Patricia Johns

Petunia thinks of herself as the youngest Amish spinster in her community. She can’t cook worth a lick. Her pies are a disaster. She is sometimes loud and opinionated. But she can sew, and she helps out her father, a widower, by making Amish dresses and other items to sell to the Amish as well as to tourists. Her father gives tours in the community, and sells souvenirs to the visitors. When Petunia goes to buy some ice from the local iceman, she finds that the Amish man has been murdered. Her best friend, his girlfriend, becomes the prime suspect. Petunia will do everything she can to prove her friend is innocent, and jumps at the chance to team up with the police detective in charge of the case. Since the Amish are reluctant at best and closed mouth at worst, it seems to be the only solution to ferret out the clues to the case, since they will talk to Petunia. It’s an interesting concept, and quite intriguing. Petunia has a flare for detecting work, and this new team, with Petunia as a paid consultant, shows much promise for future books. It may be a little unbelievable in the real world, but works well in this world of fiction. Well written with great characters, this is a wonderful start to a new series.… (altro)

I rarely give a book five stars, but this one was an exception. I am usually good at guessing the perpetrator, but this one stumped me. Petunia becomes involved with helping Detective Asher solve a murder in Petunia's Amish community. She helps him gain access and she smooths the way with the Amish people to help with the investigation. Her main motive is to prove that her best friend, accused of the murder, is innocent. Secrets are revealed and situation come to light that have been hidden. There were many possible suspects and I kept changing my mind about the killer as new information was revealed. I also liked that the Amish people were portrayed as less-than-perfect individuals, instead of the sweet and innocent folks they are sometimes described to be. I hope there will be more books in this series, written by an experienced author of Amish novels.

I received this novel from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.… (altro)

An Amish Mother for His Child by Patricia Johns is a touching Amish tale. Verna Kauffman has longed for a husband and a family. Adam Lantz is a widower with a daughter. A marriage of convenience solves both of their needs. Verna is a warm, friendly woman who obviously loves children. Adam is a man who likes rules. I felt bad for Adam’s daughter, Amanda Rebecca (Adam insists on her being called by both names). I admired Verna for the knitting class she taught to Englischers at the community center. These are individuals ordered to take the class by a judge. Verna is going where God leads her. The class gives the participants a chance to talk as well as learn to knit. Blade, one of the Englishers attending the class, was a great character. She may look a little unusual on the outside (she is expressing herself), but she is a good role model for those who are lost. I thought An Amish Mother for His Child was well-written with developed characters. We get to see two people who do not know each other marry for convenience. You need to be brave to marry someone you do not know. It will take patience, perseverance, and prayer. I enjoyed going on the journey with Verna, Adam, and Amanda Rebecca. I found the story to be emotional and uplifting. I enjoyed the ending (I like a story that leaves me smiling). An Amish Mother for His Child is the fourth novel in the Amish Country Matches series. It can be read as a standalone for those new to the series. An Amish Mother for His Child is a sweet story with arranged nuptials, a strict list, a nickname predicament, a knitting class achievement, common interests, and God’s guidance.… (altro)