Life in a Mennonite Community can be fun, interesting, pleasant, frustrating and a place where a mistake can cost you much! For Suzanne Zimmerman her mistake of youth will cost her the fellowship of her family and community for twenty years. She and Paul fall to the temptation of sex outside of marriage, just one time, but it was enough to cause havoc. Suzanne is pregnant, now what will she do.
Suzanne's mother sends her away to stay at a home for expectant teenage mothers. After the birth of her child she will give the baby to her mother's cousins who will raise the child as their own, they have been unable to have children. Then Suzanne can return. All of this is done so that the family will not face shame in the community, well at least mom, Abigail, won't face shame in the community.
But Suzanne does not return. Instead she is raising a daughter in Indiana far away from the family in Kansas. Oh, yes she gave a daughter to the cousins, but she still has one of her own to raise. She doesn't tell her mother or anyone else in Kansas about her daughter.
Twenty years later mom has a farming accident and is paralyzed, she needs full time care. Suzanne who has become a nurse is called on by her siblings to come and care for their mother as they can't afford an outside care giver.
When Suzanne shows up in Kansas with a 19 year old daughter things will become complicated.
The story is well written although a bit predictable. But what is good is the discussion of Shame, Pride, Arrogance, Bitterness, Anger and Lying, not to mention a few others. All themes will be developed well. As you read you will work through each characters issues and come to see how they have grown bitter or frustrated and don't necessarily know it. Also the theme of forgiveness will be great.
I loved the book and immediately bought the second book, When Grace Sings, to continue the story.
Enjoy!
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