I am a big fan of Amish books, read them all the time and really enjoy them. I have read almost all of Wanda's, she has quite a few out. This book was a pure delight to read it picked up right where the first book in the series left off. I do recommend reading The Prayer Jars first to get the full benefit of the back story. It does explain the back story in this book but you'll really want to read the first one anyways. Tensions run high at the beginning of the book. Given the circumstances it is understandable despite the grandparents talking to both girls and trying to make a calm environment. Tensions abate though after awhile. The Amish are very forgiving people and aim to live their daily lives in honor of God. Whenever I read one of Wanda's books I always feel enriched for the life lessons I take away from it. Looking forward to reading the third book in this series.
Feb 1, 2019 publication date.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Forgiving Jar
by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Shiloh Run Press

Christian , General Fiction (Adult)

Pub Date 01 Feb 2019

I am reviewing a copy of The Forgiving Jar through Barbour Publishing Inc/Shiloh Run Press and Netgalley:

Sara Murray never met her Mother’s parents and was stunned to find out that they were Amish, and that they lived in Pennsylvania. After she does meet them she is even more stunned to learn that someone is already living with them pretending to be her. Sara does not understand how her parents forgive the impostor so easily.

It seems that secrets and deceit follow Sara wherever she goes and she is tired of it. Soon she is introduced to Brad Fuller who is staying at her Grandparents during Christmas. She has taken a liking to him but even he seems to be pulling away from her for not being totally honest with him.

Just as she is struggling Sara finds an old canning jar that was hidden in the barn. The jar is full of encouraging prayers. Will this jar help Sara forgive the past and be able to move on in order to build a new relationship.

I give The Forgiving Jar five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

A charming book by one of my favorite Amish fiction writers!

Michelle was trapped in an abusive relationship and ha deceived Willis and Mary Ruth Lapp. Pretending to be their granddaughter.She was guided by scriptures in an old canning jar toward God and has made good by confessing. Ezekiel King talked her into coming back and coming clean. She is now living with the Lapps as herself! This book starts as Sara, the real granddaughter is moving in and resents Michelle, her relationship with Willis and Mary Ruth, and how well she fits in! We follow as Sara and Michelle try to figure out, how each of them relates to God, to the Amish or to each other! A great read!

Back in November of 2018, I read and reviewed The Hope Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter, which was the first book in The Prayer Jar series (see review HERE). When I learned that book two in the series, The Forgiving Jar, was available for review on NetGalley, I requested a copy for review. While this book is part of a series, Ms. Brunstetter does a great job of making it a standalone, but I'm betting that there are a few spots in this book where a bit more background would have enhanced the story, so I do recommend you read these books in order. 

Learning that her deceased mother's parents are members of an Amish community in Pennsylvania, Sara Murray heads to their home.  When she arrives at her grandparents' home, she learns that there is another young lady posing to be her.  Her grandparents are able to forgive the fraud, but Sara is still very resentful. Sara has very strong feelings of resentment and betrayal and these emotions are causing her difficulty in her relationships both with her grandparents and the poser, but also with her new friend Brad.  Sara finds some bible verses and other inspirational notes in a canning jar that will help her forgive and move forward with her life. 

Brunstetter provides readers with a great story full of anger, hurt, love, faith, forgiveness and even second chances. She includes a bit of suspense by way of some emotional twists. If you enjoy reading Amish fiction, Christian fiction, and sweet romance novels this is definitely a book for you! 

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing through 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 but chose to since it was a great book! Thank you!

The Forgiving Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter has us returning to Strasburg, Pennsylvania. Sara Murray is returning to her grandparent’s farm for the Thanksgiving holiday. The dentist she worked for recently retired and Sara would like to relocate to Strasburg to be closer to her grandparents. She is hoping she can live with them while looking for a job and apartment. When Sara arrived at the Lapp farm for the first time, she was shocked to find a woman impersonating her. Sara has no tolerance for people who lie, deceive and keep secrets since she learned of her mother’s secrets. When Sara arrives at the farm, she is surprised to see Michelle Taylor, the imposter, is once again living with Willis and Mary Ruth Lapp. Her grandparents tell Sara that Michelle returned to explain her actions and apologized to them. They have forgiven Michelle and invited her to live with them. Sara does not understand how they can easily forgive Michelle’s deception. Sara moves into the farmhouse and struggles to live with Michelle. She meets Brad Fuller, a theological student, when he visits at Christmas who had met Michelle the previous summer. Sara is drawn to Brad and she can tell he is attracted to her. However, Brad seems to keep his distance which confuses Sara. One day Sara finds an old canning jar in the cellar filled with slips of paper. Each slip has a different Bible verse or inspirational message. These messages provide Sara with encouragement and hope. Can Sara find a way to overcome her mother’s deceptions as well as Michelle’s? Is forgiveness in Sara’s future? Come along for Sara’s journey in The Forgiving Jar.

The Forgiving Jar is the second book in The Prayer Jar series. While The Forgiving Jar could be read as a standalone, I suggest reading The Hope Jar first. It will provide you with Michelle’s complete story and help you understand her motivations. I thought The Forgiving Jar was well-written with gentle pacing. I did find the story to be a little slow in the middle. I was drawn into the story and wanted to find out what would happen with Sara and Michelle. Sara has a hard time grappling with the concept of forgiveness. Her mother kept secrets from her and then Michelle impersonated her. Sara has trust issues and does not understand how her grandparents can easily forgive Michelle for her deception. We get to see how the slips of paper in an old canning jar help Sara understand the importance of forgiveness and being a Christian. The slips in the canning jar were encouraging, inspirational, guiding and thought provoking. With Michelle and Sara living in the same household, it is rife with tension. Mary Ruth talks with Sara about the issue. After that, Mary Ruth prays and leaves the issue in God’s hands. There is romance in the story as Michelle and Ezekiel King draw closer to each other. One of my favorite phrases was “turn your cares into prayers.” I did have trouble with Sara. She has a giant chip on her shoulder plus she is extremely resentful of Michelle. As time goes by, Sara along with Michelle mature. I liked seeing the women evolve, learn from their mistakes and grow in their faith. I look forward to reading The Healing Jar when it comes out. The Forgiving Jar is a sweet, heartwarming story that will touch your heart.

So beautifully written this book, The Forgiving Jar, had me turning the pages every chance I got. It had every element I love to read about, forgiveness, faith, love, a little mystery, and last but not least understanding.

At every turn the hopes of forgiveness was at the forefront. With the circumstances you can completely understand on how forgiveness might be a little slow in coming. Especially without the help and power of God.

Sara's grandparents are so nice and loving to all. There home is open to visitors and family. They genuinely care about everyone. I would love to be a part of their family too!

This is the second book in this series but you can read it alone without any problem.

A great great read! Makes me want to start my own jars!


I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.

The Forgiving Jar

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Mysterious prayer jars filled with Bible verses and notes of faith are an inspiration to two young ladies whose paths cross when one, in an act of desperation, assumes the identity of the other. Michelle, who pretends to be Sara, finds a hope jar in the barn of the Amish couple she is deceiving. Sara, their true granddaughter, finds a forgiving jar in the basement of their house. Regardless of who hid the treasure filled canning jars, God uses the messages in the jars to give hope, inspire forgiveness, and lead the women into a relationship with Him.

Having enjoyed The Hope Jar, I looked forward to continuing the tale in The Forgiving Jar and was not disappointed. Unanswered questions in the first book were mostly answered in the second, and closure was brought to all of the relationship issues. The characters in the first book continue into the second like meeting up again with old friends. I especially like the loving and patient spirit of Sara’s Amish grandparents, Will and Mary Ruth Lapp, who, according to Amish tradition, do not evangelize but “tried by their actions and deeds to be an example of what it meant to be a Christian.” The characters are realistically portrayed as they struggle to overcome old, deep-seated hurts through forgiveness which is not depicted lightly as an easy thing to do.

I recommend The Hope Jar and The Forgiving Jar as a pair. Readers will smile, root for the characters at various times in the story, be saddened over events past and present, and be happy that, as promised, God works out even the bad in their pasts for good.

I would like to extend my thanks to netgalley.com and to Barbour Publishing (Shiloh Run Press) for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.


Rating: 4/5

Category: General Fiction (Adult), Christian

Notes: 1. The Prayer Jars #2. I strongly recommend reading The Hope Jar first.
2. There are recipes and discussion questions at the end of the book.

Publication: February 1, 2019—Barbour Publishing (Shiloh Run Press)

Memorable Lines:

Michelle took a deep breath, enjoying the scents of the season. The fragrance of dried leaves still lingered from autumn, and the tang of wood smoke drifting out of chimneys from nearby homes permeated the air.

“The problem with guilt is until we let go, our thoughts can be consumed with it—sometimes to the point of it making us sick or affecting our relationships with others.”

She wished she could shut the door on her memories as easily as she closed the door on the winter’s cold.

The Forgiving Jar is the second book in Wanda E. Brunstetter’s The Prayer Jars series. I had not read the first book in the series, but the author included enough backstory so that the readers would be familiar with what was going on. However, I would recommend reading the series in order because it continues the storyline from the first book.

Sara Murray finds out after her mother’s death that her mother grew up Amish and that she still has Amish grandparents who are alive and wish to get to know her. Unbeknownst to her, there is an imposter who was pretending to be Sara and living with her grandparents’ home. I love how Sara discovered more about her heritage and grew in her faith throughout the story. Forgiveness and faith were important themes in this book. Fans of Amish fiction will thoroughly enjoy Wanda E. Brunstetter’s The Forgiving Jar.

I received a complimentary copy of this book Barbour Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you were on your way to meet your grandparents for the first time and you arrived to find someone impersonating you and deceiving your grandparents, would you be able to forgive them and become good friends? This is exactly what Sara has to decide in The Forgiving Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter.

In Brunstetter's well-crafted way, she wrote a story that plays with your emotions as you feel the conflict Sara is facing. Sara's grandparents, upon learning about Sara's impersonator are quick to forgive her and let her continue staying with them, something Sara can't understand.

Brunstetter did a great job of letting us see both sides of the situation from the different character perspectives. I felt for both of the characters as I learned more about their backstory. I understood Sarah's hurt and questioning and the reason she reacted the way she did, but I also felt for the imposter. While it was clearly wrong to pretend to be someone else, I was challenged by Sarah's grandparents and the forgiveness and kindness they showed.

The role of the old canning jar was another unique element to this story. I enjoyed reading this book and I enjoyed it even more than the first book in this series. Now I'm awaiting the third installment.

I am really enjoying The Prayer Jars series. In the second book the author focuses on the relationship between Sara and Michelle and how they each see themselves fitting into the lives of Willis and Mary Ruth. Sara is bound to be suspicious of Michelle's motives since she pretended to be Sara in the first book. Factor in jealousy and distrust which is understandable while lending a realism to the storyline.

Let's face, it both girls had valid reasons to feel the way they did given their life experiences. Michelle has had a pretty bad upbringing and Sara found out that her mother was Amish after her mother's death. I'm pretty sure my emotions would be all over the place, just as Sara's were. Especially when I saw the person who had pretended to be me, living in my grandparents home.

I didn't care too much for Michelle in the first book but she has matured and grown into a person who is worthy of being forgiven for her past actions. While being accepted in the community she has had time to think about how she wants to live her life and what she needs to do for a brighter future and the people she wants to be part of her future. It took me awhile to warm up to Sara but once I started to understand her feelings I sympathized with her and understood her character better. I was rooting for her to find her own happiness and have the life she wanted.

I was happy to catch up with Ezekiel and Brad because they have been two of my favorites since I met them in the first book. Brad has definite ideas about the qualities he wants in a wife which is as it should be and I like that he isn't the type to settle for less. Ezekiel has matured and made important life decisions that made me even more fond of him.

Overall this story of love, faith, family and forgiveness is one of my favorites penned by Ms. Brunstetter. I love how she brings her characters to life for her readers and leaves you wanting more which is why I cannot wait to read the third book in the series to find out what she will share with us next.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.

The Forgiving Jar by Wanda Brunstetter is a wonderful heartfelt book about dealing with bouts of jealousy, and learning to forgive even though it could be the hardest thing that you have to do. She makes the characters seem so real that now that I have finished book 2 in this series I am missing them and can't wait for the next book! I highly recommend this book to anyone!

The second book in The Prayer Jars series is just as good as the first, maybe even better. As we get to know the real Sara Murray we also get to better understand Michelle. We also get to know the other characters more and above all learn about forgiveness.

As much as I didn't care for Michelle in the first book I learned to really like her in The Forgiving Jar. Sara was the character I struggled to like in this book. While I understood her not liking Michelle I thought she was a bit harsh in her thoughts about her and the way she treated her. It was nice seeing Brad in this book again although I thought perhaps he would be more involved in the "forgiving" part of Sara's life than he was. Their friendship seemed very genuine though and it was a nice part of the story.

All in all, I enjoyed this book and can't wait for the next installment in the series. The author has a way of telling a wonderful story and leaving me wanting more of the characters she has created. This book could be read as a standalone but I don't recommend it. While some backstory is provided I suggest reading the series in order so you can fully understand the emotions of all the characters.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

It's all about forgiveness
The "Forgiving Jar", written by New York Times best-selling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, is the second book in a new 3-book series that plays mainly in a moderate Amish community in Strasburg, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. Michelle Taylor who impersonated the granddaughter of Mary Ruth and Willis Lapp, an older Amish couple, goes back to ask for their forgiveness. Ezekiel King whom she met previously tries to reassure her. Sara Murray, Lapps' real granddaughter returns a month later after losing her job. She is not impressed to find Michelle once again at her grandparents' place. Sara finds a jar with verses and notes about forgiveness hidden on a shelf in the cellar, but she is not really willing to forgive Michelle. When Michelle decides to take religious classes together with Ezekiel to prepare for entering the Amish church Sara has even more reasons to doubt Michelle and to hate her.
When Brad arrives for Christmas he discovers that Michelle had been an imposter, a confirmation for his previous feelings that something had not been right with "Sara." He has difficulties to forgive Michelle for all her lies. But there are others who need forgiveness and need to learn how to forgive.
I highly recommend this book to readers who want to read a romance novel that treats the topic of forgiveness. I appreciated that the book not only includes the story but also Bible verses and notes who deal about this topic. Furthermore, the book includes two recipes and discussion questions for personal reelection or for the book club discussion. I want to point out one caution: Although this is a stand-alone novel, it is the second one in the "The Prayer Jars" series. The issues between Sara and Michelle, and also between Michelle and others might be harder to be understood if the reader has not read the first book in the series (The Hope Jar). Nevertheless, I am looking forward to the last book in the series "The Healing Jar).
The complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley free of charge. I was under no obligation to offer a positive review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#TheForgivingJar #NetGalley

I can always depend on Brunstetter's Amish fiction to be clean, gentle and spiritually filling. This second book in The Prayer Jars series fits these descriptors. Sara and Michelle, both characters from book 1, have had difficult past histories with family dysfunction. They both have fallen in love with the Amish town of Strasburg Pennsylvania and Sara's Amish grandparents. Antagonistic to one another because of Michelle's prior duplicity in pretending to be Sara, both girls are encouraged by Sara's grandparents to try to be kind to one another. Each of them finds a prayer jar filled with encouraging slips of paper, one in the laundry room and one in the barn, that helps them begin to draw closer to God. I also thought that both Brad and Ezekiel were models of their faith in acknowledging they could not marry unless their partners were Christians as well.

I liked the spiritual depth that Brunstetter always writes within her Amish fiction. Both girls grew in faith especially Sara after accepting Jesus as her Savior. The book is filled with forgiveness, models of family support and unity, as well as a couple of sweet, slowly developing romances. I hope that there is a book 3 because I would like to find out more about the story behind the prayer jars themselves.

Well written Amish fiction that does not follow the usual formulaic patterns of so many Amish books.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shiloh Run Press through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I read the first book in the series (The Hope Jar) last year, and since then I’ve been highly anticipating reading this one. The story is incredibly easy to get sucked into, and the growth and healing the characters experience as they learn more about their Heavenly Father through little slips of paper in a jar. It’s a unique story with quite the interesting plot. In the first book we met Michelle who ended up impersonating Mary Ruth and Willis’s granddaughter Sara (long story, definitely read the first book first). In this story, Michelle has found forgiveness and is still figuring out just where she belongs in this world. Sara is happy she has finally met her grandparents, but she is incredibly skeptical and jealous of Michelle. Her road to forgiveness is a tough one for her, but she finds encouragement not only in the prayer jars, but from others around her.

One thing that I loved about this story, was that it causes you to not only empathize with the characters, but examine yourself. Have you ever judged someone else for a particular sin until you suddenly feel convicted after committing it yourself? Have you ever thought someone else’s grass was greener until you realize they’re just battling a different beast? This story really challenges the reader to have compassion for others, and to have a forgiving spirit. You don’t have to fully understand what someone else is going through to empathize with them. Compassion really does go a long way.

I really love this series so far, and I am now impatiently waiting for the release of the next book. I highly recommend this story to Amish and Christian Fiction fans. Definitely read the first book first or you will feel very lost, but absolutely pick it up and give it a read!

*I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.

I received a complimentary copy of The Forgiving Jar by Wanda E. Brunstetter from Barbour Publishing Inc through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Forgiving Jar – the title alone – is such an interesting choice that I had to read this book. I found out while reading this book, that it is actually book two in a series, but it was written so well that it can be read as a standalone novel.

The Forgiving Jar is a well written story which surrounds the lives of two young English ladies who have moved into the Amish community. This is a very interesting twist from always hearing about Amish girls who wants to escape that way of life for the English life.

I stepped outside of my comfort zone by taking on this challenge to read an Amish story. There was once a time I was very interested in the Amish way of life and their history, but I always thought that the Amish fiction novels were somewhat boring and tedious to read. The author has brilliantly showed that Amish fiction can be interesting and can be an exciting read. Wanda has written this so purely that it kept me engaged in the story until I could find out how Sara and Michelle’s life would lead them. I am glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave this a try.

The Forgiving Jar fulfils a category on my 2019 Reading Challenge for being a book “outside of my comfort zone”.

Wonderful read!! I really enjoyed this book that was totally about forgiveness and redemption. Wanda Brunstetter did not disappoint!! Another 5 star 🌟 novel in my opinion.

How easy do you forgive a person who has been dishonest? In this heartwarming story, notes found in a jar play an important part in life lessons and forgiveness. While reading this book, I reflected on forgiveness in my own life. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Forgiving Jar by Wanda Brunstetter is book 2 in The Prayer Jars series. This is a wonderful series showing life and forgiveness.
Sara and her former imposter, Michelle are both back in Lancaster and living with The Lapps. Sara can not understand how her grandparents could forgive Michelle for all of the lies. This opens the door for her to learn how to forgive and to love.
The setting is great and the characters are relatable and likeable. Though, Sara has a few moments of being self centered .
This is a great story that could be read alone but you will want to read The Hope Jar.
I was given an ARC from Netgalley for an honest review.

The Forgiving Jar, is part of the series The Prayer Jars. This is the second book by Wanda Brunstetter. Having never met her Amish grandparents, Sara seeks out to know them. Unaware of a deceptive Michelle who had been pretending to be her, Sara must find it in her heart to forgive. Michelle has her own reasons for being deceitful. Sara stumbles upon a jar with tiny pieces of paper, holding a scripture on each . She learns to trust God as each scripture unfolds in her hands and in her heart.

Couldn't we all benefit from a forgiving jar in our everyday lives.

This series will warm your heart. You will fall in love with the characters, especially the Lapps. It's helpful to read book one but you can read this solo, as it relays the previous story well. I highly recommend this series and am so excited, for book three, The Healing Jar, due out later this year.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was under no obligation to post any reviews.