Loved this story! A woman tries to return to her roots after a horrible tragedy changes her life forever. But returning isn’t easy. It forces her to hide a true part of who she is. She’s determined to hide that part of her life - convinced that she wouldn’t be accepted if people knew the truth. But hiding her past means never allowing her life to move forward. Never falling in love. Never building a true family for her children

An Amish Mother’s Secret Past by Jo Ann Brown is the 3rd novel in Green Mountain Blessings series. Each book in this series can be read as a standalone. I liked that this was a unique Amish novel. It is always a delight to visit Evergreen Corners where Amish, Mennonite, and Englisch volunteers are working to rebuild the town that was devastated by Hurricane Kevin. Rachel Yoder is a widow with two young girls. She has returned to her Amish roots in the hopes of providing the girls with a stable life. Rachel does not want anyone to know about her past. Isaac Kauffman is an Amishman leading the building of the new homes. He finds himself drawn to Rachel and believes she would make the perfect Amish wife. Rachel knows she is not the right woman for Isaac, but fate keeps bringing them together. She finds herself falling for Isaac knowing that they cannot be together. What happens when Rachel’s past comes to light? I enjoyed reading An Amish Mother’s Secret Past. It has realistic, developed characters. I loved Rachel’s little girls. They are such sweethearts (at times). The author made them act like real life children. Rachel and Isaac both have troubled childhoods. It reflects on the choices they have made and the decisions they continue to make. A person from Rachel’s past visits, and it upsets her family’s world. It is nice to see Evergreen Corners coming back to life. These wonderful volunteers have rebuilt a town. I think it is wonderful that people will take time out from their home and work to assist others in their time of need. I like that we get to catch up with the characters from An Amish Christmas Promise and An Amish Easter Wish. The romance progressed at a nice pace, and I like that Isaac included the children. There is a chance for Rachel and Isaac to overcome the past and have a bright future together (if they are brave enough). This is a sweet, heartwarming story that is enjoyable to read. I am looking forward to reading An Amish Holiday Family which is the 4th Green Mountain Blessings Novel. My favorite line from the book is, “Everything is possible when we give our lives and our hearts over to God.” An Amish Mother’s Secret Past is a special Amish tale with cute kids, a bossy brother, helping hands, tasty treats, husband hunting, and a surprising secret.

This is a sweet, touching story of a young Amish widow who deeply loves her children and is doing her best to raise them on her own. Rachel left the Amish faith, but has returned and wants nothing more than to be part of the Amish church again. But she’s afraid to admit to her past, especially the fact that she served in the military. She’s finding her place in the Green Mountain Amish community, and hopes to make this The permanent home for she and her daughters. Isaac has decided it’s time he begins courting, and he’s looking for the “perfect” Amish wife. Both Isaac and Rachel have a good deal to learn about love, God’s forgiveness, and new beginnings. I admired Rachel’s courage in dealing with the complications from her past, and Isaac made the perfect hero for their family.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

A lovely, engaging tale of new starts in life, of forgiveness, trust, and daring to take the leap of faith to open your heart to love. From the very beginning, I was pulled into the story. The main characters are charming and likable, they are easy to relate to, they have their issues and challenges, their secrets, yet they are brave, kind, giving, smart, and hard-working.
I adored Rachel and her story, her tough military career, her survival spirit, her eagerness to serve, her loving spirit, and her delightful daughters. She has such a big heart, open mind, and clever wit.
And Isaac was just the perfect mate to her. Isaac was known for his perfectionist tendencies, and for him to realize the difference between perfect and perfect for him, to learn to trust his heart to love and feel instead of just being practical was a beautiful journey to witness.
The chemistry between Rachel and Isaac was intense. Yes, it was sweet, clean, and adorable as well, but in a cleaver way, the author showed the attraction burning in between them without making it awkward.
A quaint and timely tale of volunteers working to rebuild a town after flooding damaged homes, only to be faced with another hurricane. In the midst of the mayhem, a widowed mother of two cute girls meets the leader of volunteers who captures her mind and heart, as they both heal from old wounds and broken childhoods.
A beautifully written, inspiring, and entertaining story that warmed my heart and lingers in my mind.
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side

An Amish Mother's Secret Past is an engaging story, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm pretty new to Amish romance - I think this is about my 4th book in the genre, and I'm finding that I like it more than I expected. This one is a story of starting over, of faith, of love, and of hope. I liked the characters and I was genuinely rooting for the couple. This is part of a series, but I didn't find any holes in the story or places where I felt like I should know something that I didn't, so I would say that it works as a standalone. That said, I do think that some of the characters from the first couple of books make appearances here. Again, I haven't read them, so I don't know for sure, but it felt that way. That didn't take anything away from this one, and I was able to follow the who's who as I read, so it all worked out. As for this book, it's a pretty quick read, the story pulls you in, and the characters are likable and interesting.

"An Amish Mother's Secret Past" presents readers with an interesting plot and likeable characters. A widowed mom of two little girls, Rachel struggles to care for them while doing volunteer work for a small mountain town recovering from a tempestuous flood. But Rachel has a secret past, and prefers that it remain hidden. Isaac possesses great skills as a construction worker and manager, but feels unfulfilled without a wife and kids. As Isaac seeks "the perfect Amish wife," he discovers that maybe perfection is not what he expects, and is actually right in front of him. When Rachel must draw upon strengths from her past life in order to help the town escape from additional tragedy, she reveals new information about herself. Will Isaac and the Amish community accept her?

Readers may find this book a bit slow going as the plot is developed, but it is worth hanging in there as the story of Rachel and Isaac unfolds. Thrown in cute little girls, a mischievous kitten, potential rivalries, and threatening weather, and you have a perfect "storm" of possibilities that beg to be learned and loved by those who appreciate a thrilling story, with romance and secrets thrown into the bargain. The Christian message in this book is overt, and it is a clean read without violence, strong language, or descriptive intimacy.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

Thanks goes to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary copy of An Amish Mother’s Secret Past by Jo Ann Brown for the purpose of reading and reviewing prior to publication. My opinions are my own and no one influenced me in any way.
An Amish Mother’s Secret Past is a well written Amish romance with endearing characters and a sweet romance. The pacing kept me enmeshed from the beginning to the end. It has enough descriptive writing to give me the strong sense of the Amish community.

Rachel Yoder’s character is a widow with two adorable daughters. Her late husband was in the military, and she is also a veteran. When he dies, she returns to her Amish upbringing, slipping into the familiar of the new Amish community in Vermont although she’s never been baptized. I liked her a great deal and wanted her to open her heart to the hero.

Isaac Kauffman is the typical Amish hero and a delightful one. He yearns for a family but doesn’t believe he deserves one. He too has secrets, so he is more accepting of Rachel’s. Although his need for perfection gives the heroine a different impression.

I enjoyed the lovely romance between Rachel and Isaac. They don’t have the usual courting relationship that most Amish have. They are a bit older than many Amish couples. Rachel’s exposure to the Englischer lifestyle influences her decisions and choices. Her fear to tell Isaac about her past causes a lot of internal conflict, making this an enjoyable reading experience.

If you enjoy Amish romances with characters that will pull at your heartstrings and one that has a unique plot, then you will love An Amish Mother’s Secret Past as much as I did. I’m so glad I found this excellent novel. Happy reading!

A heartwarming tale of starting over, a strong veteran heroine, and giving love a chance.



Army Veteran Rachel Yoder grew up Amish in a strict community, now she is returning to her Amish roots with her young daughters. I really liked how Rachel is a more mature heroine, she has done a lot of things, and seen the world, working through a lot of pain from her past. She wants to give her children a safe and stable home, and also to reconnect with her roots. I really admired her work ethic, and willingness to help out wherever needed, and she is an excellent mother.



Isaac is a bachelor, who has finally decided that it might be nice to settle down, and is on the lookout for "The Perfect Amish Wife." He admires Rachel's varied practical skill set and how she isn't afraid to jump in and do her part. Her daughters take to him instantly, and I especially enjoyed the sweet interaction between him her daughters--they are so cute!



This was a very enjoyable and entertaining read, I liked the fresh twist on Amish romance and what a strong and capable woman that Rachel was. Isaac is a very kind man, he's very understanding of children, and doesn't give up. There were some great humorous moments, and great interaction throughout. I loved this heartwarming read, it has strong faith, and characters that you can cheer for all the way through. Highly recommend!



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

This is the third book that I have read in this series, so it was nice to meet up with some of the past characters, who do play a role in this book.
This time it is Isaac who has his heart turned with the arrival of an Amish widow with two sweet little girls, and they meet in rather upsetting way, at least for his shoes!
We journey as this community is attempting to get back on its feet after a devastating flood, and they are almost finished with the rebuilding, hoping to be done by Christmas.
Widow Rachel Yoder is hiding a big secret, especially for an Amish woman, and as it unfolds we don’t know if she can stay in the safety of his world she want to be apart of.
This story has a little of many things, jealousy, Faith, forgiveness, and hope for the future!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review.