Book Description
Andrew, Abraham, and Austin Petersheim's family business has earned them the nickname The Peanut Butter Brothers. But if their matchmaking younger siblings have their way, all three may soon bear another title: husband . . .
Handsome, hardworking, and godly, Andrew Petersheim has always been sure of his place in his Wisconsin Amish community. He'll be a welcome catch for the local girl who finally captures his heart. Mary Coblenz certainly isn't that girl.
Two years after "jumping the fence" for the Englischer world, she's returned, unmarried and pregnant. Yet instead of hiding in shame as others in the community expect, she's working at the Honeybee Farm, ignoring the gossips--and winning over Andrew's eight-year-old twin brothers . . .
For all Andrew's certainty about right and wrong, it seems he has a lot to learn from Mary's courage, grace, and resilience. She's changing his notions about forgiveness and love, but will she in turn accept the challenge of starting over and choose to stay--with him?
My thoughts:
Returning to the Honeybee Farm is always delightful especially when the first person who greets you is Bitsy Weaver. We met the unconventional, sassy but sweet Bitsy in the Honeybee Sisters series and I absolutely adored her and I still do. However, there are two new equally adorable characters who stole my heart in this book, Alfie and Benji, 8 year old twin boys who had me laughing at their antics throughout.
They are extremely busy little boys, they help as much as they can in the family peanut butter business, they are devising a plan to get their room back after having to sleep in the cellar to make room for their grandparents which leads them to try their hand at matchmaking so they can get their room back. Because cellars are apparently quite frightening with the darkness and spiders, so obviously they cannot possibly stay down there for very long.
So, they decide to set up their older brother, Andrew with Mary who happens to be staying with Bitsy, what could possibly go wrong? Pretty much everything including but not limited to encounters with Bitsy,her cats, confusion as to why Mary isn't welcomed with open arms by some members in their community and their desire for everything to be secret, when things really aren't such a secret. They are such comical little boys with pure hearts. Mary is a wonderful young lady who made a mistake by leaving her community for the English world but when she comes back (as an unwed expectant mother) she is treated poorly by several people. There are a few times when Andrew came to her defense that made me love him but then there were times when I wanted to shake him and tell him to stop being so judgmental.
As much as I loved the humor in this book, I loved the message of family, faith and forgiveness even more. I am looking forward to the next book in the series because I have a feeling if the twins are successful at marrying off their older brothers, they will each have their own rooms and can sleep soundly far away from the cellar.
Overall, this highly entertaining and well crafted novel is one that I absolutely loved. The characters are well developed, the pace is perfect and this is what I consider quality Amish reading. I suggest settling in your comfiest seat with a cold beverage and a snack because once you start reading this book you wont want to stop. You will laugh, you will get a little teary but you will be glad you chose to spend time with The Petersheim Brothers and their friends.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.
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