Thee, I Love

I am not a fan of romance novels, but this one came so highly recommended by a friend that I made an exception. I was reading Thee I Love on an airplane when I started weeping uncontrollably. (This is very hard for a grown man who's a bit sheepish about reading a romance in the first place.) This is one of the three or four books I have read in my life that moved me to tears.

This is a story I read in one evening because I couldn't put it down. The Amish way of life is beautifully and realistically portrayed. Don't judge this book by its cover; allow yourself the pleasure of reading it. You won't be sorry.

Once again, it was a great read.....did not want it to end. Looking forward to more of Annette Blair's books.

When Jacob Sauder returns home to the Amish community of his childhood to raise his twins in the ways he knows best, he know it will be hard seeing his childhood sweetheart, Rachel, as his brother Simon's beloved wife. But when he discovers that Simon despises and abuses Rachel, it's even harder than he imagined.THEE I LOVE tells a moving story of trying to do right in an impossible situation. Amish ways are woven into the fabric of the story, grounding the characters in a well-thought out, well-developed world. I finished this book two days ago, and I'm still thinking of its many layers. The best part was that I thought I knew what was going to happen, and I was wrong. The events of the story were both inevitable and surprising, no easy feat to accomplish. A wonderful book.

THEE, I LOVE pulled me into another world, making me a part of the community, making me love and care about its members, making me rejoice and making me cry. It's a moving, powerful story.Jacob Sauder returns to his Amish home, bringing his motherless twins to be raised in a safe and decent place. He had left in despair after his mother's funeral when his brother, Simon, told him Jacob's beloved Rachel wished to be released from their engagement. Jacob finds welcome; his family and community give his children all the love he could wish. Even when he and Rachel, now Simon's wife, realize they were the victim's of Simon's lies, they put the past behind them in respect for Rachel's marriage vows. But Simon's actions make that difficult. He becomes increasingly abusive, berating Rachel for her barrenness. When Jacob finds Rachel hurt in the barn one night, he means only to give her comfort, but his comfort goes too far.The Amish community Annette Blair describes is a wonderful place with a strong spirit and sense of family, one where children are surrounded by love. She peoples the pages of her book with realistic portrayals of good people with faults, but with real faith. The dialogue and interactions of her characters make the reader a part of it all. There is a wealth of color and detail in her delineation of the culture and daily life of the community. The plot is an absorbing one of family love and betrayal, of faith and transgression. Above all, it's a tale of love between a man and a woman and their need for forgiveness. The transgression committed by Jacob and Rachel brings anguish to all involved, and yet they are entirely sympathetic characters. Even Simon, who began the trouble with his jealousy and lies, is understandable. THEE, I LOVE is Annette Blair's third book. She showed promise in her first two, but this book displays a major new talent. I recommend it wholeheartedly.Reviewed by Lily Martin for Romance Communicationswww.romcom.co