The River by Beverly Lewis

 "The River" is Beverly Lewis's latest fiction book involving the Amish.  I have to admit I kinda tired of the non-stop Christian Amish books.  But this one was actually refreshing.  We have two sisters, Tilly and Ruth going home to the Amish to see their parents on their anniversary.  But they both are now English and not Amish no more so there is a lot of open wounds with people back home.    While home Tilly has to come to terms with why her dad is so strict with her and Ruth on if she wants to go back to being Amish for an old love.  Also the whole family is coming to terms with the tragic death of the youngest daughter whose death is what triggered Tilly and Ruth leaving the Amish.  Some of the book followed the common them I see in books about the Amish but most of it didn't.  The one area that I was really glad the author touched upon is that the Amish have tendency to add our works to salvation.  The Christian love affair to the Amish as tendency to forget this part of their beliefs.   I really did enjoy this book as it was not a Amish romance book (yes, there was some there but not the main focus of the story) and it really developed more of the characters beliefs and life.  I do recommend this book for anyone to read please don't assume its the normal Amish novel it is not.

I was given this book by Bethany House Publishing for my honest review.