In this third book in the Amish Homestead series, we find the characters of Priscilla Allgyer and Mark Riehl.
Priscilla, who left the Amish community several years previously to live the English life, now has a young son and feels she has to escape the son’s abusive father, so returns to her Amish family. Her mother is overjoyed to have her return home, but her strict father, requires her to follow his rules in order to remain in their home. She struggles with doing this, or trying to go back out into the English world and be on her own.
Mark Riehl, who works for her father and is the brother of Priscilla’s best friend is drawn into her father’s plans for her and she wants nothing to do with it, however, feels she has to keep her son’s best interest above her own.
Will these two be able to overcome their fears and animosities to become more than just friends and discover love in their future?
This was a very enjoyable, easy to read book that I would highly recommend to others.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is one of those books where the main characters are blind to what's going on and you spend a good portion of the book yelling at them to open their eyes. As usual with every Amish romance I've ever read, things work out and there's a happily ever after.

Follow the journey of Priscilla as she returns home after 8 years of being away from her Amish community with her young son. Will the community accept her? How will her father react when he sees her? Can Priscilla find the peace and love that she so desires. Will these dreams involve Mark her best friends brother? This is an exceptional story of acceptance, forgiveness and love. This is part of a series but can be read by itself. I was given this book free from Net Galley and Zondervan for my honest review.

A SEAT. BY THE HEARTH. Amy.Clipston
Priscilla,no matter how she left it, with her son, she has returned, after eight years. Amish community, one hopes she is welcomed, though her childhood was not perfect, and she was shunned. A mother’s welcome, but, not her father’s. Wanting a safe, and healthy environment for her son.if not, she would leave. Table to the side, for one, her, how does one explain that to a child. A mother’s plea to stay, she had keep in contact with her daughter, by writing, that too was forbidden. Mark worked for her father, and he was critical, wanting everything perfect, making everyday work hard. A father’s rules if she stayed, one surprised her, find a husband and father, to right her situation. She left one type of prison, would it be better here. If the Bishop allowed her to confess, and rejoin, would that help. Heartbreaking story of a mistake made, when she was young, would she every have a happy life, Mark wants friendship would she ever accept. Powerful story of the heartache of Priscilla, hoping for love and acceptance. Given ARC by Net Galley and Zondervan for my voluntary review and my honest opinion.

A Seat by the Hearth is book three from Amy Clipston's Amish Homestead series. I enjoy this Amish story, though not as much as the other books in the series. I liked Priscilla and Mark's story but it was a little slow for me. I did have to put it down for a bit to get back into the story again.
I believe A Seat by the Hearth is worth a read.
I am give this book three stars.

Priscilla Allgyer left home and moved to Baltimore to get out from under her father's hyper-criticism. But what she did was jump from the frying pan into the fire. She got involved in a relationship with a man who physically abused her. In desperation, she takes her six year old son and goes back to Lancaster. In order for her to stay, her father lays down some rules: she must re-join the church, serve her shunning time, and find a husband.

Mark Riehl is the first face she sees when she returns to town. Mark has always had the reputation of being a flirt--always chatting up the other ladies to the point that two of the ladies believe he is going to ask them to marry him. Oh yeah, he also works for Yonnie Allgyer--Priscilla's father.

Mark tried to get Priscilla to talk to him, to open up to him, and allow him to share her burdens. He found her in the barn crying and was trying to talk to her there and she was trying to get away from him, but her sleeve got caught on a nail and tore. That is when Yonnie and John, the bishop, come in and find them together. Yonnie demands that they set the soonest wedding date possible.

Once Priscilla agrees to marry Mark, Yonnie has a self-satisfied look about him. He had manipulated the situation to his desires. His daughter is no longer his problem.

Amy Clipston does her research on the Amish life and makes the research come alive in her characters. A Seat by the Hearth is one of those slices of Amish life. My favorite part is when Mark comes in on Yonnie's tirade on Priscilla. He rips Yonnie a new one for his treatment of Priscilla and moves her out from under her father's thumb.

This is a five star book, two thumbs up, and a man who will stand up for you in all circumstances.

My thanks to Zondervan Publishing for allowing me to read and review this book.

Fantastic end of the series. The characters come to life on the pages of this wonderful Amish series. I found myself cheering, crying, and laughing along with the characters through every chapter. Could be read as a standalone book, but much better if you've read the previous books in the series. Great read!

Amy Clipston has created another beautiful and deeply touching story! And what a pleasure to be invited once more back into the heart of the Riehl family, while at the same time getting a deeper look at Mark Riehls' character, beyond the flirtatious young man everyone sees.
Mark is instantly drawn to his former classmate Priscilla and the sadness she carries with her when she returns with her young son to the Amish community. This is a difficult homecoming for Priscilla, but one that she feels is necessary for the safety of her son. When her father behaves toward her as coldly and unkindly as he always has, Priscilla is faced with deciding whether to stay or find another place to hide from her son's father. Her desire to be close to her mother again and let her son know his grandparents has her staying on. It is touching and heartwarming to see Mark's kindness toward Priscilla's son Ethan, who is deeply curious about his grandparents farm and about Amish customs and traditions.
As I read deeper into A Seat by the Hearth, I continue to be drawn into the gradually developing respect and genuine caring between Priscilla and Mark, even with the protective walls Priscilla has erected around her heart. Mark's kindness toward her and her son is enough to slowly erode some of these walls, even when she and Mark are forced into marriage by her father and their bishop. Though while her father is harsh and unyielding, the bishop is kind, firm and compassionate, willing to listen. I believe that this is a novel that fans of Amy Clipston, and of Amish novels in general, will "devour"! It is a story of second chances, of forgiveness, and an example of how friendship can turn into lasting love. I was given this book to read and review by permission of the publisher, Zondervan.

In the third book of Amy Clipston’s Amish Homestead series, A Seat by the Hearth, we get Mark’s story. Mark has always been something of a playboy. He doesn’t see himself settling down with any of the young ladies who seem to trail after him. When Priscilla comes home after eight years in the English world with her small son, he seems drawn to her as he works for her father. However, she seems just as determined to keep him at a distance. She must complete her shunning and obey her father’s rules if she wants a place to stay for her and her son. Regardless of how much she pushes him away though, Mark is just as determined to be her friend and help her through this time. When the bishop and her father find them in a compromising position, they are forced to marry. Can they get passed their own insecurities and doubts to fins a love to last forever?
This was so good. I loved hearing Mark’s story. And Priscilla was such a relatable character for me. I am excited about the next book in the series as well, where we learn Cindy’s story. I have always loved clipston’s books and this one was no exception! I received a free copy of this story from NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

I enjoy books about the Amish way of life and romances, but I have to admit that Mark and Priscilla's journey to happily ever after frustrated me. I knew how it had to end and was pleased with the ending but it took sooooo long to get there. They both were so very stubborn.

I have waited for this book to be released. Mark Riehl has been my favorite character in this series since book 1. Amy Clipston did not disappoint. This book is beautifully written and delves into real life issues that some women and men face. It touched a nerve in me that made me hurt for Priscilla and her son. I felt her fear, anger, and need to do what was best for Ethan. I loved looking into Mark's heart and soul, his Riehl family heritage shined through. This novel will awaken many feelings in the reader. It was an emotional story and I loved every minute of it. Amy Clipston has another must read book!

I've read a couple of other books about this same family (A Place at the Table is one), and really enjoy the way that the author takes serious issues and shows how they are present across the board. Here, we are dealing with abuse, both emotional and physical, and it was just really surprising to see it show up in an Amish community...it's not something that I would think would happen there...but she shows that they have serious faults as well. She also shows the hard choices that many face to stay within their church boundaries, the restrictions that they cope with, and the character struggles that are common to young people everywhere. I felt like Mark was almost _too_ good to be true, but love how this story ended. I'll be interested to read the one about the final Riehl child, Cindy, and see how everything ties up for the siblings!