The Roll of the Drums (The Amish of Weaver's Creek #2) by Jan Drexler

Book Description

Ruby Weaver's curly red hair isn't the only thing that sets her apart from her Amish community in 1863. Twenty-eight and single, Ruby doesn't believe a woman needs to be married in order to be happy. Her ailing friend Lovinia Fischer, however, has other ideas and wants Ruby to promise to marry her husband after she dies. Never imagining she'd have to fulfill that vow, Ruby agrees. And she's not the only one. Lovinia has extracted a similar promise from her husband, Gideon.

With both Ruby and Gideon reluctant to keep their promises, a compromise must be reached. Ruby will spend her days with Gideon's family--helping to raise the children and keep the house--but her nights will be spent at her sister's neighboring house. But this arrangement raises eyebrows in their conservative Amish community, and it soon becomes clear that Ruby must make a decision--marry Gideon or turn her back on her friend, the children she's grown to love . . . and their father.

My thoughts:

After having read the first book in the series, The Sound of Distant Thunder, I was eagerly anticipating this book because I absolutely wanted to return to Weaver's Creek.  The author deftly combines two of my favorite genres in this series, Amish and Historical fiction making me one happy reader.

This novel is both heartbreaking and heartwarming, with characters who are going through such difficult times themselves, but still open their hearts and homes to those in need.  It's evident how kind the Weaver family is when they open their home to the Fisher family, weary from traveling and in need of food and shelter.  I loved Lovinia Fischer immediately, she is incredibly brave, loving and selfless making her family her top priority in the face of a devastating situation.   I was pleasantly surprised by Ruby Weaver because she was fiercely independent a trait that was refreshing to see in an Amish woman living in 1863. The love and care she showed to Lovinia and her young children shows what an amazing young woman she was.

There are so many reasons to love this novel, it's well written, perfectly paced and the characters are endearing. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and think other readers will enjoy the first two books as much as I have

I received a complimentary from the publisher and have given my honest opinion.