Not since Anne with an ‘e’ and Gilbert Blythe have I more enjoyed a carrot top’s bickering with the boy who pesters her! Still smiling at the way Noah ruffled Fannie’s temper and the way she parried with well-timed barbs in return. They also reminded me of Willie and Missy from the Love Comes Softly series. With reminders like that, of course I was rooting for Noah and Fannie from word one.

Balancing the romance and the Anne-Gilbertesque banter is a sweet story of finding your way, your purpose, your heart. Despite their ages, neither Noah or Fannie have fully committed to their Amish faith yet. Noah is torn between his family, his faith, his friendship with Fannie (that’s a lot of F’s!) and his dream of playing professional baseball. Fannie rebels against her mother’s attempts to get her to settle down because she has a dream of training horses. Both have more than enough talent to achieve their dreams… but what does God have in mind for their lives? Could they leave the Amish if that path was made clear? Could they abandon their heart-held dreams if that’s what God required? Neither option is easy… and what about their pretend courtship that suddenly doesn’t feel so pretend anymore? What if one stays Amish and the other leaves? I loved that Patricia Davids examined these tough issues in a way that spotlighted an authentic struggle and questions without easy answers.

Bottom Line: I have been a fan of Davids’ books since I first discovered her Amish Brides series, and my favorites are her books that have me laughing even as I swoon. Their Pretend Amish Courtship is one such book. Her characters – main and secondary – are genuine, flawed, and relatable. And I may have mentioned (lol) that the banter between Fannie and Noah is top-notch! A light read with depth and lots of heart.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)