Member Reviews
Loved reading this book. Amazing story and the characters lend to the charm of this book. I would highly recommend this book. You would not be disappointed.
Amish village- Montgomery
Lydia and Samuel are a couple, they have a beautiful daughter Mattie, but also some problems.
"you can't make people fall in love. It either happens or it doesn't".
Lovely, realistic story about family issue, choice, struggles, hopes.
I enjoyed reading this book. I really like that you got to read about two completely different couples. Their struggles and lives were completely different but they still maintained a good friendship. Each couple had secrets they were to afraid to share. As time progressed they were able to let each other in and focus on the good.
A Beautiful Arrangement by Beth Wiseman is the third An Amish Journey Novel. Lydia Bontrager is seventeen years old and married to Samuel with a six-month-old daughter. Lydia and Samuel were forced to marry by their parents after she became pregnant. They went from lust to marriage skipping the courtship stage of the relationship. Lydia wants romance and a chance to fall in love with the husband she hardly knows. Samuel and Lydia are asked to introduce Joe, a co-worker of Samuel’s to Beverly, a friend of Lydia’s. The foursome have a lively dinner together and then a picnic. Lydia and Samuel like watching their friends fall in love. It gives Samuel the idea to court Lydia. Just when they are getting to know each other, Lydia and Beverly begin looking into the local homeless woman with a mysterious past. Samuel wants Lydia to avoid the woman, but Lydia wants to help her. Will Lydia and Samuel get the chance to have a traditional marriage? While A Beautiful Arrangement is the third book in An Amish Journey series, it can be read as a standalone. I have enjoyed all three novels and I recommend reading Hearts in Harmony and Listening to Love. I thought A Beautiful Arrangement was well-written with realistic characters. Lydia is a seventeen-year-old who is unready for marriage especially to a man she hardly knows. Her six-month-old daughter, Maddie has been crying each day and Lydia does not why. She feels like a bad mother (I know that feeling). Lydia and Samuel want to improve their marriage, but they do not share these thoughts we each other. They both have fears, regrets, and hopes. When they introduce Beverly and Joe to each other, they get to join them on a couple of dates. It gives Samuel and Lydia a chance to get to know each other. They are each afraid to make the first move, though, for fear of rejection. Samuel is also worried about his elderly parents. His father has heart problems and his mother is unable to care for him like she used to. Beverly and Joe were delightful additions to the story. Joe is a lively man with a humorous side. I liked the addition of the mystery involving the homeless Amish woman. It added more depth and interest to this engaging Amish novel. I quickly found myself engrossed in this appealing story. A Beautiful Arrangement is a poignant tale with regrets, friendship, faith, family, fear, hopefulness, and romance.
Samuel and Lydia Bontrager a young married couple with a sweet baby girl now face the rush of getting married. Rushed into marriage without the time of courting and learning about each other, Samuel and Lydia have an "in to me see" (intimacy) problem. They are unable to communicate with each other and end up shutting down and having hurt feelings. When Samuel to plays cupid with a co-worker and friend of Lydia, they begin to unravel emotions that need healing. Their friends Joseph and Beverly's new beginning reveals what Samuel and Lydia missed in courtship.
Lydia suffers from shame of wrong choices and Samuel not protecting his bride. They begin to build their relationship on trust and faith. A 3rd party brings their weakness and strength out when Lydia feels called to help a homeless Amish woman who lives in a rundown house. Not much is known about this woman however, Lydia feels calls to help her and calls on her friend Beverly to help her.
Beverly also has a background in the story as she is recently widowed. She desires to wed again but when her secret is discovered, she is faced with rejection. She finds something new in Joseph and when she is sure of his love for her, she reveals her secret only to be abandoned once again.
A Beautiful Arrangement is God's way of bringing our bad choices, misunderstanding, and relationships to light. It is a relatable telling of how we desire to be accepted and known.
A Special Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
One of the best Amish books I've read in a long time!
This book has so many layers and we find the story following two Amish couples in their relationships.
The first couple is very young and even though many Amish marry earlier than the Englishers do this couple is young even by their standards. She got pregnant before marriage and they hadn't gotten a chance to know each other well even though they knew each other growing up. As we mature we change though and now that they are married theirs is a strained relationship barely more than strangers. There is a lot of hurting going on and they both are praying for their relationship to change for the better and strengthen. They both love their daughter very much.
The second couple met through the first young couple.
She is widowed and he feels so blessed to have found her and her him.
What will happen when she reveals a big secret to him? Will the power of love keep their relationship strong or will he let the feeling of betrayal sidetrack all the happiness God has brought into their lives since meeting?
There is also an older woman in the neighborhood that needs help, a homeless woman. Is she as dangerous and mentally unstable as some think?
When her secrets become revealed will she be able to get the help she so desperately needs?
I felt so many emotions reading this book and I highly recommend it!
Pub Date 07 Apr 2020
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.
Beth Wiseman has written a moving story that leaves you in tears. A Beautiful Arrangement is the story of Lydia and Samuel. and the decision they made or didn't make that lead them to the life they are now living.
A Beautiful Arrangement talks about unwed pregnancy, young marriage, dementia/mental illness and community.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher, Zondervan, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
A Beautiful Arrangement By Beth Wiseman is a beautifully well written Amish tale full of suspense.
I could understand Lydia’s attitude in her marriage but I am thankful for Joseph and Beverly presence in her life.
I love the delicacies described in this book. I really wanted to taste the garlic bread Lydia made for her husband. They eat so much good food!
I was amused at Joseph and Beverly plan to have 10 kids. Like 10 kids? How amusing!
Some scenes were emotional. My heart cried literally.
The author sure knows how to write well. This is an emotional but attention grabbing book with an Amish setting.
I read this book on a rainy day with a cold wind in the environment and this book ,my sweater and blanket kept me company. You can imagine how cool it was?
Theme of forgiveness,kindness and compassion were buttressed well in the plot.
This is a beautiful book that will leave you in tears and gratitude to God.
I finally understood why the book is titled “A Beautiful Arrangement“.
I am thankful for this book. Everything works beautiful in God’s time.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
A beautiful story of blooming love and growing together! This book is full of growing and learning how to be a couple filled with love! The characters are so intriguing and real! It is also quite the mystery too! No spoilers, but a must read! The story is engrossing and will keep you reading until the very last word on the very last page! A beautiful message to anyone!
I started the Amish Journey series with its third book about a marriage that is hindered by shame and regrets. It could easily be a stand-alone novel. All the characters are very likable, Lydia is the sweetest. The mystery of Margaret gives an interesting twist. This book is not inappropriate but I feel it is not for every reader. "Made/make love and intimacy" is referred to several times since that is a main issue with certain characters. I think restoration, forgiveness, friendship, faith, love, and family are the flowers that make the arrangement of this story beautiful. I received a copy of 'A Beautiful Arrangement' from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I really liked this book! It's the third book in a trilogy, and I haven't read the first two but I feel that this novel could be a stand-alone book. The characters were so endearing and charming, and the story was very sweet. This was definitely a feel-good book and I enjoyed reading it. I received a copy of this ebook from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Beth WIseman is one of my favorite authors so I was excited to read this book. I haven't read the first two books int his series so now I want to go back and read them.
The main characters in this book are Lydia and Sam. :Lydia became pregnant so she and Sam got married ..even though Lydia is only seventeen. Not having really a chance to establish a firm relationship, they are somewhat struggling in their new marriage. and also with being young parents to Mattie. They become matchmakers to two of their friends, Beverly and Joseph, and as they watch Beverly & Joseph's relationship evolve, it allows them to grow closer and also build their own relationship. In the meantime, there is a local homeless woman who they become involved with also. Helping her find her past and how she came to be homeless and live there is an interesting twist in the storyline. I loved reading this book and watching the relationships build.
Thank you to Zondervan Publishing and Net Galley for allowing me the opportunity read an advance copy of this book. This is my total and unbiased opinion of the book.
A BEAUTIFUL ARRANGEMENT by Beth Wiseman is the third and final novel in her Amish Journeys series and she has given us a 5-star book. Beth tells the story and Lydia and Sam and their forced marriage because of an unplanned pregnancy before their marriage. It was just a heat of passion thing and really did not mean anything, or did it?
Although their marriage was only one of confidence, they had learned to love each other, and they both loved their daughter, Mattie. Even with this, they just could not seem to draw closer.
Mutual friends, Beverly and Joseph are seeming to fall in love quickly and Lydia and Sam enjoy watching their friend's love grow. Sam is sure this will help soften Lydia to him, but she and Beverly get involved in helping a homeless woman and it is plain that this might drive them even further apart.
Taking things slowly, and with much prayer, will they be able to put more than the love of each other and their child into their marriage?
Read A BEAUTIFUL ARRANGEMENT to find out.
It is available now from your favorite retailer. I was gifted an ARC by Zondervan by NetGalley and was under no obligation to give a favorable review.
Wow, I have always loved books by Beth Wiseman, she is one of my favorites,. It was a marriage they were kind of forced into, actions most always have consequences but I felt they loved each other more than they knew and maybe just felt awkward. As a person who works with dementia and mentally ill persons, both young and old, it was refreshing to read an mostly accurate description of what people like her go through how they’re illnesses manifest. A truly awesome book, thank you 🙏.
I received an ARC copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. Lydia, a young Amish girl of 16, was friends with Samuel through their childhood. They did not get a chance to court because their attraction for each other took over and Lydia found herself pregnant. Their parents made them get married and they didn't feel like they married out of love. It always bothered each of them that they did not court or have a chance to fall in love. There is a homeless woman, Margaret, who lives in an old truck that Lydia takes an interest in and feels that God is calling her to help. I do enjoyed this book which had some laughs, tears and a few surprises.
Thanks goes the publisher and Net-Galley for granting a complimentary copy for the purpose of reading and reviewing A Beautiful Arrangement by Beth Wiseman. An Amish fiction novel of mistakes and recovery. My opinions are my own and are not influenced in any way.
A Beautiful Arrangement is an emotional love story of a couple who in a moment of teenage passion, create a baby. They are rushed to the baptism and the altar by their parents and bishop. The story starts when their daughter is six months old, and their marriage is one in name only.
Ms. Wiseman’s writing pulled me into the story from the start, and I remained so until the end. Her pacing matches the ebb and flow of the plot. The descriptive writing is enough to paint the setting without becoming too detailed.
Lydia Bontrager’s character is a fine example of an Amish female with the values of her faith. She’s a housewife and a loving mother. Although, she has regrets for her choices that led to her giving into teenage passions. I enjoyed her internal struggle as she deals with the consequences of her decisions.
Samuel Bontrager is a great hero. As a man of his faith, he does the honorable thing and marries Lydia, then tries to make the best of his life with her. He longs for a true marriage but can’t discover the way to a true love for them as a couple. I enjoyed his determination to find a happy ending for them.
The romance is sweet and shows their love growing from a seed to a deep and abiding marriage between Lydia and Samuel. There’s a sub-plot regarding Beverly and Joseph’s love story. Both romances are fulfilling, and one doesn’t take away from the other.
If you enjoy Amish fiction with endearing characters and an emotionally charged plot, one that has more substance, then you will love A Beautiful Arrangement as much as I. Ms. Wiseman is one of my favorite Amish authors and is an auto-buy. Happy reading!
A moving story that leaves tears in your eyes as you close the book.
Lydia and Samuel's story teaches us how even the littlest lies can turn into a bigger problem that can tear lives apart. At times I would get frustrated at Lydia then I had to remind myself that she is only seventeen. No matter her upbringing, being a mom and wife at seventeen has to be extremely hard. She is just learning herself as an adult instead of a kid. Her maturity by the end of the book was absolutely amazing. A lot of love and understanding can go a long way.
A Beautiful Arrangement talks about unwed pregnancy, young marriage, dementia/mental illness and community. A book that I would share with an older teen on up. A clean read with no sex scenes, no foul language, and no violence.
I am sad to see this series end. It has been a beautiful series to read.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher, Zondervan, through NetGalley. Any and all opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
A Beautiful Arrangement by Beth Wiseman is the final story in her Amish Journeys series and I think it may have been my favorite! Lydia and Samuel’s story of forgiveness, redemption, compassion, and love stirred something inside of me. Lydia is Mary’s younger sister, and we first met her in the first book of the series. Young and forced into a marriage because she got pregnant out of wedlock, she and Samuel are bitter and upset with the life they have. When they introduce two friends, Beverly and Joseph, they start to live vicariously through their relationship and also start to soften towards each other. Add a homeless woman with a lonely past and things get even more complicated. Wiseman weaves the stories of each romance and the homeless person into a perfect arrangement. If you haven’t read the first two books then hon should. But it isn’t necessary. This book can stand on its own beautifully. Wonderful story. Loved it!
I received a free copy of the story from the publisher through NetGalley for my honest review. All opinions are my own.
There are a few authors that I can always count on to write stories that move me. They are able to penetrate my heart with words of hope and give me a deeper understanding of God. The author of this book is one of those who can dig deep into a character’s emotions and bring them through darkness.
Lydia is far older in wisdom than most seventeen year olds. She made a mistake and finds herself married and with a baby. One bad decision changed her life but I loved how she has embraced the path God has taken her. There is much to learn from Lydia as she struggles in her marriage. One very important aspect of any marriage is communication. Without sharing things with your spouse it can cause a way for the enemy to slither in and whisper lies to tear the union apart.
Samuel was a good character and it was easy to see how frustrated he was in his marriage. When he married Lydia he had hopes of a good marriage including intimacy. In his mind he felt like a Lydia was withholding intimacy from him because she was angry. It was so special to read how these two young adults were faithful and turned to God to heal their marriage.
One of the lessons in the story is forgiveness. The author lets us see through the hearts of several characters how important forgiveness is. I really liked Joseph and Beverly’s story and how the author explores the destruction a lie can cause in a relationship. Beverly has kept a secret from everyone that has burdened her. Lies always get exposed and when they do, the mistrust comes in. Joseph is a good man but at some point he has to turn to God to help him with forgiveness. This part of the story is powerful and will have a lasting impact on me.
The character I loved the most was the homeless woman. The loneliness and rejection this woman has endured broke my heart. This part of the story had me shaking because I so wanted someone to reach out to her and show her love. I couldn’t help but want to push someone toward her and share God’s love with her. I won’t give this part of the story away because it is a great example of being God’s hands and feet. To look past the outside and see the broken heart inside is what each of us should be doing. Life is short and we need to make the most of every day. When you see someone hurting , go to them and offer compassion.
The story is a masterpiece of emotions and a realistic look at forgiveness, sharing God’s Word, communication and loving unconditionally.
I received a copy of this book from the author. The review is my own opinion.
Well written and entertaining inspirational romance. Good plot and well developed characters. Fans of Amish romance novels will enjoy this book. I received an arc from the author and this is my unbiased review.