Customer Reviews

Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love the Amana Colonies and reading about how things were there way back when so this book was right up my alley. I loved the setting being the Amana Colonies as they were just getting started and it being in the middle of the Civil War but since it was in Iowa how did that affect a bunch of people opposed to war? This book answers that question. And what about if one man from Amana felt God leading him to enter the war even though it went against everything he had been raised to believe? This book answers that question too. I was kind of expecting some kind of mystery or suspense just because this book is written by Melanie Dobson and that wasn't to be found, but it was so enjoyable and I loved the characters. A very satisfying book.

Groups about religious sects (Amish, Mennonites, Mormons, Shakers) have been very popular lately. I'm not sure if it's because of the bonnets or if people are simply just curious about what is considered the "simple way of life" but I swear everywhere I look more and more of these types of books keep popping up with new groups.

This story focuses on the recent immigrant group of the Amana Colonies during the 1860s. The colony is being set up with new settlers joining frequently. The focus of the story belongs to a subtle love triangle between Amalie, her fiance Fredrich and his best friend Matthias. It is against their religion to fight, yet Fredrich feels his calling is to join the Union soldiers. Slavery is brought up many times including the use of characters reading Uncle Tom's Cabin. I did get a sense from the book that characters felt that everyone should be part of their group nor did they think that what others who didn't believe as they did were wrong. I was a bit iffy on the love story as it seemed different than normal as well as too quick during some bits.

Until I heard about this book, I had never heard about the Amana group before. While the cover makes the story look like it is Amish related, the Amana Colonies were a different type of religious sect. Unfortunately after reading this story, I'm not really sure exactly what they believed in. There's talk about wearing plain clothing so no one stands out and the whole deal that they don't believe in fighting. I mean there's bits and pieces mentioned throughout out but I still never really felt like I understood exactly what consisted of their entire way of thinking. Even though I found Amalie, Fredrich and Matthias's stories very interesting, I never really got a sense of what their faith really meant to them. Maybe I'm just clueless but a brief primer about the Amanas would probably help.

Overall I enjoyed how this story gave a different take on romance during the Civil War. The story went in a different direction than how I originally thought it was going to end. I'm not really sure if I was pleased with this but I still had a good time reading the book. As I stated above, I would like to learn more about the Amana sect and learn more about exactly what they believe in and then I'd like to read more about them in these types of books.

Amalie Wiese is traveling from New York to Iowa to join the new Amana communities as a head cook. She's also engaged to marry Friedrich, another man in the Amana community. It takes five weeks of brutal travel by wagon train to reach Iowa, and Amalie's train is almost stopped by Rebel soldiers burning Yankee cities and towns and running the wagon train travelers off in to the forest where who knows what evil waits.

When Amalie arrives in Amana, she is anxious to see Friedrich. But he is no where to be found. Then she learns that he went off, against the wishes of the community, to fight in the War Between the States. Friedrich's best friend, Matthias is still there, but he's distant and cold.

When Matthias also leaves for the battlefront, war rages in Amalie's heart. Who will claim the victory?

LOVE FINDS YOU IN AMANA, IOWA is set thirty years earlier than Ms. Dobson's Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa which is also set in the Amana communities. I loved the book in Homestead, Iowa, and was looking forward to reading this one. A friend of mine actually received this book for review but she hated it, and passed it on to me to review instead.

LOVE FINDS YOU IN AMANA, IOWA is a slower paced story, dragging at times, and Amalie at times seems a cold and uncaring heroine, but that is only because she cares so deeply she's afraid to let herself feel--she might violate the rules of the community. Friedrich is also a caring man. Deeply in love with Amalie, but also hating the war that is raving between the states, and what it is doing to the oppressed people. Matthias himself is torn by the war, but he is above all, obedient to his leaders and if they say no, the answer is no. I cared for all these people, and had to keep reading to find out what happens, but the story is very slow, enabling people to put it down and not forcing them to keep reading. I'm giving it 4.5 stars.

I received this book in return for review from Christian Bookworm Reviews

In Amana, Iowa in 1863, there waits a man by the name of Friedrich Vinzenz. He's been working as a clockmaker in the Kolonie as his beloved, Amalie Wiese who is headed by wagon train to make a new life together after being separated for almost a year. In order for any of the Inspirationalists men to marry, they have to wait until they are twenty-four and then be separated for a year before they can marry. Just knowing that Amalie will soon be here and has waited for him since he had left, is more than he can bare.

While they are working on the final harvest a Union General arrives bearing letters for Friedrich and Matthias Roemig to be conscripted in the Union Army. Fortunately for them the elders of the town will pay their commutation fees so that they won't have to serve after all. They are told the reasons for this war is to free the slaves from the South since they don't have anyone to fight for them. When Friedrich meets Joseph, a former slave, who shows him the scars of what he had to endure as a slave, Friedrich believes God is calling him to serve. Fearing his friend Matthias will only succeeding in talking him out of joining, he leaves while it is still dark outside and leaves to where he believes God is calling him. He only hopes the letters he leaves behind for his family, Matthias and Amalie will explain it for him.

While Amalie is riding with her best friend Karoline in the wagon train headed towards Amana, they are faced with the horror of meeting the up with the Confederates and Rebels as they are battling in the town of Lisbon. The Rebels have burned the bridge leading to Amana and have burned the buildings in town leaving no where for them to rest before their final leg on the journey. When the are confronted by soldiers when their guide, Mr. Faust leaves, Karoline falls and hits her head. With no doctor aboard, Amalie does what she can to care for Karoline but isn't sure she will make it without a doctor.

While she heads into town with Karoline and Mr. Faust in search of a doctor, Amalie learns that just because their Kolonie keeps to themselves, it won't prevent the war from coming to her town in Amana. When Amalie arrives in Amana, she learns from the men, that Friedrich has joined the war. Now she isn't sure if he will be the same man when he returns if he returns at all.

In the newest novel Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa by Melanie Dobson, the readers become a silent character in seeing both sides of the Civil War. We get to see the struggle Friedrich faces when he believes God has called him to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. We also see the struggle of the worried wife to be, with Amalie's fears of trusting God enough to take care of Friedrich even though she fears she may never see him again. She learns that God will never allow her to be alone and though she may have questions that can never be answered, she learns that you can't be angry at God.

I received this book compliments of Christian Blog Alliance for my honest review and have been a huge fan of the Love Finds You Series of books for many months now. This one defines the power of learning to trust God's will for you in your life, even if the path you wanted isn't the one He has in store for you. I highly recommend this book with a 5 out of 5 star rating. It will captivate you and capture your heart!

Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa by Melanie Dobson is the latest historical romance in the nationwide series. Amalie Wiese loves her life in the Amana colonies, and she volunteered to be one of the few women traveling from New York to the new community home in Iowa in order to finally marry her sweetheart, Friedrich Vincenz, and have her own kitchen house. The couple has been separated for a few years while waiting for Friedrich to come of age to marry, but their time apart has not changed the depth of their love for each other. Friedrich, however, is deeply affected by meeting a Union army officer and a former slave who confront him about his community's refusal to take part in the war. He tries to fight the growing feeling that God wants him to fight against slavery, knowing that he will disappoint not only Amalie, but his best friend Matthias as well, but he eventually gives in to God's urging and signs up in the Iowa Volunteers. Matthias is left behind to try and explain what he doesn't understand to Amalie, as well as fight the feelings he's had for his best friend's girl for ten years. Matthias hides his deep affection for Amalie behind a mask of anger, which makes the young woman even more alone in a new place that is nothing like she expected it to be. Each of these three must follow the Lord and their heart to find where they belong. Dobson pulls readers into this 19th century world through historical detail and great descriptions. Each of the characters is sympathetic, and readers will find themselves torn between Friedrich and Matthias. This romance is moving, heart-breaking, and in the end, full of hope. It's a solid addition to the series.

"Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa" is a love story, a story of courage and triumph and a story of overcoming life's obstacles, some of which we tend to create.

The book starts off from the viewpoint of three characters, the heroine and what seems to be two heroes. This always throws me a little bit, because I'm unsure which one the heroine is going to "go with", but I also love this plot twist and I personally think it makes the ending more unpredictable.

The story included one of my favorite eras of American history, the Civil War. I loved the scenes from the viewpoint of Friedrich as he fights in the Union army and his struggles of coming from the peace loving Amanas to a bloody war.
There is great tension between Amalie and Matthias, though it can prove to be frustrating at times as they work through struggles they allowed to crop their way.

Though the story was good, I found there were times my mind would wander. Not for long and I would quickly come back to the story, but it wasn't quite the "escape" I search for in a book.

But I still think this is a good book. It has a great setting, unique character background and a sweet love story that fits well into the "Love Finds You" line.

This review is my honest opinion. Thanks to the publishers through CFBA for my copy to review.

Melanie Dobson writes another riveting story with her most recent book Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa. The Inspirationalist colonies in Iowa valued peace at all cost, but the Civil War came knocking on their door. Can God call one person to peace and another to fight? Can both paths be honoring Him?

Dobson's storytelling marries historical facts with well-developed fictional characters in a way that makes learning fun. She mixes a beautiful love story into the growing conflict between peace and war. The tear-inducing conclusion of this story is a beautiful picture of courage, forgiveness, and God's ability to make everything beautiful in His time. Love Finds You in Amana, Iowa will leave you pondering long after you turn the last page.

Friedrich Vinzenz is a construction worker in the new Kolinie of Amana, Iowa. It's 1863; and while Friedrich's fiancé, Amalie, is traveling from the East to Iowa, the North and South are battling over slavery. They belong to the Inspirationist religious sect that prays for peace but refuses to fight; instead upon notice of conscription, their Elders pay for another to be a substitute in their place within the Union Army. During the journey, Friedrich meets Joseph, a slave whose body bears the scars of horrific beatings but whose spirit looms large and free. His story haunts Friedrich to the point that he feels led by God to fight for those still held in inhuman bondage in the South. It's a huge move, taken after much pondering and knowing his pacifist community will never condone his leaving!

Amalie arrives to find Friedrich gone. For three years, she has been faithful to their upcoming marriage and now she is devastated to find him gone. Friedrich's best friend, really raised as a brother to him, Matthias is also shattered that his friend has abandoned him without saying goodbye. His anger at Amalie is a problem that others notice, but he buries himself in work and is downright rude to her each time she appears. Finally, he tells her to stay away from him. Given his background, Matthias is having an awful time, filled with unspeakable thoughts he can share with no one.

Devastation visits Amalie, Matthias and Friedrich's family and the reader is unsure whether any of them will ever know peace again. At a certain point, Matthias realizes he may not be called to fight in the Civil War, where over 600,000 will eventually die, but can play a peaceful and very useful role which the Elders in his community approve. While all of this occurs, love quietly bonds certain couples in a way this author presents with humor, shyness, doubts, fears, and approval that comes with a deep sense of serenity.

Resolution arrives after a secret mission is attempted, and all characters have learned to live with their positive and negative memories of the war's effect. Love Finds You in Amana Iowa is a lovely story that is both very real and very ideal - a graceful story of struggle and redemption, a potent and charming read!

As the Civil War devastates the nation, the seven Amana Colonies villages constructed less than a decade ago in Iowa remain out of the deadly fray for the most part. Twenty-four year old hard working Amalie Wiese arrives from the Inspirationists' original Kolony, Ebenezer, New York at the Amana village to meet her betrothed Friedrich Vinzenz who has joined the Union Army after meeting an escaped slave.

Being a great cook; Mr. Faust believes the best ever on the trail; Amalie opens up a communal kitchen to keep her mind off her concerns over Friedrich's safety. While waiting and praying for his return, she turns to Friedrich's friends who she knew back in Ebenezer. However, her fiancé's most trusted confidante Matthias is cold to her though she knows not why. He conceals behind his icy demeanor his love for his best friend's woman.

Melanie Dobson escorts her readers back to the Amana Colonies (see Love Finds You In Homestead, Iowa) with an engaging Civil War drama. The story line digs deep into the personal conflict facing conscientious objectors opposed to the war on religious grounds as being "unholy" yet the Union argument of eliminating the evil of slavery is powerful and surely supported by God. Amalie and Matthias are strong antagonists who fall in love while the man in each of their hearts risks his life at the front. Friedrich knew his commune would buy him from serving after he was conscripted by the Union Army draft, but he felt slavery is unholier than the war. He brings the moral conscience to a powerful romantic triangle as love and war finds you in Amana.

Harriet Klausner