The Pretender by Wanda E. Brunstetter
The Big Valley Disappearance #3
(A Mifflin County Mystery)
Book 3 of 3: Mifflin County Mysteries
A Woman Missing for Two Years Suddenly Returns Home
In book three of the Mifflin County Mystery series, Rosa Petersheim’s return creates more hurt and confusion in the Big Valley.
Two years since Rosa Petersheim mysteriously disappeared from her Amish home, there has been no word from her. Her family and friends have suffered in the silence, though they have tried to move on with life.
Then one day Rosa just as suddenly reappears at her parent’s home. . .with a husband in tow.
Rosa is ashamed of the choices she made that caused her to leave home. And now that she is back, her father is not welcoming and her siblings and friends want explanations that she can’t give.
Will Rosa’s family accept her and Anthony? Can the Big Valley ever be home again?
This is Rosa Petersheim and family's story.
This is Anthony's story.
She disappeared and no one knew if she was dead or alive.
What happened to Rosa Petersheim? If you have read the other two books in this series you will know that she disappeared without a trace. Her family has waited for two long years with no word from Rosa.
The Protector was the first book where readers learned about the mysterious disappearance of Rosa Petersheim and the fallout for her family and friends. No one knew why she left, of her own accord or foul play, and despite trying no one was able to find Rosa or about what happened to her. The Peacemaker was the second book in the series was focused on Rosa’s friends and family as they try to go on with their lives despite not knowing what happened to her.
The Pretender a much anticipated finale to the mysterious disappearance of Rosa Petersheim, a little over two years before.
Rosa returns 2yrs later pregnant with her husband Anthony Reeves.
In The Pretender, the last book in this series, readers finally get to meet Rosa, learn what has happened to her over the past two years, any why her family had not heard from her. She is living in New York City and has worked as a nanny and as a waitress. When Rosa is facing a crisis in her life and she makes the hard decision that it is time to return home to her family. Anthony Reeves, chef and son of the restaurant owners, takes pity on Rosa and decides to accompany Rosa home. Will their concocted plan influence Rosa’s parents into taking her back? Or will it backfire and cause more problems?
A story of about forgiveness, faith, family and second chances.
When she returns home, she has a husband in tow, Anthony. Will her parents allow her and Anthony back?
I recommend this book.
The Pretender by Wanda E. Brunstetter is a 5 star book.
I am looking forward to reading more books by Wanda E. Brunstetter.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared here in this review are my own.

Finally, the Third book in Wanda Brunstetter's Mifflin County Mysteries. Readers, after waiting for a year, are rewarded with the romance and full story of missing daughter Rosa Petersheim. This is a beautiful story of forgiveness, redemption, confession, and family reconciliation. The story begins with prodigal daughter Rosa, learning she is unmarried and pregnant. Working at the restaurant owned by Anthony Reeve's father, she realizes she can not afford to take care of a baby. Rosa is afraid to go home, because of her strict father, bishop of their local Amish District. Anthony offers his misguided help to pretend to be her husband, until they can "fake" a separation and he can go on his ways. What follows is their journey towards repentance and confession.

Wanda, through our main characters and younger sister, Susan; portrays how once convicted honesty and confession and true repentance our needed. Rosa's father faces his own shortcomings, and realize all have sinned and all are in need of forgiveness. Anthony, has his own journey to God leading to repentance. Readers will not want to put down this book as they anxiously await to see how Anthony and Rosa's story unfolds.

This Amish romance has deceit, repentance and forgiveness. An Amish woman is pregnant with a married man’s child. Her friend tries to help her by pretending to be her husband as she goes home to her family in hopes of acceptance. Such a good read!!

Great Conclusion

The Pretender is a great conclusion to the Mifflin County Mysteries series. And while it is part of a series, author Wanda E. Brunstetter blends in enough details that make it readable as a stand-alone without missing anything.

When Rosa returns home accompanied by Anthony, they have a plan in place that they feel is doable. However, bumps in the road begin getting in the way of the plan's success. As Rosa and Anthony spend more time together, along with Rosa's family, feelings shift and secrets unfold, along with family drama. All of this results in a story of faith, forgiveness, self-discovery, and new beginnings, which is touching and heartfelt.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All comments and opinions are entirely my own and voluntary.

This is a great read. It has a wonderful cast of characters and the plot will keep you turning the pages.
It's a sweet Amish romance that deals with family drama, forgiveness and faith.
I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing via NetGalley and was not required to write a review.
All opinions expressed are my own.

The Pretender is Brunstetter's third and final book in the Mifflin County Mystery series. After being missing from her home for over two years, Rosa Petersheim suddently appears on the doorstep of her childhood home... with a husband in tow and pregnant. Where has she been and what had she been doing these past two years? And why did her family never hear from her, despite Rosa's claim to having left a note, sending mail, and calling and leaving messages?

I felt that this was a very good conclusion to this series, and forgiveness was a major theme. Rosa's sister, Susan, continues to be her mean-spirited self, but maybe that will change.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an advanced e-pub of this book.

All opinions found herein are strictly my own.

#ThePretender #NetGalley

3 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC.

Well. I tried it. I'm not going to give this a bad rating because I knew going in I wasn't the target audience. I wanted to try a christian/Amish romance since they're popular with my library patrons.

But being a Christian Romance doesn't mean the reader deserve terrible writing. You'd think Brunstetter, with her HUGE backlog of novels, would be able to write better.

I'm not the target audience, but the target audience deserves better.

Decisions can sometimes bring joy and other times, bring sorrow. In this special story, the characters are faced with the consequences of their decisions and actions. Will love win? Will truths be revealed? Family and friends may help with future planning. Trusting in God is the answer. I received a complimentary copy of this book. No review was required.

The Pretender by Wanda E Brunstetter – Likeable Characters, Interesting Growth and Development, My Favorite Book of the Series

The Pretender, by Wanda E. Brunstetter, is the third book in the Mifflin County Mysteries series. This book is my favorite in the series. The Protector was the first book where readers learned about the mysterious disappearance of Rosa Petersheim and the fallout for her family and friends. No one knew why she left, of her own accord or foul play, and despite trying no one was able to find Rosa or about what happened to her. The Peacemaker was the second book in the series was focused on Rosa’s friends and family as they try to go on with their lives despite not knowing what happened to her.

In The Pretender, the last book in this series, readers finally get to meet Rosa, learn what has happened to her over the past two years, any why her family had not heard from her. She is living in New York City and has worked as a nanny and as a waitress. When Rosa is facing a crisis in her life and she makes the hard decision that it is time to return home to her family. Anthony Reeves, chef and son of the restaurant owners, takes pity on Rosa and decides to accompany Rosa home. Will their concocted plan influence Rosa’s parents into taking her back? Or will it backfire and cause more problems? Just how many pretenders are there?

The Pretender is my favorite book in the series. I enjoyed getting to know Rosa and was surprised that I liked her character, despite how her unwise choices negatively impacted those around her. Anthony was one of my favorite characters. Despite getting himself thrown into circumstances he never anticipated, he was caring and concerned for Rosa and her family. Even when he reaped painful consequences because of his choices he did not let that keep him down or hold him back.

I enjoyed seeing the characters from the earlier books return. It heartening to see how the characters had grown and changed over the years, from Rosa’s parents, to her siblings, and friends. Susan, Rosa’s sister, has remained stuck in her negative thoughts and attitudes. How much self-inflicted misery does it take to motivate someone to change? Is there hope that Susan can change and grow?

I liked seeing Rosa take personal responsibility for her choices and the consequences. It was good to see the mellowing and growth in the characters. Anthony was a refreshing addition to the storyline. I appreciated that the Gospel message was shared and how Scripture was used to impact characters for good. I would have gone with a different or more nuanced interpretation on some of the Scripture verses mentioned.

If you like reading mysteries or Amish fiction, you may want to read Wanda E. Brunstetter’s newest book The Pretender, the last book in the Mifflin County Mysteries series. This was an enjoyable read and my favorite book in this series. This book will be released August 1, 2025.

I would like to thank Barbour Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of The Pretender by Wanda E. Brunstetter. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

I hasn’t read the first two books in the series, but I was able to follow the characters backstory..

There was one character who was so difficult to like, luckily were so many others to make the book enjoyable.

The sibling rivalry was tiresome at times even though I understood why it existed.

Overall, this story of faith. family and forgiveness is a lovely way to pass the time, especially in this heat and humidity.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy.

The third in the Mifflin County Mystery series will answer questions about the disappearance of Rosa Petersheim. Rosa having previously left the Amish community over two years ago, finds herself in a dilemma so returns home with a surprise for everyone. Rosa is desperate for a second chance but not everyone is eager to forgive. Secrets are uncovered and the healing begins in this powerful conclusion. Recommended!

The Pretender is the third and final book in the Miflin County Mystery series. I have not read the first two books in this series so I can say without reservation that this book can be read as a standalone novel.

I enjoyed this story by Wanda E Brunstetter for several reasons. The characters are believable and not without the foibles of life that can make or break your day. Rosa, the young Amish woman who is the main focus of this story convinces Anthony to drive her to the family home she left two years before. There begins the ruse of this story as the two of them begin more than a journey from New York City to an Amish farmhouse to Anthony's greatest surprise. It is the first of mny times that he wonders if she is the same woman he believed her to be.

What follows is a serious, yet comical story of life change, forgiveness and new beginnings. I recommend this book for the reader looking for inspirational entertainment. You'll find it all inside, including a strong dose of sibling rivalry, a strict Amish bishop and a young man who is open to supporting his friend as she mends the hole in the heart of her family once she had left their community. There is much more to this story than meets the eye.

"And you shall know the truth, & the truth shall set you free." Rosa Petersheim returns home after disappearing for two years . She lived a lie among the English & has returned home under false circumstances. Her friend Anthony tries to help his friend, but they find themselves in over theirs heads with the lies they've told & can't move forward in an honest relationship until everything is made right. Its a story of faith, obedience & honesty. Reading book 3 of the Mifflin Co. Mystery series was like revisiting old friends! I was given a complimentary copy of this book by Barbour Publishing & was under no obligation to post a review.

The Pretender is the 3rd book in Wanda Brunstetters “A Mifflin County Mystery" series. The Pretender closes the loop on the series, bringing readers a much anticipated finale to the mysterious disappearance of Rosa Petersheim, a little over two years before. While the first book, The Protector, dealt with her disappearance and how it affected her family and friends, the second book, The Peacemaker, dealt with her family and friends still having no idea what happened to her, but inevitably, life goes on, and it did for the Petersheim family, and Rosa’s boyfriend and best friend, Ada. In book 3, The Pretender, all the questions are answered: what happened to Rosa, and who played a role in continuing the mystery. Rosa has returned home, and while it is a joyous occasion, there are still a lot of misunderstands and old hurts that have to be dealt with, and questions that need to be answered. Confession and forgiveness play a crucial role in the lives of many of the people we’ve come to know over the past two books. Ms. Brunstetter once again artfully ties up all the loose ends, leaving readers feeling hopeful for the future, as well as the enduring promise of love and compassion, given to each of us by God, or Jesus, however you choose to see Him.

The Pretender by Wanda E. Brunstetter is book #3 in the Big Valley Disappearance series. If there is a book #4, I certainly hope Susan becomes a more likable character. Susan is the main character's (Rosa's) sister. As is the case with many teens and young adults, the grass looks greener on the other side...until you get on the other side. As in the case of Rosa, leaving the Amish way of life and entering the English world isn't all she thought it would be. When she returns home, she has a husband in tow, Anthony. Will her parents allow her and Anthony back? Or will her mistakes from the past keep Rosa from having the future she always dreamed of having?

Releases Aug. 1st. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Loved the books and the characters. It’s a continuation of a series and I would highly recommend it it has love, but suspense,

Rosa has been missing without a trace for two years. Her family fears that she is dead. When she shows up out of the blue at her parent's home pregnant and with Anthony, she has a lot of explaining to do. What her parents and family don't know is Anthony is her "pretend" husband and not the baby's father. There are a lot of twists and turns in this story. This book is about forgiveness, faith, family and second chances. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own. This book releases on August 1st, 2025. #netgalley #barbourpublishing #thepretender

The Pretender is the next book in the story of Rosa Petersheim‘s disappearance from her Amish home. Wanda E. Brunstetter weaves a lovely story of grace, truth, forgiveness and love to a very satisfying conclusion. The characters are a mix of Amish and English, believers and non-believers. They often share similar characteristics showing that in our differences in beliefs we not are all that different in our actions. The characters discover themselves along the way to finding the path God has set for them.
This book can be read on its own as there is enough background information to understand the context. I would recommend reading all three in order as they are all wonderful!

Interesting story line. It took me a little while to get into the story, but once I did, it held my attention. Thought it was a good mix of Amish and English combined. Loved how the main characters turned and returned to their faith.

This is the book that fans of Wanda Brunstetter have been waiting for. What happened to Rosa Petersheim? If you have read the other two books in this series you will know that she disappeared without a trace. Her family has waited for two long years with no word from Rosa. The answers are here in this book. With that I will say no more except you won’t want to miss reading The Pretender.
This is a book that is hard to put down once you’ve started reading it. I was drawn into the story all the way through the book to the epilogue. It was entertaining, Inspirational, and a page turner. The story focuses uon how harmful lies can be and how one lie will lead to another lie. The characters are well drawn and fit the story well.
I highly recommend The Pretender to readers of Christian Fiction and Amish Fiction. I would recommend reading book one and book two before reading this book. The mystery is carried from the previous books to this one. This book is scheduled for release on 8/1/25.
I voluntarily read an advanced readers copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared here in this review are solely my own.
#ThePretender #NetGalley