A Patchwork Past

A Patchwork Past is the second book in the Plain Patterns series by Leslie Gould. I enjoy the Amish genre, love Gould's books, and when I realized the book had a timeslip element to it as well, it was a win, win, and win! I'll admit I was up till the wee hours of the morning finishing the book. Gould writes such a great story, making her characters real and likable with strong emotions and convictions as they deal with real-life issues and mend and strengthen relationships. As Sofie returns home after three years of very little contact with her family she is quickly drawn back into the Amish culture. She also becomes immersed in the controversial issues of illegal immigrants and their precarious situation in the community. Shedding light on this issue was thought-provoking for me. Will this time of respite not only be a time of physical restoration but a time to heal relationships and resolve past hurts and misunderstandings? The dual-time story is told by the owner of a local quilt shop and relates the life of Mary, a young Amish girl, who experiences the drama and tragedy of the great Chicago fire. I enjoyed this historical aspect of the book as I was easily drawn into the scenes of the fire and its aftermath. As always with this author's stories, there are strong themes of family, friends, and faith woven throughout. Readers who enjoy stories about family and friends set in the Amish community will not want to miss A Patchwork Past. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a review and the opinions are my own.