Many reviewers have done an excellent job describing the events of this book, so I will focus on what I liked and disliked about it.

What I liked:
The story flowed well and I found myself quickly turning pages to find out what was going to happen, especially as the women approached Pennsylvania.

The details of Amish and Mennonite life were interesting and seemed to be well researched. They were what really kept me reading.

The character of the Grandmother Anna, Esther’s mother, was my favorite. I wanted her for my grandmother!

What I disliked:
I had a lot of trouble believing in the characters of Esther and Holly. Many of the things they said and did were not in keeping with what we knew about them. I could’ve smacked Holly several times. A more spoiled, obnoxious woman I’d be hard pressed to find.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. ( )

Esther and Holly live in Seattle with Esther running a shop sellng Amish goods. She gets a letter from her mother pleading with her to come home. The problem is that Esther left her Amish home with her Samuel many years ago. What kind of welcome will she get?

I enjoy reading about the Amish lifestyle which is focused on simplicity and following God.

This book however just doesn't flow well mainly because it switches from first to third person.

Worse though is the characterisation of both Esther and Holly. They come across as petulant teenagers not the ages they actually are. The way they behave is just silly and hard to believe at times.

An example is when Holly who has never had any Amish input decides to wear a simple Amish dress.

Reading about these people and their lifestyle is better done in many other books and sadly I won't be bothering to read the rest of this series. ( )

Leaving Lancaster is the first book in the series, and despite the name, the book has very little to do with the title. The book alternates between first person & third person - something I hate in a book - and makes it hard to get into any of the characters. In the beginning, I thought the book was taking place in the 60's and I was thrown for a loop when I realized it was actually taking place in current times - I also thought one of the main characters, Esther, was a teenager, and was really thrown for a loop when I realized she had a 30-something daughter. Most of the characters continue in that vein - they act so extremely immature, it's hard to like any of them.

The book begins with Ester receiving a letter from her mother, and even though she's ignored her mother's repeated pleadings to come home in the past, this time she decides to go home, admit the truth to her daughter, and drag Holly along. And so begins a novel of whining, lies, more lies, and more whining. Ester's obsession about the past, and blaming herself for things that were out of her control and not her fault, really drove me crazy. I get obsessing - being rather an obsesser myself - but at some point you have to say to yourself to suck it up and move on, and that doesn't happen in the course of this book.

And of course in the end, there's a happily ever after, though little is actually resolved. Yet, despite all of that, I did really enjoy the book and was glad to have the next book in the series at hand, ready to read.



I picked up this book to read for free on amazon, and read it as part of the Pennsylvania Patchwork book tour. ( )

Amish Fiction With A New Twist!

This is my first novel by author Kate Lloyd and I absolutely loved it. Amish fiction with a storyline that I haven’t read before. It is very rare that a book will grab me from the first page. Leaving Lancaster is a book that did just that.

Holly Fisher might seem a little spoiled at times but I tried putting myself in her shoes and I probably would have reacted with a lot more anger and hurt than what she did. Why were these secrets kept from her all these years? Didn’t she have a right to know?

Esther Fisher, Holly’s mother, is full of secrets and hurts from her past. Can her daughter Holly ever forgive her? Can she forgive herself? Better yet, can her family forgive her?

A lot of healing needs to take place in Esther Fisher’s life. Seeking forgiveness and asking for forgiveness is needed too. Trust has been taken away and needs to be restored. Will that happen?

I hated when this book came to an end but delighted that I have the second and third books in this series to read. Pennsylvania Patchwork and Forever Amish are those books. I can’t wait to see where Esther and Holly’s decisions take them. If both of these books are as good as Leaving Lancaster, I am in for a real treat!

This is an author you don’t want to miss. I highly recommend Leaving Lancaster. ( )

I was very happy with this book until the ending, I feel like we got no closure. Maybe another book is coming. There were also some things that didn't set well with me.

Holly, down on her luck, is living at home with her mom. Her mom runs an Amish Shoppe complete with a buggy outside.
Holly arrives home (after losing her job) to find out that her grandmother, that her mother told her was dead all her life, is alive and ill.
Holly is devestrated and happy all at the same time to realize that she has an extended family. Her and her mom travel to Lancaster - this is their story and what happens while they are there.

( )