The Secret (Seasons of Grace, Book 1)

So true the life the amish live, that you can almost picture yourself in this life with them.

This was a good read but only if you have books two and three in the series. There is no closure at the end of this book for any of the characters. This is sad because even though it was a bit slow I enjoyed reading it. So my recommendation is to make sure you have books 2 and three in the series before you read this. Otherwise you will be very frustrated. If you have all three books then go for it. It’s good Christian Amish fiction.

This book was an easy read, but I really enjoyed it. True to her other books, it can be a bit predictable at times, but it still leaves plenty of questions unanswered at the end, making you want to read the next book right away. **One note - be careful to see whether you are ordering the regular paperback or large print version. The website wasn't clear when I was ordering, and I ended up with the wrong one by mistake.

This book is a bit different than the "always" close knit family life of the Amish. It raises a lot of questions that are asked about "regular" people, and now you are asking yourself them about the Amish. I think that this book made me realize that the Amish are people just like me. They have problems and seek answers and sometimes do things that they regret. While this book does not have that "fairytale" quality, it is a good read.

THE SECRET, Beverly Lewis' latest novel, proved to be one of Ms. Lewis' best novels to date. Full of surprises and twists and turns, THE SECRET was a very enjoyable read. Ms. Lewis introduces a surprising twist in this book, one I never really expected. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series to see if what I'm expecting to happen proves true. A great read, one I would recommend to anyone who enjoys this genre!

Beverly Lewis is one of my favorite authors. The first work by her that I read was Sanctuary which she wrote with her husband. I have read the rest of her books pretty much as they have been released. Early on my complaint was that she seemed to hurry the endings of the last book in a series, kind of like she went, "Wait this is the last book and I have ten pages to tie up lose ends." But I have always loved her writing. I believe her character development improves with each series. While this book can be considered depressing, it is the first in the 3 book series. More will come. And, yeah, maybe I figured out what was going to happen (or so I think), but Beverly has a way of surprising you. I read the book in two days and was glad to find out the next book will be out in Sept. Usually it is a year and it is difficult to wait. Her characters are like friends who you really want to know about. You come to care about all of them, even the minor characters. I highly recommend The Secret.

I enjoy Beverly's books. You can see that she does lots of research to write her books, and stays true to the dialog and Amish people throughout her books. She includes small details regarding clothing, food, and lifestyle that many author's neglect. Her books draw you into the character's lives, and I'm always sorry to come to the end of her books. The "Secret" in this book is revealed by the end of the book, but there is more story to be revealed, and I look forward to her next book in the series. I have my guesses on what may be coming, but Beverly has surprised me before....so you never know. If you like Amish fiction, Beverly is a safe bet, and always comes through with excellent books. As a matter of fact, I met (and got to have dinner) with Mrs. Lewis a couple of years ago, and she is a delightful woman. She is very intellegent, and so engaging. It was a joy to get to talk to her about her books, and how she developes the stories. She is a genuinely nice person, and is sharing her faith through her stories. After our conversation, I admired her even more. I highly recommend any of her books.