Leah's Choice: Pleasant Valley Book One [Mass Market Paperback]

Marta Perry (Author)

Book Description

Series: Pleasant Valley | Publication Date: November 3, 2009

The first of three Amish-set novels in which a woman?s faith must guide her through challenging times.

All of Pleasant Valley seems to think the newcomer from Lancaster County is the perfect match for Teacher Leah. After all, so few new families come to their separate Amish community, and fewer still unmarried men. Daniel Glick is a widower with three young children to look after?clearly he?s in need of a wife.

Daniel?s past haunts him. Though he cannot miss the beauty in Leah?s bright eyes and patient ways, he also sees a reminder of his pain-filled marriage. Leah, too, has a burden to bear. Years ago, she was engaged to Johnny Kile, and she was heartbroken when he decided to leave the Amish community. Since then she has immersed herself in teaching, forgetting any hopes of having her own family. When Johnny returns, seeking reconciliation, Leah must decide between two pathways, either of which will completely change her life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania and her own Pennsylvania Dutch roots led Marta Perry to write about
the Plain People who add to the rich heritage of her home state. Marta is the author of over thirty inspirational
romance novels. She and her husband live in a century-old farmhouse and try to keep up with twenty-five
acres of fields and woods. Active in their church and community, they are the parents of three children and
the proud grandparents of six beautiful grandchildren. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Berkley Trade; Original edition (November 3, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425230503
• ISBN-13: 978-0425230503
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,244 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I realized I wanted to be a writer at age eight, when I read my first Nancy Drew novel, The Secret of the Old Clock. Most little girl reach the end of that book wanting to be Nancy. I wanted to be the person who created the story!
The dream lay hidden for years while I became a teacher, married, had children...all the usual things. But eventually it re-surfaced, and I began to write, beginning with short children's stories for Sunday school take-home papers. It seemed a long time until that first acceptance, but eventually I began to sell. After some three hundred published short stories, I finally found the courage to work on the novel I'd always wanted to write.
Thirty-some published novels later, I still feel the same excitement every time I begin a new book--a mix of not believing I can do it combined with an overwhelming urge to see the story on the page.
A lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania and my own Pennsylvania Dutch roots eventually led me to the books I'm writing now about the Amish. The Pleasant Valley Amish series from Berkley Books are longer, more complex emotional stories with Amish main characters, while my forthcoming HQN suspense novels are more adventure-filled books set in Pennsylvania Dutch country. I'm also writing a Love Inspired series, The Bodine Family, set on the South Carolina coast where we have a second home.
When I'm not writing, I'm busy with church activities, traveling, and spending time with my three children and six beautiful grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pretty cute book!, October 21, 2009

By 

c2 (Dublin, Ohio) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leah's Choice: Pleasant Valley Book One (Mass Market Paperback)

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I've grown to enjoy these Amish/Romance novels and was excited to get this one (does standing by the mailbox count in as excitement?). I read it in a few hours and really enjoyed the storyline. My only complaint is that while other authors stress the value of their characters relationship with the Lord, this one doesn't do that as much. It mostly focuses on a soap-opera type setting with the characters barely mentioning God at all. The way it ended seemed a little trite, moreso since this is supposed to be the first installment of a trio. The story mostly deals with what happens in the Amish community when one of them decides to leave during their rumspringa and actually go out into the world on their own. It does a wonderful job of what to expect, how much it hurts their community, and how vividly contrasted the lives of most of us are in our old age, compared to the Amish. There's always someone to care for the elderly, even if it's a neighbor, compared to us where it's sink or swim on your own. It actually made me realize how closely knit the Amish really are and how much we all need that closeness in our own lives. Wish we all were like that! What I've come to appreciate the most about this book and others I've read is the descriptive details of Amish life, how much they care for one another, respect one another, just like they're one huge family. We can all learn from that! This book deals with an "old maid" teacher that thinks she never wants to marry after being jilted 10 years prior. Until, of course, the stranger comes into town and well, what will happen?! I won't spoil it but get the book, it's well worth getting lost in its pages on a sunny, autumn afternoon. Highly recommend!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Enjoyable Amish Story~Easy to read in a day!, October 23, 2009

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kindred spirit (God's Country) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leah's Choice: Pleasant Valley Book One (Mass Market Paperback)

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This is a delightful book to read that captures your interest from the first page. I have read quite a few Amish novels so I guess I have come to expect a certain standard and this one hits the mark right on.

It uses the language (Penn Dutch) here and there like Ja and gut, ain't so? To me that helps step right into the lives of the charachers.

We open with Leah a "mandil" (old maid) who is the local teacher. She had a promised husband who decided that during the time of rumspringa-the time Amish youth can venture into the English world then make the choice to stay of go. When they choose to stay in the English world they are shunned by the whole community. The only way to return is to repent and join the church. Jonny Kile chose to go and stayed away for 10 years.
So when Daniel and his 3 children come to the school the tought comes to everyones mind ah ha someone to fix up Leah with. Trouble is Johhny the old bo returns...not to repent but to work at a clinic.

This book brought out something I have wondered about. With the high number of close family marriages why are there not birth defects. This book goes into some details about some of them. I found that both sad and interesting. So now we have and old bo and a new man in town. Choices!

Johnny wants to help the local doctor study the birth defects of these amish children. Do research. He of course wants to get Leah involved...will she...you will see.

The story line does leave you wondering at times what will happen and it is not always predictiable which I love. Why read a book when I can tell after chapter one how it will end. Not here, you will keep turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning.

I will leave you with this thought. Even though there is sadness and some hard circumstances it has a happy ending. Knowing that much know this is a keeper and a great read.

I also love the cover artwork. It helps form the character Leah very well.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A new writer to the genre who shows potential..., October 31, 2009

By 

Meg "Livin la vida loca in Maine!" (Caribou, ME, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Leah's Choice: Pleasant Valley Book One (Mass Market Paperback)

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But I feel this should have been much stronger. Perry sets up several conflicts in the book to Leah to work through and then abruptly has the conflict resolved. I think perhaps she would have been better served by taking on fewer subjects in the book. I am looking forward to her next work to see if she learns lessons in writing.