Yes, Author Laurel Blount has done it again. She has written an authentic Amish romance filled with faith, courage, inspiration, and hope. The characters are so believable you find yourself relating to their emotions and thoughts. Life sometimes is unfair, and Miriam Hochstedler finds that to be true when she witnesses her parents murder. Reuben Brenneman arrives at her family’s farm to work with an injured horse. Having survived an abusive childhood, Reuben understands trauma more than most. As Miriam and Reuben work together they develop a close friendship. Is it possible the friendship can deepen into something more when Miriam is Amish and Reuben is now Englisch? Great series that is not to be missed.
I received a complimentary copy from Net Galley. The opinions are my own.

This trip back to Johns Mill and Amish country is another emotional and special story. The characters are so realistic and familiar. The background story came back to me quickly. The Hochstedler family has been through so much, beginning with the tragic death of their parents. Miriam has been traumatized since she witnessed their murder in the family's general store. She hasn't left the farm and has bonded with a horse staying on the farm where she lives with her brother Joseph and sister-in-law Naomi. But the horse is also traumatized and will be put down if things don't change. Reuben Brenneman is a man who left the Amish church before he was baptized because of his abusive father. The church never worked hard enough to set his father straight. Reuben has deep pain also. Both Miriam, Breeze, the horse, and Reuben benefit from this situation and healing comes from unlikely and unusual places. But the path is not easy and not smooth. Laurel Blount is a wonderful storyteller who brings forth stories that touch one's heart with great characters full of faith, love, and emotion that reaches deep and is lasting. I highly recommend this book and all in the series.
I received a copy for the purpose of an honest review. These are my thoughts.

I cannot express how happy I am to be back in Johns Mill for the third book in this series, Courage in the Storm. Author Laurel Blount artfully weaves together the parallels of Miriam Hochstedler and Reuben Brenneman.
You might remember Miriam from books one and two. She is the youngest sister, and the one who witnessed her parents getting killed at the family store. She has been paralyzed by fear since then - especially afraid of Englishers - but has progressed from confining herself to her room to now, in this book, being able to move about the family farm.
Sam’s horse, Breeze (the one in the buggy accident with Sam in book 2) is boarding with Joseph (Miriam’s older brother), Naomi, and Miriam. Since the accident, Breeze is uncontrollable. Sam asks his friend, Reuben (a former Amish who left to go English) to help. It’s their last resort, but they are hopeful a “horse whisperer” like Reuben can do the job.
It turns out Miriam, Reuben and Breeze are very much alike. They all need learn to trust…Miriam in herself, Reuben in Gott (and other Plain folk who DO care), and Breeze in Miriam and Reuben. They all have fears to get over, and Laurel so beautifully intertwines how this happens. It’s not easy, and it’s not without a bit of heartbreak, but they all do have “Courage in the Storm”, and oh, how gloriously their lives shine as they come through it, much like the sun breaking through dark clouds.
I read this in one night. It is a story that begs you NOT to put it down.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book, but my opinion is entirely my own.

Loved this one.
Once you open this book, you'll not want to put it down until it is finished!
My heart went out to the horse and the young woman in the story.
I can't begin to imagine what they went through.
We also can't forget Reuben with scars of his own too!
Their journey is definitely a tough one!
This story has all the ingredients to make you smile and tearful at the same time!
I love it when a book does that for you.
One baby step at a time with God's help. Anything is possible!
Blount does a fantabulous job of showing the characters and us readers in what the Lord can do if we only let Him!
All it takes is courage and faith in the Lord. Can all 3 do it?
Read this sweet tale and find out!
5 stars! For a job well done! I highly recommend it!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Courage in the Storm by Laurel Blount is SO GOOD! The storyline is very different from any other Amish book I've read.

Miriam has been traumatized by seeing her parents murdered by an Englischer and has too much anxiety to leave the family farm. She's bonded with a horse that is going to be sent to slaughter because it's unmanageable. The family tries one last-ditch effort to train the horse due to Miriam's connection with it. That effort brings an Englischer, Reuben, to the family farm who enlists Miriam's help with the horse's training due to her bond with it. In training the horse and interacting with Reuben, Miriam makes great progress in dealing with her own issues. Miriam, in turn, helps Reuben deal with his issues and brings a community of Plain folks around him in a way he's never experienced before.

I loved watching Miriam and Reuben start to fall for one another. I liked how Reuben stood up for Miriam with her family and how he believed in her. The tension and troubles between Reuben and Miriam was believable.

I just can't say enough how wonderful this book is. If you like Amish fiction, you won't want to miss this book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Loved this story!
This is my voluntary review of a copy I received from NetGalley.

The main characters are all dealing with traumatic pasts and the author treats the subject well. This is Book #3 in the series but stand up well on its own.

As much as the story covers serious situations I found myself laughing aloud in a few places and really appreciated the range in emotions that the story draws out.
Of course, we get a well earned HEA, but oh boy, what a ride to get there!

March 27, 2023
I love this series by Laurel Blount. In this book #3, the story focuses on Miriam and Reuben. Both of them have suffered tragedies in their lives. Will a broken horse named Breeze bring them together so that healing can begin? This story is about love, faith, family, community, forgiveness and healing. You don't want t miss this uplifting and encouraging book and series.

This read is rich in emotions, and if you have read the previous books, you will understand why, although, the author does a wonderful job of bringing us up to date. Miriam Hochstedler has drawn inward, and is petrified of any non-Amish person, and as the book opens is caught in the barn when one comes in.
Enter Reuben Brenneman, a hurting man, but gifted in helping those who are frightened and helpless, and we are blessed to watch him in action. Breeze a horrible injured and scared horse is heading to the glue factory if Reuben is unable to help him, and we are there as he begins to work his magic, or not!
This becomes a riveting page turner, so much pain and senseless acts. This is a read that is full of healing, both animal and human, along with the closeness of community, and throw in a little bit of sweet romance.
I was so invested here that I didn't want to leave, and hoping for a return visit!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Berkley, and was not required to give a positive review.

Congratulations Lauren Blount on your book, Courage in the storm. Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group, for allowing me to read an ARC of this outstanding book. All ideas in this review are my own, and I was not required to give a positive review.

Miriam Hochstedler Has a disabling fear that will not allow her to leave the farm where she lives with her brother and sister in law. Marion saw her mother and father killed in front of her by an English man. This experience has imprisoned her on the farm and does not allow her to visit her sister, church or anywhere outside of her home farm. It even took her a while to venture into the chicken yard.

Reuben Brenneman Is a horse trainer who really understands traumatized animals, possibly since he was abused as a Child, and left his Amish upbringing to become Englisch. Reuben arrives to retrain Breeze, a gelding, who has been traumatized after an accident and seems to only identify,Cautiously, with Miriam.

This is a well written story. The storyline and characters are developed so well that you feel you are part of the story.

Just when you think you have it all figured out, your in for another change of events. The wordage carrying you through the story is excellent.

Don’t miss this 5-star read. It is really a good one.

Imagine a man who grew up Amish but now 'Englisch', and could be called the horse whisperer. He understands abuse and trauma in animals. Now view a lovely Amish woman who is traumatized by witnessing her parents killed in their store by an Englischer. Her anxiety being around any 'Englisch' or leaving the safe place, the farm.

Miriam’s family has an injured & traumatized gelding. Breeze trusts NO human except in a very small way he doesn’t fear Miriam — perhaps because she understands his fear.

Enter Reuben Brenneman, former Amish, well-known for his ability to save a horse and create a well-behaved animal. What he doesn’t realize is he can do the same in a small way for a young woman who only recently was able to leave her house. It only took a year.

My review …
Reuben does not like working that closely with the Amish since his 'gmay' leaders did not help keep his father from beating him and his mother again and again due to his drinking. But he owes Sam, the gelding’s owner, and has taken on Breeze. Immediately, he realizes that Breeze has a connection with Miriam. Reuben is a tough guy — he has had to be — but when he finds that his Englisch outfit creates terror for Miriam, our tough guy did something he swore he would never do — wear Amish clothes.

Miriam feels a lot for Breeze and is willing to help Reuben — in Amish clothing and in doing so, takes steps forward in overcoming her trauma.

What I loved …
Everything. I’d give this six stars if it was possible. Such a wonderful, powerful story. Well-researched by the author, Laurel Blount. I felt I learned a great deal about traumatized animals through Breeze’s story. Every character was rich in just the right amount of detail. The scenes are so well described that the reader easily “sees” them. The pacing of the story was, at least for this reviewer, perfect.

This story is RICH! Abundant with wonderful characters, plots, and subplots. And wonderful, knowledgeable phrases. If you have ever wondered how fear can truly impact a person, reading “Courage in the Storm” will help you to understand. To paraphrase the author, “Fear — [even unreasonable fear] — has its reasons.”

One fun spot was Miriam and her chickens. The chicken coop was the first place she visited when she left the house for the first time. Miriam names her chickens — and the rooster had been named for a bishop! Most people don’t name their chickens, at least we never did. Milking cows, yes. Chickens, no.

So, I urge you to add this book to your to-be-read stack. Pre-order it. Tell your library to order it. “Courage in the Storm” is THAT good.

I received a complimentary DRC (digital review copy) of “Courage in the Storm” via NetGalley from the publisher, Berkley Publishing Group, Berkley. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Rating: 5 stars
#CourageintheStorm #NetGalley #LaurelBlount

Respect fear or understand it. Two different things. Everyone including animals deal with fear.

I have really enjoyed this series of the John Mill Amish Romances. It is all centered around a shooting that killed an Amish couple and how each family has dealt with that. Miriam Hochstedler is living with her brother Joseph and his wife. Since the shooting she has not gone into town town, or church. She has pretty much stayed on the farm. When she gets triggered, she goes into a melt down that she has been trying to fight. She has seen the same fear that she is dealing with in Breeze. Her brother-in-law's horse. Miriam knows that if Breeze's fear is not dealt with, they will have to put it down. Sam has a friend that jumped the Amish fence Reuben who is a horse whisperer. He knows horses. When he arrives to check out Breeze, he comes across Miriam and he sees first hand the fear that they both are struggling with. He has lived with fear in his young life so he becomes a friend to Miriam. Together, the three face their fears.

I loved how the fear of Breeze, Miriam and even Reuben have an underlying thread. One step at a time. It is not easy facing your fears but it is better than being comfortable in your fears. You miss out living when you live in fear and God's best for you. It takes support of others to face your fears and I loved that part of the story as well. Very relational read. Loved it.

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

If you are a fan of Laurel Blount's you will love this story. If you have not read any of her books you are truly missing out on a fabulous author. This book is awesome. I love Miriam and Reuben's story.

Miriam witnessed her parents being murdered in their storm in town over a year ago. She is unable to leave the farm because of this. She feels threatened when she sees an Englisher. She barely leaves her room sometimes.

Reuben is there to help them try to "fix" her horse named Breeze. He had a traumatic accident and he is hard to handle because of his fears.

Reuben has his own fears and things in his past that "haunt" what he does and where he goes.

This story is how the three of them working together overcome their fears.

What does a young Amish lady, a man who left the Amish lifestyle and a horse named Breeze have in common? They have all experienced trauma in their past and had their trust shattered. I enjoyed reading how they all three learned to trust each other by working together and overcoming their doubts and fears. This was a slow process for all of them and it helped bolster their confidence as well. I look forward to reading the next book by Laurel Blount because she is an exceptional writer and I am never disappointed in her books.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley. All views expressed are my own.