Hometown

Two different men. Two different lifestyles. An impossible choice.

Who’s now a fan of Wendy Rich Stetson? This gal! I just love the way the author writes. The details immersed me in the story. The characters were layered so well and dusted with fine powder. Several intense scenes had me holding my breath, and the rest had me swooning. The romance was built up very well, and I found myself looking forward to each new chapter.

Did I just add this author to my 1-click list? I sure did! I loved this book and I’m looking forward to more.

A great book set in Pennsylvania Amish Country - be still my romantic heart! This is a clean romance with a fun love triangle between Tessa, a doctor, and an Amish farmer. I love the difference in lifestyles between the two love interests -- so interesting and fun! This unique setting is described so well in this book and is so fitting to the story.

A well-crafted and detailed book with a fun twist at the end. This is my first time reading anything from Wendy Rich Stetson and it won't be the last! This story is charming, well-written, well-plotted -- I just didn't want it to end!

Thank you #NetGalley, #WendyRichStetson, and #TheWildRosePressInce

Tessa is back in her hometown before fulfilling her dream, but her future is called into question when she meets a handsome Amish man and a young doctor. Tessa is house-sitting for her parents when she meets Jonas Rishel and his family at the local farmers market. She’s attracted to him, and curiosity about the Amish community propels her to continue interacting with him. She discovers he’s a widow but very much available. Tessa’s heart does a double flip when she meets sexy Dr. Richard Bruce at a charity function. He pursues her and she wonders what to do. Her heart is torn between city or country, future or past, doctor or Amish farmer. Once she makes her choice, she knows she can’t help but hurt the other man. One disastrous night will unravel not only Tessa’s life choices but the man she loves. Can Tessa find peace and harmony with the man she loves or is she chasing a dream?

Hometown is a heartwarming, emotional story about finding your path, following your heart and falling in love. The theme of small town versus big city plays a big role in Hometown, as does discovering where you want to be in life. What you thought you wanted may not be where you end up. What makes Hometown such a fantastic reading experience is the descriptive narration. Every emotion, every moment, every encounter is brilliantly described so that the characters and the story come alive. I connected with Tessa right away and I kept rooting for her to take the leap. Of what, I can’t disclose. You’ll have to read it for yourself to see what I mean. The love triangle was cleverly executed, and I kept wondering which man Tessa would choose. The writing on the Amish community was so well done, I immersed myself directly into the story. There are plenty of conflicts in Hometown’s plot but all were realistic and kept me whipping through the pages. Wendy Rich Stetson is a gifted writer and I look forward to reading more from her. If you love Amish romance, this is a must-read. If you enjoy wholesome romance, you’ll love Hometown. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it.

My Rating: 5 stars

This is my error: I requested this book because I thought I recognized Wild Rose Press as a publisher of contemporary Christian fiction (now I've checked, and the Christian publish is White Rose). The Amish character reinforced my mistake (Amish romance is a huge subgenre in Christian fiction).

However, I stopped reading at 30% and won't be finishing the book, and that's because of the story.

I'm not an Amish romance fan (thank you, too many Christian Amish romances which romanticise the "benefits" of hard work and clean living, without mentioning the issues: patriarchy, legalism, and not educating anyone beyond the age of 12).

I also didn't like Richard - he's too fast, don't understand boundaries, and what was he doing in ordering shellfish for her without asking, given they'd just had an allergy scare with the nephew?

Given I didn't want the heroine to end up either either man, it's better I stop reading and pretend she moves to New York, falls for her roommate's brother, and lives happily ever after in the Big Apple.

Unfortunately, NetGalley is forcing me to give a star rating - something I don't like to do on books I don't finish. So I've gone with an average 3 stars.

It was a joy to read Hometown by Wendy Rich Stetson.
I was drawn to the story after reading the description and seeing the lovely cover. Not a reader of Amish romance books, I was pleasantly surprised this was not typical of the genre, though the Amish play a major role.
The author's descriptions planted me right into an amazing story. From the Farmer's Market to Tessa's backyard garden, you can almost smell the scenes.
After losing her job, Tessa goes home to the small town she grew up in, she's not looking for love but a way forward to life in NYC. Fate, though, has a different plan. She's drawn back into the community and meets not one but two very different men who fall in love with her. Decisions need to be made, and you can't help getting caught up.
Will she stay? Who will win her heart? Again she thinks life will work out but then near-tragedy happens. I highly recommend this sweet romance.

Tessa's life isn't exactly turning out the way she thought. Losing her teaching position, Tessa returns to her hometown deep in Amish country. A chance meeting with Jonas, an Amish carpenter, and a set up with a doctor, Richard puts Tessa into a clean love triangle. Will Tessa fall for the cute doctor? Or will Tessa be drawn to the mysterious carpenter? This is one of those stories that make the reader smile. The author did a wonderful job. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.