THE RIVER (BEVERELY LEWIS)

Baker Publishing Group | September 2, 2014 | Hardcover | ISBN # 978-0-7542-1245-1





My Review:
   Tilly has been gone from her Amish home for eight years now and has been living the life of an Englisher. She uses all the modern conveniences of the English world even driving a red car. Growing up she never had the use of modern conveniences and her family would be so dismayed to see her using them now. But Tilly wasn't treated very well by her Dad all her growing up years, it's like he hated her for some reason and their is a family secret that will be revealed in the story to explain this.

However, even as her English husband has said, Tilly may be English in a lot of ways but she hasn't lost her hard work ethic she learned growing up Amish. "Amish roots are planted deep within her." Tilly is also passing her Amish roots onto their two four-year-old daughters, Jenya and Tavani.

Tilly has received a note in the mail from one of her brothers, Melvin, requesting she return to their Amish home for an anniversary celebration and he wants her to convince her younger sister, Ruthie to come with her. Ruthie is also living the English life but is unmarried and their Dad blames Tilly for as he says convincing Ruth to go English too.

Tilly was unsure as to whether she was brave enough to return home considering the way her Dad has always acted toward her. She and her father just never saw eye-to-eye, and Tilly still felt responsible for the death of another sister at age five and going home would mean perhaps reliving those memories.

Five years after Tilly left for the English world, Ruthie followed in her footsteps. Of course their father blamed Tilly for that. Tilly and Ruth's father, at age 58, isn't doing so very well. His heart is giving up and if he wants to live beyond a few more months, then he would need to have a pacemaker implanted but Melvin and his other brothers feel there is no way their father will go for that. He really needs Tilly and Ruth to come home for this November celebration but hated to use their father's ill health to get them there. What will he do? Even Melvin's wife, Susannah thought Melvin should tell Tilly and Ruth about their Dad's weak heart. Somehow he had to convince the two sisters to come home and who knows, this may be the last opportunity for the entire family to be together at once.

Finally, Tilly and Ruth decide to go home for the celebration with much trepidation. Is it going to be a happy, nice reunion/celebration or one filled will angst and trouble?

THE RIVER is a beautiful read for a nice rainy day. You just hunker down with a hot cup of tea and read away as you'll be captivated from the first page to the last.