Hidden Book Review

When Anna decides it’s time to leave her abusive boyfriend, she doesn’t know where to turn. Rob has completely won over her parents and the entire community, with his good looks and smooth charm. Only Anne has seen his dark side.

Desperate, she runs to the only place she’s ever felt completely safe – the Amish Brenneman Bed and Breakfast, where Anna met life-long friend Katie Brenneman. The family welcomes her in and with few questions asked allows her to stay, dressed in Plain clothing, and help around the inn.

Katie’s older brother Henry is the only one who doesn’t take too kindly to the intrusion. He tries to ignore Anna, knowing no good would ever come from caring for an Englisher like her. But as he gets to know Anna, he discovers her good heart and is surprised with her readiness to accept their lifestyle.

The more time Anna spends with the Amish, the more she feels like she’s found a true home. But how can she deny the life she left behind? And will her chance for happiness be stolen away by the man from her past?

I saw this book in our local library, took one look at the cover and thought, “Oh yeah that’ll be a typical romance novel…”, but decided to give it a try anyway. What followed was indeed so much more than just a soppy love story.

It gave insight into violent men and how hard it can be to get out of an abusive relationship. How even men who look so charming on the outside and say all the right things to people can be like a volcano waiting to erupt given the right (or wrong) conditions. How anger and the need to control, left unchecked can often lead to violence.

It offered a beautiful look at the Amish people and the way they do things so differently from Western society. Nothing is rushed, their relationships with God are so real and personal, and they don’t rely on modern technology to get things done. A rewarding lifestyle.

It covered how true-love transcends race, culture, differences of background and how, if you are willing to work hard at a relationship, it really doesn’t matter if you have any of those things in common or not. It’s the same with God, a relationship with him is indifferent to race, culture, gender, what our past has been like.
The author has written this book in such a way that I was gripped right from the start and came away at the end with a feeling of satisfaction that even with all the cunning twists and turns in the plot-line, it turned out just right and didn’t leave me disappointed.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Hidden is book one in the Sisters of the Heart series. Click here to visit Shelley's website.