Julia Lapp has wanted to marry Paul Fischer, ever since she was a little girl. He did propose to her but delayed the wedding. When the new date approached, he delayed it again! He inferred that his mother was alarmed by her Uncle Hank's behavior at church. It didn't look right. That may have been reason but was there something else making him put it off.

Julie thought that his delay was caused by him meeting with the Bee Man, Roman Troyer. Maybe Roman had talked him out of getting married.

Roman, travels around with his bees and rents them out to farmers for their orchards. He has a painful secret about something in his past. He is a very intriging person, with girls falling all over themselves because he was so handsome. But he was not interested in adoration.

Julia is the oldest daughter in the family. Her mother died after the last child was born. Then her father started to have heart problems, he was tall and strong but he was getting out of breath by a little walking. Julia had more responsibilities falling on her shoulders.

Sadie, next in age to Julia had a crush on Roman and always does or says things around him that embarass her.

Next is the only son in the family, Menno very handsome but slow in thinking, his wondered when he did chores but everyone loved him so much. He cared about all animals, made many bird houses and the only problem was that he needed a lot of guidance. He could take over his father's farning duties by himself.

The youngest child is MK, she is always getting herself into trouble but she does want to helo everyone.

A newcomer, Fern, hired by Uncle Hank to be their housekeeper, has a firm view of what should and shouldn't be done. Her cooking is great but all the children will have to adjust to the new rules that she has down.

What will become of all the family, you need to read the book. I had trouble at the beginning with the amount of description at the beginning of the story but later on really enjoyed the book. I felt that the author went into too much detail at the end about God. I would have liked it better if that part was left out of the book. The characters were well drawn and I really loved Menno and M.K. ( )

There are so many things I could say and yet, none of it would do the book justice. The book takes you on a journey with this family and the bee keeper. There are ups and downs, highs and lows. There is anger, disappointment, joy, and tears. Read. Enjoy! ( )

Suzanne is one of the best Amish romance authors I know. Truly another stunning tearful, joyful book. A HEART can live on in so many different way. ( )

Good book about a season of changes for the inhabitants of Windmill Farm. The main focus of the story is Julia Lapp. She is twenty-one years old and engaged to marry Paul Fisher. She is the oldest of the four Lapp children - herself, Sadie, Menno and Mary Kate (MK). Their mother died years ago and Julia has been in charge of raising her siblings. It was going pretty well until a few months ago when their father, Amos, started having heart problems. Now Julia also has to worry about keeping the farm going.

Last year Paul had asked Julia to postpone their wedding, saying he wasn't quite ready. She has been looking forward to their November wedding this year, having been dreaming of marrying Paul for years. When he comes to her and asks her to postpone again, she is hurt and furious, especially when she hears he had just been talking to Roman Troyer, the Bee Man. She blames Roman and his footloose lifestyle for Paul's defection. She decides that Roman has done it deliberately because he is sweet on her himself, and tells him that it won't work.

Roman has been taking his bees around Amish communities for several years. Traveling enables him to avoid thinking about his past and all he has lost. He's always enjoyed his stay on the Lapp farm, but things are very different this year. He can't believe the changes in Amos, and the effects it has had on the farm. And Julia is no longer the quiet girl in the background, running the house. Suddenly she's become something of a spitfire, with strong opinions about his actions and motivations. Unlike most other girls, who spend a lot of time pursuing him, she makes her disinterest known, which in turn makes her more intriguing to him. Because he does feel bad about the wedding, he decides to stick around Windmill Farm and try to help out. His past is also catching up with him, and he has some important decisions to make.

Throughout the story we get to know each of the characters in the book, though most of the time is spent of Julia and Roman.

Julia is the oldest, in charge of everything while their father is ill. She frequently feels overwhelmed. She is also very conscious of appearances, and tends to allow others' opinions to dictate her actions. She begins to gain more confidence in herself as the summer progresses, and is able to rely on her own judgment.

Sadie is the second oldest. She is quiet and rather shy, but enjoys looking out for her family. She is a bit on the plump side and finds comfort in food. She is very sensitive to people's pain and finds happiness in making them feel better.

Menno is the only boy. He is a little slow, but very sweet. Everyone likes him. He also has a special touch with animals.

MK is the youngest. She is headstrong, has a vivid imagination, and is constantly getting in trouble. She is in a perpetual feud with a neighbor boy of the same age. She tends to not think things through before she says or does something, and it usually turns out badly for her.

Amos is the father. He is suffering from heart failure and has been getting steadily worse. He has pretty much given up on the idea that he will get better, even though he's been told that a heart transplant would help him. He doesn't like the idea that someone else would have to die in order for him to live.

Roman is the Bee Man. His entire family was killed in an accident several years earlier and he travels to avoid the pain. Windmill Farm and its people find a way past the walls he has built around his heart. He makes it his mission to help around the farm, easing their burdens. He is also determined to make Amos see that having the transplant is a good thing.

Fern is the housekeeper who comes from Ohio to help the Lapp family. MK calls her Stern Fern because she has her rules and opinions and keeps the Lapp family in line. She takes it as a challenge to improve the health of both Sadie and Amos. There is also a connection between her and Roman that does not come out until near the end, but that she has no trouble using to encourage him to face his past.

As the summer progresses, Julia softens toward Roman, and begins to see that maybe things have worked out the way they are supposed to. She has a decision to make when Paul starts to make noises about changing his mind yet again. Roman's time on Windmill Farm has started easing some of his pain, and he's starting to consider some changes of his own. There is some mystery about his family's land back in Ohio that winds its way through the book and has a surprising impact on the story's end. The book ends with tragedy, hope and love, and the belief that things happen for a reason. ( )

In general, I gravitate toward edgier books, so I didn’t expect to enjoy The Keeper as much as I did. However, the storytelling was excellent, and I became very invested in the characters. I’m glad to learn that it’s the first in a series because I want to follow the sisters’ stories further. Although there was romance, I would classify this book more as family fiction. Each character was unique, and the author gave them all a life and breath of their own. I fell in love with the entire family. The plot had enough conflict to keep the story moving. I was also surprised by the amount of humor. I didn’t expect an Amish fiction novel to be so funny, but it was. The book also contained drama and tragedy…and hope and possibility. The main theme of the book was to trust in God and live by faith. Though I wasn’t immediately grabbed, The Keeper far exceeded my expectations and was ultimately gripping while also delivering a positive message (without feeling preachy). I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy delightful family dynamics and storytelling.

Favorite quote: “Maybe happiness…was like a bird, fixing to take wing. Maybe it was never meant to stay” (p. 16).

Favorite simile: “Paul took her dream and broke it like a fistful of spaghetti over a pot of boiling water. Snap, in half. Gone” (p.21).

What I learned about: organ donation and beekeeping

Favorite words:

transom
apiarist
avuncular ( )