A friend loaned me this book to pass the time while I was in the hospital and just after that. It's 3 books under one cover. At first, when I began reading I thought I might have read the book before, because the strict Amish father who didn't want his daughter to court because she had responsibilities at home, sounded quite familiar. It must be a common theme in Amish fiction because the rest of the book did not seem so familiar.

Zach Fisher is snatched from his front yard when his sister leaves him on the picnic table to fetch cold root beer for a customer and ends up having to patch up her sister's cut hand. Naomi blames herself, and her father also blames her. In fact, it seems her whole family blames her and starts treating her differently. Eventually, Naomi runs away, but by Christmas, she finds herself back with her family--and allowed to court.

While trying to find Zach, Naomi's father meets Fannie who owns a quilt shop. Eventually, the two fall in love and marry. Fannie leaves her Ohio quilt shop in her daughter Abby's capable hands. When Fannie gets pregnant with twins, Abby travels to Pennsylvania to help out. While in Ohio, Abby's fiance perishes while trying to rescue her quilts from a fire at the quilt shop. Abby takes this very hard and vows to never love again. It takes traveling out West for Abby to realize different. She returns to Ohio to learn that Naomi's brother, Matthew, is interested in a relationship with her. Abby was also given an Amish made baby quilt while out west, which she takes home to Naomi for her children. Naomi recognizes the quilt as the one that was her brother's!

At age 21, Jimmy learns her was adopted. He goes on a trip to try to find his biological family. He learns that rather than the formal adoption his mom thought it was, he was actually kidnapped by his father. At first, Jimmy tries a direct approach to discover his family, then, for some reason, he decides to get a job and settle in, and stops openly asking about babies who would have been kidnapped 20 years before. This leads to a few near misses as he starts to tell people he trusts his story but gets interrupted or as they start to tell him about a kidnapping but get interrupted. Eventually, he leaves Pennsylvania, only to realize he likes the simpler life and Leona! When he returns, his true identity is revealed through a series of events.

I did wonder why no one suggested that Abby talk to Leona (or Leona talk to Abby). Abby lost her fiance and struggled with it. Leona lost her fiance and struggled with it. Abby was helped by going West and living with/talking to a family friend. So why would no one suggest that Abby might be of help to Leona in a similar situation? ( )

This series (Daughters of Lancater County) was my very 1st books to read by Wanda. I was hooked. She made everything so simple. I teach middle school and had a student who was a lower level reader. This student wanted so bad to read harder books, but she just couldn't finish them. I gave her these books and LOVED THEM. After that, I was so happy for Wanda's books. ( )