Reviews

The Amish Mother's Secret by Diane Craver, Diane Craver

theavidreaderandbibliophile's review

4.0

The Amish Mother’s Secret by Diane Craver is an emotional story. Lindsay Prescott is a teacher and widow. Her daughter, Phoebe is attending Ohio State University (Go Buckeyes!). Lindsay has been feeling unwell, but she ignored the symptoms. When Lindsay’s daughter finally persuades her to go to the doctor, she learns that she has stage 4, Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. The first treatment ends up making Lindsay ill and needing to be admitted to the hospital. Lindsay decides it is time to tell Phoebe the secret she has been carrying for over twenty years. Lindsay was seventeen when she became pregnant with triplets. She tries to reach Harris, the birth father, without success. Katie and Roman Yoder helped Lindsay when her car broke down one day. The couple have not had success in having children of their own. Lindsay allows the Yoder’s to adopt two of the triplets. Lindsay decides it is time to tell Phoebe the truth about her parentage and to reconnect with the daughter’s raised by the Yoder’s. I thought it was well-written with steady pacing. The characters are realistic and relatable. You can feel the character’s emotions. I felt for Lindsay who made a difficult choice. I could certainly understand why she would want to meet the daughters she was unable to raise. Phoebe, Amy, Jenna have mixed emotions (naturally). They are upset that their parents did not tell them the truth sooner, but the triplets are excited to be together. Harris Manning is excited to learn he has three daughters and happy to reconnect with Lindsay. I like Roman Yoder. He is a kind, caring man who loves his family. I was not a fan of Roman’s wife, Katie. I knew she loved her children and wanted them to be baptized in the Amish faith. I found some of her thoughts and behavior baffling. I wish the author had captured more of Columbus. I loved the references to Ohio State University. There is repetition of key details. I could certainly understand Jenna and Amy’s desire for more education. I cannot imagine grown women having to get permission from their parents and the bishop to get EMT training or get a GED. I enjoyed reading The Amish Mother’s Secret. It is a story about family, forgiveness, and faith. I look forward to reading more books by Diane Craver. The Amish Mother’s Secret is a touching tale with a dismaying diagnosis, longed for letters, a lost love, a surprising secret, an unhappy parent, and triplet delight.