I enjoyed the characters of this book. I Highly recommended.

I enjoyed this book so much, It drew me in from the first chapter. The author describes people and places so I well that you can't help but be drawn in. I would recommend it to anyone who loves a great mystery

I was intrigued when I first learned of this book, as its set in Maryland and the story takes place in Amish community that I’m very familiar with.
I think I was more curious as to what the author could base even one book, let alone an entire series on in this tiny community.  I’m so glad that I was curious because this book is pretty awesome!
This book has the perfect blend of suspense and Amish fiction.  The author crafted strong believable characters and an interesting storyline.  I loved Lilly/Hannah and admired her strength and courage.  There were a few times when I was on the edge of my seat as she spots the man on the bike who seems to be following her.  I adored the family that she stayed with and how she helped them as much as they were helping her.
Jake is a character that had my heart from the beginning.  He’s trying to forget about the woman who left the Amish community and shattered his dreams.    When he and Hannah become friends, I wasn’t too sure how he would handle finding out that she isn’t really who she pretends to be.
We all have decisions to make in life and Hannah has to grapple with one that will change her life completely.
Plain Haven has a plot that is is engaging and moves at a great pace.  I had a hard time putting this book  down.  If you like Amish fiction or are looking for a new author, I recommend Plain Haven.  I am eagerly anticipating the second book in the series.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and have given my honest opinion.

Was that another creepy note from him? What was that creak on the stairs? Was that bicyclist following the buggy she is in? Unfortunately librarian,Lilly Brandt is totally in the wrong place at the wrong time. While doing her daily ten mile jog she happens upon some men dumping a body. Hoping they don't see her and that she can hide behind a tree until they leave,luck just doesn't happen to be with her. After going to the police for protection she is put in the witness protection program. Given a new name and identification she is sent to live with an Amish family and basically become Amish. Despite her being nervous about being able to pull off being Amish she seems to assimilate pretty well and doesn't arouse suspicion among the Amish in the community that she isn't Amish After telling them she suffered a head injury and has trouble remembering certain things about Amish living they take it in stride and help by giving her instructions on how to perform Amish tasks like canning and making Amish meals. A certain Amish man even is smitten with her but wary of getting in a new relationship when his last one failed due to her not being truthful. He values truthfulness above all else. If he only knew she wasn't who she said she was would he still want anything to do with her? After a teacher leaves to get married she becomes the communities new school teacher. At a get together the bishop and school board pull her aside to ask a few questions and she feels her whole world come crashing down around her. When the bishop says he can't find any info about her from any of the Pennsylvania districts she knows she will more than likely be forced to leave the community and her teaching job. With emotion she tells the truth about why she is there and that she wants to stay and become Amish.
The ending was not what I expected and this book held my attention captive as I could hardly put the book down. This new to me author is high on my list. I'll definitely be looking out for more from her!
Pub Date 08 May 2017
Thank you to NetGalley and Vinspire Publishing, LLC for a review copy in exchange for my honest review.

When librarian , Lilly Brandt witnesses a crime in her hometown, her only option is to go into hiding. The criminals in question will stop at nothing to find Lilly and make sure she can't identify them. When the authorities decide to send Lilly into witness protection within an Amish community in Southern Maryland, it's not only a shock to her system, but a whole way of life. Trying to fit in is a work in progress and any mess up could cost her as well as those around her.

With the requisite name change and lessons on how to be plain, Lilly, AKA Hannah Kurtz begins her stay in Cherry Hill where she stays with an Amish family who are happy to have her there. As a guest at Rebecca and Samuel Hertzel, Hannah becomes an integral member of their lively household where she not only helps with the children, but takes some stress off the pregnant Rebecca.

Jake Beiler is an Amish man nursing a broken heart. When he discovers the woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with turned her back on the Amish, he vows to never fall in love again. Meeting the fascinating Hannah Kurtz changes all that when the two begin a friendship that quickly morphs into something deeper. But Hannah is really not Amish and the closer she gets to these people, the more she may be putting them in danger. The only thing is, everyday it's harder to keep herself at a distance and being in Jake's company makes her yearn for something she cannot have...or can she?

PLAIN HAVEN by Susan Lantz Simpson is a wonderfully written book that sucked me right in, beginning with page 1.The entire atmosphere is electric, between the imminent danger Lilly is in and the way she takes to life in Cherry Hill. I simply couldn't put this book down and I am anxious to read more by this talented author.

Plain Haven by Susan Lantz Simpson is the first book in the Plainly Maryland series. Lilly Brandt is out on her morning jog when she notices two men pulling a body out of truck. She ducks behind a tree and watches them dump the person. Unfortunately, one of the men sees Lilly and she is forced to run for her life. Lilly’s shirt advertises the library where she works as a children’s librarian. At the police station, Lilly is informed that the only way they can protect is for her to go away. Lilly becomes Hannah Kurtz, an Amish woman from Pennsylvania. Hannah will be staying with Rebecca and Samuel Hertzler and their four children in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. She will have to stay in the community until the police catch the men after her. It is a new world for Hannah without computers, cell phones, and modern appliances. She slowly adapts and enjoys the slower pace. Jake Beiler is a carpenter who is recovering from a broken heart. He has vowed not to fall in love again, but then he meets Hannah. The two are attracted to each from the moment they meet. Then Hannah’s secret is revealed and her new family and friends feel betrayed. But then Hannah is discovered by the villains and she is fighting for her life. To see how the story ends, get your copy of Plain Haven.

Plain Haven is well-written and an engaging story. I liked the characters and the setting of St. Mary’s County, Maryland. We get to see Lilly/Hannah adapt to life in an Amish community. It is like stepping back in time to when women cooked three meals a day (no microwave or take out), did laundry with wringer washing machines (they should be banned from existence), hanging clothes on the line to dry, growing vegetables, and using a horse and buggy for transportation. Lilly/Hannah finds a community of friends and family. I do wish the suspense element had been ramped up a little bit. It would have made for a more intriguing story. The romance portion needed to be toned down (just a little bit. It felt a little fake in the beginning). I am giving Plain Haven 4 out of 5 stars (I liked it). The Christian themes of trusting in God, prayer and faith are prevalent throughout the book. Plain Haven is a lovely, heartwarming novel that captured and held my attention. I will be reading the next book in the Plainly Maryland series.

I fell in love with the story from the first page, and it kept me reading late into the night.
The author developed a great concept of hiding a witness in Amish country, no that is not new, but she did such a great job of immersing Hannah, aka Lilly, into the culture, that you sometimes forgot that she really wasn’t Amish.
Hannah is a gentle kind soul, that is now really running for her life because she witnessed a body being thrown, so from evil, she has found peace, or so she hopes. Then we meet Jacob who is now smitten with Hannah, but she isn’t really Amish, is he about to be thrown for a loop again?
I really hated this story to come to an end, I wanted to move in with Rebecca and become a member of this family, and I loved the children!
I received this book through NetGalley and Vinspire Publishing, LLC, and was not required to give a positive review.