Softly Blows the Bugle (The Amish of Weaver's Creek #3) by Jan Drexler

 

                                                                        Book Description

When Elizabeth Kaufman received the news of her husband's death at the Battle of Vicksburg in 1863, she felt only relief. She determined that she would never be at the mercy of any man again, even if it meant she would never have a family of her own. Then Aaron Zook comes home with her brother when the war ends two years later.

Despite the severity of his injuries, Aaron resolves to move West and leave the pain of the past behind him. He never imagined that the Amish way of life his grandfather had rejected long ago would be so enticing. That, and a certain widow he can't get out of his mind.

Yet, even in a simple community, life has a way of getting complicated. Aaron soon finds that while he may have left the battlefield behind, there is another fight he must win--the one for the heart of the woman he loves.
Welcome back to the Amish community at Weaver's Creek, where the bonds of family and faith bind up the brokenhearted.

My thoughts:

Jan Drexler deftly combines Amish and historical fiction in this series and I have loved all three of the novels in the series.  This book has something for everyone, family, faith, friends and a touch of mystery. 

Elizabeth made a poor choice in her personal relationships that have resulted in unhappiness for her and led her to keep secrets from her family. I genuinely liked her but there were times when I wanted to give her some friendly advice, especially when it came to Solomon.  He was definitely an unlikeable character but kudos to Ms. Drexler for putting him in the storyline because he kept my emotions off the charts each time, he would make an appearance.

I loved Aaron, wounded and broken from the war, lonely, listless and searching for a place to call home.  He is an incredible character and I loved watching him grow throughout the book, while gaining confidence and more importantly acceptance.

Throughout the entire series, the Amish of Weaver’s Creek have been such a wonderful family, they have faced hard times but through it all, the have their faith and each other. I recommend reading the books in order but this can be read as a standalone.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.  All opinions are completely my own.