Always in My Heart

Amish Miracle

by Mary Ellis

Hopefears her past will continue to threaten her future.

Hope Bowman believes God is punishing her for giving up her firstborn son when she was a teenager. She s hidden this past from her husband, who is thankful for their daughters but longs for a son. Hope prays desperately, but the son God sends isn t a new pregnancy. It's the fifteen-year-old boy she gave away years ago.

Genres: Amish

100 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 11, 2014

About the author

Mary Ellis is a former schoolteacher turned USA Today bestselling author who’s written twenty-six novels including Amish fiction, historical romance, and suspense. Her first mystery, Midnight on the Mississippi, was a finalist for the RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Award and a finalist for the Daphne du Maurier Award. Her latest book is One for the Road from the Bourbon Tour Mysteries from Severn House. One Hundred Proof Murder releases August 31, 2021. Her latest Amish novella is Missing at Amazon Kindle. She enjoys gardening and bicycling and lives in Ohio with her husband and dog. www.maryellis.net or www.facebook.com/Mary.Ellis.Author

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amish family story about a long lost son, very enjoyable!

[Pratikshya Mishra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book was of Amish genre. I had no idea about this. The Amish live a simple life, wear plain clothes, and use minimal conveniences of modern technology. They don’t favor electricity or cars; use flashlights and horse driven buggies instead. They are plain people and their farmlands are the most productive. I was truly fascinated by their family-centered life in contrast to our fast paced society. For them their heritage and way of life is second only to God. Their community spirit, worship services, and schooling came as a big surprise for me. Their kindness and generosity was really new to me. And such communities do exist in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. They live the traditional way- make their own clothes, write letters, and never use computers or TV or camera. I want to live such a simple, peaceful life inculcating everything good and beautiful and getting rid of all the stress of modern living.


I loved the girls- Emily, Josie, and Greta. They were so innocent and cute. And chatty. I liked the narration- it was simple and easy going. The story too is a very simple one focused on human relationships. I liked the use of Dutch-German words. I learnt quite a few from the glossary. This novella is about forgiveness and how God works miracles in our lives. Recommended to anyone who likes it simple.

http://pratikshya-magicmoments.blogsp...

[Joleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Novella #1 of An Amish Miracle

I’ve had these novellas for about 10 years but I’ve more or less stopped reading Amish books some time ago. But it just kept coming forward in my to-read pile until I decided to read them.

This is a story about an Amish teenager who was raped, and whose father made her give the baby away to an Englischer family…. a decision she always regretted.

It’s about a young man wanting to find out who his birth mother was, showing up on their doorstep one day.

This might’ve been really good except that at one point, he decides he resented his birthmother and didn’t want to see her. The mother visits, which turns out extremely awkward. And suddenly his social worker was driving him to their house. There was no explanation of why he was visiting again. It felt like a number pages were cut out in order to make it a Novella. I don’t know, it just didn’t work.

I did like the way the family accepted him. I liked the way the husband took him in like he was his own, and his kindness and understanding with his wife.

[patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hope Bowman delivers her fourth daughter. She is disappointed and feels God is punishing her for her mistake when she was 16. Hope was raped and had a son which she gave away. She and her husband Stephan love the girls but a son would be a big help on the farm. When Hope prays for forgiveness and a son God answers her. James her son appears at the Bowman's door late one night. The very son her stern father made her give away. Always In My Heart demonstrates the power of a mother's love as well as forgiveness. Mary Ellis shows us God answers our prayers but not necessarily the way we think He will.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the author tried to show that the mom was grateful for her daughters it still felt as though she though daughters were a punishment for sinning and I couldn't really get past it. The husband was a beacon of light in this book. Loved him. I also like how the son didn't just jump to move in with his amish family and they showed that it would clearly be a process.

[Judy Russell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very heart warming and enjoyment

[Megan Macrae · Rating 5 out of 5]

Novellas are just too short…especially when they are this good/gut!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good book

[Tina Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

what a great novella by Mary Ellis. It's not easy writing a short story and giving the readers everything they need in short amount of pages, but Mary Ellis knows how to pull off a great story. Adoption and the one of many situations that can happen to a babe growing up.

Always in My Heart: An Amish Miracle Novella is about Hope Klobentz Bowman and the decision that she was pushed to do fifteen years ago at the age of sixteen years old by the head member of her family.
Now, fast forward fifteen years, Hope is now married to Stephen Bowman. Hope is about to give birth to their fourth daughter. After, the fourth daughters birth, Hope feels it is time to reveal to Stephen her fifteen year secret, but does Stephen have time to digest Hope's revealed secret?

[DJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mary Ellis excels at writing about interesting characters and intriguing settings!

Hope Bowman has lived with a mistake for more than fifteen years… it wasn't difficult to feel her pain, especially her feeling that she’s being punished because of her past. Although her parents made the choice - so it was really their mistake - and she wasn't given a choice, she has always felt responsible for giving up her child.

I actually read this story last month when I was preparing to read another novella in An Amish Miracle. Once I realized that the stories were connected, I decided to read all three stories in order - always the best choice to make.

Honestly, I could NOT stop until I had read the entire story!

Always in My Heart is a GREAT Story! When you begin reading, you will begin wondering if things will ever work out, and if so, how it could all work out for everyone; I don’t want to give anything away, so I won't say anymore - you can read it for yourself, but be assured that Mary Ellis does a superb job of bringing it all together in a fabulous story!

[The Reading Panda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actual Rating: 3.5

This is a short and sweet novella that can be finished in one sitting. I was very pleased I baught it. I loved that Ellis did not make the plot cliched and predictable. I was expecting Hope's son to get acclimated to plain living and then be instantly adopted. Somehow, Stephen and Hope would be able to bypass the complicated and long road to adoption because they are Amish. Ellis avoiding the previously stated tropes makes the story credible and enjoyable. That having been said, the story would have been more fitting as a full length novel instead of a novella. I highly recommend this book, and I am looking forward to reading about Becky and Rosa in the other novellas.

[Rhonda Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I've about had enough

Well, here's how the story goes,for the last little bit I've been reading amish romances I checked out from the library.I've loved each one, but it's a novella and I want more story. This one was no exception. It made me laugh and cry but if I don't get to read more of the stories of paradise soon, I'm going to scream. Guess what I'm gonna do now? Yep, go find another and fuss when it's done too. Love these quick reads just want so much mo

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a wonderful little story, just over 120 pages long; Hope believes God has cursed her to have only girls, because she gave her first born son up for adoption, its something she has never told her husband until now. Then the son shows up...not at all typical or cliche. Very well written, little hard to read at times, but the ending blew me away.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endearing. Loving. Family. This is one of the best Amish fiction stories I have read.

I was invested in these characters from the start. Even Greta and baby Faith pulled at my heartstrings. Ms. Ellis is to be commended for writing with detail, flow and creativity. Her story pulled me in and did not leave me hanging. I loved every word!

[Shirley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and sweet story about an Amish woman who prays for a son. Now a mother to a house full of girls, she must break the news to her husband that the boy who came looking for her is the son her father forced her to give up for adoption after she was raped. Secrets can be painful in a marriage, but God provides the answer to her prayer.

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! Can't wait to read more. A wonderful example of how you must put your faith in God. Thank you for reminding me of this.

[Karen Vogel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful novella.

[Parkland Mom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read via Kindle. 4 stars.

A sweet story about the tenacity of a mother’s love and dedication.