Sarah's Garden

Sarah's Garden
by Kelly Long

Sarah King lives in an Amish community in Pine Creek, Pennsylvania. Here she lives among her Mamm, her father, and her three unmarried older brothers. The story begins at the table on the King Farm where Sarah's family has gathered for the evening meal. At grace, her father brings good news that Chelsea, her older sister, is with child! Everyone is excited, and Sarah is asked to make a quilt for the child and also run the family's roadside stand in Chelsea's place. Shy Sarah reluctantly agrees.
Around the time that Sarah begins to work at the stand, a new neighbor moves into the Fisher farm across the way from the Kings. He is an Englischer, and also a veterinarian. Grant Williams hopes that he will be accepted into this Amish community because all his life he has felt the urge to serve the Amish people just as his father had.
On her first day at the roadside stand, Sarah met Grant. After that, they met frequently. As their friendship grew, Grant realizes that he loves Sarah, but his love will never work because he is an Englischer and Sarah is Amish. At Christmas time, Sarah realizes that she loves Grant as well and goes to tell him, but he stops her because their love will cause much grief. Shortly after this, Grant leaves without a trace, even his house-keepers don't know where he has gone, and Sarah finds herself heartsick.
During this time of heartsickness, Sarah finds creativity in quilt making and painting. She also helps Mathew Fisher, who had been abused and hurt as a child, to find a way to make a new life for himself.
Sarah turns to Der Herr, the Lord, for wisdom and guidance when Grant is gone, and she finds great peace in telling Him all that she has held inside her. The Lord gives her peace on the day she begins another year working on the roadside stand again. Peace in more ways than one.
I really enjoyed reading this book. Sarah's Garden is very realistic. It seems like Kelly Long took real people and put them in her story. When I was reading, I felt like Sarah was one of my real friends. When they held a quilting, I felt like I was there with them, sitting around the quilt with it's iridescent patches, and listening to Chelsea's story. Kelly Long has done a very good job of writing this book. It shows how much effort was put into it in the research and language. I really enjoyed it!

Book from Book Sneeze.