Rebecca Kinsinger has always dreamed of being a teacher. But when she’s given the opportunity she’s been waiting for at Charm Amish School, she’s dismayed to discover that teaching is hard work—work she’s afraid she’s not very good at.That is, until Lilly Yoder joins the class. A thirteen-year old who’s just lost her parents, Lilly is in need of someone like Rebecca. For the first time since starting her new job, Rebecca feels a sense of purpose. But when she meets Lilly’s uncle, Jacob, his good looks and sweet, easy-going temperament are hard to ignore. How can she even entertain romantic thoughts of Jacob when his niece is her student?Suddenly becoming Lily’s sole caregiver, Jacob Yoder never thought he’d be a single parent—or a farmer. Having been living in Florida as a carpenter, Jacob feels more at home wielding a hammer than a backhoe. The only bright spot in his life is Rebecca Kinsinger. As Lily and Rebecca develop a bond, Jacob’s fondness for the pretty teacher grows, too.But when a fateful accident brings them together, Rebecca and Jacob must choose between duty and desire. Will they follow the path before them? Or set out to find true happiness . . . and true love?
SERIES: The Charmed Amish Life #2
GENRE: Amish fiction, romance
PUBLISHER: Avon Inspire
RELEASE DATE: May 24, 2016
PAGES: 272
“He wouldn’t have missed this moment for the world. Because, right at that moment, with ten tiny turtles looking on, he’d just fallen completely, unabashedly, head-over-heels in love.”
Shelley Shepard Gray creates characters that feel like friends and warm heartfelt stories that you don’t want to end. She’s done so again in A Daughter’s Dream.
The first book in The Charmed Amish Life series, A Son’s Vow, was emotionally intense and swoonily romantic. And while A Daughter’s Dream does indeed have both emotionally intense and swoonily romantic moments, it is much more relaxed and low-key than its predecessor. That’s not a bad thing, either. For Rebecca and Jacob – and their personalities and stories – the tone was exactly right. (With that said, though, I am quite looking forward to the next book in the series, A Sister’s Wish, because from the foreshadowing and sneak peeks we received in A Daughter’s Dream it promises to be pretty romantically intense!)
Rebecca and Jacob both are struggling with basically the same issue – trying to be something other than the person God created them to be. They each have their own reasons… very valid reasons, too. As we typically do. And, like us, Rebecca and Jacob both have to come to the realization that trying to fit into a mold we weren’t crafted for just doesn’t work. It’s only when we finally embrace the path that God designed just for us that we find true peace.
The relationship between Jacob and Rebecca is sweet and gentle & made me smile. It’s the kind of romance that makes you curl up and settle in to see how it plays out. Nothing terribly toe-curling or breath-taking but the kind that sneaks up on you gradually and naturally, even with the attraction at first sight that they experienced. Jacob did have his swoony moments, though, never fear! Check out pages 198-199 (ohhhh might as well keep reading through 
201 too) for one of my favorite scenes and then his speech on pages 236-237? Dreamy sigh. One of my favorite romantical speeches I’ve read lately. Very swoonworthy. (Speaking of relationships, the friendship between Peter and Lilly was another fave for me in this book! I really enjoyed watching it develop and would love to see them show up in their own series or at least a follow-up novella!)
Bottom Line: A Daughter’s Dream will make you smile. It will make you hug your family tighter and reflect on your dreams and God’s dreams for your life. It will treat you to a sweet romance and some charming humor as well as heartfelt reflections on life and love and relationships. Always-engaging characters, written with Shelley Shepard Gray’s trademark warmth and wit, leap off the page and become old friends, and you will definitely be looking forward to the rest of the series to catch up on their lives. Each book always ends too soon, and there are never enough books in a series… the sign of a great author! A Daughter’s Dream is a fun and gentle and uplifting portrait of relationships – with family, new friends, and God. A must-read for fans of Amish fiction!
P.S. – this is like the third book I’ve read lately to feature a goat! LOL! At least it’s not the dreaded chickens 😉
(I received a copy of this book in exchange for only my honest review.)
My Rating: 4 stars / Loved it!
KissingBook Level: 2.5 / Mostly a rosy glow of sweetness but you may forget to breathe once or twice
Purchase a copy: http://bit.ly/20vVAye
Shelley Shepard Gray is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time HOLT Medallion winner. She lives in southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town’s bike trail.
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Other Books by Shelley Shepard Gray
What about you? In what ways do you identify with Rebecca and Jacob?
Love that quote too!!! =)
10 tiny turtles looking on…sweet. Sounds like a good read. Here’s hoping…
It is! It’s very sweet 🙂
As a teacher (for 32 years), I am really interested in this book! I can relate to the summary about Rebecca. The blog post sounded like this is the perfect book for me!
susanlulu@yahoo.com
Yay! I hope you enjoy it when you get to read it, Susan!
Loved the review and the quotes! Thanks for sharing!
Connie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks, Connie!