The Hope Jar (Prayer Jars, #1)

by Wanda E Brunstetter

[phyllish]

The Hope Jar by Wanda Brunstetter

The start of a new Amish fiction series


Michelle, through a strange set of circumstances, found herself pretending to be someone she wasn’t. In some ways, it helped her out of a very rough situation, yet it caused her no end of guilt.

The Hope Jar had a very interesting premise – a girl caught up in a snowball of events that afforded her a place to escape her abusive boyfriend. A safe haven where she was loved and cared for. There were some interesting plot elements. I have heard this author’s name for quite some time but had never read any of her books before this. I was intrigued.

Fear is a powerful motivator, whether it is fear of being hurt or of hurting others. I understood Michelle’s motivations for behaving as she did. Ezekiel, on the other hand, seemed very selfish, shallow and immature. I was not a fan of his.

The storytelling was a little dry. The dialog seemed unnatural in parts and it seemed like there was so much explaining of the Amish way of life in the conversations. Yes, I understand that would have been necessary – it was more the execution that was tedious.

I was also disappointed that the consequences of the lies Michelle and Ezekiel told were as insignificant as they were. Not that I wanted anything terrible to happen to them as a result! Yet it felt like they only experienced a little bit of discomfort and because they repented, things were just okay. While I understand and appreciate so much the grace we have received and know that Jesus’ blood has covered all our sins, our actions have consequences and this story missed an opportunity for a good moral lesson.

From looking at other reviews, it appears that most people really loved this book. If you enjoy Amish fiction, it might be worth looking at what others have said and consider reading it.


This review was originally posted on Among the Reads

I would like to thank Celebrate Lit for giving me a copy of this book. This gift did not influence my opinion or review.