Finding a stillness, a secret inner place to absorb the love that bound family to family. This was church. Being curious of the Methodist church and their ways but also recognizing where one belonged.

An Amish look at the faith when threatened by the English way of worshipping. Susanna lived and breathed the Amish way. She was a faithful daughter to her parents and to her community. When her cousin Noah started having "spells" of preaching the word of God sounding like an Methodist preacher, she stands up for her cousin. By doing so, she is put at odds with her mother and the one she wants to share a future with.

Very good preaching in this one and the struggle with why we believe what we believe and the tribe we put ourselves in. With the relationship Susanna had with her Noah and his wife, I admired her loyalty to them. She was not putting that relationship above God but because of God. Her neighbor and friend who is English. Patsy's father was a circuit rider for the Methodist church. Both daughter and father saw God's hand on Noah. The Amish community was fearful including the Bishop for his flock.

It is about the whole community coming together with a common a goal of thinking of others before oneself.

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

I didn't end up finishing this book so I can't give a fair review. It just didn't hold my interest.

I have enjoyed Olivia Newport's Amish genre books in the past. Especially learning about past events that have happened to the Amish in history and or topics that Olivia gets you thinking about.
I look forward to one day actually reading this book.

I received a free copy from NetGalley and the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This was the most unusual Amish book I ever read. But good, Susanna is pressed into helping her aunt help care for her husband after Noah is stricken by spells of preaching. The spells come on him unexpectedly at first and then settle into a pattern. Noah has no recollection of the preaching and has to be guarded against falling or hurting himself in any way. He then sleeps for hours after one of his spells. Neighbors begin to come to his house whenever they can to see and listen to this “sleeping preacher”. Since Noah is Amish some of the things he is preaching are quite controversial for the Amish. His bishop becomes more and more concerned about his congregation going to hear Noah and seemingly being swayed by the open path that seems to be a direct way to the almighty God.
Susannah’s beau Adam is also caught in the middle between his love for Susannah and his need to stay true to his beliefs.
Read the twists and turns in this unusual look into an unknown to me piece of Amish history in a fictional form.
I was provided at advance copy of the book in e-format.from Net-Galley
I am providing an honest opinion of the book

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK_____

Gladden the Heart is set in the 1847 in Kishacoquillas Valley, Pennsylvania and the story starts with a tent revival with some pretty hard preaching, inviting sinners to repent of their sins and giving their hearts to Jesus. Many from the Amish community are at the meeting, or they are sneaking around seeing what they can find out, just like Suzanna Hooley, who does her best to sneak into the crowd to hear the preaching. But when a relative of Suzanna’s, Noah falls asleep and starts preaching a message, this little Amish community is quite shaken up. Even the Bishop comes to hear Noah preach, and fully believes he is wide awake! Many people come to his house to hear him, but Noah’s strange behavior also has some concerned. What will the answer be?

For me Gladden the Heart was slow going. It too me a while to get into the story enough to read it, in fact I read the first few chapters twice to try and understand what was happening it does get better as the story unfolds. The author does a very nice job with detailing the historical setting of the story, letting her readers experience the Pennsylvania if so many years ago. And reading about Suzanna dying fabric was very interesting. Especially the products she used to come up with the colors! Suzanna’s character was interesting, as were most of the others. And the sleeping preacher idea was quite intriguing. Over all, this was an interesting and different Amish read. A story I think anyone who loves historical or Amish fiction would enjoy.

MY REVIEW: This book is exciting and fresh! I have many, many Amish novels and the plots are usually very similar. Gladden the Heart presents a situation that I do not ever recall seeing in any of the works of Amish fiction that I've read. Noah is not a preacher, but begins preaching while in trances and his wife seeks to keep him safe during these times. The community is divided over this unusual thing and Adam is against it, while his girlfriend, Susanna, approves of Noah's preaching and helps her aunt to ensure his safety when he is in a trance. I have never personally heard of someone who receives the Holy Spirit and is gifted with this amazing ability to preach the Word.
Noah and Adam both fear that their differences will keep them from marrying, but maybe they will work things out. They could also split over their differences.
Readers will anxiously read ahead to see what happens for Noah, Adam, and Susanna. I highly recommend this book to others.
I am giving this book a 5-star rating.
I received an ebook of this selection from netgalley and Shiloh Run Press in exchange
for an honest review.

What a wonderful story! The mix of Amish, Methodist, Tent Revival and all searching for the right way, the right place.
I especially loved that the character, Noah, who preached without knowing, was based on historical cases. Susanna and Adam, Amish and thinking of marriage, are drawn in different directions by Noah's preaching. Patsy, daughter of the Methodist Minister , feisty, opinionated and not afraid to speak her mind. Veronica, Susanna's Mother, afraid her daughter would be lost to the world outside the Amish. A lovely story about listening for, and hearing God's word.

An Amish Revival?!

Yep! You read that right! Ever think you’d read a novel about circuit riders and revivals in the Amish community? Me either! But what a wonderful story Olivia Newport brings to her readers with her latest release, Gladden the Heart, fifth in her Amish Turns of Time series.

A host of characters rounds out this fascinating read: Susannah, Adam, and Noah in particular. Susannah is a sweet, young Amish woman. She loves where she lives, loves Adam, and is curious about the circuit rider preacher that lives near her. Adam loves Susannah, and is a devout Amish man. He tries hard to stick to their church’s Ordnung and anything their bishop says. Noah, Susanna’s most cherished cousin, is a minister in their 1847 Amish settlement.

When Noah suddenly starts going into a trance and preaches a VERY non-traditional Amish sermon, the entire community is in a dither: Some condemn him, others are confused. Interested in this new finding of Noah, Susannah agrees to help keep him safe during his trances….which is in direct opposition to Adam’s view. Can they find common ground? What will become of Noah? Read and find out!

I was given Gladden the Heart in exchange for my honest review. I found it intriguingly wonderful! What a great storyline. Although fifth in the series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone. To date, this is my favorite in the series. Brava, Olivia Newport!

Fantastic story and characters. I was pleasantly surprised by this book.

A very good book. I like the chemistry between characters.

This story has such a unique storyline, as you can tell from reading the summary. When I first read the summary I was intrigued, especially about Noah preaching while under a trance. This is not something I have ever heard of and couldn't wait to see how the author presented it. Not only that, but how the Amish community would respond. I know in the Amish communities of today, it is a big deal about who is allowed to preach and who isn't, and I imagine it would have been the same back then.

The parts with Noah were certainly interesting, but I found myself wanting more out of the storyline as a whole. The part of the book that I enjoyed the most was the revival meeting in the very beginning. I wanted so much for Susanna to go inside that tent and go straight to the alter! The mention of other Amish members being there was almost overlooked at the time. It left me wanting to know more about them, and why they were there. Was Reverend Baxton converting Amish people? So many questions running through my mind, and then suddenly we're at a different scene in the book.

Now, this is addressed later on in the book to some degree, but I felt it was almost missing something. Or maybe it felt odd to me that a non-Amish minister would have such a connection with some of the members of the community. It wasn't necessarily because of the author's writing ability - I think it was simply because the concept was foreign to me and I just couldn't wrap my head around it. But the more I read, the more I started to understand. As a whole, this book is really about differences in beliefs between the Amish and non-Amish, and how the Amish community reacts when portions of the gospel are presented. And although this is a historical novel, I think the same principles could be applied to today's society.

Overall it was an okay read. If you're already a fan of Olivia's, I know you'll like it. I've read other books by Olivia and enjoyed them, so I know I'll be reading more from her in the future! I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is, to my knowledge, the first book I have read by this author. It's the first book I have read in this series. It was a tad slow, but still well worth reading. I appreciate that it covers a topic that still confuses people today, even though this was back in the 1800's. Susanna and her family are Amish, so they have quite an issue on their hands when her cousin starts sleep preaching.

Let's talk about this for a moment. This person, in this case, Noah is asleep. Just like sleepwalking, only he's sleep preaching. That's fine and dandy, if people don't think you're crazy, or you aren't Amish, or you aren't putting yourself in danger wandering about in your sleep. Preaching or not, sleepwalking has hazards.

When Noah goes missing, the Amish people and the Methodist's have to see if they can find him. There's way more going on here than just a romance. We have matters in the Christian community that people don't know how to deal with. "Sleeping Preachers" is one of those issues. Now you're going to get my thoughts about this. If even the rocks can cry out and testify, then certainly the Word can come through someone who's asleep. Would that person be in harm's way? That is an entirely different issue and one that is harder to answer.

If the preaching changes lives, and leads people to God, then I'd say it's real. Many stranger things have happened that we have documentation about. Example- I see three men in the fire, and a fourth, yet they do not burn. Do look that one up in your Bible if you're not familiar with it. I found this book to be strong, and thought provoking and I'm glad I read it. Pun intended and yet serious at the same time.

My copy came from Celebrate Lit. My thoughts and opinions are my own, and this review was left of my own free volition.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read Gladden the Heart.
I would say this is a Christian Western Amish Romance.Be sure to read the author's notes before starting this book so the book makes sense to you.
If you get the book you can read all about Adam and Susanna. I don't want to spoil it for others.

I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

I liked this book. It is a bit different than other Amish books I know. But that's okay, we all need to be shaken up a bit with the unexpected as you'll find in Noah. I cheered for Susanna and her friendship with Patsy. Two totally different from the other. Adam and Susanna work on their relationship as the line is drawn at a huge difference in belief is challenged. Read the book and find out.
Blessings,
Karen Hadley
Rating: 4*
I received this book as a gift and all opinions are my own.
My goodreads account is linked to my twitter and facebook accounts

Gladden The Heart is the number 5 book in the Amish Turns Of Time series.
This takes place in the rugged Kishacoquillas Valley of central Pennsylvania in 1847. This book is based on true facts the author discovered while doing research for her books.
Back in the day they were called the "sleeping preachers". Noah in this book falls unconscious at regular intervals and preaches almost on a daily basis. When he awakens he has no memory of preaching or what he has done. This worries his family members who worry he may hurt himself while in this state of mind when he goes missing during the time of day he usually preaches.This book is different from the Amish books I usually read but very powerful and interesting!
Pub Date 01 Jul 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Barbour Publishing, Inc for a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Gladden the Heart is about religious freedoms, religious tolerance, choosing of paths(although there is only one GOD, we all Christians and Amish alike pray to), fierce friendship. You have two people in love Susanna and Adam both follow the Amish faith until one day something happens - her cousin goes into trances and preaches the Gospel now is that for real or not? that is what Susanna has to figure out - be loyal to family or faith? She takes care of her cousin while he is in these HOLY SPIRIT trances and preaches while in these trances - Adam needs to either help Susanna, be patient and supportive ,or lose her - guess which one he does? GOD's hand is running throughout the book and that is the most important thing - Amen ya'll? Are the revivals for real? The book believes in the one and only way to Heaven and that is through the son JESUS CHRIST. Other things like electricity etc are believed to be used - differently. GOD Bless Ms. Newport who wrote such a wonderful book - thank you -The story you had to tell - I enjoyed it so very much and you got me to become so involved in the lives of ALL the characters. I enjoyed each and every single word.

I have mixed feelings about this book. I liked the author's style, and development of characters. It was easy and pleasant to read. But the situation with Noah falling into trances and preaching was very weird. Also, I didn't feel like the Amish would behave the way some of the scenes portrayed them- not respecting the privacy of their own people, but sitting and gawking in the window at Noah, bringing church benches so people could be on the lawn (without permission), and even Englischers being present, trying to sneak into the house, and it not be insisted that they leave. That whole part was very unbelievable to me.

I also felt the ending of the book, when the bishop and the others are out looking for Noah, was very confusing. I couldn't get a picture in my mind of the terrain, and that made it hard to read that section, as it was pretty long. I suppose the whole idea of Noah's trances just turned me off.

I did enjoy the main love story, and although the mother and daughter had major issues that felt exaggerated, I would say that overall I enjoyed the story. I might read another book by this author, but not if it's about the Amish.

This historic story offers a look into a phenomena I haven’t read about in other books. When a young married Amishman begins to “fall under” and preach biblical messages unconscious of doing so, it attracts unwanted attention and causes divisions in the church. The bishop tries to stop him and others don’t understand. A circuit-riding preacher friend supports the godly sermons and tries to help. This dilemma also pits the “sleeping preacher’s” cousin, Susanna, against Adam, the man she loves. Can this whole situation ever work out for everyone? What is God’s will? The first half of this intriguing novel plods along much like Susanna’s old horse. In the second half tension mounts much faster and danger lurks for the unsuspecting. Within this compelling tale is a study of human nature and reactions, along with their efforts to resolve issues. I recommend it.

Gladden the Heart has a different feel than a lot of Amish fiction as it draws inspiration from real-life historical events and explores the “what if” aspect. I’ve always enjoyed reading about the circuit-riding preachers and evangelistic meetings of the 1800s, and Olivia Newport does a great job of bringing this era to life. While there is some romance, it takes a back seat to the historical themes and conflict within the Amish community.

Noah spoke of God’s love, of human failings, of faithfulness, of repentance, of redemption, of new life, of serving Christ with love toward one another, of unceasing prayer, of God’s gracious gift of salvation.

Newport draws inspiration from something I hadn’t heard of – the “sleeping preacher” phenomenon and the fact that the Amish were losing some of their members to these revival preachers. Susanna’s beloved cousin, Noah, becomes a polarizing figure as he starts falling into trances and preaching in an evangelistic style, resulting in conflict within family and community. The relationship between Susanna and Adam also comes into conflict over Noah.

The pace moves slowly at times, but I enjoyed this story and it gave me much to reflect upon. One of my favorite characters was Niklaus, a good and humble Amish minister who followed the convictions of his heart in preaching. I also loved the contrast between grace and judgment, assurance and fear. The title reflects this story’s theme well, for it’s the beauty of faith that gladdens the heart.

Recommended.

The book is very interesting. I love reading about the history of different religions. This story seemed to drag along. I found myself losing interest and hoping it would end soon. In the author's notes, I read that Noah's character is based on two men who lived during this time period. Interesting.