He’s the community’s jokester auctioneer. She’s the serious caregiver for her siblings who also works at the local plant nursery. What future could they have together?
Declan Miller has always had feelings for Bethel King. Back when they were in school, she was the smartest girl in the class and, in his opinion, by far the prettiest. Now the two of them are in their twenties and while the attraction is still there, Declan is as hesitant as ever to let Bethel know how he feels. His corny jokes and wisecracks cover a heart that’s afraid of rejection.
Bethel can’t deny Declan is nice, funny, hardworking, and pleasing to the eye–a perfect match if you asked any Plain girl in the area. But marrying Bethel would also mean marrying into her family. Two of her younger brothers have a rare form of muscular dystrophy, and her sister Claire is now showing signs of having it as well. Fiercely loyal and nurturing, Bethel has promised herself her siblings will always come first. With a good chance that she carries the gene and could pass it on to her children, Bethel has tried to convince herself marriage and family just aren’t in the cards for her.
When a devastating diagnosis of his own turns Declan’s world upside down, he looks to Bethel for understanding, compassion, and a realistic outlook. As they share their dreams and fears and grow together in faith, a bond begins to develop between them. Perhaps their combination of optimistic extrovert and thoughtful introvert really isn’t such a bad thing–perhaps it’s actually a part of God’s beautiful design.
My Review:
I love finding a unique approach to an Amish novel and this one is phenomenal! So much heart and angst and real life (and faith) struggles for both Bethel and Declan which kept me riveted.
Kelly Irvin gently explores hereditary conditions specific to the Amish with compassion and understanding. Bethel’s family carries a gene that can result in a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Three out of her six siblings are living with the condition and Bethel is dedicated to supporting their every need. She’s so wrapped up with daily logistics and worrying that she’s letting the chance at her own future pass her by.
She is, in fact, resigned to the fact that her life’s role is to be the carer for her siblings. Notice I said ‘the’ not ‘a’ because Bethel has fallen into the trap of thinking she’s the only one who can. She harbours a kind of false pride out of her need to be there for her family. She hasn’t forgotten that the Amish are all about community and sharing life’s difficulties, she just thinks that isn’t needed as long as she can do it all. And isn’t that so relatable no matter what kind of community we live in?!
By contrast, fun loving Declan seems to have it all. A family run business he loves and the freedom from responsibility that Bethel can only dream of. These two are exact opposites. He’s the extrovert to her introvert. The jokester to her serious demeanour. And yet, there’s every indication that there could be so much more if only Bethel could let go of some of her responsibilities and a whole lot of her worries.
But then Declan faces a health challenge of his own and — whoa — this story, their romance, spun in a completely different direction. Heartbreaking and tender but ultimately hopeful though there’s a lot of overcoming to be done before the last page. I appreciate the way the author portrayed their unique challenges through their faith journey. She explores the age old question of why God allows suffering as Bethel and Declan wrestle with untenable circumstances.
A beautifully crafted story that shines grace into the darkest corners of our lives.
I enjoyed listening to the audio book narrated by Lauren Berst. She did a wonderful job with these characters — especially Declan with his evolving situation. Her performance helped me feel my way through the story, rather than just listen to it.
My thanks to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio and Net Galley for providing me with an audio copy of this book.
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If you would like a chance to win an ecopy of Finding You, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday July 20 2024.
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