God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

I was very touched with this story because it was so personal to the writer Wanda Brunstetter and to anyone who has been touched by alcoholism. There is shame, stress, abandonment, and the family breaks down. However, in all that, there is hope.

Vic and Eleanor Lapp have just gotten married. Eleanor left her Amish community and is starting with her kind and playful husband Vic. Eleanor's family has some reservations about her new husband but are supportive of their daughter. When a tragedy strikes Vic's family and Vic blames himself for what happened, he turns to drinking. Drinking is not new has he dabbled into it before his baptism, but with his despair, it grabs him and puts him in a darker place. Eleanor is not blind to what is happening to her husband but she is living a land mine of emotions that have not been dealt with.

I really felt the pain of what this young couple was going thru. Vic's pain and not letting go and being able to forgive himself. His shame and the cycle of not being able to conquer his sin. It was not his to conquer but keeping himself in isolation and secretive, he drove himself deeper. Eleanor of not giving up on her husband and getting the help she needed was key. It took rock bottom for Vic to get the help he needed and God uses the darkest pit when we surrender. We always think we got this. I hope if you are a fan of Amish life, you will grab this one. You will be blessed with its honesty.

A special thank you to Barbour Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

Victor began drinking and smoking when he was in his rumspringa, but gave it up to marry Eleanor. They move to Pennsylvania to be near his job and family. When tragedy strikes his little brother on their farm while under Victor and Eleanor’s care, it shakes Victor’s trust and faith in God. He begins drinking again to help “forget” the tragedy and guilt, and in the end it costs him his job. Eventually, the drinking causes him to pull away from his wife and lie to her. Not having her best friend Doretta nearby to confide in, Eleanor begins writing letters to her and explaining her marriage situation. Can she trust Doretta not to share her secrets with anyone, especially her family? Can she find the help she needs to save her marriage before it’s too late? I enjoyed this book very much and it just shows that anyone can fall victim to circumstances beyond their control. That is when your faith has to be its strongest.

All words and opinions are my own. I was given a copy of this book for my honest review.

This is a touching story with real-life problems that in this case also affect the Amish in a similar way as those who are not Amish. Alcoholism is a problem to many and this was probably a difficult problem to write about. The author did it in a good way and through letters to her friend, Eleanor is able to find emotional help and calming help from her friend. As the problem increases she finds more help is needed but her husband is firmly against it. This is a touching story and I felt that the support and compassion that she received were very important to her healing as well as her husband's struggles. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book before it hits the stores. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters and their stories. The story itself dealt with alcoholism and faith. I would highly recommend it.

I really enjoyed the characters and the storyline. A young boy died in a tragic accident but this book shows with faith you can get through obstacles God will watch out for you. It was a beautiful story. This book was approved by netgalley and the publisher for me to read and review.