Outspoken and determine to keep her job to help support her family, Lydia needs to deal with Aaron who is used to the typical Amish woman who know her place. The two call a truce to find a way to keep the cabin rental profitable to support the widow and children left behind. This rocky relationship is tested when somebody began stealing Amish merchandise from the office and local suppliers. This is a quick read with the focus on an Amish business venture rather than faming the land. ( )

In “A Home for Lydia” we get to know the people who live in the other side of the Pebble Creek community. This side of the community is a little more liberal, a little more accepting of technology but clearly just as Amish. And ironically, there are a few ways they seem a bit more Amish. We were introduced to this community in the first book: as Miriam’s brother lives there. So it’s not completely new to us. We get to see a lot of the same characters. However, the main characters are mostly new.

I don’t know about you but I really enjoy continuing series. They’re my favorite kind of books. I love reading how the characters are doing in latter books and watching how they interact with new characters and difficulties. It’s why I love reading so much. Too many movies that do a continuing series ruin the whole thing in the second movie. Books aren’t that way (most of the time…I’m sure there is a series or two out there that is).
I will grant you, the story is not one that takes place at Christmas but the things we see in the story are equally Christmas-oriented. There are many people out in the world without a home at this time of year. And many people are losing jobs or having to find new ones at Christmas-time.

The book deals with serious emotional and relational issues that are just as present in our “Englisch” communities as they are in the Amish community.

Aaron finds himself with a lot more responsibility than he wants and he would much rather be back on the farm - not taking care of a bunch of cabins that are falling down around him. I love how we see the humanity in his behavior. Too often, we think of the Amish as “perfect” because they hold themselves to much higher standards than we do but they are just as human as everyone else.

And one of the things I enjoy most about this series is how the people in Pebble creek deal with the “Englisch” community. There was a very serious thing that reared it’s ugly head in the first book and we see it come to fruition in the second book. It’s intriguing to watch the main characters’ reaction to it and then “hear” their thoughts about it all.

All told, it’s another wonderful book in this series and I would highly recommend it to anyone! ( )

expect it to. This books begins with Aaron Troyer going to Wisconsin to take care of some cabins that are in disrepair after the death of his uncle. He comes to fix them up, make sure that the property is in good order before he returns home to Indiana. After all, he's a farmer and he doesn't really care for this type of work.

He comes only to find things are worse than he had expected after flooding Pebble Creek causes a lot of problems on the property. He definitely sees that his work is cut out for him for a while. The only employee is Lydia, who is worried about the cabins because this is her family's only source of income. She is worried with no visitor's there will be no job for her. With a sick father and other family members to care about she feels the pressure of heavy responsibilities falling to her.

She and Aaron don't really see eye to eye on some of Aaron's plans to improve the cabins. But she does her best as an employee. Just when things are going well with the cabins, serious problems occur causing both concern and financial losses. The community rallies around them in support, as is Amish custom, but still problems continue.

All the while Lydia misses the home she once had that is no longer theirs due to her father's bad health. The tiny home they live in is very small but home, none-the-less.

The community they live in is supportive and loving and the characters from other books in the series maintain strong parts in the lives of Lydia's family as well as Aaron.

I enjoyed reading about Lydia's mother saying that friendship was about more than supporting each other on Sundays. It was about carrying each other's burdens all week long. It was about praying for one another and working beside one another. Good motherly advice for all of us.

This book is filled with a little romance, a little suspense and mystery.

Vannetta has such a wonderful way of reminding us how much we all need one another, to be friends with, to love, to cherish. And how important our family as well as our community is to each of us. You will love this book! ( )

This is more of community story than just 2 characters. You get to care about alot of different characters. Some are new to the series and others are old friends. I like how the community comes together to care and help where they are needed.

Aaron comes to this new community by bus. He is the oldest child. When his Uncle died and left a widow with children his dad sent him to help her. His Uncle had a few cabins that he rented to the English. When Aaron sees how worn down and out of shape he is angry.

Lydia is the only employee working at the cabins for the past two months. Business is bad people with three days reservation leave after only one night. She has done what she can to keep up. Lydia is 23 and earns the income for her family. Her father has farmer lung and needs lots of care. She has 5 younger siblings. She can't loose her job.

Gabe Miller & Miriam and daughters give Aaron a ride out to the cabins in the horse & buggy. They are good neighbors and see the need and offer to help Aaron get the place in shape.

Aaron is a farmer and he wants to go back home so he can work his land but he knows first he has to help his Uncle's family. He has some ideas to get the cabins in shape and bring in more business.

The story is well told and kept me wanting to see what happens next. Thier are a lot of characters, but that what made the story so interesting. How they are all so connected to each other. It also shows how the Plain People live. That they have trials too. That many people working together can help each other.

I look forward to reading more of Vannetta Chapman's work in the future.
This is a clean read and a enjoyable one too.
02/01/2013 Publisher: Harvest House Publishers 352 pages ISBN-10: 0736946144 ( )

This Is One Amish Story You Don’t Want To Miss!

A Home for Lydia is Book 2 in The Pebble Creek Amish Series. Don’t miss Book 1, A Promise for Miriam.

Lydia is a previous student of Miriam’s; she is now grown and working at Plain Cabins on Pebble Creek. The owner recently passed away and a nephew of his, Aaron Troyer, will be taking over just long enough to get the place cleaned up and making money for his Aunt and cousins. He will then be on his way back to Indiana and the farming he loves.

Lydia and Aaron butt heads right away. Will they ever see eye to eye on cleaning the place up? Will they ever be able to say a civil word to each other?

I found myself tearing up in a few places in this book. The hardships that Lydia’s family endured. The shame she carried over the years. The longing for how things use to be. The life she dreams for herself some day.

I was pleasantly surprised that A Home for Lydia would touch me in the way it did. I loved that some of the characters in A Promise for Miriam carried over into this story. I grew fond of Gabe and Miriam. I also fell in love with little Grace and more so in this book. She reminded me of my own daughter when she was young.

Real life is portrayed in this book. Sometimes I believe that Amish fiction readers put the Amish people on pedestals thinking they are living a perfect life when they are no different than what we are. They struggle with issues just the way we do. They struggle with right and wrong just the way we do.

I love that the author includes the love of God in her books. When trials and issues arise, she has her characters turning to God and to their faith to get them through.

In my opinion this book deserves a 5 star rating. I highly recommend it! ( )