This is the part where I sit down and have no idea where to start. I really really liked this book. I can't say any one thing that stands out as just 'wow' or 'holy tomatoes batman' but it was a general wrap you up in life and tug you into something bigger than yourself but small enough to embrace one man completely. Of course, while upsetting the entire community. Noah was a average Amish man, with a pretty big secret, until one day he 'went under' just after church in full view of his community. His secret no more, but is he sick (the doctors have all said there is nothing wrong) or just being willful? To Susanna he was a favorite cousin, one whom she was willing to risk a potential husband and the relationship with her mother to help. Before it's all over, many lives are changed but I had even more questions.

Not being overly familiar with the revival movement I wasn't sure what to expect from this book. I mean, don't get me wrong I've heard of it, I know a smidge or two, but it's not something I've ever immersed myself in. And when the revival movement and the Amish faith comes to meet I'm even more in the dark. Honestly though, this book places you in the moment. The confusion, the fear, the outright feeling that there is more than meets the eye. However, it wasn't the revivalism that kept me engaged but instead the individual reactions to something no one understood. The reactions of Susanna's mother, the reactions of her best English friend Patsy, the reactions of one of the ministers Nikalus, but mostly the reaction of the bishop Shem. The line where faith meets with personal.

How do you react when something different comes into your life? How do you react when it is based in your Faith? I was drawn to the reactions of Shem. As the bishop, he takes his role seriously to guide and lead his flock. He is invested in helping them to obey the laws and follow the role that Christ has in their faith. When Noah starts preaching it shakes the entire community but when Nkialus feels like perhaps there is room for the simple separate life AND a more open embracing of the Holy Spirit, there is definitely division in the leadership. I feel like Shem takes what is happening as a personal affront to his leadership and less about opening up faith. Following Shem's reactions, I feel like he was less about
'guiding' his community and more about feeling as though he was losing control over them. I feel like this book, while about revivalism and the Amish community, is more about how we all react when things within our 'realm' are faced with new/different/change. Do we react with Nikalus, Shem, or even Adam who was so bound with fear that he couldn't take a stand either way?

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by CelebrateLit and NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

The plot of the story, Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport, revolves around how the outside world is starting to intrude on a nineteenth century Amish community in Pennsylvania. A member of this community, Noah, suddenly is overcome by first fainting and then awakening in a trance state. Once the transition has taken place, he starts preaching in an Evangelical style for hours at a time. This upsets the Bishop of the Amish community and some of the members. When Noah is taken on the tent revival circuit by a friend who is also a Methodist minister, the trouble grows.

The story is faith based and interesting. One can easily understand how what has been a tradition for over 200 years could be so ingrained in a society that they would believe there would be no room for change. The author does an excellent job of holding up scripture to represent both the Amish beliefs and the Evangelical beliefs. She has researched this book fully, including finding documentation on those who have fallen under a trance before preaching and remembering nothing when they awoke.

The story tends to drag some in the middle but really picks up at the end. I did enjoy this book and it makes a good summer read.

What a thought-provoking book. Immediately after finishing Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport, I wanted to go back and read certain sections again because they gave me much to mull over in my own heart.

There are many things I really enjoyed about Gladden the Heart.

-Being a descendant of a prolific Methodist circuit rider/preacher myself, I found Charles Baxton to be completely fascinating.

-His daughter Patsy and I are kindred spirits, as I feel certain that she too wanted to purse whomp Bishop Shem as well as Susanna’s mother.

-The history and time period in which Gladden the Heart is set mirrors that of Naomi’s Hope by Jan Drexler, which I reviewed here earlier this week. It was interesting to see ‘the other side of the story’, so to speak – with insight into why at least some of the Pennsylvania Amish may have felt compelled to migrate to Indiana, etc.

-Niklaus. Amish or not, he seeks God’s heart and His Word over tradition.

Bottom Line: Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport is intriguing in its history and may cause some modern day soul-searching, too. The romance between Adam and Susanna, in my opinion, was not so much a focus of the story as it was another way to show the effect of the spiritual matters with which they wrestled. It could have been absent from the story altogether, and I still would have enjoyed this read! In the Amish Turns of Time series, I have been most intrigued by the Amish and English interactions, especially as one causes the other to adjust their firmly-held ideals. Gladden the Heart is no exception, and I know I will be thinking about it for a long while.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport. is such a different kind of Amish romance with a historical twist read for me. Started out a little slow but as I got into the story I enjoyed very much.

Believe it or not I haven’t read anything by Olivia until this book. The premise of this book really intrigued me and I wanted to see what was going on.
First of all, Olivia can write some powerful sermons. This book is full of messages of truth from the Word.
I wanted to know why was Noah experiencing these trances or falling until the Holy Ghost. Why him? Why wouldn’t God allow him to remember this?
Susanna is a sweetheart. I did get irritated with her ignoring Adam for all the stuff that was going on with Noah, but she was trying to help Phoebe.
I also liked Adam’s steadfastness. He didn’t easily give up even when things got hard.
There are many great characters and layers in this book. Many people being effected by this changed in Noah.
Overall this was a very interesting read and I liked it.

A copy of this book was given to me through the Celebrate Lit Team. All opinions are my own.

Gladden the Heart was a book that focuses on change. Change is hard to accept but this change is a good change.

The Amish community living in the Kishacoquillas Valley are being exposed to Methodist teaching. It is different from what they have learned. Susanna is one of the Amish living in this community. She has heard some of the Methodist teaching and she is curious. When her Amish cousin, Noah, falls asleep he begins to preach beautifully powerful Methodist sermons. Noah does this in front of the bishop and the community. The bishop rebukes him publicly. When Noah continues to have these spells, Susanna tries her best to help the family keep Noah safe while he preaches his sermons. He is asleep during them, but his message is beautiful and clear. The area's Methodist preacher convinces Noah to travel with him on his circuit so the he can minister to the people. Noah agrees. While Noah preaches, he begins to touch the hearts of those in the Amish community. Soon the community has to face the division this new Gospel message has caused.

Susanna's boyfriend, Adam, feels caught in the middle. He wants to be loyal to his Bishop and the commitment he made to the community, yet Susanna asks him to help her keep Noah safe while he preaches this different message. Their relationship suffers as they feel a wall being built between them. Each has to decide where they will stand.

All of it comes to a head when Noah disappears. The community comes together on the mountain to try and find Noah. While they are they, they find the answers to all of the questions that have been there.

Gladden the Heart is well written and the characters are very likable. You really see how powerful the Holy Spirit is and how it gladdens the heart when you experience it for the first time.

Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport is the fifth book in an Amish Turns of Time series. It is 1847 in Kishacoquillas Valley, Pennsylvania. Susanna Hooley lives on her family’s farm east of Lewistown, Pennsylvania. One Sunday after church, Susanna’s cousin Noah is not feeling well and then collapses. He then starts preaching and no one can get him to stop. Noah is a quiet man and who is not known for his sermons. After three hours of preaching, Noah collapses into a deep sleep. When Noah awakens, he has no remembrance of what occurred. Susanna goes over to Noah’s house the next day and discovers that his preaching is an everyday occurrence. Noah’s wife, Phoebe has been keeping it under wraps. Noah soon starts preaching almost every afternoon at the same time and his sermons are attracting attention. Bishop Shem Hertzberger is less than pleased. The revivalist movement has taken several Amish from their community, and Shem does not want to lose any other families. Reverend Charles Baxton, a traveling Methodist minister, listens Noah’s stirring sermons and requests that Noah travel with him. This controversy divides their Amish community. Susanna supports Noah, but her beau, Adam is on the side hullabaloo. But then one day Noah disappears while in one of his trance’s, and the whole community turns out to locate him. Will they be able to locate Noah? Is there a way to resolve the controversy and unite the community once again?

While Gladden the Heart is part of a series, it is a stand-alone novel. I thought the concept behind Gladden the Heart is intriguing, I did enjoy the final product. “Sleeping preachers” is an interesting phenomenon, and it could have made a great story. Is it God’s will for this to happen to Noah? I actually did a little research in “sleeping preachers”. I just felt that the author could have done so much more with this subject. Why did the Amish believe Noah’s preaching was wrong? What was the main difference between the Amish faith and other religions at this time in history? I thought the pace was sluggish (actually, slugs move faster) and the writing was not up to Olivia Newport’s usual standard. The book was awkward and the characters flat. There are numerous Bible verses (scripture) and sermons contained within the story (after a while, I started skipping past them). I really struggled to finish this novel. I can tell when I am not enjoying a book. I start checking to see how much farther until the end and I start speed reading through boring parts. When I start hoping for a good murder to spice up the storyline (especially when I am reading an Amish novel that is not a mystery), then I know I do not like the book. The romance between Susanna and Adam failed to come to life. I never felt love between the couple. Susanna’s mother was an annoying character. Her fear (for the time period) was understandable. The characters lacked depth. There is also a repetition of information (it felt like padding). I am rating Gladden the Heart 2 out of 5 stars. I do not want to discourage readers from Olivia Newport’s novels. While Gladden the Heart was not for me, I have appreciated many of her other books (Valley of Choice series).

Susanna and her older cousin, Noah, have been pretty close since she was a girl. But he has started acting strangely of late. He, and Susanna, are Amish, a people known for their quiet, simple devotion. But in church one Sunday, Noah stands up and starts preaching repentance like the local fiery Methodist preacher. He doesn't respond when asked to stop, and eventually stops, hours later with no recollection of his preaching. The Amish community is dumbfounded, Susanna, Noah, and their friends struggle to understand and respond to the conundrum before them.

Gladden the Heart was an unusual read for me, but still a good experience. It stretched my understanding of the Christian faith because sleeping-preachers like Noah did exist historically. And if they are anything like the example in this book, they presented questions to me as they did to the Amish in this novel. For one thing, how is it that a man who does not fully believe what he is preaching stand up and preach accurately while in a trance? It makes little sense outside of the Holy Spirit's power, but it Did happen.

This question of faith takes center stage in the book. There is a little romance between Susanna and Adam, but the problem the Amish are facing begins to come between them. It is a complicated issue that affects nearly all of the relationships in the book. Characters have to make tough decisions that have lasting implications in their lives and the lives of those around them.

The historical details were interesting. The Amish have changed little between the 1800's and now, but the outside cultures that influenced them in that time period were dramatically different. The tent revivals, circuit-riding preachers, relationships between the different denominations, and others were vividly portrayed. I find myself wanting to research the time period out of curiosity.

Gladden the Heart was an interesting novel that challenged me to dig deeper into my faith. I recommend it to fans of Amish novels.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A fascinating look at an Amish community in 1847!

The characters in this book are wonderful. They are so well developed and have such a wide variety of personalities that I was able to connect with a number of them. Some of them were just plain annoying just like people in my own community.

I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that there was a deep question that was being grappled with by most of the characters. The entire community was affected by it. Each person had to sort out their own beliefs and feelings on a personal level as well within the whole group.

I haven’t read the earlier books in this series but I will be going back to read each one of them.

I received a free copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport, gives us a glimpse of the revivalism movement in America in 1847. When our story begins, Susanna Hooley is gathering roots and wildflowers to create dyes for fabric. In the clearing is a large tent for one of Reverend Braxton's revival meetings. The hot July afternoon brought a large crowd to hear her friend Patsy's father preaching a powerful message. Susanna's Amish community was not immune to the impassioned messages that poured from the good reverend's tongue. Such things were not heard in the long three hour meetings she experienced every other Sunday. Intrigued by what she heard, coupled with seeing so many Amish from her district, she steeled herself away.

Not long after this, however, her life is turned upside down by her cousin Noah. During a normal conversation on an ordinary Sunday afternoon, he fell under a spell. The normally quiet man began to preach from the book of John. His message was so powerful and strong, many gathered to hear, including the bishop. The bishop fully believes that Noah is wakeful and willful with his preaching and orders him to stop. Noah was unaware that he gave such stirring sermons straight from the bible. When he woke from his trances he was exhausted and slept for hours.

It isn't long before Susanna discovers Noah's unpredictable behavior has happened before. She is determined to help Noah's wife Phoebe keep him safe, disregarding opinions from her mother, the bishop and even Adam Yotter, her intended. The situation becomes a controversy as many in the community begin congregating at Noah's house daily to hear him preach. It is only when a near tragedy occurs that Susanna, Adam, his uncle and the bishop come together to help Noah and find common ground.

I enjoyed this book. Many people were yearning for meaningful spiritual experiences they didn't find in their usual long, dry services. A powerful message such as those delivered under the big tent seemed to offer more. While traditional clergy may have argued that nobody could gauge a true enlightened experience, I disagree. How can anyone know what another truly experiences. The human experience is amazing and sometimes the true picture cannot be told by looking at someone. The sleeping preacher phenomenon was real, something I was unaware of. In the midst of this time in America, great changes were taking place. It is ironic that even the Amish, who lived separate from others would experience such things. Enlightening.

5.0 out of 5 stars A bit different, another great book by Olivia Newport, July 8, 2017
By Maggie

This review is from: Gladden the Heart (Amish Turns of Time Book 5) (Kindle Edition)
I have read all the Amish books written by Olivia Newport and have enjoyed every one of them a lot! This one is a bit different -- it tackles a little-known time when Amish traditions were challenged by the tent revival movement. This well-researched and well-written book is quite a departure from the 'traditional' sweet Amish fiction genre -- so much thought and self-examination happens while the reader immerses themselves in the antics, aspirations, challenges and drama involved in the life of our Amish heroine and her cousin who suddenly starts preaching in a tent-revival style while in a trance. Perhaps a bit slow moving to start, but the middle and ending are very engaging.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for providing a time-constrained e-ARC with no conditions.

I loved reading this book of Amish history! The characters are written so well that they became a part of life! This is the first book of this series that I have read, but not the first read by Olivia Newport. The nineteenth century revivalism endangers the customs of the Amish community in the Kishacoquillas Valley of central Pennsylvania in 1847 causing the Amish church to deal with the question of a genuine spiritual experience. It becomes personal to Susanna when her cousin, Noah, begins preaching while under trances giving long sermons that attract increasing attention even though he is not a preacher. She helps keep Noah safe during his trances. Susanna's intended, Adam, feels pressure from the bishop to speak out against the revivalism. Pushed to the opposites sides of the controversy threatening their Amish faith, Susanna and Adam must decide if love is possible for them. Then Noah goes missing at a time of day when he often preaches while asleep causing community members to recognize the humanity they share regardless of beliefs.

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.

This is the first book in this series that I have read and I hope that after going back and reading the others in this series, that I can enjoy this one more. That said, this was not a bad book. Ms. Newport chisels her characters well, and the backdrop of the story is vividly created. Susanna and Adam's characters really tugged at my heart, but I just couldn't get as deep into the story as I would have liked to have gotten. 

Something was missing. Or, perhaps, it was because I haven't read the other books in this series and I just couldn't fully grasp the entire setting. With that said, however, I still give this book 3.5 stars. Ms. Newport's talent does shine through, and her characters do pull at your heart. I will be going back and reading the other books in this series then I will pick this one back up and try again. 

I do encourage you to give this book a try, if you've read Ms. Newports other books in the series. You may fall in love with these sweet characters quicker that I did and you may love the story line.

Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport is a poignant look at the Amish history in mid-1800s Pennsylvania. The story begins with a tent revival meeting that has piqued the interest of a few of the Amish in the area, including Susannah. As the story continues readers are introduced to the different styles of religion and the question of what is real faith. Is it the response to a fire and brimstone message or is it one that comes from the quiet, solemnity of Amish tradition? And what in the world is this trance preaching that an Amish man is exhibiting? It is certainly more mysterious than the Amish prefer their spiritual matters to be. Susannah and her intended, Adam, struggle to come to terms with the changes that are going on around them in their families and in the community. Their relationship has become tangled. Can it be untangled and are they even willing to try? The characters are evocative and realistic, each with their own strengths and flaws. I liked the strong relationship of devotion and honesty portrayed between Susannah and her Methodist friend, Patsy. The plot has twists and turns, conflicts, action, and that spark of romance that keep the reader's interest. And threaded throughout is a reminder that even though change may be difficult and can often bring division if we hold too tightly to what we have always known, we might miss out on the glory that lies ahead and lose out on the faith that will bring gladness to the heart.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.

Gladden the Heart is the fifth novel in Olivia Newport’s Amish Turns of Time series. This loosely connected set of books examines key moments in the history of the American Amish church from the 1895 split over the teaching of Sunday school (Meek and Mild) to the issues surrounding the great depression (Hope in the Land). Ms. Newport typically does a good job of bringing the history alive in her books while keeping the relationship between the hero and heroine at the heart of her story, but unfortunately she is not quite able to pull that off in this particular novel.

Susanna Hooley has always been excited to go to church but never more than now. Since Adam Yotter joined their congregation, he has been courting Susanna and the two have been moving slowly towards an understanding. Sunday Meetings provide a great opportunity to further their courtship.

After the service and congregational meal, Adam plans to ask Susanna to join him and other young people on a walk around the surrounding countryside, but before he gets the chance, tragedy strikes. In the midst of dinner, Noah Kauffman, Susanna’s cousin, seems to be affected by heat stroke. He preaches a loud, vigorous (unauthorized) sermon but when he is done, he faints and has no memory of what happened. Susanna and Adam help Noah’s wife get him settled at home and return to their own domiciles without having much opportunity to interact. What little communication they do have shows Susanna is deeply worried about her cousin’s health.

The next day when she visits Noah’s farm she learns a startling truth from his wife. It was not just a reaction to the heat that had Noah sleep preaching; it is something that has been happening for years. Originally, it was just an annual thing but it has moved slowly from monthly to weekly to almost daily. An Englisch doctor was consulted but was unable to offer any help. When experiencing one of his spells, Noah is unaware of his surroundings and is susceptible to falling, walking into things, and even burning himself. His wife is exhausted from watching over him to keep him safe. Noah is exhausted by the experiences and is slowly falling behind on his farm work and at the same time the couple is also trying to care for an ailing relative. Overwhelmed by everything that is happening to them and around them, they gladly accept Susanna’s offer of help.

Pretty soon, taking care of Noah is consuming Susanna’s life. She does her own chores at home in the morning and spends afternoons and evenings at the Kauffmann farm, so there is no time for courting. As word spreads of Noah’s daily afternoon preaching sessions, people come to see him and a division begins to form in the church. The bishop is of the belief that Noah is doing this for attention and can stop. Others feel Noah is caught up by the spirit of God and is being used to spur revival in their hearts. Adam, who is learning carpentry from the bishop, finds himself in an awkward position; he is torn between supporting Susanna and denouncing Noah.

Adding confusion to the mix is the local Methodist minister, a good friend of Adam’s uncle and Susanna’s family. He believes that Noah is being guided by God and urges the family to let him take Noah with him on a revival tour. Susanna and her good friend Patsy Braxton, the minister’s daughter, go along with Noah as he does a short circuit of preaching. This drives an even bigger wedge between Susanna and Adam as they find themselves questioning where each of them stands in terms of faith, family and community.

Most times when history is presented in a story it functions as part of the setting. In this case, the history is the plot. Revivals were a big part of 19th century American history and the story of Noah is in many ways a story of the revivals. The Amish community lost the most people to revivalist preachers and their flamboyant style of teaching, and sleep preaching, which was something of a trend at that time, was experienced within their own community. So these two simultaneous events – the revivals and the sleep preachers – were occurrences being handled by many Amish congregations. Gladden the Heart explores the effect such a confluence had on families and communities and what happened when courting couples like Adam and Susanna found themselves on opposite sides of the issue.

The problem is that I found the whole thing unenjoyable. I disliked the number of times the narrative was interrupted to bring us snippets of sermons, and, not being a fan of revivals, I found myself uncomfortable with the way they were presented in the text. I was distracted by Noah’s illness and could not bring myself to believe it a work/act of God. Susanna’s loyalty to her cousin over her own family and prospective husband did not convey that she was a woman mature enough for marriage. I appreciated her desire to help those in need but couldn’t help thinking that she was also drawn to the drama and excitement of the experience. She seemed less anxious to help the family find a solution than in helping them maintain the status quo, which constitutes a weak sort of help to my mind. I didn’t appreciate spending the majority of the book in a sea of strained relationships as everyone pulled in different directions and ultimately felt the HEA was more weary resignation than truly finding a happy ever after.

That said, I will acknowledge that the history here is extremely well done. Ms. Newport brings great understanding to the Amish perspective on revivals, sleep preaching and the effect both had on their communities. The prose is smooth, the characters well drawn, the setting detailed – the writing is well-nigh flawless. The problem lies strictly with the lack of appeal within the story itself. As someone who reads spiritual books, the bible and attends church with great frequency, my tolerance level for all things religious is very high. I want to make it clear that I know this is an Inspirational story and I have no trouble with the faith aspect of the book. The difficulty lay with the fact that the story lacks romance, which a love story should have, and it lacks joy. I don’t pick up fiction to be educated but entertained and this book failed to do that.

Gladden the Heart saddened my heart (sorry, couldn’t help myself.) While I am a huge fan of Ms. Newport’s work, I can recommend this tale only to her die-hard fans. I recommend that others give it a wide berth.

This did not start out to be one of my favorite books by Olivia Newport but by a third of the way in I had to find out how this story would be resolved. I ended up really enjoying this book and had a hard time putting it down. I liked most of the characters in the story but had a hard time liking Susanna's mother. She had a hard time trusting what her daughter was doing in being so helpful. This book made one think a bit. I received this book from Barbour for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Widening differences are brewing in the Amish community in Kish Valley. Methodist revival meetings (attended by some Amish), freedom of Spirit in preaching as opposed to traditional strict Amish preaching and even “sleeping preachers," are dividing families, friends and even romantic matches! Susanna, Adam, Noah, Patsy and the others are all ensnared in the dispute. Is there any hope these separate mindsets can find common ground and begin to mend as a community?
Curious, thought provoking Christian historical novel! Characters are true to period, though would have liked to "know," them more intimately through their interactions. Enjoyed the sleeping preachers and the Holy Ghost spirits, as I'm familiar with this. Havens read series and enjoyed this book. Good read!
Voluntarily read an ARC, thru Netgalley and publisher, for an honest review.

In “Gladden the Heart”, Olivia Newport has taken historical events from the mid 1800’s in Pennsylvania and created a very poignant novel. Susanna and her family are Amish. Her best friend, Patsy, is the daughter of a Methodist minister. During a Methodist tent revival Susanna is drawn to the preaching as is her cousin. Noah begins to preach while under some sort of trance and never remembers what he does or says during these trances. The Amish bishop and the Methodist minister are at odds with each other over this phenomenon which sets people against each other. Fear is a potent motivator and folks are caught up in this, even to the point of moving to another state to get away. Adam loves Susanna, but is fearful of being involved with her because she cares for her cousin and stands by him. He is afraid that he will lose his vision of God and redemption. I thought that the way Ms. Newport found the solution to these dilemmas in her novel was compassionate and understanding. It was an enjoyable read.

What a run of emotions this story has, and is it against the Amish faith, you will be wondering as you quickly turn the pages to get to the answers.
The author has placed the setting of this book in 1847 Pennsylvania, the early times in this country, and a time when Amish lived pretty much as everyone else, except maybe for their clothing.
I did some research and found that this “Spirit preaching” has actually happened, and this is what has happened in this book to Noah Kaufman. The story revolves around this preaching and how it is accepted by both Amish and English, and those who are close to Noah.
There is a bit of romance, a bit of skepticism, and some are even thinking of moving away, as the Church is becoming too liberal.
A book that is going to make you think, and how can this be happening, a bit unsettling for this small community.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Barbour, and was not required to give a positive review.

After reading the book I decided that I wanted to truly understand what "Gladden the Heart " meant . So I grabbed a dictionary online and found it to mean "make the heart happy". I know it was pretty simple for most of you to figure out, but I wanted to check a resource for myself. The story is complicated in the sense that The Amish beliefs and The Methodist beliefs are quite different . The story is set in the 1800s where The Amish did not want their people exposed to the preachings of other demoninations. . I loved the history that the author provided in the two different beliefs in the story. It was fascinating to read how some if the characters loved The Methodist preaching which made their hear gladden.

I was a bit surprised at Noah who would go into trances and start preaching. It was intriguing to read the sermons he gave and how drawn Amish people were to him. Maybe it was curiosity or maybe it was hunger for more of God's word. The bishop was not happy at all and felt he needed to step in and stop whatever Noah was doing. Was he under a spell? Did God fill him with the Holy Spirit and give him the words to preach?

I did like Susanna and Adam's developing relationship but didn't feel like Adam was supporting Susanna with her Uncle Noah at times. It's funny how some people thought Noah was ill and needed prayer. It made me realize how we are like that today. What ever beliefs we have, we sometimes judge others beliefs. The story is very emotional at times but well written with scriptures that were very powerful.

I kept thinking of the story in the Bible about how Jesus would go out and preach and people would mock him, laugh at him or throw stones at him. Noah must have felt the ones who doubted him and found their harsh words pierce his heart with rejection at times. I encourage readers to give this book a try with an open heart. I've seen some of the reviews and I know that not everyone liked the book. Is it perhaps because they judge a book because it doesn't line up to their beliefs? I applaud the author for writing a book that makes us think about what people go through while spreading the Word.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing blogging program. The review is my own opinion.