A Plain Man by Mary Ellis ~ Sharing My Review

/ Dora Hiers / 2 Comments
Purchase Link:CBD

Let me preface this review by confessing that I don’t typically choose to read Amish romances. If it weren’t for the publisher mailing me a review copy, I would have skipped over A Plain Man. But receiving books through the mail is like opening a gift, meant to be savored and enjoyed. So that’s what I did.

For me, the book started a bit slow because it took so long to meet the main characters, and I thought Caleb acted a bit immature through his father, Eli’s, eyes, which was probably the author’s intention. Eventually, I warmed to the characters and enjoyed the story: a man embarks on a journey to discover who he is emotionally and spiritually.

After living in the English world for five years, Caleb Beachy finally returned home to his Amish family. At twenty-four, he struggles with the restrictions of the Amish world and his overbearing father, who’s also the district’s bishop. With a floundering faith, he’s unable to forgive himself for the worldly things he did while on rumschpinge. Even the budding relationship with sweet Josie Yoder does little to keep him from feeling suspended between two worlds, never quite belonging to either.

At least, he used to be spirited. Now he just seemed sad. 
What was it like to not fit in anywhere? ~Josie, musing on Caleb.

A Plain Man is a story of finding oneself. It’s about maintaining difficult relationships within our family and our community because we’re all on this journey together. It’s about forgiveness, and trusting that God’s love is enough to cover the dark stains in our life, no matter how deep or how painful or how awful we think they are. When Caleb stopped focusing on himself and began to bless others, he discovered who he was and found his place in his community. I wouldn’t pick up A Plain Man for the romance, but I would definitely read it again for the journey.

Disclaimer: Sending a big thank you to the author, Mary Ellis, and Harvest House Publishers, for providing me with a copy of A Plain Man in exchange for my fair and unbiased review. This opinion is my own, and I received no compensation.

The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter ~ Sharing My Review

/ Dora Hiers
Purchase Link

About the book~
She wrote the book–literally–on finding the right mate. But does she really understand what love’s about?

Five hours before her Nantucket beach wedding–and on the eve of her big book launch–celebrity marriage counselor Kate Lawrence has everything in place.

Everything, that is, but the groom. She might not have a career, either, when her nationwide audience finds out their marriage guru has been left at the altar.

Enter Lucas Wright, who offers to stand in for the missing husband-to-be and marry her. Kate’s desperate enough to agree–although she’s sure this Mr. Wright is completely wrong for her. Can they pull it off? And why would Lucas marry her in the first place?

With her life spinning out of control, Kate wonders what good her carefully laid plans are if they only lead to chaos. Could it be that “Dr. Kate” doesn’t know the first thing about love? When she seeks God’s will instead of her own, Kate finally discovers true and lasting love.

Sharing my thoughts~

Jilted by her fiance, Bryan, just a handful of hours before their wedding, Kate’s pain and internal turmoil literally seeps off the pages. How could this happen? She was a marriage consultant, supposedly an expert on the topic, and her book was launching along with her wedding. Lucas, a carpenter, had loved Kate since the day she rented the space above his shop. Since the groom’s identity had been kept a secret, all tied up with the book’s marketing plan, Lucas volunteers to step in. Kate agrees to his plan, but only for a year. Lucas is in it for the forever.

Committing a year of her life to a man she didn’t love. Good grief, most of the time she didn’t even like him. Not that he was a bad person. He was just so…irritating sometimes. Vexing. The way he was late and careless and so laid-back she wished she had a remote control so she could push the fast-forward button.


Yep. Major conflict ensues when organization to the nth degree marries laid back Lucas. But Lucas sets out to show list-making Kate that life happens between the pages. 

Know what you’re looking for before you begin dating. As with a spontaneous shopping spree, if you don’t have a goal in mind, you’ll come home with the wrong thing. 
~Excerpt from Finding Mr. Right-for-You by Dr. Kate


I enjoyed the excerpts from Dr. Kate’s book that plugged the beginning of every chapter, little nuggets that enticed me to keep reading. Not that I ever once thought about putting down the book, but just to give me an idea of what deliciousness I would find in the next chapter. Totally cool!

Best of all, I appreciated how this story, without words or preaching, represents Christ and His love for us. Carpenter Lucas (don’t you just love that??) loved Kate. Before she ever knew of his love, he stepped in with a plan, to marry her, hoping that he would eventually woo her with his love and his actions. For me, this was an irresistible love story straight from the Word. Rich with symbolism, I can’t think of a more appropriate story to read at Easter. Scoop it up! You’ll be so glad you did.

Disclaimer: I purchased The Convenient Groom. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, and I received no monetary compensation.