Litfuse Publicity Blog Tour: The Calling

Here's a description of the book:

Book Two in the Inn at Eagle Hill series.

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher delivers her trademark twists, turns, and tender romance in this delightful and exciting visit to the deceptively quiet community of Stoney Ridge. 

Twenty-year-old Bethany Schrock is restless. Her love life has derailed, her faith hangs by a thread, and she is spending the incredibly hot summer days wading through a lifetime’s accumulation of junk at the home of five ancient Amish sisters. About the only thing that holds her interest is the spirited and dangerously handsome Jimmy Fisher–and he seems bent on irritating her to no end.

When the sly old sisters and a guest at the Inn get Bethany involved in running the local soup kitchen and starting a community garden, she suddenly finds herself wondering, Shootfire! How did that happen? Despite her newfound purposefulness, a gnawing emptiness about a childhood mystery continues to plague her. Encouraged by Jimmy Fisher, she will seek out the answers she craves–and uncover a shocking secret that will break her heart, heal it, and point her to love.

My Rating

Spring/Summer

My Review

With the first book in this series taking a while to grow on me and turning out not to be a favorite (although it was still good), I wasn't sure what to expect with this one. I did hold out hope, though, that Bethany and Jimmy - characters whose potential romance I was interested in - would save the day and make this an enjoyable read. And all in all, my hopes were happily fulfilled! While this series does have a different feel due to the uniqueness of the characters, family situations, and the B&B, I felt like The Calling was a reminder of (and a return to) what I love about Fisher's books.

We've got an interesting cast with this story: a young Amish woman who likes to organize things, is a bit sassy, and doesn't like to step out of her comfort zone; her younger sister with a couple of big secrets involving some letters and a crush; a young Amish man who's torn about his future and about his feelings for a certain headstrong girl; and a female preacher who comes to stay at the Inn at Eagle House when she loses her job. And those are just the main POV perspectives! There's also the rest of Bethany and Mim's family, Jimmy's overprotective and determined mother, the neighbors, a group of older women bent on helping others at the cost of a cluttered home, a group of "outcast" girls, an attorney, and a "villain." One thing's for sure - Fisher knows how to create some authentic but quirky characters! And she demonstrates once again in this book that she can make the reader care for them.

I really enjoyed seeing these characters grow, watching them interact and respond to revealed secrets, and observing them live in love. There are some intriguing twists in the plot, with a dash of suspense to boost the pace of this character-driven novel. And the lessons learned through it all are really touching - about the importance of truth and of reaching out in compassion and understanding.

The Calling is a great continuation of "The Inn at Eagle Hill" series, one that held my interest and won me over much more than Book 1. Fisher continues to write fascinating Amish novels!

*With thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for my honest opinion, to be shared during the Litfuse Publicity blog tour.*

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of the Inn at Eagle Hill series, Lancaster County Secrets series, and the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including “Amish Peace.” She is also the coauthor of a new Amish children’s series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Her interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old Order German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner and a Christy Award finalist. She is a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. For more information, please visit suzannewoodsfisher.com and connect with her on Twitter @suzannewfisher.

To Buy the Book: click HERE

Blog Tour: Check out the reviews from other blog tour participants HERE.

My Reviews of Other Fisher Books: The Waiting, The Search, A Lancaster County Christmas, The Keeper, The Haven, The Letters

Litfuse Contest

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher is celebrating her newest book, The Calling, by giving away TWO iPads, TWO Kindles, and TWO Nooks!
 

Two grand prize winners will receive:

• An iPad
• The Letters and The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Four second place winners will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX or a Nook HD—winner's choice!
• The Letters and The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 8th. All winners will be announced February 10th at Suzanne's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 10th to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)