Courage in the Storm is the third book in the Johns Mill Amish Romance series and features the youngest of the Hochstedler siblings, Miriam. Miriam was in the store when her parents were killed and only survived because the killer's gun jammed. She is suffering from PTSD/anxiety and has not left the family farm for over a year. In the second book in the series, Sam, who is now her brother-in-law was in a serious buggy accident which left his horse, Breeze with extreme fright of everything. Sam hires, Ruben Brenneman, a man who left the Plain life ten years ago, who owes Sam. Reuben is renowned for his skill to work with horses who have suffered trauma or are wild for various reasons. Breeze is living at the Hochstedler homestead, and Joseph is crazy about having this Englischer on his farm, but will do what Sam and Miriam want for Breeze. No one ever expected that Reuben could use the same techniques to help Miriam become stronger and finally be able to leave her home. As well, they develop a friendship and then even more. Will Reuben give up his Englisch ways and finally get baptized so he and Miriam can have a relationship?

I have enjoyed all three books in this series and this was one of my favourites. Miriam was always as timid as can be and preferred her sewing to being around people. This became even worse and her fear of Englischers was debilitating. As she gradually came out of her shell, I was rooting for her. She was stronger than everyone thought. Reuben had so much baggage and anger. He had be abused by her father and the church did nothing to protect him, his mother and sisters. He was angry at the church, but his faith was still important to him. He was so tender and caring with Miriam and Breeze, a true horse and people whisperer. Their relationship developed gradually over a couple of months and it almost didn't make it, but you will have to read this one to see what happens. This is a story dealing with trauma and its results, living with abusive parents and the lifetime effects, hope, forgiveness, family, mental health, faith and more. I can't wait to read Caleb's story. If you enjoy Amish fiction, Christian romance and stories of healing and new beginnings, then I recommend you read Courage in the Storm, or better yet, all the Johns Mill Amish Romance books.

This Book is the third in a series however I read it as a standalone and loved every word. Laurel Blount writes with great feeling and character development. If you are looking for a great read look no further.

When fear takes over your life and you find refuge in a horse who also has fear can you and the horse overcome the fear with the help of Reuben. I needed a tissue a few times while reading this story. The book has a way of encouraging us even with the smallest fear.

I received this book for free and was under no obligation to leave a positive review.

COURAGE IN THE STORM by Laurel Blount is not the first book I’ve ever read by Ms. Blount and it certainly won’t be the last! The Two main characters, Miriam Hochstedler and Reuben Brenneman stole my heart and gained my respect. Miriam was witness to her parents dying by violence and it has shaken her to her core. She struggles with meeting strangers and is basically a prisoner on her family farm. After a bit of time, she can actually leave the house and go to the chicken coop and the barn. In the barn is a horse named Breeze. He was involved in a buggy accident and is now almost wild. Miriam does not wish the horse to be put down and convinces her brother to hire the horse whisperer.

Reuben used to be Amish but is now English and has a special gift working and caring for horses. When Reuben comes to work on the farm, both of their lives are going to change drastically. I really enjoyed the authors writing style and her ability to draw me into the story. Most of the chapters ended in a way that peaked my interest and left me eager to start reading the next one. You won’t be sorry you picked up COURAGE IN THE STORM….your only decision will be which of the author’s other books you want to read next.

Tragedy, forgiveness, love, and other spiritual elements are scattered throughout COURAGE IN THE STORM. Laurel Blount is an amazing writer, conveying every emotion into her characters. Laurel gives her readers a wonderful story of letting go of the past and leaning into the people who are standing by, waiting to help even if when you don’t realize they’ve been there all the time. This story can be read as a stand alone, but I will recommend reading the first two books so you can get to know all of the beautiful and faithful characters. COURAGE IN THE STORM is not like most Amish stories. It is more like watching the evening news, and then having your heart break for everything this family is going through. I am eager to see what will come next!

COURAGE IN THE STORM is a quick read and unputdownable! There were quite a few times when reading it that I wanted to reach into the pages and hug a few of these people with what they were feeling and what they were going through. I found myself laughing one second and then tearing up the next. If you are looking for a beautiful emotional story to pull you out of your book slump, you can’t go wrong with COURAGE IN THE STORM.

Laurel Blount is now an author I want to read more of. I loved Miriam and Reuben, the primary characters, but I also fell in love with all of the secondary characters as well. Every one of them has an important part to play in this heart tugging story and even though I wanted to reach in and shake one or two of them every now and then, they all weaseled their way into my heart. My emotions were all over the place and I was even reaching for the tissues quite a few times.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own and were voluntarily given

I’ve been looking forward to Miriam’s story since she witnessed the tragic murder of her parents when were gunned down by an obsessive “Englischer” in her family’s general store. Since then, Miriam has suffered from major PTSD, and has not been able to leave the family home in more than a year. Only now has she been able to venture outside to feed the chickens and visit Breeze, a traumatized horse. A horse she’s become attached to, and unfortunately may not last if they can’t get him past his fears enough to be useful. Breeze is her brother-in-law’s horse injured in a buggy accident that scarred them both and Sam doesn’t want to sell the horse for slaughter, so he decides to call in a favor from an old friend with a special talent for working with horses.

Reuben Brenneman left the Plain/Amish life when the abuse of his father, a mean drunk, was reported and overlooked. Reuben felt betrayed by the people he felt should’ve protected him, and so going to the Hochstedler’s farm, an Amish one, isn’t something he wants to do, but he owes Sam. What he doesn’t count on is Miriam. The Amish woman terrified of him at first, in his Englischer clothes, but she’s willing to try to work with him to help Breeze, since Breeze has formed an attachment to Miriam. They work together and form a friendship, Miriam making progress overcoming her fears while helping with Breeze and with Reuben seeing a different side of the Amish people. Both falling a little more for each other with every day that passes.

Courage in the Storm was a moving, emotional story with three souls overcoming a tragic past: Miriam, Reuben and yes, Breeze. I was invested in their journey of healing and love! It was a gradual process, but every step brought me such joy. The story is inspirational, compelling, and filled me with happiness!

I have enjoyed the entire John Mills Amish Romance series. But Courage in the Storm is the best of all. I read from beginning to end in one day. It was impossible to put down. Full of all the emotions it will leave you wanting more from author Laurel Blount.

What wonderfully well written characters. So human with all the things we deal with. Miriam is dealing with crippling fear. Reuben is an abuse survivor. Somehow those two connect over a broken horse named Breeze and healing begins.

Those who have suffered extreme trauma will find much to relate to in this story. And hopefully the freedom and healing that happens will be encouraging to you. Please give it a read. It’s a beautiful story.

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

This entire series is simply next level! Once again, the author has tackled a difficult topic with grace and the reader comes out on the other side better for it.

These two main characters, Miriam and Reuben, both deal with forms of anxiety in this novel. Reuben is definitely farther along on his healing journey, however, the amount of stress that being on an Amish farm brings him, speaks to how much his traumatic pasts still affects him.

Miriam and the horse, Breeze, had so much anxiety and many panic attacks that I found it difficult to read about, at times. However, their path to healing necessitated showing how bad things were for them when the book began. I loved the way Reuben was able to work with both Miriam and Breeze. It took a lot of patience and quite a few setbacks, but the author brought everything to a satisfying conclusion. I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Courage in the Storm by Laurel Blount is book #3 in the Johns Mill Amish Romance series. Miriam Hochstedler hasn't stepped off her parent's farm since witnessing their murder over a year ago by an Englischer. She's been living with her brother Joseph & his wife Naomi trying to live day to day without the crippling anxiety. She connects with her brother-in-law's horse Breeze. They both have intense fear after horrific events happened to them and it sets up a bond. Breeze can't be controlled, but he has one final hope. Reuben Brenneman is a former amish man who left the faith years ago to get away from his abusive drunk father. He's the best at what he does. He's a horse whisper and he's Breeze's last hope before he gets slaughtered. Miriam must dig down deep and not let fear keep her from ruining Breeze's last chance and her's for a shot at a normal life. Reuben has issues of his own. He swore he'd never be pulled into the amish life again. Yet, he can't help but think of an amish life with a sweet amish girl by his side. Will Miriam and Reuben find the happiness that God has waiting for them?
OMS! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book. I have loved every Johns Mill books in the series. This one though really pulled at my heartstrings. I think I probably teared up or straight up cried during the last half of the book. It was such a beautiful story of two lost souls finding each other. I loved how Reuben was with Miriam. Laurel Blount really did an amazing job bringing these two damaged people to life. There was an epilogue so that made me happy. The Hochstedlers are intertwined through out the book. It was nice that they were such a part of the story. It was like visiting family. If you haven't read books 1 & 2 then I hope you do. You don't need to read the first two books to enjoy this one, but all these books are so beautiful. They deliver all the feels. I can't wait to read the next & final book in the Johns Mill Amish Romance series. I was given a copy of this book, but all opinions are my very own.

“It was so hard to be afraid all the time.“

Oh y’all. This book. The depth of emotion, the beautiful character layers (including Breeze, the horse), and the engaging plot all left me completely immersed in Courage in the Storm until I finished the last word.

The line I quoted at the beginning of this review hit me in all the feels. Because I’ve been there. For years I lived with debilitating anxiety and fear. It didn’t matter that what I was panicking about made no sense even to me – I was incapable of turning it off. And it IS hard to be afraid all the time. Hard and isolating and so lonely. Thanks to some counseling and a great prescription medication, I have not lived in fear for several years. Needless to say, I readily identified with Miriam and her debilitating fear – and with Breeze and his – and Blount’s honest & tender portrayal of both left me teary-eyed more than once. I was rooting for them to find freedom, because I know how marvelous it feels, and I could not have put down their journey if I’d wanted to.

This brings us to Reuben, the fear-whisperer. Oh, that’s not on his business card, but in many ways it’s the role he stepped into for both Breeze and Miriam. I loved the way that Breeze and Miriam connected so deeply with each other, as well as how Reuben was able to utilize that unexpected bond to help them both. But perhaps the most beautiful part of this story for me was how they all ended up healing each other, Reuben included. He has his own trauma that he’s still working through, and it’s the reason he is no longer Amish. While the attraction between Reuben and Miriam is immediately evident (well… ok… maybe not at their first meeting haha), I really could not see how the author was going to get past these obstacles for a romance between them and still stay true to their characters. You’ll have to read it for yourself to see what happens, but I will say that I need not have doubted.

One more quick point – I have read lots of Amish fiction, and a bishop is nearly always a prominent side character. I have seen godly bishops full of grace & wisdom, and I have seen legalistic bishops full of themselves. But until reading Courage in the Storm, I had not yet met a bishop like Abram lol. Bless his heart, it’s in the right place. And between the twinkle in his eye and his penchant for cookies, I couldn’t help but love him. But my stars, that man – however well-intentioned – is very good at making a mess of things, and I frequently wanted to shake him a little. I did really enjoy this aspect to the story, though, as well as how the author redeemed him in my eyes by the end. It’s yet another element that separates this from the ‘same old, same old’ Amish romance plots and sets it apart with excellence.

Bottom Line: While I have featured this author and her books several times on my blog, Courage in the Storm happens to be the first book by Laurel Blount that I’ve had time to read. It will absolutely not be my last. I fell in love with Breeze, with Miriam, with Reuben… and even Bishop Abram. And though I haven’t read the first two books in this series, I never felt lost or detached from the other characters. The author does such a great job of presenting the characters and their backstories for new readers without bogging down the story for fans of the series, but I definitely want to go back and catch up on this series – and all of her books. Courage in the Storm is a story that will linger me for a long time, and it’s definitely going to stay one of my fave reads of 2023!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book)

One of the best stories I’ve read this year!
Such powerful emotions and heartbreaking experiences that leave your heart aching and your eyes tearing. Be prepared to lose sleep! Such an influential and inspiring story.
“Miriam was the most Plain-hearted woman he’d ever met. She loved quilts and chickens, for crying out loud. Even so, he liked her. A lot.”
I received an ARC of this book for review. I was not required to write a favorable review. All opinions in this review are my own.

Courage in the Storm is a sweet addition to Laurel Blount's Johns Mill Amish Romance series. I liked it. Four stars.

After reading the first two books in the Johns Mills series, I knew Courage in the Storm would be an emotional read. And wow, Laurel Blount hit me in all the feels.

Mariam’s anxiety and fear is obvious from the beginning of the book, and I felt the panic right along with her. When Reuben enters the picture, his gentle way with the horse Mariam cares for gave me a clue to the kind of man he was—just the kind of guy Mariam needs. He’s kind and caring but understands trauma and the need to push past it. The two characters had such a deep understanding of each other that just made their romance more endearing.

This Amish story is so well researched and paced, while being deeply moving and heart wrenching, that the ending came way too soon for me. There are very difficult things in this book—from the death of Mariam’s parents and the grief that goes with that to the abuse Reuben suffered—but it offers the hope of healing and overcoming our past in an honest and real way. The road isn’t an easy one, but the journey is always worth taking.

Please read this book.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive or negative review. All opinions are my own.

Laurel Blount is a new-to-me author with Courage in the Storm, but she won’t be new-to-me for long. Courage in the Storm is the 3rd book in the Johns Mill Amish Romance Series. Courage in the Storm tells the story of Miriam Hochstedler who struggles with fear and anxiety after her parents are murdered right before her eyes and she has not been able to leave the family property since that terrible day. Noticing a bond between Miriam and a wild horse, Breeze, her brother-in-law calls in a favor, asking a horse specialist, Rueben Brenneman, to come and look at Breeze before deciding what to do with the horse. Rueben, being raised Amish, left and only returned to an Amish community to repay a debt. Realizing the key to calming Breeze is through Miriam, Rueben enlists her help. Miriam finds the courage to help Breeze, and in the process her anxiety and fears start to fall away little-by-little. Rueben and Miriam have a shared interest in wanting the best for Breeze and each other as they start having feelings for each other.

Laurel Blount’s reading sweeps you up into the Johns Mill Amish Community and makes you feel like you are a part of them. The characters are vividly written and Ms. Blount’s writing grabbed my attention from page one. I really love Courage in the Storm and the way it depicted anxiety and panic attacks. Personally, I think it’s something that needs to be written more about in Christian/Inspirational Fiction and it needs to be written about authentically like Ms. Blount has done. Being someone who deals with fear and anxiety, Ms. Blount wrote Miriam’s panic attacks spot on. I know because they are very similar to how mine are. I love how the reality of what Miriam goes through is written and I sympathize with her as she fights to be understood and have normalcy in her life. I love the empathy that Rueben possesses that comes through due to his life experiences because it enables Miriam to be gently pushed back into a normalcy of life–giving her a freedom and independence that Miriam thought she had lost forever. Ruben seems to know Miriam so well that he can easily tell when she needs a gentle push do what she thinks is impossible and at the same time knows what is too much at the moment. I love that Miriam’s independence and freedom happens gradually in the book. I love how Miriam and Rueben see the best in each other at all times when no one else can. I love that the theme of courage that is woven through out the pages of Courage in the Storm and the examples of being courageous that are in the book. I love the grit and pace of the book. Despite being the 3rd in a series (and the first book I have read of the series), there were moments I did feel lost in the book, but there was enough back story for me to put most of the pieces together and did not take away from the story as a whole. That’s good for me as a reader because it just makes me want to read what I have missed to satisfy my curiosity (and at this point I want to read the entire Johns Mill Amish Romance series)! If you are looking for a book that deals with different subject matters than usual, but still sticks to the Faith then I highly recommend Courage in the Storm!

I would like to thank NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book is so good! It's a beautifully written story that will keep you turning the pages to see what happens next. It's full of emotions, love and forgiveness. This is a book you don't want to miss!!
I received a complimentary copy from Berkley Publishing Group via NetGalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Courage in the Storm by Laurel Blount is a touching tale. It is a delight to return to Johns Mill. I enjoyed getting to know Miriam and her caring family along with Rueben and Breeze. Courage in the Storm is well-written with steady pacing. The characters are realistic and developed. I can tell that the author did her research for this story. She captured the fear a human and animal can feel after a traumatic event. In Courage in the Storm, “Fear always has its reasons. It comes down to experience usually.” I like the analogy of relating a wild animal’s fear of humans to be a learned behavior. I see it with the feral cats in my community. They learn to fear humans from their mother and the other cats. The path to healing is bumpy and slow. You can make progress and then an incident happens that will set them back (the old one step forward and two steps back). Rueben came to help a horse and ended up aiding Miriam as well. In exchange, Miriam helped Ruben with his issues. I liked Johns Mill new bishop, Abram King. He was a breath of fresh air. I like how he handled situations and counseled the members of his community. There is humor in the story (a little levity was needed). I loved hearing about Miriam and her chickens (and the rooster). I had to laugh at the names Miriam gave the chickens. Miriam said that “each chicken has a unique personality.” Courage in the Storm is the third A Johns Mill Amish Romance. It can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend reading Shelter in the Storm and Strength in the Storm. I like that we get to catch up with the characters from both of those books. I am looking forward to reading Home from the Storm (we get Caleb and Rhoda’s story). One of my favorite phrases from Courage in the Storm is, “. . . asking for Gott’s help to do what’s needed. With Him, we can do many things that seem too hard at first.” Courage in the Storm is a heartfelt tale with a fearful maedel, a frightened horse, a patient trainer, concerned relatives, a benevolent bishop, and a gracious Gott.

Deeply Touched My Heart

Miriam and Breeze were each in need of healing from deep fear caused by traumatic situations. While it appears that Reuben enters the picture only to help Breeze, it becomes evident that Reuben himself is also in need of healing. As Reuben and Miriam work together, they develop a very special relationship. Seeing how honest and open they were with each other and how that honesty impacted their relationship, even when struggles and unexpected events presented themselves, was beautiful. Their story is an absolutely special one that deeply touched my heart.

Author Laurel Blount has once again crafted a story that is so well written and realistic. Once I started reading I did not stop until I got to the very end. At times I felt angst for the characters and what they were each dealing with. Other times I felt hopeful as I watched them experience even the smallest of victories and breakthroughs in their situations. Through everything, love, faith, courage, forgiveness and trust shine through as key elements in the healing process.


The author's research added so much to the realism of the story. I learned much about the trauma of horses, how it affects them and their healing process. I also learned so much about fear and how deeply it's impact can be. These details added an extra touch that took the story to another level. I recommend you read it for yourself to see just how special it is.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. All comments and opinions are voluntary and completely my own.

Miriam and Reuben’s moving, uplifting, emotional story in Courage in the Storm by Laurel Blount, book three in the Johns Mill Amish Romance series, tugs at your heart, holding you hostage until the very last page. This was a story I could not put down, reading it in one day.

Miriam Hochstedler hasn't stepped off her parent's farm since witnessing their murder over a year ago by an Englischer . She's been living with her brother Joseph and his wife Naomi, trying to live day to day without the crippling anxiety. This experience has imprisoned her on the farm and does not allow her to visit her sister, church or anywhere outside of her home farm. It even took her a while to venture into the chicken yard. Reuben Brenneman is a horse trainer who really understands traumatized animals, possibly since he was abused as a child. He left his Amish upbringing and faith years ago to get away from his abusive drunk father. Reuben arrives to retrain Breeze, a gelding, who has been traumatized after an accident and seems to only respond, cautiously, only to Miriam.

It turns out Miriam, Reuben and Breeze are very much alike. Reuben, too, has deep pain, especially as the church, in his community, never worked hard enough to set his father straight. Miriam, Breeze, the horse, and Reuben all need to learn to trust: Miriam in herself, Reuben in G-d, and Breeze in humans. They each benefit from this situation; as healing comes from unlikely and unusual places. The path is not easy, nor is it smooth and contains a bit of heartbreak. This was such a beautiful story of two lost souls finding each other and overcoming the damage that kept them from living a normal life.

Ms. Blount is a wonderful storyteller who creates stories that touch one's heart with great characters full of faith, love, and emotion that reaches deep and is lasting. She wove together the parallels of Miriam Hochstedler and Reuben Brenneman into a moving and heartfelt story. The message of love, faith, and forgiveness stood strong; making this sweet and inspiration read one I could not put down, draw me in, making me forget it was fiction. I highly recommend Courage in the Storm to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

Oh. My. Goodness. This is SUCH a scrumptious book! A tramatized woman. A tramatized horse. The trainer who understands fear but guards his own dark secrets. What's not to love? Only there's so much more. This book made me want to go back and reread the entire series. This author has a gift for exploring the heart of a matter with tenderness and clarity--and plenty of human mistakes sprinkled throughout. Nothing else to say, except I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the fourth installment. Caleb's story is bound to be a humdinger.

“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” - Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela’s quote describes Courage in The Storm perfectly! What a beautiful read! This is Miriam Hochstedler’s story. It is a testament to courage, determination and learning to trust again. If you read the first two books in the Johns Mill series, you will remember that she is the sibling who witnessed the murder of her parents at the hands of an Englischer. This event traumatized all four Hochstedler siblings in different ways, but Miriam was terrorized beyond words. She can barely leave her house. Everyone is worried about her and, out of love and deep concern, they try to shield her from the world and protect her. But without realizing, they are undermining her self–esteem.

And from the second book, we reunite with Sam Christner’s horse, a spirited animal named Breeze, who was in a horrible buggy accident, and has scars both internal and external. He is now in the stable at the Hochstedler farm, awaiting a decision about what can be done with him. He has become dangerous, uncontrollable and not to be trusted.

Breeze and Miriam have a special connection, they understand each other’s fears. And they both desperately need help. Enter Reuben Brenneman, a farrier and horse trainor, who grew up Plain. For his own painful reasons, though, he has jumped the fence and now wears a short haircut, blue jeans, and drives a pick-up. And returning to the Plain world makes him seriously uncomfortable.

He comes to help Breeze, as a favor to Sam Christner, who helped him in the past. And he soon recognizes that Miriam’s connection to Breeze is the key to working with the horse. But Miriam can barely make it to the barn, let alone work side by side with a man who looks Englisch.

Reuben believes in Miriam and Breeze. He knows Miriam is capable of much more than she is giving herself credit for and, over time, she rises to the challenge. She is determined to be brave, in order to help Breeze. And with Reuben’s gentle but firm encouragement, it becomes vital to her to meet each small benchmark he sets for her.

What a stunning character Reuben is! My gosh, I just fell in love with him. I love how layered and complex he is. He is a character with great integrity who says that he always tries to leave things better than he found them. This story will leave you better than it found you, too!

* I received a complimentary copy for review from the author and publisher. My opinions are strictly my own

Great find! Laurel Blount is a new to me author.

Courage in the Storm delivers an engaging story line, character growth, a glimpse at the Amish life and faith in God.

After witnessing a horrifying tragedy, Miriam no longer leaves the safety of her brother's farm. She delights in her family that visit her and in her brother-in-law's horse Breeze. Miriam and Breeze understand each other. They are both living in fear.

Reuben left his family and the Amish way of life years ago. As a successful horse trainer, he's the last hope for Breeze. His love for horses and his friend Sam are the only reasons he would agree to live with an Amish family, even if only temporary.

Favorite lines:
"Gott has a sense of humor. Nee, this isn't a life I'd ever have picked out for myself- except for marrying Emma. Yet here I am, happier than I'd ever have been if I'd followed by own path."

I'm glad there is another book in the series.