A Chick Who Reads: Goddess Fish Promotions Book Review: Morning Star

Thursday, August 13, 2020

Goddess Fish Promotions Book Review: Morning Star

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

When four maidels join forces to turn an abandoned barn into an Amish marketplace, the unmarried women have community in mind. But their fledgling enterprise promises to reap surprising rewards for each in turn, including the gift of unexpected love . . .

For Regina Miller, the new Morning Star Marketplace is a chance to share her secret work with the world—without revealing herself. Old Order Amish forbid the creation of art without purpose, but without a husband, Regina has been free to explore the joy of painting in her attic. Yet when Gabe Flaud’s curiosity leads him to speculate that Regina herself is the painter, the full weight of their community’s judgement falls on her shoulders. When Gabe stands up to defend Regina, questioning the Order’s restrictions, he reveals his own guilty secret and is shunned along with her. Forced to turn to each other for companionship, the young couple must learn to balance their own needs with their deep faith … and a love that will show them all things are possible.

Read an Excerpt

Regina entered her bedroom, stepped onto her large wooden trunk, and then opened the short, narrow door in the wall so she could climb the wooden stairs to the attic.

What if nobody wants my paintings, or worse yet, ridicules them? And what if folks figure out that I’m the artist—and that I’ve been living a lie for years? Best to nip this in the bud before I have to tell any more whoppers and get caught in them.

And yet, as Regina stood in the center of her secret studio, something deep inside her longed to display the work that so satisfied her soul. Nearly every evening, after a day of staining furniture, she spent a few hours in her hideaway, painting nature scenes.

Regina needed to paint the way most folks needed to eat and breathe. Her schoolteacher had complimented her artwork when she’d been young—and her parents had allowed her to take a short watercolor class at Koenig’s Krafts when she’d entered rumspringa. Dat’s brother Clarence was a preacher, however, so he’d been adamant about Regina joining the church at an early age. She’d secured her salvation at seventeen by being baptized, but she’d forfeited her innermost soul: in the Morning Star district, members were forbidden to create art for art’s sake because it was considered worldly and it called attention to the artist.

Regina had obediently tucked her paints and brushes into her wooden trunk, but she’d felt the loss of her art acutely. After her parents had died when a train collided with the bus they were all riding home from a wedding, Regina had kept herself sane by taking up her paints again, setting up her easel in the attic—out of sight when anyone came to visit. At twenty-two, she’d been rather young to live alone on her family’s small acreage but moving in with Uncle Clarence, Aunt Clara, and their young daughters would’ve killed her spirit forever.

Bishop Jeremiah had taken her side and had dropped in on her often until she’d gotten a little older. Martin Flaud had hired her because her father had been one of his finest craftsmen—and because Regina had proven herself to be more meticulous at staining and finishing than any of his male employees. She’d survived the rough, lonely times by working hard at the factory, and by surrounding herself with the quilts and curtains Mamm had made and the furniture Dat had built for their cozy home.

And so the last ten years had passed . . .

Regina had willingly given up any chance for marriage—because she couldn’t reveal her sinful pastime to a husband.

Gazing at the nature paintings that surrounded her on that Sunday afternoon, Regina felt torn. Why had God given her a keen eye and the talent to render woodland scenes, flowers, and wild creatures on paper if He wouldn’t allow her to paint pictures of His creation openly and without guilt?

Review: I've been interested in Amish culture for years. I'm amazed that any of them are still around because well, they may be peaceful, but they are hypocrites and Gabe actually points out at one point in the story.

Regina is a "old maid" and Gabe is sort of her boss. Both have secrets that get them in trouble with the church. For Regina its her love of painting which is too worldly, as is Gabe's love of music and playing the guitar.

I shake my head at these things as creating things that bring joy to others just can't be a sin. Gabe feels much the same as I do. I loved him. He was truly the perfect guy, totally questioning his faith and not following along blindly. I got him, because the Amish make very few changes. I could see how easy it would be for him to just walk away and start a new life.

Regina is more grounded. She knows what she stands to lose if she leaves. She's torn, because for her leaving the Amish would mean losing her friends.

The characters in this story were so well crafted. You had some that you absolutely loved and others you wanted to hit over the head with a cast iron skillet. The maidels were wonderful and independent, though as we can see, this series is going to see all these older Amish gals finding love.

The romance that buds between Regina and Gabe is so sweet and perfect it may make your heart burst, especially the ending. It was absolute perfection.

This was a delightful light read that will leave you with warm fuzzy feelings.

Rating: 5 flowers