Restless Hearts (The Flanagans, Book 6) (Larger Print Love Inspired #388) (Mass Market Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

A search for her roots brought midwife Fiona Flanagan to Pennsylvania Dutch country—and made her wonder whether she should turn back. The area's mixture of Amish and English culture confused her, and her first encounter with local police chief Ted Rittenhouse didn't help. he'd thought she was breaking into her own office!

Despite the misunderstanding, Fiona could see that Ted's tough-as-nails exterior hid a kind soul—one caught between two worlds, seeking a place to belong. She felt the same, but trusting him with her heart would require the biggest step of faith she had ever taken.

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Steeple Hill (March 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373813023
• ISBN-13: 978-0373813025
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 4.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,001,367 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Romance, April 11, 2007

By	Barbara Warren - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Restless Hearts (The Flanagans, Book 6) (Love Inspired #388) (Mass Market Paperback)

Fiona Flanagan never met her relatives on either her mother or her father's side of the family. A quarrel between brothers alienated her father from his family and her mother's Amish relatives disowned her when she left her faith to marry an outsider. Now Fiona is in town and determined to get some answers. The Flanagans welcome her with open arms, but the Stolzfus family isn't ready for a confrontation. Fiona realizes people were hurt but it was all so long ago, and what about forgiveness?

Ted Ritenhouse meets Fiona when he finds her prowling around the house she wants to buy and thinks she's up to no good. Ted is the law in Crossroads and he's not happy to learn Fiona is Hannah Stoltzfus' daughter. Marty Perry has written a compassionate story of love and forgivness, hidden hurts and the courage to do what is right, regardless of the cost. The characters are so well developed we can understand their pain, feel their joy and rejoice at the way God can give peace to hurting hearts. Another good story about the Flanagan family

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Reading while the guys watch soccer, April 8, 2009

By	S. Deeth "Sheila Deeth" (OR, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Restless Hearts (The Flanagans, Book 6) (Love Inspired #388) (Mass Market Paperback)

I got a free gift from Love Inspired the other day, a larger print version of Restless Hearts by Marta Perry. So when the guys sat down to watch the soccer match (Liverpool won) I curled up to nurse the dregs of a day-long headache and quietly read. I found that my reading rate, with headache, is approximately one Love Inspired romance per soccer match, but perhaps I'd have to read a few more samples to confirm that. Unfortunately, even though their prices are really good, and only a dollar extra for the larger print, my books budget is currently dead in the water. I guess the experiment will have to wait a while.

Restless Hearts was a pleasant way to end my day. I was slightly dubious about yet another book set in Amish country--why do I see so many of them in the stores? But the characters were interesting, particularly as the protagonist shared most of my pre- and misconceptions about the culture. I learned things I hadn't known about the Pennsylvania Dutch. And I enjoyed the insights into relationships, the misunderstandings of caring people that turn into bitter anger, and the hope that heals.

The book is clearly a Christian novel, but I was pleasantly surprised by how naturally it was written. I've read other Christian novels that assume I'll agree with everything said, or that paint any non-Christian as hopeless sinner or saint-about-to-be-redeemed. In Restless Hearts the faith of the characters was just a part of how they felt. It came into their despair as much as their hope, and led to questions answered by the lessons of life.

Fiona comes to her father's family in Pennsylvania, with secrets about her mother and her past. The sudden, accidental revelation of some of those secrets threatens to destroy her hopes of being a midwife to the Amish. Meanwhile the local policeman has secrets of his own, and... Well, it is a romance.

I enjoyed the book. I'm not sure what qualified me for a free gift, let alone a larger print free gift--oh dear, am I getting old? But I did enjoy it. And the guys enjoyed the soccer. Did I mention, Liverpool won!

3.0 out of 5 stars Engaging enough but it went on too long -- I skimmed the last 25 pages, September 17, 2009

By	M. C. Crammer (Decatur, GA USA) - See all my reviews

I thought this book started out well, with the Amish country providing an interesting setting for a romance involving people who are not really Amish -- although they have Amish family, providing them unique access into this community.

The plot involves Fiona Flanagan, a woman raised in California who returns to the small Pennsylvania community her parents were from in order to start her own practice as a midwife. She immediately meets a police officer called Ted, who she is attracted to, and vice versa. Fiona is too wounded from her own traumatic childhood (mother died when she was a baby and she spent several years in foster care) to be willing to open up to him. He is also wounded by a bad experience in his life. All of this stands in the way of romance. Fiona is trying to establish a practice, but establishing family ties is also an important element of this book.

If you don't mind the predictable romance plot -- eligible man and woman attracted but something keeps them from getting together -- this is an enjoyable enough read for beach or airplane. It's a chance to escape reality and enter the world of the Pennsylvania Amish, who I thought seemed realistically portrayed. The author had clearly done her research and did not present the usual stereotypes -- so much so, that I wondered if she had Amish family ties herself. Also, although this is "Christian fiction," I thought it was done well, without preaching -- faith was simply a part of the characters' lives, and at difficult times, there were prayers and an occasional verse from the Bible. You don't have to be an evangelical Christian to enjoy this book.