Customer Reviews

Plain Jayne (Plain and Simple)

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A fresh new voice in literature! Hillary Manton Lodge told this touching story with wit and humor, not to mention great skill.

Jayne Tate has walked away from her past, but is confronted by it in the most unexected place--in the midst of an Amish family. Jayne has a lot to learn about who she is, and life's lessons are never easy. Thanks, Hillary, for allowing me to be part of Jayne's journey of self discovery.

We have not heard the last from Hillary Manton Lodge. I'm eager to read her next book.

Plain Jayne will definitely be on my list of best reads for 2010.

Jayne Tate lives in the big city of Portland, Oregon. She loves her job as a reporter for a busy newspaper, and enjoys an undemanding relationship with her boyfriend. Shane knows her only as the motorcycle-riding, modern news gal from Portland. Her childhood hasn't been discussed, he hasn't met her family, and Jayne's perfectly fine with that.

Then her father dies, and her boss insists she take a three-week break from her job, based on a pronounced downswing in writing quality. This forced hiatus effectively cuts Jayne out of a prime career opportunity. She responds by heading off to a nearby Amish community, seeking a story that will put her back in her boss's good graces. Being forced away from her desk for three weeks doesn't mean she can't work on her own.

Her first contact in Albany is Levi Burkholder, who arranges for Jayne to stay with his Amish family--a family and a way of life he is no longer a part of. While wrestling with an undeniable attraction to the kind, handsome carpenter who is shunned by his Amish father, Jayne finds herself drawn to the Burkholder family and their simple way of life. Three weeks under their roof changes her, and when she returns to Portland--her job, her lonely apartment, and the handsome suitor who really doesn't know her--they no longer satisfy.

To say nothing of the fact that her mind refuses to let go of one unforgettable kiss she shared with a not-quite-Plain man.

Plain Jayne is not your everyday Amish love story, and Jayne Tate is not your everyday heroine. Hillary Manton Lodge brings a different kind of romance. Dropping a very modern woman into a devoutly Plain community has all the makings of disaster, but the author makes it work, believably and without obvious contrivance. She throws in a dash of humor, a whole lot of heart, and an Amish kitchen full of home cooking to come up with the perfect recipe for a romance to remember.

I look forward to the next stories in the Plain and Simple series.

Hillary Manton Lodge has crafted an interesting romance novel, well-written, funny and informative. This is NOT a typical Amish love story. Excellent read!

The fast pace, entertaining circumstances, and realistic characters are a much appreciated break in today's Amish Fiction market. The story snaps, crackles and pops off the page.

A fantastic job by an amazing new author. Anxiously awaiting her next novel.

Her editor at the Portland Oregonian demands Jayne Tate take vacation time so she can regain her Mojo which was lost since her dad died and a promotion went to someone else. Reluctantly she agrees so she heads to Oregon's Amish country seeking a feature and some respite.

Jayne is taken aback by the throwback lifestyle though she conceals her shock behind a veneer of appreciative objectivity. However, Jayne is unable to remain cool when she meets former Amish carpenter Levi Burkholder. As they fall in love, she moves in temporarily with his estranged parents for a taste of genuine Amish living and quickly respects his family because they are hard working caring plain folks, but flees in panic when her Levi says he loves her.

This is an engaging inspirational romance of a woman who gave God the cold shoulder for allowing her setbacks until she meets the Burkholder clan. Fans will enjoy this terrific Plain & Simple character driven saga as Plain Jayne learns to deal with her fears not run away from them. She deserves being the title protagonist as she makes the story line fun to read.

Harriet Klausner

Plain Jayne by Hilary Manton Lodge is the first book in the Plain and Simple series. There are lots of titles to choose from in the growing genre of bonnet fiction, or as I like to call it Amish lit, but Lodge takes an unusual approach in introducing an Englischer who becomes fascinated with the Amish lifestyle. Jayne Tate's writing at the newspaper has lost its edge since the death of her father, so her boss puts her on sabbatical to regain her balance. Instead of taking a vacation, Jayne gives herself a new writing assignment of discovering the truths about the Amish community just outside of town. Her contact to the Amish is Levi Burkholder, a cabinet maker who she quickly discovers has left the Plain life that she finds herself so drawn to. Jayne falls in love with the handiwork and quiet life of the Amish but must examine whether the attraction is in part to avoid troubles in her own life. Lodge's representation of the Amish is spot-on with the merits and flaws of the community. Jayne is thoroughly likable and readers will find it easy to relate to her self-discovery and her love for the Burkholder family. I don't want to give away the ending by giving the protagonist of the next book, but I really can't wait to read it!

Plain Jayne by Hillary Manton Lodge is an absolutely fabulous read! I cannot tell you how much I loved this book.

This book is totally unique. It's not at all your typical Amish novel. I was hooked from the start and hated to put it down for a minute. The story was suspenseful and kept me turning the pages. There's drama, action, suspense, and romance. And the characters became like family to me. I love Jayne! She is realistic and flawed and funny and I would want her to be my best friend. I laughed hysterically at times, I cried at times, and I was totally engrossed and on the edge of my seat at times. I love a book that makes me laugh out loud and I love this author's sense of humor! This book is going on my list of very favorite books.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone. It's got something for everyone. It's got contemporary, real world along with a touch of Amish story. It's funny and romantic and suspenseful. It's a real winner in my book.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit an Amish community for a little while? Imagine the simplicity and quiet without the barrage of technology. I'm not sure I could give up my laptop for long, but it would be fun to experience the culture for a few days.

That's what Jayne Tate got to do in Plain Jayne by debut author Hillary Manton Lodge. Jayne didn't exactly find it easy to give up her laptop either, but visiting Amish country gave her an opportunity to do some soul searching. To be honest, when I received my complimentary review copy from Hillary Lodge's publicist, I thought, not another Amish book! They're everywhere and I'm a little burned out on them. But this author has a different slant than so many of the other series that are out there.

Lodge skips all the Pennsylvania Dutch jargon that other authors have in their Amish books. You won't find any "wunderbar gut" or "Rumschpringe" here, and I found that refreshing. Instead, the author focuses on the characters and plot, and she does it without doing an injustice to Amish culture. The other difference is that this book focuses more on a non-Amish character whose encounter with the Amish helps her put her own future into perspective, where authors focus exclusively on an Amish young person struggling to decide whether or not to embrace the Ordnung. Although some of that is sprinkled in the story, it isn't the main conflict.

This was fun to read. I love the wit in this author's writing voice. Her humor and personality come through in a way that make me want to meet her in person. Harvest House Publishers knew what they were doing when they signed Hillary. I enjoyed this book very much, I'm looking forward to more from her Plain and Simple series.

Glass Road Productions calls Plain Jane "refreshing and witty." I agree. This is an enjoyable read. Viewing the situation from the eyes of "English" Jayne throws a different light than most Amish novels display.
In Lodge's first inspirational fiction, Jayne is forced into taking a three-week vacation from her newspaper job because she's obviously under duress. She opts to do research for an article, and follows a hunch to investigate the Amish community. By coincidence, she bypasses several Amish furniture stores and lands in one operated by Levi Burkholder. He makes arrangements for her to live with his Amish family, opening a unique view, where Jayne experiences amazing twists and turns that reveal the less than gentle atmosphere portrayed by most Amish fiction.
Hillary Manton Lodge is known for her witty stories about normal people learning to live, laugh, heal and understand the concept of God in an unpredictable world. A graduate of University of Oregon's School of Journalism, she works as a freelance photographer while following her passion for writing fiction. She lives with her husband in Oregon.

Green Light Red LightReviewed by Audrey Hebbert, M.A., author of Green Light Red Light

A great book where the people act like people instead of characters in a book. A masterfull blend of faith and story telling set in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.