Room on the Porch Swing is part of the Amish Homestead Series. Laura Rheil has buried two people she loves in the last year. She is more than willing to help her best friend's now widower husband Allen. Still grieving from her own mother's death, Laura feels for the baby Savilla left behind. But how will she deal with her growing feelings for the widower? Or were those feelings always there? How will Laura deal with her boyfriend's growing discomfort for her new job?
I love how Amy Clipston brings her characters to life. She makes you want to talk, laugh and cry with the characters. This is a story of finding God's path in one's life. It deals with the story of grief and how everyone grieves in different ways. I would highly recommend this series to all. I received a copy through Netgalley. I review was not required.

Well. Honestly, I'm surprised that this was a book written by Amy Clipston: her books are usually less cliche than this? By the time I was two chapters in, I had essentially predicted the ending of the book, and the rest of the book was a drag: I thought it was never going to end.

Honestly, the only bright spot about the entire book was Mollie: she was a darling little thing and she was so cute! I enjoyed seeing her grow up and learn how to walk and talk and she was adorable!

I don't know if it's because I've already read enough of Clipston's books to predict what was going on (the timeline basically followed the same ones as the ones in the Amish Heirloom series, the only other books by her I've read), or because it really was that flat, but this story really had no life for me. Her writing style is superb: she is able to draw readers into the scene and really bring it to life, but I really did not see the point of the entire book.

Laura and Rudy's relationship really just felt lifeless (which was the point), but it felt simply frustrating because it kept dragging on. The relationships between the family was also weird; usually there is a lot more camaraderie between the families in these books and it just felt not there this time.

The descriptions of scenes was also a little too . . . much? The descriptions of "falling in love" not only mirrored EVERY SINGLE OTHER falling in love scene ever, but also seemed unwarranted and extra. In addition, some of what Laura did/felt towards Allen just felt inappropriate (and I am nowhere as conservative as the Amish should be!)

Overall, this book, while I am loathe to say was useless, was one that I was glad I finished. The storyline fell very flat for me, and I felt like it would have worked a lot better as a short story.

My Ranking-
1/10
Things liked-
Mollie! She was a darling little thing
Things disliked-
You mean, aside from the fact that I PREDICTED THE ENTIRE BOOK?
A lot of [thoUGHTS]
Honestly, it was much too long? I wanted the book to be oVER ALREADY
Inappropriate guy/girl scenarios
Kind of lack of family? or at least, a disconnected family?
Would have worked a lot better as a short story
The same storyline was basically the same thing as the Amish Heirloom series
Despite the story seeming long, the love still seemed to move way too fast
I didn't like the character of Laura in general? She seemed to forward at times and then was baffled by where the feelings came from? I didn't really get it?

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review; I was not required to write a positive review.

This review first appeared on https://rockandminerals4him.wordpress.com/2018/01/31/book-review-room-on-the-porch-swing-by-amy-clipston/

Although this is book 2 in the Amish Homestead series, I did not have any trouble reading it as a stand alone due to the background provided by the author in the forenotes. I will go back and read book 1 though.

Amish buggy maker Allen Lambert has lost his young wife to death and is left to raise his months old daughter by himself. His mother in law, Irma Mae, has been caring for Molly; but an accident has incapacitated her. His wife's best friend, Laura, has offered to step in and be housekeeper and Nanny until Irma Mae recovers from her broken hip and leg. Allen's mind may not be ready to move forward, but his heart has a different idea. Laura is in a relationship with Rudy that has gone nowhere in 4 years. Will sparks fly between these two Amish or will their pasts hold them back?

I was an avid reader of Amish fiction when it first became popular. But after reading it for many years, I quit because I found they had all become very formulaic. But I applaud Clipston for developing a plot that is very different from the normal run-of-the-mill Amish fiction. The plot was predictable but had enough twists and turns to make this a different kind of Amish fiction.

The characters were well developed. Laura was a very caring person and showed her concern for both Allen and Mollie in everyday life and activities. Allen was a devoted father and a hardworker. Rudy was both immature, somewhat controlling, and self-absorbed as he showed little concern for Laura in the difficulties she faced. I really was exasperated when he conned his mother into going to the bishop when Laura wouldn't bend to his will.

An enjoyable Amish read if you like Amish fiction.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I normally really enjoy reading an Amy Clipston novel, but this one just felt off to me. Don't get me wrong, it was well written and engaging, but it wasn't fully clicking for me either. I think too much time was devoted to trying to save the relationship between Rudy and Laura. It made the story drag and created some (to me) unnecessary conflict for Laura, especially with how selfish Rudy seemed to be. However, the slow build of the relationship between Allen and Laura worked very well for me! I also liked the themes of loss woven into this story and the more traditional "setting" of the story. It was a good story, but had some issues for me personally.

I loved this book amy has a gift! She's one of my favorite authors. What I love about her books. Is that they was keep interested!!!! Loved the title loved the cover!

Sweet story. Laura's best friend, Savilla very unexpectedly died leaving behind her new husband and two month old baby girl, Mollie. Laura is still grieving the loss of her mother. Savilla's husband, Allen, has help from his mother-in-law taking care of Mollie and the house while he works in his shop building and repairing buggies.
When his mother-in-law falls and breaks bones, Laura offers to take her place helping Allen and Mollie out. Eventually, Laura is spending nights there as Mollie is awake most of the nights crying. She does this so Allen can sleep at night and be able to do his job during the day. I found this hard to believe in the story as we are supposed to avoid all appearances of evil and the Amish are highly religious.
Laura has been dating Rudy for four years with no mention of marriage from him. He is immature and self-centered, as Laura begins to see for herself. Rudy was once a very good friend of Allen's, but now he glowers at Allen and is jealous of Laura's relationship with him and his daughter.
Laura finds herself becoming very attached to both Allen and Mollie. She loves the little girl and Mollie adores 'Lala.'
While predictable that Laura and Allen would fall for one another, it is a sweet story. I, personally, didn't care for the references of 'following your heart.' Our 'heart is deceitful above all else and desperately wicked.' (Jeremiah 17:9) Thus, the four star rating.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have always been a fan of Amish fiction, which is why I am shocked that I have never read any books from Amy Clipston, and was anxious to read Room on the Porch Swing. This is the second and final book in the Amish Homestead series and though I have not read the first book, A Place at Our Table, I was in no way lost when I started reading. Room on the Porch Swing had my attention from the beginning.

I cannot imagine being a widow, much less a widower with a two-month-old baby to care for, but that is exactly where Allen Lambert finds himself after tragically losing his wife, Savella. They have only been married for a little over a year and Allen is still a newcomer in a lot of ways in the small Amish community in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania.

Allen is lucky to have wonderful in-laws who share the pain of this tragic loss and his mother-in-law, Irma Mae, offers to help with baby Mollie while Allen goes back to work repairing and reselling buggies, his own business, which just happens to be booming at the moment. When Irma Mae has a nasty fall that ends up requiring surgery she can no longer care for Mollie which leaves Allen once again struggling to get by.

It seems as if everything in Laura Riehl's life is dramatically changing as well. It's only been a few months since she's lost her mother that she loses her best friend, Savella. Her and her boyfriend, Rudy, were close friends to both Allen and Savella, and Laura wants to do everything she can to help her best friends husband. When Irma Mae becomes unable to care for baby Mollie Laura seizes the opportunity to help, much to the disapproval of her long-time boyfriend. Allen is more than grateful for the help and before long their relationship grows into a close and caring friendship and then all the feelings start to confuse their once clear intentions with each other.

Though this book is predictable, I thoroughly enjoyed reading Room on the Porch Swing. The character development and depth is wonderful and you truly feel the emotions coming through the pages. There is quite a bit of "will they won't they" which did start to get a little old but I am so glad I persevered until the end. There were a few nail-biting parts that were real page turners, which I appreciated, and the story does pick up at the end. It is a sweet and easy read and only took me a few days to get through it all.

Wonderful and sweet story of loss, faith, and love! Highly recommend!

I started reading this book on my lunch break and the opening scene was so intense and I was so interested in it I was almost late going back to work. (That's not really a bad thing though, right?) I couldn't wait to get home to dive into the story again. However, once I was able to get back to the story I found that it had lost that spark I found it in earlier. I found the story to be predictable and nothing really surprised me on the journey to the end.

Laura was a caring character and I liked that she wanted to help out her deceased friend by taking care of her infant daughter. Taking care of the daughter leads to taking care of the baby's dad and it's easy to see where this story is headed. There isn't a lot of drama or dramatic events but just the day-in and day-out lives of the widower, the friend, and the baby. I feel like there should have been more interaction and conflict between Rudy and Laura. There never really seemed to be a bond between the two that made me care if they stayed together or not. A bright spot in the story is Laura's twin, Mark. He added charm and life to the story and I can't wait to read his story. It should be interesting as he is quite the charmer!

Even though I didn't love this story I still love Amy's writing. She has that ability to pull readers into a story and make them a part of it. Her descriptions made the story come alive and made it easy to picture things as they happened. Amy Clipston is one of my favorite authors and I can't wait to read her next book.

I received a free copy from the publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions are mine.

Room on the Porch Swing

Amy Clipston has wowed me again with this amazing novel! This second book in the Amish Homestead Series is one you don't want to miss! I enjoyed the first book so much I couldn't wait to get a hold of this second book, and let me just say, I was hooked from the very first page!
This book, just like the first book, deals with some really big, hard life issues such as loss of a loved one, grief, letting go of blame, forgiveness, and second chances. These characters with their situations and difficulties just pulled at my heart stings.
While this book is the second book in the Amish Homestead series, it can be read as a stand-a-lone novel, but I would highly recommend you reading the first novel because it was so good and to catch up on a few things that happened in the Reihl family.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from the author and Netgalley, but was not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion of this book.

Room On The Porch Swing Is an emotional, strong, successful, powerful and the love of the LORD story. You have Laura helping Allan take care of his daughter since he is the new widower and he is now taking care of his hurt mother in law. Laura has a boyfriend who hasn't stepped up to the plate and asked her to marry him you have the big question why hasn't she shared with him that she is helping Allan? Does he want to ask her that question? Does she want him to? What is happening between her and Allen? What is GOD's plan for them? You have got to see the twist in this book - - -

Laura has had a year of heartache. First her mom dies unexpectedly and then her best friend, Savilla, dies after a brief illness. She has having trouble with her boyfriend of four years as every time they are together there is a feeling of disconnect.

Allen, Savilla's widow, needs help raising his daughter Mollie, when his mother-in-law suffers a terrible accident and will be laid up for several months. He turns to Laura asking for her help as a live-in nanny. Laura will do anything to honor her best friend's memory even if it causes more friction between her and her boyfriend.

As time goes by Laura gets more attached to Mollie and her dad. Can Laura separate her feelings of friendship love and romantic love while caring for Mollie?

Book two in the Amish Homestead series is beautifully written and filled with sorrow, heartache and joy. Amy Clipston is a natural when it comes to writing about family and relationships. You will never be sorry to pick up one her books.

I instantly felt a connection to Laura even though I have never experienced (thankfully) losing my mom or best friend. She has this sweet nature about her but at the same time she does not let anyone run over her. She can be stubborn when it is most needed. I was impressed with her ability to just jump right in and help without a second thought.

This would make the perfect Mother's Day gift for the reader in your life.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley from Zondervan. Any and all opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Allen woke up and it was 2 am and Savilla wasn’t next to him. He wondered had Mollie cried out in her sleep? Than Allen heard Savilla call him and he found her in the bathroom on the floor - vomiting and then burning up yet shivering at the same time. Savilla said she felt terrible. Allen felt confusion coil inside him as he needed to help his wife but didn’t know how, As her husband Allen’s job was to take care of ehr and protect Savilla and he hates that he didn’t know what to do for her. Allen sat on the floor with her and had her head in his lap then Savilla’s head turned to the right and her whole body went limp but she was still breathing but he needed to get help. He went into his carriage shop and called for an ambulance. Savilla was put in the hospital the doctor told Allen it was a stomach flu and Savilla had passed out from dehydration. They were going to release Savilla she had been alert and talking then Allen went to call his driver when he returned he saw nurses at the door of Savilla’s room looking very sad and one said she was sorry to lallen the the doctor ahd called Allen aside and told him Savilla had passed away. Laura had been Savilla’s best friend and stood at Savilla’s grave for the service with her boyfriend Rudy and her twin brother Mark. She was heartbroken for herself and Allen and little Mollie. Laura had met Savilla with their mutual friend Priscilla on their first day of school and they all became best friends and stayed that way until Priscilla had unexpectedly left the community four years ago. But Savilla and Laura stayed best friends but they did miss their friend Priscilla. Just days ago Allen;s life had been perfect. He had his thriving business, his beautiful wife, and their lovely baby girl. Now he was alone with more heartache and confusion than he could ever have imagined. Tomorrow Allen ahd to return to the business of life. How could he do it without Savilla by his side? The following summer - the days seemed to drag since Allen had lost Savilla. Mollie’s grandmother Irma had been taking care of Mollie and the house while Allen worked in his carriage shop right next to the house. But then Irma fell while trying to get a bowl in Allen’s house she had broken her leg in two places and broke her hip. She went to the hospital and she had to have two surgeries and then eventually would go into a rehabilitation facility she was going to have to learn to walk again. She would not be able to watch Mollie and help Allen for several months. Rudy and Laura had been dating for four years yet marriage was seldom brought up if Laura brought up the subject Rudy just changed it. Her mother had told to have patience with rudy as he was a good man he just needed to mature before she had passed away. Laura did wonder if rudy was the man for her after all. Laura had went to ALlen and said she would take over for Irma until she could return but then Allen was getting no sleep asd Mollie was waking up screaming for her grandmother in the middle of the night and refused to go back in her crib to sleep Allen was getting very little sleep and Laura was afraid he would seriously hurt himself while working on the carriages with so little sleep so she started staying overnight during the week so she would wake and calm Moly down as she slept in Mollie’s room also now. Rudy stoppe dover to Allen’s to see Laura and he was not happy when she told him she stayed nights also at Allen’s now so he could the sleep he needed to work. Rudy showed his disapproval in his expression but Laura is determined to help Allen and Mollie. Rudy had been Allen’s first friend when he had moved into their community but since Savilla had died he barely spoke to Allen and superficially and briefly. Laura knew she was getting too attached to Mollie and Allen and needed to distance herself emotionally.
I truly loved this book. It was an easy, sweet Christian read. It spoke of new love and loss, widowers going through the pain of losing their spouse unexpectedly. It also spoke strongly of family,God, faith, and prayer. I loved Laura’s relationship with her family especially her twin Mark. I loved how she was so willing to help Mollie and Allen and her family stepped in to do her chores at home to cover for her being at Allen’s. Mollie was a sweetheart and I felt bad for the pain and loss she felt as such a little girl and she really added to this book. Rudy annoyed me a lot until towards the end of this book. I thought this was realistically done from what I have read and heard of the Amish communities.I could find nothing to criticize in this book and it made me very happy. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend.

I love Amy Clipston’s writing. She is such a great story teller. She brings characters alive in a real way. They are like friends by the end of the book. This book is no exception. Love the story and the deep emotions the characters experience. Their life situations aren’t easy. It’s not a story of no hardship, not fluffy. It’s full of hard things, real things that real people experience in life. Love that characters from the first story in the series are brought back. I love when you can catch up a little with previous book character friends in subsequent books. Don’t worry, you don’t need to read book 1 to read book 2! I do feel however like Ive read a book just like this recently. I can’t remember what book it was but this story is so similar it was a little strange. Deja vu in a way. Because of this ununiqueness I gave this book 4 stars. Otherwise I loved the story.
I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Room on the Porch Swing by Amy Clipston is An Amish Homestead Novel. Laura Riehl lives in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania where her best friend, Savilla Lambert has passed away. It has been less than a year since Laura’s mother died and now her best friend passes after a quick illness. Allen Lambert and Savilla were married such a short time and now he is a widower with a baby girl to raise. The following summer, Irma Mae falls in Allen’s kitchen and her injuries require surgery. Irma Mae, Savilla’s mother, has been Mollie’s caretaker and now Allen must find someone to watch her while he is working. Laura offers to care for Mollie until Irma Mae recovers. Allen and Laura soon discover that they can talk truthfully (open and honestly) to each other. They find their chats on the porch swing helpful and comforting. Rudy, Laura’s beau, is not happy with the time she is spending at Allen’s home and he becomes resentful. As time passes, Laura becomes comfortable with caring for Mollie and her feelings for Allen begin to change. But she has been dating Rudy for four years and is not sure she should give up on their relationship. The time is approaching when Laura will need to make a choice.

Room on the Porch Swing takes us back to Bird-in-Hand and the Riehl family. It was nice to catch up with Jamie and Kayla from A Place at Our Table along with Mark (Laura’s twin) and Cindy (the youngest Riehl). While Room on the Porch Swing is part of a series, it can be read alone (but why would you want to miss out on A Place at Our Table). Change is in the air and Laura is not ready for it. Room on the Porch Swing is an emotional book as Laura and Allen deal with their grief. Every person handles grief in a different way as we see in this novel. Their romance is sweet and progresses slowly. It is not something Laura or Allen are looking for or expect. I thought Room on the Porch Swing was well-written and engaging. My attention was captured from the very beginning and it was held throughout. Laura and Allen are great characters. I thought they were well-developed and perfect for this story. While Rudy was needed for the story, I had many unkind thoughts regarding him. I did not like how he was using Laura and then grew resentful of the time she spent at the Lambert home caring for Mollie (Rudy would go a week without contacting Laura). I like how the faith elements are woven into the story (especially the importance of prayer). We need to remember that things happen in God’s timing, not ours. There is a reason for the events that happen in our lives (tragedy, heartbreak). We must be open to change and be prepared (open/accepting) for what will happen next. Room on the Porch Swing contains hope, grief, joy, heartbreak, faith, and more. It is a heartwarming novel that will have you laughing, crying, and sighing (a happy one at the end). Sit down for a spell in a comfy chair and spend some time with Room on the Porch Swing.

Start off with a need for tissues as there were some strong moments of heartbreak. But with heartbreak comes healing and that was the beauty of this novel. Allen and Laura slowly begin to heal and find hope together after Allen loses his wife who was Laura’s best friend.

I think hope is a constant theme from this author and I adore receiving hope and a good dose of faith to carry us on. This book spoke volumes to the authors ability to craft a story that can make a reader cry for each character and then rejoice for them as well.

Amy Clipston has added another book to the Reihl family in her Amish Homestead series. This book focuses on Laura who is reeling from the sudden death of her best friend Savilla. As with all the members of this wonderful family, Laura has a heart for helping. She wholeheartedly helps take care of her deceased friend's daughter allowing Savilla's widower husband to get some sleep so he can work during the day. This all encompassing task causes friction between Laura and her boyfriend Rudy as well as raise some eyebrows in the Amish community.

Room on the Porch Swing is a story of grief, healing, and love. Amy Clipston has made this family so likeable to me. The characters are very real and they share the same imperfections that we as humans do. Bird in Hand is the perfect setting, I can just picture the family living there.. This book is part of a series yet is easily read as a stand alone (but do try to read them all, the Reihl's are worth it!) Pick up your copy at your favorite bookstore now!

I really enjoyed reading this sweet Amish story, and I loved that baby, Mollie, and her trying to say Laura.
There is a lot of heart break here, and we are there when Allen loses his young wife, and Mollie her Mom. We relive the death of Laura’s mom, when she fell down the stairs, and with all this grief we follow these folks as they try to put their lives back together and live their faith.
This book has so many heartwarming moments and rebirth of ones lives and faith to continue despite all that has happened. Of course, there is this sweet baby and those that love her, a bit of romance, and a wedding to plan for. This is the second book in this series, and can be read alone, the author does supply a lot of information to keep you up to date, but you don’t want to miss the first one.

I receive this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Zondervan, and was not required to give a positive review.

I absolutely loved this story. The main characters are Laura, Allen and Mollie. Allen loses his wife when she becomes ill. That leaves him to raise Mollie on his own and he becomes a single parent. Allen's mother in law comes over to help him care for Mollie and also help around the house. His mother in law ends up falling and hurting herself. Now Allen needs help to find someone to help watch Mollie.

Allen's wife friend Laura decides that she will help him and also watch Mollie. Allen appreciates all of Laura's help and everything she does. When Laura's boyfriend Rudy finds out about how much time she is spending there he's not happy about it. Laura tells him that she is helping out and that is all she's doing. Will Rudy be able to get over it and accept it? What's going to happen now? Laura doesn't want to upset Rudy. Laura also knows that Allen and Mollie need her help.

You will have to read this sweet wonderful story to find out. You will not be disappointed, it is a page turner for sure. Once you pick it up you won't be able to put it down.

I’m so excited to be back on the Homestead with another amazing hit from the incredibly talented hands of Amish author, Amy Clipston. She is one of my top authors when it comes to writing Amish novels and she has once again managed to completely capture my heart and my soul with these beautifully created characters and this page turning plot line.

Instantly, I’m drawn to Allen. Bless him, from the start, I had tears in my eyes and I wanted to wrap my arms around him and tell him God’s in control and all will work out. He was wonderfully chiseled, wonderfully life-like and I fell in love with him instantly. Laura’s character was wonderful, as well, and I was so happy she was there in a tragic time! She really made the story pop. And sweet Mollie……oh sweet Mollie. A little character that was a perfect addition (not that I think that because of our names, though spelled differently, being the same!). These characters, while suffering from tragic events, were characters that became a part of me, wholly, like family.

I highly recommend this 5 star addition to the Amish Homestead series. You’ll be instantly captivated, turning page after page, long into the night. This book is emotional, yet full of God’s grace, God’s timing and characters that you’ll want to invite to your own porch swing and sip tea and visit with until the sun sets on the horizon. Ms. Clipston, you’ve done it again and I can’t sign praises high enough for another hit! Bring on the next!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

Book two in Amy Clipston's "Amish Homestead Series" takes place a few months after book 1 ends. Laura's best friend, Savilla, dies unexpectedly, leaving behind her baby daughter and husband. Laura and her family are still grieving the recent loss of their mother. Due to circumstances, Laura begins caring for Savilla's infant daughter Mollie. Rudy, Laura's long-term boyfriend, struggles with Laura's devotion to the baby and her growing devotion for Savilla's husband, Allen. Meanwhile, the story continues with Laura's siblings and her father. Author Amy Clipston ties together many relationship issues over the course of the book. Fantastic story...very well-written and believable. Difficult to put down!