Book Review: Anna's Gift

Author: Emma Miller
Title: Anna's Gift
Publisher: Love Inspired
Publish Date: Sept 2011
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb: No one in Seven Poplars, Delaware, expects Anna Yoder ever to marry. Among her six pretty, petite sisters, big and plain Anna feels like a plow horse. But then Samuel Mast, the handsome widowed father she has secretly loved for years, asks if he can court her. Surely Anna has misheard—Samuel has his pick of lovely brides! She's convinced he seeks a wife only as a mother for his five children. Or could a man like Samuel actually have a very romantic reason for wanting Anna by his side forever?

Review: Anna's Gift is part of the Love Inspired mini-series Hannah's Daughters. It is a sweet love story between a widower and a younger Amish girl.

I've read a lot of Amish books this year and this one stands out among them, because it really was a simple love story. There was conflict but it was normal conflict that is experienced in day to day life whether you are Amish or an "Englischer."

Anna wasn't the typical romance novel heroine. She's fat. Yup, I said it, fat. Sturdy is what many of the characters called her. She considers herself to be very plain, but she has a heart of gold. She's forward thinking but not so much so that it would be considered bad in regards to her faith.

There's a lot of interaction between families in this story and a lot of problems between family members with jealousy and just regular life stuff. I'm glad Emma focused a lot of Samuel's children as well as Anna's grandmother who came to live with them from Ohio. Her grandmother, Lovina is a true character. She's a woman with early onset Alzheimer's and it really is a struggle to deal with her. Anna does well with her and grandma is wonderful with Samuel's youngest daughter Mae.

Watching this couple really start to fall in love, even when Anna had misgivings about letting him court her was a delight.  You saw love in its purest form. This is definitely a must read for anyone that adores Amish fiction. I also look forward to reading Emma Miller's next book.

Rating: 5 flowers