“Piece by Piece” by Laura Bradford
If you love sweet clean love stories that grab your heart and just won't let go then you will love this story just as much as I did. Do be warned that if you are an emotional reader you will want your box of tissues close to hand. This is not a boy/girl love story, it is a mother/family love story. A story well worth the read and an excellent choice for a book club read. I would love to be able to award this story with at least 10 stars, truly. There are so many reasons I absolutely love this story, but if I started sharing those reasons this would become a 'spoiler book report' and I most certainly do not want to spoil your adventure with Danielle as she navigates her healing process after a major life altering tragic loss. Happy Reading ! ! (through your tears)
note: I received an ARC of this story from the publisher via NetGalley.

What a wonderful and emotional read this was. Hats off to Laura for being able to pull us in to such raw emotions. I had my Kindle read to me as I drove with tears streaming down my face. I ran out of tissues and had to pull napkins out of the glove box!

I almost passed this up not being sure of such a tragic sounding story. Now that I've finished the book I know there is much more to it than just loss. The main character Dani needs to pick up all the pieces of her shattered life but she has trouble just taking a simple breath. Laura Bradford portrays the journey of grief seemingly and heartbreakingly accurate. She throws in a few surprises I wasn't expecting. One part that seems to be there for easier storytelling is a pre-school Amish girl speaking English. Everything I have read about the Amish, fiction or non-fiction, says they learn English when they start school. I like that the ending doesn't go the route of everything wrapped up with a perfect bow. It leaves the reader figuring out how they see life continuing for the characters. I received a copy of 'Piece by Piece' from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Did not finish I found this book too depressing. I just could not read on. I read some other reviews on this story as I was not familiar with this author and feel she is not someone I would choose to follow.

To say you enjoyed a book about grief and loss is not entirely accurate, but they can move you. I have read many of Laura Bradford's cozy mysteries, and have especially enjoyed those set in a community close to the Amish. While this is in no way a cozy she gives the same care to respect the differences between the Amish and the "English" is this novel. Grief is not easier with less distraction, the pain of loss is not based on your possessions and even those who believe devoutly and trust in the will of God still feel loss profoundly. I have been bleesed to have not felt grief in the same ways as these characters, but Bradford skillfully shared thier stories in a way that I will help me walk with others through such loss.

Piece by Piece is a rather harrowing read. It's about intense loss, painful, grief and learning to cope. Dani had the perfect life, maybe she was a it uptight, but she excelled as a mother and a partner. Until the afternoon it all was ripped from her. In a horrible instant she lost everything. Help came from an Amish friend, who was experiencing her own grief. Dani discovers a surprise when she retreats to the farm to cope. At times, the grief was overwhelming in the book, but it was still a good read.

#PieceByByPiece#HerBalist
This book took me by surprise. I have read many Amish books but none like this one.The author combined an amazing contemporary story and the Amish lifestyle. The Story line of Danielle looking her family was heart wrenching. You could feel her pain. Her penal Lydia whom she met at right years old reached out to her .. This shows how childhood friends can become adult friends that can be counted on. This is an amazing book deAling with heart breaks in life but it shows in time life and love can help you heal. Although she will never forget her loss but she will find hope for the future. Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

I don't normally read Amish fiction, and reading Piece by Piece reminded me why. At the same time, I really liked this book. In fact, if the “Amish” element had been left out, this would have been a great story! Why do I say this? Because I grew up with Amish friends and know what they are really like.
Dani was the perfect mother—the one who did everything with her children. She took them to every event, threw the most wonderful parties for them, and was always there for them. Until the one day that her mother insisted she take some time for herself, and her whole family was killed in an accident. Soon afterward, she found herself in Amish country in Pennsylvania, where a friend had invited her to spend some time away from home to sort things out. Could she ever come to terms with her devastating loss?
The way the author showed Dani's grief and struggle to move on after the sudden death of her family was very well done. I was so drawn into the story that I felt what she felt—I read most of this book in the evenings at bedtime, and several times my pillow got rather wet. Her struggles were heart-breaking, and I was so glad when she was able to work through her grief and begin to move on and live again. Almost all of the book was great.
At the same time, as I said, the “Amish” part of the book was, in my opinion, rather a drawback. Yes, someone needed to be in the story to model motherhood as it should be, and to give Dani the encouragement she needed. However, one thing that happened over and over was that a 3-year-old Amish girl talked fluently in English. This needed to happen to make the story go the way it needed to, but in real life, Amish children don't know English until they are school-age. Another thing that I noticed that was not accurate didn't have to do with Amish, but with farming. Calves are not bottle-fed multiple times a day, as the one in this story was. I have been around cattle all my life, and at most we gave a calf two bottles a day—many farmers give only one.
Those were the two biggest things that jerked me out of the story and made me say, “What?!” So much of the story, though, as I said, was great, and I highly recommend this book for anyone who needs help working through grief or knowing how to help someone else through grief. As one who has experienced sudden loss myself, I can say that this book can be quite helpful. I appreciated the author's exploration of grief and coming to terms with tragedy. Be aware, however, that there are hard subjects touched on in this book—not just sudden death of a family, but also SIDS.
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

Heart wrenching! My heart hurt so bad for this woman, I can't even begin to imagine what it would be like!
I think this book was very honest, raw and emotional. Great book!
#PiecebyPiece #NetGalley

This is a book that you may want to avoid if you've experienced a trauma or tragedy that strongly affected your family. The author does such a great job of evoking emotion, and bringing to life all aspects of grief and survivor guilt, that it makes the reader feel as though she is experiencing it. For someone who has overcome a tragedy, it might put you right back into it... Through her journey into Pennsylvania, Dani is able to begin moving forward with a new life. There are more curveballs thrown her way, but she comes out stronger than before with a newfound faith. Overall, a well done book, just one that may not be appropriate for all audiences.

Piece By Piece is most definitely one of the most deeply heartfelt novels I have read in a while. With the main storyline centering around a mother's worst nightmare, the loss of her entire immediate family, Laura Bradford skillfully brings the reader right into Danielle's heart so the reader can feel Danielle's pain. As a wife and mother myself, I cannot even imagine surviving such a loss, so my heart went out to Danielle as she struggled to survive day to day. Piece By Piece provides a gradual uplifting tone to the storyline when Danielle's childhood and adult pen pal Lydia invites Danielle to spend some time in Amish country recovering from her loss. This time proves to be a slow yet sure miracle for Danielle. This story is one that is first a tearjerker, and evolves to be one of hope and faith. Laura Bradford's writing style is truly gifted and heartwarming. I do highly recommend Piece By Piece both as an Amish genre novel and as a beautiful piece of Women's fiction.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not your typical Amish novel.
Dani is a dedicated and busy mum, but in one day, her family is devastated and she looses everyone. Hearbreaking, she cannot think of going forward, until she see's her daughter's garden gift from her bedroom window.

Lydia and Dani met as eight year olds, for a very short time, and they bonded which they continued their friendship as pen pals from then on. At the most horrible time, Lydia's call to offer Dani a place to stay, with no interruptions, seems like the best place to be.

Dani travels and meets Lydia's family of 3 children, husband and brother. Though remaining aloof, she is drawn to the family and to moving forward in her grief. Then she gets some news, which turns her world upside down. With faith, hope and love, Dani moves forward with her life, never forgetting what she lost, but thinking of the future.

One of the best Amish stories I have read. Highly recommended.

Piece by Piece is a story about losing the ones we love unexpectedly. It's about what happens after the funerals and when our friends have all left the wake and returned to their homes. About what happens in the weeks following when the one left behind struggles to just get through each day, weeks and months ahead without their loved ones. The deep grief and the questions of why and how could God allow this to happen. Depression and anger. And later, much later , the cherishing memories and the healing.
Danielle Parker was a loving and supportive wife of Jeff and mother of three beautiful precious children. She was always very organized and kept several lists to keep on schedule with her many demands. She was active in both her eight year old daughter's and her five year old son's school activities. She loved having her mother come for visits .
Dani and Jeff lived full lives centered around their children. Always planning the most wonderful birthday parties for their kids. Then came the afternoon her mom suggested Dani take a much needed break from her schedule and stay home indulging herself to some time alone with a good book. She grudgingly agrees and her mother goes on a family outing in her place. After an afternoon spent alone completely swept up into a good book, Dani loses track of time. She is interrupted by the door bell. From that time forward her life changes. Never to be the same again.
Most of us, if we are really truthful with ourselves, will admit we take for granted our family the many blessings we have in our lives. We go through each day busy in our schedule and don't give much thought about it. But what if we were to suddenly lose what we have through the death of a loved one or family member. We would go through a time of grief and anger for sure. Dani spent time with an Amish friend in a peaceful quiet setting. But Dani wasn't the only one hurting and she didn't grieve alone.
This was a different kind of story because it covers a topic most of us don't want to think about. It makes the reader more aware of the grieving and healing process after a death of a family member. Laura Bradford has penned a wonderful story about loss and grief. Anger and quilt, but also memories and healing. This captivating book drew me in from the beginning. It seemed very real. Like I was there with Dani , Lydia and Caleb as they struggled with their losses. There's a very good story tucked between the covers of Piece by Piece.
I highly recommend to all readers of Christian Fiction, Amish Fiction and fans of Laura Bradford. This can be read as a standalone. I hope you will make it a part of your want to read books.
I received an ARC copy of Piece by Piece from NetGalley and Kensington Publishers. Thank you and also to Laura Bradford.
All opinions expressed here are my own. I was not asked to do a favorable review .
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This is a sad, heart-rending, but beautiful book from Laura Bradford. Danielle (Dani) is a devoted mother, wife, and daughter who adores caring for her family. When her entire family, including her mother, is killed in a car accident, Dani is lost in mind-numbing grief. Just when she feels she has nowhere to turn, she receives a call from her Amish friend, Lydia, and goes to Lydia's farm to escape, rest, and eventually try to heal.

This is a beautiful book about life, loss, and living again. It will touch your heart and give you hope, but in a realistic way. Although there are surprises, they are done tastefully, and with respect to the grief process.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.