This book tells the story of Shery Gore, a woman who had a difficult upbringing/family life. Eventually, Sherry meets Jesus and her life is changed. Over time, she attempts to make changes in her life to adhere more closely to what she believes, eventually deciding to become "plain."

I found this book really interesting and appreciated Gore's lack of judgment for those who are not plain and the way she led readers to the truth of Jesus Christ in an authentic, gentle way.

I will say I found the subtitle a little misleading with its use of the word amish. Gore describes herself as Amish-Mennonite, but since she never offered up distinct definitions of words like Amish, Mennonite, and Anabaptist, I had a hard time understanding the differences between being Mennonite, for example, and just living a simple life. She states that some Amish and Mennonite communities use electricity and drive cars (it's up to each community to determine how "modern" they'll live), and she chooses to utilize these things, as well. I was left wondering why she felt the need to distinguish herself as "plain" instead of just living a more simple, unhurried life.

I was also really saddened when she divorced her second husband after determining that her marriage was not of God (because she'd been married and divorced before, and no longer believed in remarriage), particularly because she wasn't even a Christian when she married him to begin with.

One minor thing that bothered me a little was her talk of "following her heart," a phrase she used several times as a positive thing. At the end of the book, she says, "My place is here... God wills it. I know this because I feel it in my heart. And since I made my choice for Him, my heart has never led me astray." (p 185) I think what she really means is that the Holy Spirit has assured her in her spirit that she's made the right decision, but I feel that using the term heart here was unfortunate, as the Bible states that "the human heart is the most deceitful of all things..." (Jeremiah 17:9)

But overall, this was a very interesting read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys spiritual memoirs. ( )

The Plain Choice is Sherry Gore's memoir covering events in her life that lead to her choosing to live among the Amish as well as events that have happened since that choice. Normally, I avoid memoirs, but I could not put this one down.

Sherry discusses a lot of difficult moments in her life and how they shaped her into the person she is today, from her place in her community and her faith in God, to her role as a mother. There were several moments that I found tears in my eyes. While Sherry and I come from different backgrounds and situations, there were still times when I found similarities.

One of my only complaints about the writing would be that the timeline was hard to follow in some places, it jumped months or years a couple times without giving the reader enough details to know how long it was until later on.

I was very excited to receive this ARC from NetGalley, since it is about an Amish woman and I have always been curious about the Amish's way of life, in fact, when I was a child and first discovered them, I wanted to write an elder and find out if they had an exchange student program! So this insider's look was very interesting. I definitely would recommend this to anyone interested in a first-hand account of living among the Amish. I also would recommend it to anyone struggling with their own faith in God as well as those who are not struggling, as Sherry's tales of difficulty and renewed faith are truly inspiring.


*received free ARC from Netgalley ( )

I received a copy from netgalley to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Not all Amish or Mennonite people grew up as a plain person. There are people like Sherry Gore who were looking for meaning to life and stumbled upon the lifestyle. Sherry grew up in California and Florida. When her parents split she chose to live with her father in California. She grew up in an affluent area, yet she was lonely inside. She had been exposed to the love of Jesus through several family members. Because of several bad choices in her life, Sherry was sent from her father's house to her mother's in Florida. Here she lived as a homeless person for six months before eventually getting married, having two children, and moving back to California. Sherry was still looking for something but didn't know what when she and her first husband divorced. After being a single parent raising her daughter's the best she could, she met and married her second husband. Toby loved her and her girls. He gave Sherry the only son she had. This marriage did not last once Sherry found what she was looking for, life lived the way the Bible speaks. A Plain Life. However, her divorce did not mean the end of her relationship to her husband. Sherry leans on her faith as she learns about her oldest daughter's life threatening diseases. I will interject here and say that I live about a mile and a half from Sherry's house. Because I shop in the Pinecraft area I became familiar with her and her cookbooks. I followed along and prayed for her daughter Jacinda until her passing this last spring. Although it is not in the book she remained friends with her ex-husband Toby whom she lost last month. If nothing else this book shows that God can take someone who is so messed up and use them for good. Through her book she shows that God doesn't judge who you are or were as a condition of his acceptance of you. There are many who will say she is not truly Amish or Mennonite. To this I say, unless you live in the area and see and understand that there are many different types of Amish/Mennonite, just like there are many different types of Baptists, you should not judge. Besides, God won't separate us when we get to heaven so why should we worry about it here on earth? this story is her journey to become a "plain" woman, not about what the Amish are all about. ( )

I read mostly fiction yet every once in awhile a non-fiction book catches my eye. The Plain Choice by Sherry Gore with Jeff Hoagland is one such book!

What drew me to this book? I am not really sure. I found the cover and the title interesting. I found myself glancing at this book again and again. It seemed to keep tugging on my heart strings. While I stared at the front cover, my mind was flooded with memories as a child going with my mother to our local Amish community several times a year for shoo-fly pie, mincemeat pie and other treats. I always loved those trips. I proceeded to read the book description and was immediately hooked.

I started reading it as soon as I received it. I immediately felt as if I was sitting across the table in a sunlight filled kitchen chatting with Ms. Gore while drinking coffee and hearing about her life. I rarely get that feeling when I start reading a book so I knew this one was going to be good!

Ms. Gore shares her story in a forthright style that spoke deeply to my heart. The story of the her life and her family is an amazing one. Her faith rings true and God's love in her life is evident and real. In this book she shares her choice to follow a Plain lifestyle as well as their experiences both good and bad, easy and hard. But there is more to this book. It is a call for all to realize God's love and forgiveness and that absolutely no one is beyond God's love and redemption.

The Plain Choice touched my heart deeply, reminded me of some things I needed to remember and brought back focus on what should be and is most important to me in my life. I highly recommend this book. It's a life changer!

I received a free copy of this book from Booklook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Gore's life path is an unusual one: from Southern California wild girl to modest Amish-Mennonite in Florida, with various stops in-between. This is a short, easily-read memoir, not an anthropological study of Amish-Mennonite communities. Those looking for a contemplation on what Amish-Mennonite is life (in any of many variations) may be disappointed, but those looking for an unvarnished story of one woman's search for faith, truth, and love will find satisfaction. Recommended. Review based on copy received from the publisher via NetGalley.com. (86) ( )