Stoney Ridge. It's time to change deacon, after the dead of Amos Lapp.
Luke Schrock is one of the names suggested for the new deacon. why? he is a newly married, only 25yo, trouble person!
Izzy, his wife, is very busy with her flock of sheeps and the Stitches in Time shop. She told Luke:
'I'll deal with that when I have to. One thing at a time. One day's troubles are enough for anybody.'
In the book there are nice topics (foster care, children in need of love,dreams, talk to understand and share and resolve problems...) and nice saying about dayly living, such as 'My father had a saying: Don't let your branches go out farther than your roots go deep. When that happens, you topple.'
I like very much this book, because it's easy and fast to read, realistic and the readers can feel the emotions of the beautiful and well building characters. I think I'll miss the characters!
I love much the description about the yarn shop and the shepherdess Izzy, working with the wheel spinning to create wool-balls and then knit sweaters, I love craft too!

Luke and Sam Shrock are brothers who are part of an old order Amish community. They have had a rough time since growing up since their father had done something that upset the community when they were boys and they felt the weight of the community’s disapproval. Luke is nominated for deacon by some unknown person. Luke isn’t worried because he does not feel qualified and is sure one of the other candidates will be the new deacon. However, it doesn’t go that way and suddenly Luke is fielding all kinds of problems in the community. He makes some of his own when he makes the proclamation that the community is interested in foster care. No one seems too up on the idea except Mollie Graber, the new schoolteacher. Sam has his eye on Mollie since the farm where he trains horses is next to the schoolhouse where Mollie lives. Meanwhile, Luke’s wife Izzy is having trouble with the whole deacon’s wife thing and the fact that she was a foster child herself and wants no part of raising another one.

This is just a fun story with some interesting twists and turns and for anyone who likes to read this genre, this will prove to be a really well written, interesting and entertaining offering.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this books which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Stoney Ridge is home to a community of Amish folk and a home for foster children that needs to close temporarily. The teenage girls from that institution are placed in various homes among the Amish families until the facility can reopen. This book details the impact that two of those homes felt during the transition. It is the second book in The Deacon's Family series. I have enjoyed this author's books in the past, but I had not yet read the first book in the series, and perhaps that affected my ability to relate to the characters. One theme throughout the book was how God is like a shepherd, and the story line followed the words of Psalm 23. The characters meditated on those verses as they faced challenges, and they learned from practical shepherding how God cares for His people. Most of the plot was as expected, but there were a few surprises as the story lines began to tie up. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and Revell, but my opinions are my own.

When I need a good Amish read for an escape, this is my go-to author. One - horses. I ADORE horses, and Sam being a horse trainer is right there on my interest level. Two - I couldn't wait to see what happened next with both the new people in this book, as well as the ones from the first book. (Yes, it can stand alone, but why would you?) Major topics in this book were judgment, forgiveness, and self-esteem. Izzy's wanting a child is something near and dear to me. I really connected with her and that storyline and the reality of wanting a child when you don't have one. Foster care plays a huge role in this book and these lives. I found myself needing kleenex. From the Psalms to the people in this book, I am loving this series.

Thank you to Celebrate Lit for my copy of this book. My review is my own, continuing my own thoughts and opinions of this book, left freely.

Stitches In Time is the second book in the Deacon's Family series. I'd read the first book before this one, Mending Fences for a better understanding of the story but not totally necessary.
I've also read some earlier books by Suzanne that have some of the characters in this
book in it at an earlier age. It sure is fun to catch up with them in this new series.

Stitches In Time is a very well developed story with realistic characters.
I felt my emotions run the gamut as I read the complex situations .
This book was different than other Amish books I've read in the sense that it deals with adoption.
Now I'm sure there are Amish adoption stories out there but I haven't read any before this one.
In all situations encountered the author has them faithfully encountering their challenges.

The characters have hopes,dreams,failures and have reason to rejoice.
Encouraging and highly recommended. I always feel greatly encouraged
by the positive messages this author's books have.

Published October 1st 2019 by Fleming H. Revell Company.
I was given a complimentary copy. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Its been a long time since I read a book that gripped me so tightly that I read the entire thing in six hours. STITCHES IN TIME is engaging, drawing the reader into the life at Stoney Ridge and investing us in that small fictional Amish community. I became so involved that I actually cried at the end, but I won't tell you why.

There are some unfinished storyline threads which makes me anxious to read the next book in the series. Some recipes are included. There is also a very strong faith message which I loved.

There is a hint of a romance, but this is not a romance, its women's fiction or family drama. There are very few Amish writers that I'm a huge fan of but Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of the top five. Possibly number one on the list,

Fans of Amish fiction will definitely want to read STITCHES IN TIME as well as other books in Ms Fisher's backlist. Grab your copy today,

I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.

Stitches in Time is a wonderful addition to Suzanne Woods Fisher's The Deacon's Family series. We are able to find a greater insight into the lives of Luck, Izzy, Bishop David, Fern, Molly, Same and some very special foster kids in Stoney Ridge.

Sometimes life, growth, and maturity take a while to grow, but as Suzanne reminds us. All life is precious and sometimes God places special people and events in our lives in order to allow us to grow and mature in different ways.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I recommend reading this addition to a great series.

This book was a journey of growth and learning to trust God with everything that concerns us.
Luke's life is thrown for a loop he doesn't expect when he is nominated and becomes the deacon of Stoney Ridge. All he feels is inadequacy not sure he can take on the task due to his past but this just proves that God can use anybody despite their past. His growth throughout the story as he tries to navigate deaconing and his marriage is wonderful to read about. He made mistakes, he got discouraged, his marriage suffered but he didn't give up and instead asked God to direct him especially when he took on tasks too difficult for him to handle.
Mollie on the other hand was so sure of what she wanted. Convinced she was ready to handle foster children, prodded Luke until he made enquiries and she got the opportunity. But it wasn't all picnics and pillow fights like she dreamed. She struggled more than anyone and had to learn to ask for help to trust that God had a plan for the children in her care even when they tried her patience at every turn, to love them despite their attitudes and she grew in the process.
Sam too was another character that grew through this book. He had always lived in the shadow of his older brother Luke and family dealing with the lies people said that his family won't amount to anything wanting his life to be predictable and manageable even his love for Mollie. When his carefully planned out life is shattered he's ready to pull away from all he knows and try as hard to get it back but Luke doesn't let him and I like that he learns to let go and trust that God's plans are always better than our plans.
The authors insight on foster care is only too real. It's not all rainbows and roses. Sometimes it's hard and painful work because we are all broken on the inside. Just loving the children goes a long way.

This author is one of my all time favorites. I have read almost all of her books and have NEVER been dissapointed. She always writes such unique, captivating stories. I love how she takes on daring topics, but always relates it back to our Heavenly father. I had a short experience with foster care. It was after I had my daughter. I was 15. My daughter and I went into foster care for about 5 months. The single mom that took me in was wonderful. I was able to relate to this story. It was healing to my heart to read it. Another relation to this story is how we give ourselves negative messages growing up. That was such a struggle in my teen (after becoming a teen mom at 15 and 18) I love how this book turns that around. Again, healing for me. Now this is the 2nd book in the series, and I have read the first one. I would start at the beginning, but you can read as a stand a lone. I am loving this series. Well written characters, heartwarming storyline.

I received a copy of this book through the CelebrateLit blogging program. All thoughts are my own.

This is an atypical Amish fiction book in that it deals with some “modern” topics like alcoholism, infertility, marital problems and fostering children. That being said, I loved it! I was immediately drawn into the story of Mollie and Sam as well as that of Izzy and Luke. Sam is a shy horse trainer who only wants to be around horses. Mollie is new to the town of Stoney Ridge and is an exuberant new member of the community. When Luke, in his position as a new deacon, suggests that the community take in foster girls while their group home is being repaired, Mollie takes that challenge immediately. In her haste, Mollie ends up with twin girls who are trouble with a capital “T.” The story of Mollie, the girls, Sam, Luke and Izzy is absolutely mesmerizing. Although I did not read the first book in this series, I was very easily able to follow along with this well-written plot. I really enjoyed the mystery that was part of the story, i.e. Sam and Mollie are both hiding something from their pasts. Throughout the story, the faith of the characters is the foundation that helps them to cope with all of the issues they face in this fictional tale. Fans of Amish fiction will enjoy this book, but I also think that fans of mystery will enjoy it. This book is a clean read and is a must read for those who enjoy fiction with a lesson to learn and a great story to tell!

Suzanne Woods Fisher’s trademark warmth, humor, and faith combine to make Stitches in Time (The Deacon’s Family, #2) another of her special, not-to-be-missed books. While this book is touted as the story between Mollie and Sam, it is very much also a continuation of the story of a maturing Luke Shrock and his marriage to Izzy. Will we see Luke chosen by lot to be the new deacon? In the last book, Luke desperately needed to grow up. In this book, God has been at work in Luke. Yet others need to find God’s help for their situations and stations in life. The fun thing about this story is that God had bigger plans than the characters.
As you might guess, I was most impressed with Luke and Izzy, but Mollie and Sam do have a great story. Foster care is a subject that is explored in the novel and is unexpected, given the Amish setting.
“...the more I pray, the more things happen.” Just one of the super great quotes in this book. You don’t need to read book one to enjoy this book, although I would highly suggest it. I found the three pages of “who’s who” in the front of the book helpful as I could see which novels I’ve missed by which characters I didn't know well.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author and publisher via NetGalley. (I also bought my own paperback copy.) This in no way influenced my opinions, which are solely my own.

I have been waiting to read more of Luke's story and Stitches In Time was worth the wait. Suzanne has developed a wonderful community over time and it is always like visiting with friends whenever I pick up her books. Through the years I have seen such changes in her characters, just as we see among our friends and family members. Luke has certainly grown from being the epitome of the neighborhood bad boy to an unlikely choice as deacon. As unlikely as that seems, it is only natural for one to wonder: will he succeed or live up to the expectations of many who are waiting for him to fail.



This story is entertaining while giving us a serious look at how life can be for children raised within the foster care system. Parenting comes in many forms, whether through traditional families or a growing norm of children living with absent parents. The choice to foster a child is commendable, yet not an easy road, especially for people like Mollie, who wants children so badly yet gets much more than she bargained for with the 11-year-old twins. My mother had twin girls and she often said that "What one didn't think of the other did" and these two take that to a new level. In the end, all comes together as the Amish community of Stoney Ridge embraces new ground when challenged by Luke to open their hearts and homes to the displaced girls.


I recommend this book to those who enjoy contemporary Amish fiction. True, the Amish reportedly live a simple life, but the issues they face are not as simple as it appears. After all, human nature is a great equalizer in a complex world.

When I’m in the mood for an uplifting reading experience I know I can’t go wrong with this authors’ delightful Amish stories. Her characters have their strengths and their weak moments, just like we all do, but it’s their unyielding faith that always speaks to me. I learned lessons about my own life while reading about Izzy’s struggle to accept her mother the way she is now and Ben’s fears of not being wise enough to be a Bishop also struck a chord. Mollie and Sams’ struggles with communication reflect every young couple, no matter what faith, as their get to know each other. I have been married for 41 years and while I often know what my husband is going to say before he says it we still struggle with miscommunication and manage to hurt each other though that is the last thing we want to do. Every reader can learn something through these wonderful stories. I have come to love all of the reoccurring characters in Ms. Fisher’s books, especially Fern who is a wonderful mother figure and Minister David who is always available to give the young people his perspective on their life struggle with his gentle and non-judgmental ways. I read an early copy of this book through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

This is not the first book I've read by Suzanne Woods Fisher and I hope it is not my last. I truly enjoyed reading Stitches in Time. It was towards the end of the book that the title made sense but that didn't detract from the book at all. This book is the second in the series The Deacon's Family. I did not read the first book and I wish I had but since many of the characters came from other series I'm not sure that would have helped. The characters were listed in the front of the book but they didn't help me understand things any better.



I do not give a synopsis in my review as that is found elsewhere and I figure you are reading this to know my opinion on the book. I liked the book. It is a typical Amish type book but very well written. Editing errors in a book can ruin it for me but there were no major errors and I don't remember minor issues either. The characters were well developed. I especially liked innocent Molly. The book bounces back and forth between two groups of people that do come together at times. There are two storylines going on also. At first, this was disconcerting but after a little but it did not bother me at all.



I'm not sure how I feel about the ending. It seemed to leave quite a few things unsettled but hopefully, these issues will be resolved in coming books.



I requested this book so I could read it and give my own, honest opinion. This opinion is my own and not required to be positive. I give this book a 4 out of 5 star rating. I will also post my review where this book is sold.

It was such a pleasure to revisit Stoney Ridge, a wonderful community that I discovered in 2015 and one I have loved ever since that first visit.. It's always a little different with characters who aren't always perfect, but that's how life is, right?

Speaking of imperfect characters, the author brings us up to date with what's been happening in the community. So, Luke Schrock has drawn the lot to be the new deacon, a disbelief felt not only to him but shared by many others within the community. He's a good man but he made some really bad decisions in the past and if you've read the first book in the series, Mending Fences, you'll know what I mean. Luke and Izzy are newly married, Fern is back and still grieving the loss of her husband, Amos and we meet some new characters who definitely kept me turning pages as fast as I could to find out what shenanigans they would be into next.

Molly Graber is the new schoolteacher and is so excited when an opportunity comes along for her to take in foster children that she's blindsided by the girls she fosters, who are not even remotely like what she had imagined. Through the chaos of finding and keeping homes for the children each of the foster families will learn something about themselves and open their hearts more than they thought possible. I appreciated the author not sugarcoating that life would be easier for the kids in their new homes and it takes a lot to gain the trust of all involved in the process.

I thoroughly enjoyed this engaging. well written and perfectly paced novel.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are completely my own.

4.5 Stars

STITCHES IN TIME is a story of characters living life's challenges in romance, in faith, and in family. It is full of touching moments, heart, and faith. Christian and Amish romance readers will find much to love!

I don't consistently read Amish fiction. Just on occasion. I recently read a non-Amish book by this author that I thoroughly enjoyed and so I decided to check her current series out. I have the first book in this series, but haven't read it yet (I do plan to do so though). I don't feel that impacted my enjoyment of this story as there is enough information about the backstory. What I loved about this author's other book was also what I loved about this one.

This author writes such complex, likable characters that slowly wind their way deep into your heart as you read. I couldn't help feel a gamut of emotions as I learned about Izzy and Luke and their insecurities as they face life's challenges and as they try to build their marriage. Then there's Mollie and Sam. Mollie is the exuberant, full-of-life woman but who is also so naive and innocent. Then there is Sam who only knows too well about troubling teens and the roughness of life, but is quite and reserved. They're such an interesting couple and compliment each other so well.

The plot is steady from beginning to end. These characters lives slowly unfold as they dream and hope and struggle. I loved all the tender moments, the humorous ones, and the way so many things tugged on my heart. I also appreciated that the inspirational element felt natural. It's weaved nicely into this story with a wonderful emphasis on sheep and the shepherd, specifically pointing to The Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was another fantastic read from this author, particularly if you enjoy stories that are heartfelt and have wonderful characters dealing with real life. Highly recommended!

Content: Clean
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Celebrate Lit, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.

This is a book I want to read in one sitting, but at the same time I don’t want to come to the end : it’s just so good. I like Suzanne Woods Fisher’s style : there’s no beating about the bush, we are straight into it from the first sentence! (Having said that, I was somewhat disconcerted at the apparent jump in time – thinking I must have missed a book, or even two...) I mean, I don’t know who got the greater shock – the character or the reader – with the way this book started. It was an utter bombshell, & as if that wasn’t enough it was not the only storyline - & they were all good! With just the right blend of familiar characters & new people to meet, we are instantly back among friends & right into the flow of things. With such a good writer, though, at the same time we are absorbing plenty of good teaching by osmosis. I’ve been a Christian for more than 50 years, but still had lessons to learn from this book. As an elder’s wife for many years, also, there was plenty of food for thought... This author draws the reader in right from the beginning - & she has done it again with the Teaser from the next book, included at the end of this novel. I can’t wait!

It was lovely returning to Stoney Ridge, and seeing what everyone was up to.

The people of Stoney Ridge have good hearts that are human as they work through challenges, just as we all do. Taking on such things as abandonment, alcoholism, and the fostering of troubled teens, life isn’t all peaches and cream. But faith and trust in God make the tough things of life easier to handle, as we learn in this story. Yes, it isn’t all light and fluffy, but it is an enjoyable read. Lovely characters in a beautiful setting made me glad to return.

Full of surprises along with encouragement to read scripture, makes this a great read for lovers of Amish fiction. I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Stitches in Time
by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Book 2 in The Deacon's Family series
Rating: 4/5

Wow. It's been awhile since I've read an Amish romance and it did NOT disappoint. I am a huge fan of Suzanne Woods Fisher because her writing is always so rich and full of characters who make me laugh, cry and get frustrated with them. She writes characters that are imperfectly trying to follow God in love and life. This story caught my interest because it involved foster care and adoption which is something I plan to do in the future.

Side note: I read this book without reading any of the other books connected and found that I didn't get lost in all the characters. She has a long character list with brief descriptions at the beginning that I skimmed but I didn't find it necessary to refer back to while reading.

This story is mainly about two relationships: Luke and Izzy along with Sam and Mollie. Luke and Sam are brothers. Luke and Izzy are about one year into marriage. Sam is a horse trainer who has a crush on Mollie, the school teacher. After being chosen as the Deacon, Luke's life changes drastically and he feels very unworthy. He is still determined to find forever homes for all the foster kids in Lancaster county but he is unsure how to go about. One quick phone call changes their lives forever and soon 11 foster kids find temporary housing among the Amish. Mollie takes in two sisters who are challenging - to say the least - and finds she needs Sam's help. Izzy, a former foster child herself, is adamant about not taking in a foster child. She longs for her mother's love while she yearns for a child of her own. The past comes to haunt all of their lives in different ways but they must learn to trust that God can make them new - can change their lives - can love them in spite of everything.

Loved reading this complex and layered story. Well written. I will have to read the first book and can't wait to find out what happens next in the series.

Highly recommend.

My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of the book. All opinions expressed here are entirely my own. No positive review was expected and no compensation received.

While this is the second book in the series The Deacon's Family, I was easily able to follow the story lines and characters. However I will be looking to read the first book in order to gain more insight. The characters were easy to fall in love with. Each came with a load of baggage and a ton of problems. This made the story even more real. We were able to see in to their pasts and present. It is through these that their future will be made.
Molly was a bit naïve. Growing us in a strict home, she was looking for a family and a place to belong. When she takes in foster children, she finds she may have bitten off more than she was aware of. Strong faith is practiced throughout this story. I look forward to future books. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.