His Pretend Amish Bride by Rachel J. Good

His Pretend Amish Bride (Unexpected Amish Blessings, #2)

by Rachel J. Good

In a small Amish town like picturesque Lancaster, Pennsylvania, one solution to an indiscretion is to make a good marriage. Or perhaps, fake a respectable engagement . . .
 
Priscilla Ebersol has a fulfilling life teaching special needs children—until her boyfriend’s humiliating betrayal ruins her reputation and threatens her job. Ostracized for something she didn’t do, Priscilla throws herself into a project on the benefits of camel’s milk for autism. Her research leads her to a fledgling local camel farm, where she discovers far more than she bargained for . . .
 
When a pushy Englisch company shows interest in shy, handsome Gabriel Kauffman’s camel farm, he struggles to get out of a sticky negotiation. Lovely, well-spoken Priscilla appears at the perfect moment, and defends Gabe’s business so well that she is mistaken for his wife. It’s a ruse the two quietly continue, all the while secretly wishing it could be true. But though their bond deepens, Priscilla’s heart is still wounded, and Gabe battles with a troubling secret. And when a misunderstanding comes between them, it will take faith, honesty, and trust in the future to overcome the past—and allow their partnership to blossom into something more . . .

Reviewed by phyllish on

4 of 5 stars

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Camels and conflict

When the bishop accused her of indiscretions with her long-time boyfriend that she didn't commit, she was stunned into silence. As if discovering her boyfriend's betrayal wasn't enough pain, having him ask her to cover for him just added insult to injury. Yet Priscilla knew that if word got out, he would lose his job - and his ability to provide for his widowed mother. Not fully realizing the cost of silence, she agreed. . .

I was stunned by Priscilla's mother's reaction to the gossip and rumors that flew! That she not only didn't trust her daughter's integrity but wouldn't even listen to her pleas of innocence broke my heart. And then to have her continue to try to push her back to Matthew. Ouch!!

I did love the way Gabe, despite being a stranger, cared so deeply for Priscilla's well-being. He was shy and struggled with speaking to strangers, especially groups of them. That he cared enough to step out of his comfort zone was such a beautiful picture of sacrifice - and this before he even realized how much he cared about her! I also enjoyed the ways Priscilla rescued him - to the point that more than one person assumed she was his wife, and thus the title of the story.

Learning more about camels and uses of camel milk was very interesting. I had no idea that it could be therapeutic for so many different conditions. If you have read other stories by Rachel J. Good, you may know that a number of them deal with special-needs children in the Amish community. Priscilla had discovered camel milk as a possible help for her autistic brother and learned so much about it that she was a bit passionate about helping others discover it as well.

It was enjoyable to read of the tentative relationship between Gabe and Priscilla as they were drawn to each other though each had reasons not to try to allow it to grow.

The author's heart for sharing her faith in Jesus overflowed into having Priscilla share her faith with the reporter who came to write an article about Gabe's business. I appreciated the clear, concise message of God's forgiveness, shared in a relatable and non-preachy manner.

His Pretend Amish Bride is a fun book for those who enjoy Amish fiction with a bit of mystery and romance.

Read my full review at Among the Reads


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 30 June, 2020: Finished reading
  • 30 June, 2020: Reviewed