Lydia's Charm: An Amish Widow Starts Over in Charm, Ohio [Paperback]

Wanda E. Brunstetter (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2010

Widowed and jobless, Lydia King moves her son and herself to Charm, Ohio, to be close to her mother and help with her grandfather. Menno Troyer, a furniture store owner, is also recently widowed and the father of four energetic boys. Levi Stutzman, another newcomer to the area, is the only one in his family not handicapped by dwarfism and has dedicated his life to caring for them. As fall colors the countryside, will anonymous gifts left for Lydia bring her hope for a new life and romance, or will another tragedy flood her with infinite despair?

Editorial Reviews

Review

Brunstetter crafts realistic characters and a storyline that will lift up the reader''s spirit.  The Amish deal with the same struggles as the "Englishers," but they seem to have a sense of inner peace, which is not always evident in the fast-paced, technology-driven English world. (4-Star Review) --Leslie L. McKee, Romantic Times, October 2010

Wanda E. Brunstetter portrays a wonderful detail of life in an Amish community. This story is about loss and love, strength and weakness, and sadness and hope. At times, I found it so heartbreaking that it bought me to tears but in the end, it is balanced with hope and love. The characters are so realistic I felt as if I stepped out onto my front porch one or more of them would ride up in their horse and buggy. I enjoyed the fact that the author did not shy away from the not so nice aspects of some people''s personalities. It was with depth and insight that we were able to see why Mae behaved as she did. The way Ms. Brustetter handled the introduction of the Stutzman family and the way they dealt with their special circumstances was a testament of how we all deal with prejudices and carry on with our lives. This is a well-written tale of faith and hope and if you are looking for a solid story about starting over when faced with tragedy and despair, this is one to read. --Venus Cahill, Coffee Time Romance and More

Book Description

When Lydia King suddenly finds herself widowed and jobless, she moves to Charm, Ohio. But when tragedy strikes her young life yet again, can she find strength in a family of young boys who need a mother, or will the gifts from a secret admirer prompt her to pursue an impossible love?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books; Original edition (September 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1602600635
• ISBN-13: 978-1602600638
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (61 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #193,258 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of almost 50 books with more than 5 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.

Wanda's fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda's desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.

All of Wanda's novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

Wanda's primary attraction to the Amish is their desire to live a devout Christian life that strives to honor God, work hard, and maintain close family ties. Whenever she visits her Amish friends, Wanda finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties, which is in stark contrast to the chaos and busyness that plagues so many modern "Englishers." Time and time again, Wanda loses her heart in the Amish life, and she hopes her readers will, too. For more information, visit: www.WandaBrunstetter.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lydia's Charm by Wanda Brunstetter, October 5, 2010

By 

W. Burke - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lydia's Charm: An Amish Widow Starts Over in Charm, Ohio (Paperback)

Lydia's Charm
By Wanda Brunstetter

Lydia King moves to Charm, Ohio to live with her mother and grandfather after loosing her job in a down economy. Widowed and the mother of a four year old boy, Lydia hopes to find work and lend a hand to her exhausted mother who is the sole caregiver to her disabled grandfather. Her mother hopes Lydia will soon re-marry so she will be taken care of financially and materially without the need to continue working. Lydia however; being pursued by one man, is attracted to another who is emotionally unavailable and clearly disliked by her mother.

Widower Menno Troyer has one goal: finding a wife who will take care of his four mischievous boys, cook, clean and manage his home. Hard working and well meaning, Menno is not looking for love, and when Lydia King moves into town he thinks he's found the perfect woman for the job.

Levi Stutzman is the only `regular' sized member of his family and feels a responsibility to care for and protect them. Much to the chagrin of his mother, father, brother and sisters (all little people), Levi is dead set against creating any kind of life of his own. Fearing his family will not be able to get along without him, and having to face the possibility of his own children being born `little,' Levi is unwilling to risk their future, or his heart. His mother on the other hand, has plans for her son and they definitely include Lydia King.

Lydia's Charm is filled with unexpected twists, turns, tragedy, sorrow, hope and ultimately happiness. Brunstetter does a masterful job exploring the "Plan B" scenarios that each of us face during our life. The clear message is to trust that our loving God has a plan for our lives, and allow Him to work His will, in His timing.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Just wasn't for me, October 21, 2010

By 

Holly (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lydia's Charm: An Amish Widow Starts Over in Charm, Ohio (Paperback)

Sometimes there are certain authors with whom you just don't connect. This is the second Wanda Brunstetter book I've read and I just didn't like it. I read White Christmas Pie and thought it was very light and fluffy, nothing special. When I saw Lydia's Charm, I figured I'd give Wanda Brunstetter another chance, because the story sounded appealing, but ultimately wasn't. I found the characters to be one-dimensional. Menno was selfish and Lydia's mother Mae was downright horrible. The Stutzman family was wonderful, but Levi was annoying. The story was contrived and the writing very pedestrian. I only finished the book to find out if I was right about the anonymous gift giver.

I have no doubt that Wanda Brunstetter fans will love it. It has mostly 4 and 5 stars everywhere. It just wasn't for me.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deb"s Review of Lydia's Charm, October 1, 2010

By 

Debbie White "God loves you!" (Westfield, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lydia's Charm: An Amish Widow Starts Over in Charm, Ohio (Paperback)

I found Lydia's Charm to be another winner in my book for Wanda Brunstetter! She portrays the Amish way of life so wonderfully! In this book, the widow Lydia moves to Charm, Ohio to be closer to her mother. More tragedy befalls her there, and she does not know what to do with her life. She meets up with two men who both are interested in her. One is a widower with 4 boys, the other an unmarried bachelor. Who will she choose? It is really very heartwarming! Charm is a "Charm"! I found this one very interesting as I have also been to Charm, Ohio, where this book takes place. Another enjoyable read from Wanda Brunstetter!