Though part of a series, Clipston brings this story to life without having to read the previous books in the series (although why wouldn't you want to?). Though we live in a different world than the Amish, Clipston continues to give us characters that are relatable, likeable, and feel like family. I thoroughly enjoyed this story.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was drawn into the lives of Priscilla and Mark, two very different people who find themselves in circumstances that spiral out of control. Priscilla was both desperate and courageous to return to her Amish home, even with a verbally abusive father. She has trust issues with men because of that dysfunctional relationship, and also the physically abusive relationship she left behind- causing her to mistrust charming men like Mark. Mark is from a wonderful family who have had their share of hardship, and I enjoyed his close relationship with his twin sister Laura. He is the ultimate bachelor, charming the girls but never committing because he considers them just friends. Plenty of drama and angst ensues as he is drawn to Priscilla who rebuffs his every attempt at friendship, while she adjusts to returning home and what that means for her future. Their story is compelling, but I wished for more time when they were actually getting along and not denying their growing affection- which they held onto stubbornly until the bitter end. The interactions with Mark's family and siblings were my favorite parts.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

OMG! I enjoyed reading this book so much! The characters spoke to me on so many levels. I can’t wait to read the other books in this series.

Everyone welcomed home their shunned family member, Priscilla Allgyer and her six-year-old son, except her father, who gives her the cold shoulder and stipulations to staying under his roof again: dress plainly, confess her sins, and married within the community. Priscilla feels suffocated, trapped, and alone again.

While falling in love isn't on his radar, Mark Riehl is a flirt in his community and surrounding area. Priscilla won't give Mark the time of day but that's not stopping him from trying to gain her friendship.

In the meantime, Priscilla's father sees he needs his daughter and grandson in his life.
Can Priscilla open up her heart?
Can she learn to trust again?

I loved how Amy Clipston is able to make the characters and their feelings come to life right off the pages. I liked the pace of the book was just right and the book flowed smoothly.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review in my own words.

This is an excellent boo,k. It is an enjoyable read. You will laugh and cry. Priscilla Allgyer left the Amish community before she was baptized. Mark Riehl is the community playboy, Mark works for Priscilla's father. They become friends, does it become more?

I highly recommend this book. Thank you Zondervan Fiction and Netgalley for allowing me to read this title for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading A Seat by the Hearth. Amy Clipston's stories keep getting better and better.

Priscilla comes back home with her son, Ethan, only to endure her father's verbal abuse. Soon, she finds herself in an "arranged" married with an old friend, Mark, due to her father's belief that Ethan needs a manly figure in his life. Priscilla and Mark endure some ups and downs throughout the story, but soon realize that they may truly want to give married life a shot and repair the relationship between Priscilla and her father.

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

Priscilla’s bravery in spite of a life enduring abuse, as well as Mark’s willingness to listen to his heart and leave his bachelor habits behind, allow for an unexpected and engaging romance that is trademark Clipston. Appearances by beloved characters from prior series installments add depth and community to the struggle this couple faces and, as always, the author offers fascinating insight into the multi-faceted Amish world. Tackling jealousy, gossip, and abuse, this story shares the power of forgiveness and hope and. above all, faith in God’s Word and His promises. Reconciliation is key in Clipston’s storylines, and Priscilla’s ongoing efforts to maintain a relationship with her family without abandoning her fledgling self-respect is a reality some readers will recognize and appreciate. (ZONDERVAN, Nov., 352 pp., $15.99)

Reviewer: Kerry Sutherland

(posted on the Hope by the Book review site here: https://www.hopebythebook.com/blog1/2018/11/09/in-review-november-9-2018-?rq=kerry%20sutherland)

A Seat by the Hearth is the third book in the Amish Homestead series by Amy Clipston, and I was sorry to see this series end. In this story we meet Priscilla Allgyer. Priscilla left the Amish Community and Faith years ago after enduring years of verbal and emotional abuse from her father. She is now returning, an unmarried mother and physically abused woman. Her mother is thrilled with her return and meeting her grandson, her father is not. He is cold, distant and once again demanding. He tells her that she can stay in his home with conditions. She must return to her Amish ways, wear Amish clothes, confess her sins in front of the church, attend classes and find a suitable Amish husband, quickly. Verbally, she agrees, but in her heart, she wants to learn to stand on her own two feet before becoming dependent on a man again.

The characters were well-developed and most were enjoyable. Priscilla was trying to be a strong woman and good mother to her son. Ethan was a delight. A little boy that found happiness in new things and people. He was innocent and wanted to get to know his new family. Her parents were not what I would have expected from an Amish family. Her father was not forgiving and loving, but cold and demanding. I was glad to see that he finally sees the error of his ways by the end of the book. Mark Riel, Priscilla's old friend was a great match for her. He was strong, upstanding and struggling with his future as well. I kept reading to see if Mark would be able to convince Priscilla that she wasn't damaged and deserved to find love. All of her characters feel genuine and relatable and you will find yourself cheering for them; that they will work out their problems and find happiness. This story is full of emotion such as grief, loneliness, heartbreak, and love. At times I was angry with some of the characters. Once I started this book, it was hard to put it down. I read it in one day, neglecting other things I should have been doing. If you enjoy Amish Fiction and Romance, especially if you like Amy Clipston, then you don't want to miss this book or series. I am glad I didn't.

Priscilla returned to her Amish parents home, with her young son, Ethan, after running away eight years earlier. Her father was critical and harsh with her, and after finally not feeling like she could take any more, she fled. Living her life as an Englischer, she met Trent and desperate for someone to love and care for her, she moved in with him and gave birth to his child. Eventually, all wasn't as it first seemed, and Trent began drinking more and became abusive. Priscilla fled with her son and having nowhere to turn, went back to her childhood home.
Unfortunately, nothing has changed with her dad and his attitude/treatment towards her. He made a demand that she see the Bishop, repent before the church, and find a husband. Soon. Desperate for a safe home for herself and her son, she knows not what to do. How can her father put such a demand on her to marry?
Mark Riehl, is now working for her father on his horse farm. Mark is the brother of Priscilla's childhood friend, Laura. All the Amish maedels are after Mark. He is good looking, cocky, arrogant, and nothing that Priscilla is interested in.
She shuns all of his attempts at friendship, as she doesn't trust him or his motives. This leaves Mark quite puzzled as he is not used to this reaction from females and is sincere in wanting to be friends with Priscilla.
As her luck (and Mark's) would have it, they are in the barn talking, and in walks the Bishop and her father. Her father misunderstands the situation, and as usual, leaps to the wrong assumption where Priscilla is concerned and thinks they are behaving inappropriately. He convinces the Bishop to either shun the two of them unless they marry. Crazy!
It did surprise me how one man could have such sway over the Bishop.
Whatever will Priscilla do? What will Mark do? Neither have any desire to marry. Or marry each other! Priscilla distrusts both herself and men, and certainly doesn't want to end up in another bad relationship. Mark enjoys his freedom and hasn't considered marriage in his immediate future.
I don't want to spoil any more of this story, so I will end my review here saying it is a must read. Such a sweet sweet story!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

5 stars ***** (5/5)
This is a really sweet book about an Amish family welcoming home a shunned daughter, along with her young son. Shunning is serious business among the Amish, even though they claim to freely practice forgiveness, it is sometimes hard to find for those within the Amish faith. Priscilla is trying to return home amidst crisis in her life in the Englisch world and an abusive marriage. Will she be allowed to find happiness among those she once considered family or will a harsh father and unforgiveness drive her away once again? Can she find love in a marriage of convenience or is that even the answer to her troubles?
I highly recommend this book to readers of Amish fiction and Christian romance.
I received a digital version of this book from netgalley and Zondervan Publishing in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.

What a cute story. Amy Clipston books are dependable. They are great stories, with great characters and lovely details. I always enjoy them. Love this series and how the characters reappear in subsequent books. It’s like checking in with an old friend. With this one I was kind of irritated at the father and how he handled his daughter. But it added a little bit of conflict which was nice.
I received a digital copy of this book from netgalley. I was in no way required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

It was okay. I wish the author focused more on the son's adaptation to living in the Amish community. It was too quick and too easy. As a parent of a five year old, I would expect some more adjustment to not having electricity, TV, a car... heck anything.

ARC received from Netgalley

A SEAT BY THE HEARTH is the third book in the Amish Homestead series by Amy Clipston. It is the story of Priscilla Allgyer and how she is dealing with returning home to her Amish homestead, an unmarried woman, with a son. She left her Amish faith years ago after enduring years of verbal abuse from her father. Her mother is very happy that she has returned but her father is cold and distant. He allows her to stay in his home but she must return to her Amish ways. No more Englisch clothes and she must stand in front of the community and confess her sins.

Priscilla’s old friend, Mark Riel quickly steps in to help Priscilla try to find her happy place. How can Priscilla’s father turn his back on her and her son, Ethan? They need him and soon he finds out that he needs them. Amy Clipston sure knows how to make the reader feel as if they are right there at the kitchen table with the family dealing with all their troubles and A SEAT BY THE HEARTH is exactly that! She made me sad, then the next moment I was smiling and giggling out loud! You can never go wrong with a Amy Clipston book if you are a fan of the Amish genre. All of her characters feel genuine and relatable and put your emotions on one heck of a roller coaster ride. As you are reading, you will find yourself cheering for all of them, praying they can work out their problems and be happy once again. You will also wonder how much heartache a family can stand before it completely breaks down and splits.

A SEAT BY THE HEARTH is a heart tugging story filled with grief, loneliness, heartbreak, and love that will hold you hostage until the very last page. Once I started this heartwarming story, it was very hard to put down! I really prayed that Mark would be able to convince Priscilla that she wasn’t damaged and deserved to be loved and cherished. Amy Clipston isn’t afraid to write about subjects out of the norm as far as the Amish genre goes. Oh, as a warning to the reader, keep the tissues handy and do not read the ending in a public place unless you don’t mind crying in front of strangers! I’m so excited to continue catching up on all of Amy Clipston’s previous books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Priscilla Allgyer left the community in the hopes of escaping the expectations of Amish life. Now, years later, she's forced to return home, the one place she thought she'd left behind forever. And, she's bringing her six-year-old son with her. Even though she'd been estranged from her family, Priscilla is welcomed home by her mother. Her father, however, is cold and strict. He allows Priscilla and her son to stay with them, providing that she dresses plainly, confesses her sins, and agrees to marry within the community. As she reluctantly completes her shunning, Priscilla catches the eye of Mark Riehl, a farmer who has a reputation of being a bit of a playboy. She's very wary of Mark, who is definitely not used to being ignored by the women of Bird-in-Hand. But, he's determined not to give up his pursuit of her friendship. He knows Priscilla needs a friend, even if she won't admit it, even to herself. But, then her father and the Bishop catch the two of them in a compromising position and are forced to get married or face being shunned. Priscilla knows she can't allow Mark to get shunned and she would have no place to go with her son if she were shunned again. After their wedding, Mark and Priscilla's friendship grows into affection and love quietly grows between them.

I enjoyed this book as much, if not more, than the previous two books in the series. It was a simple read and dealt with important themes like forgiveness, including forgiving yourself. Priscilla had to learn that she doesn't have to pay for her past for the rest of her life. I enjoyed how protective Mark was of her, even when it came to her family. The characters in this series are all so well written, each having an entirely unique and loveable personality. I really hope that this isn't the last book in this series or that the author at least writes more books based in this community.

Priscilla jumped the fence close to seven years and has found herself returning to her parents with her son to protect him from his abusive father. Priscilla is not sure her parents' house is the best place to be but it is the only place available. Will Priscilla abide her father's wishes to return to the fold and find a husband who will be a father to her son?

As with any Amy Clipston novel you will find yourself unable to put the book down once you open it. Amy writes with heart and you feel that in each character.

Priscilla's story will break your heart. She teaches us how abuse affects our lives and everything surrounding our lives. She shows us how easy it is for an abused person to go from one abusive relationship to another. It takes strength and courage to break the cycle and how the right love can allow the abused person to open like a beautiful spring flower after a cold, vicious winter.

Grab your tissues and mug of tea and settle in for a long night of reading.

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

Yes I read yet another Amish book I read others I swear! But this is the 3rd book So needless to say I HAVE to read the first two! This book is a very powerful and emotional story about abuse, love, and forgiveness. Amy's writing certainly touched my heart. I was quickly engrossed and unable to put it down.

Hearth- the floor in front of the fireplace

This is book three in the Amish Homestead series. I was hooked from the very first page. Once I started I didn't want to put it down. It held my interest from the first page to the last. It was a page turner and I loved that. That's when you know your reading an wonderful book. I didn't want it to end. Amy has done it again this was a wonderful book. Go get your copy today.

Desperation came not just from a lack of love but from how she was treated. He wanted to be the one man that would respect and cherish her. He had to save her from the this endless cycle of abuse.

I have enjoyed this series of the Riehl family and those that they touch. A heartwarming story of the example of Christ and how he pursues each of us. Priscilla Allgyer escaped her father's verbal abuse and the Amish community 8 years ago . Desperate for love and acceptance, she met Trent an Englisher that swept her off her feet only to find herself in a different type of abuse. Trent was an alcoholic and became violent when provoked. Now with an 5 year old son, she knows she must escape again and go back to her family to find safe refuge for her son. As a shunned woman and still at odds with her father, she is on a emotional roller coaster. Is the Amish lifestyle for her son and can she stand up to her father.

Mark Riehl is now working for Yonnie Allgyer, Priscilla's father. Priscilla's knows Mark as her best friend twin brother and a big flirt. Mark knows Priscilla's as his twin's best friend. But seeing her back with her son and her confidence at a all time low, he wants to protect her and be her friend.

Both Mark and Priscilla must overcome emotions and manipulations before they realize what love is. Could not wait to see how they ended up together!

A Special Thank you to Zondervan and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

Another emotional, heart wrenching story from Amy Clipston that will keep you turning pages to the very end! I love this series!
Book 3 in The Amish Homestead Series is a must read! I loved getting to watch Mark and Priscilla's story unfold and to see what God had in store for their lives. As always, Amy Clipston did a great job of bringing the story and its characters to life.
While this is book 3 in the series, it can be read as a stand-a-lone book, but I would recommend reading the first two books just to better understand the characters in this family.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher, but not required to give a positive review. This is my honest opinion of this book.'

A Seat by the Hearth, by Amy Clipston, introduces us to Priscilla Allgyer along with her six-year-old son, Ethan. Priscilla, having fled her Amish roots, feels she must return to the Amish and their way of life in order to protect herself and her child.

I loved Ethan. A precocious child who loves easily, Ethan is able to leap from an Englisher (non-Amish) lifestyle to Amish with no problems or qualms and is thrilled to be learning more about horses from a grandfather he never knew he had.

I enjoyed Mark Riehl’s character, too. He came across as a flighty, flirty “playboy” type. However, deep down inside he had a heart of gold and a huge protective streak.

Clipston deals with several tough subjects in sensitive, sympathetic and insightful ways. The issue of domestic abuse is never an easy one to address, whether in fiction or real life, yet with Clipston’s portrayal, we can more fully understand Priscilla’s dilemmas. The issues of shunning, fear, trust and faith all complicate Priscilla’s life.

As with all of her books, Clipston pulls you into the story and doesn’t let go. You are left thinking about the stories, long after you have finished the books.

I received this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. However, I was under no obligation to post a review.
#AseatByTheHearth #NetGalley