A
Springtime Heart by
Marta Perry is part of the Glen Promise series that delves
into how people can change and the family's role. It is a
story of restoration and healed relationships. Perry allows
the reader to understand the Amish culture through her intriguing
characters.
“When
I started to write this series, I wanted to write each book
with a different season. The first book is set during Christmas,
so it seemed logical to move this book on to spring. The next
book will be set in the fall, titled A Harvest of Love. It
is about a woman who never was able to have children and was
coping on her own. All of a sudden, she is left with a baby
to raise, which she must do with the child's uncle."
As a teenager, Dorcas Beiler had a reckless past. She had
done things she regrets. But because of a good friend, Thomas
Fisher, she never got into trouble. He assumed the blame for
her, which cost him his family. Because of the embarrassment
and shame, he was exiled to his uncle's house in another area.
Now eight years later, Thomas has come back home hoping to
reunite with Dorcas, his brothers, his parents, and start
a construction company.
"I
wanted to show the peculiarities in each family. Thomas' father
expected the most out of his firstborn. Because he was a minister,
he did not want his children to embarrass him. Thomas' father
finds it hard to forgive and forget. Thomas is responsible;
he has proven himself and is now trying to rebuild relationships.
Unfortunately, he sees himself as an outcast. A theme is trust.
Dorcas wonders if Thomas will keep her secret. The father
does not trust Thomas or his brothers. Thomas also tells his
young brother that he cannot lie and must form a trustful
bond. Dorcas knew Thomas sacrificed for her. Since the father
was a leader of the community, it was very important to him
that his family set a high example."
It is a powerful novel that shows how relationships can change
over time. There is a lot of insight into how people view
each other and the modification of those feelings. A bonus
is the presentation of Amish culture from the glossary Pennsylvania
Dutch words and phrases to how the Amish conduct themselves
in everyday life.
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