving his nephew Peter without any family. Jamie has taken care of him for the past six months but Peter has not said a word since that fateful day.

Sparks fly from the very start when Leah and Jamie meet. They are both opinionated and have different ideas on what is best for Peter. They can not seem to agree on anything. I enjoyed the interactions and banter between Leah and Jamie.

Leah is Mennonite and Jamie is Amish, will they be able to overcome their differences?

I certainly enjoyed A Love for Leah and reading the differences between the Amish and Mennonites.

Amy Lillard has written another inspirational book. I thoroughly enjoyed it from the very first page.

Amy Lillard does thorough research into her characters and settings. Amy has taken the setting from the real town of Pontotoc, Mississippi. And the characters have such genuine feelings and thoughts that the everyday person would have. You are going to feel every emotion along with the characters and it will make you laugh and cry.

If you are a fan of Amish Fiction you will not be disappointed. Grab a copy of Amy’s new book and curl up with a cuppa and enjoy.

I highly recommend this book!

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Such a well written and beautiful story about hope and faith with lovable characters and relatable problems and issues in life. I loved hearing about Leah’s family and Jamie’s family too and Peter was such a lovable boy too heartbreaking what he went through.

A Love for Leah was very different than what I expected when I first started reading. Many of the characters in the book were not what I have come to associate with the traditional Amish romance themes. Leah lad left the Amish community many years ago to follow her twin sister Hannah in her life among the English. However, now that her sister has returned to the Amish community, she has instead chosen to join the Mennonite church nearby.

Their lives seem to be going along just fine when Jamie moves to the Amish community with his young nephew Peter. Peter is a special boy that is dealing with a horrible tragedy that has led him to stop speaking. At first, Leah and Jamie seem destined to be enemies, but soon everyone realizes that there's more under the surface.

The part that stood out the most in this book was the way all the characters found their own path to the same God. While their lifestyles may be quite different, their core beliefs were so similar and the author was able to show them in a way that really highlighted the similarities. It also showed how a difference of faith and way of life shouldn't stand in the way of friendship and helping each other. Leah had to remind Jamie of that a few times, and I love how he was able to take her words to heart. Then when it came time for Jamie to share a lesson with Leah, she opened her heart to hear his words and wonderful things happened.

With a bit of a twist at the end that I didn't quite see coming, A Love for Leah was an amazing book. This may be a series that I need to pick up and read through so I can read more about the family and their community.

*I voluntarily reviewed a free copy of this book*

Amy Lillard is back with the second installment in the Amish of Pontotoc series. In this book, we get to know Leah better. Leah is the twin sister of Hannah whom we met in the first book in the series. Leah is a headstrong character who butts heads with Jamie Stoltzfus, an equally headstrong character who is caring for his nephew Peter. Will these two headstrong people be enemies, friends, or more?

I found this book to be a quick read. I really enjoyed getting to know Leah better and I found her to be an interesting character. When her sister left the Amish years ago Leah went with her. Now both have returned and Hannah is going to join the Amish church. Leah is now a Mennonite and insists she can't join the Amish church. This causes problems because there is an attraction to Jamie, who is Amish. Leah leads an independent life although she is caring for Hannah's son, Brandon. I really liked the relationship between this aunt and nephew. They have a strong bond that shows through the pages and some of my favorite parts of the book include these two and their banter with each other.

Now, as much as I liked most of the characters in the book there is one I disliked with a passion. Deborah King, Jamie's ex-fiancee. I disliked her from the moment she set foot in Pontotoc and the more I knew of her the more I disliked her. At times I wanted to jump into the story and run her out of town. Seeing as how that's not possible I just had to deal with this Nellie Olson-like character. She did add to the story though and she's a fine example of Amy's ability as an author to create a wide range of characters so I didn't totally hate her, just strongly disliked, Perhaps despised, even.

I really enjoyed the storyline of this book and the focus on the differences between the Amish and Mennonites. This story is by no means a history of the two religions but delves into the differences between the two groups and how it plays in the lives of the two main characters and how they feel they can/can't be a couple due to their different religions. There is a lot of emotion in the book as well and I enjoyed it all from the easy banter between characters to the more emotional scenes with Peter, a little boy who can't find his words.

While this book is second in the series I suppose it could be read as a standalone. I would recommend reading the first book before this one though as to have an understanding of all the characters and the events that have brought them to where they are now. I'm excited to read the next book in this series to see how these characters are doing and to meet new ones! This is definitely a book for the keeper shelf.

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

While I enjoyed this book I think from now on I'll stick to just reading Amish romance from Sarah Price. I really didn't like the two main characters that much. But it was a quick read.