With All Her Heart by Kelly Irvin is filled with messages of hope, courage, endurance, faith, optimism, and love. An uplifting story for those facing life's challenges. Characters that leave you feeling humbled and hopeful.

Releases Jan. 28th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4 Stars

This is the first book that I have read by this author, and was pretty good.

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Negative Content

A unknown version of the Bible is used.

The word infernal is thought once.

A person swore they'd’ never go through something again.

A person said that they'd seen too much to pussyfoot around.

A mention of a man talking about his very sick brother, saying “He’s so narrisch. He’s been throwing up and complaining of a stomachache for two days. He insisted it was food poisoning.” And that calling his brother stupid (narrisch) was Toby’s way of saying he was worried.

A mention that a woman kissed a cat's nose.

When a man asks his brother brother if he had any regrets, his brother answered “Do I miss the microphone and my smooth-as-a-bopli’s-behind vocals? I do.” (bopli's = babys)

A mention that a woman thought she’d work seven days a week if Mom would let her.

A man tells his brother “I guess I still have some pointers on how to get rid of the jitters.” (for calling auctions). His brother asks “It doesn’t involve imagining them with no clothes on, does it?” One of the instructor’s suggestions— offered in jest. “No way..." (Not a necessary comment.)

A woman says “My mamm and dat are still yakking with yours.”

A son thinks that parents weren’t supposed to meddle in their children’s pursuit of a husband or wife. That his rumspringa hadn’t produced a wife was his own business.

A woman says to her friend, “I see the wheels turning. What are you thinking about, friend?” to which she replied “Nothing worth saying.” and thinks, nothing that wouldn’t get her sent to Hades for all eternity.

A mention that a "Miranda Lambert’s man-who-done-her-wrong lyrics blaring from overhead speakers".

A man asks a woman if she would like to go fishing with him on Sunday, and that it was their "day off from church". They do go fishing that Sunday.

Some mentions of the Amish thinking they couldn't know for sure if people went to heaven.
A mention that the thought that someone that somebody loved who had passed might be lonely too was almost too much to bear.
A widow asked a widower if he visited his late wife's grave, and he said “I did when I lived in Berlin. After I came to Virginia, I realized I didn’t have to physically visit her grave to feel close to her. She’s in a cooling breeze, a bird’s song, in the rain, and even the thunderstorms.”

A mother is trying to encourage her daughter to get married, and says “Gott didn’t mean for people to be alone. That’s why He created Eve from Adam’s rib. He knew it wasn’t gut for man to be alone. He needed a helpmate—” and her daughter interrupted her" saying “Mamm, seriously, you’re quoting Genesis to me?” the daughter snorted, thinking it wasn’t the Scripture itself. It was as familiar as the Lord’s Prayer. As the Ten Commandments.

A woman fell, and thinks maybe if she could reach a tree, she could use a branch to pull herself up far enough to get her legs under her.
She straightened. She eyed the selection along the road. They were old trees that towered far above her. Not a single low -hanging bough. Come on, Gott. (Not sure if it was irreverent or not.)

A engaged couple kiss, and when they finally broke apart, the woman clasped the fiancée's face in her hands and asked, “...did you lure me out here to the van so we could kiss and make out like youngies?” Her fiancée replied “Since we never got to do this as youngies, I thought it was about time.”

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Trigger Warnings

A mention that a daughter asks her mother why she was up so early, and she answered “I’m going fishing.” Her mom flashed her a “top that”smile. The daughter thinks that her mother managed to sound as if that wasn’t the most astonishing utterance since telling her daughter about the birds and the bees after she witnessed two horses doing their business in a nearby meadow in broad daylight in front of God and everybody.

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Other

A mention that a woman was nursing her baby in front of others. Nursing is a perfectly natural thing, but it's awkward and unwise to do it in front of other people.

A widow thinks that in the end women had to submit to the men in their lives, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t speak her peace first. Good thing, or she might blow an artery trying to contain it. (Wives are to submit to their own husband, but not to just any man in her life.)
Later, it mentions her trying to apologize, saying “About what I said earlier—”“Don’t worry about it. You were right.” The words seemed to come easily to him. “I’m always sticking my nose where it doesn’t belong. You said so yourself the first time we met.”“I didn’t have to be so nasty about it. Sometimes I forget my place.”“I imagine it’s hard to adjust to having a bruder run your life after your mann did it for so long.”“Bart would say I should submit. It’s a woman’s lot to submit. Gott loves an obedient believer. Gott forgive me for being so full of hochmut.”

A mention of a woman thinking that they were supposed to accept the circumstances of their lives, come what may, but nobody really explained how to do that.

Some mentions that plain women did not step out in public with another man other then family.
A man tell another man and woman “The diner is a popular place. Just about everyone from the Gmay comes here at least once a week.” and she thinks, was that an admonition? The man continues “Families do, anyway,”... “The youngies know how to court in private.” and the woman thinks, definitely an admonition. It mentions guilt slow-danced in her head.

A mention of a woman saying to her mother and thinking that she'd be home alone where nobody would see her, so she could wear her hair in a ponytail and tie a scarf around her head and be done with it.

A mention of the Amish belief that a woman has to have her head covered to pray, no matter where.

A mention of a mom telling a single woman, “Wait. I know it’s hard for you to see my family growing.” It mentioned her roundabout way of referring to being with child paid lip service to the Plain tradition of keeping such rites of passage private.
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This book was a interesting read, and was a nice change of genre. It had some things that could have been better, or left out all together, but over all it was pretty good.

I received a complimentary e-book from Zondervan Fiction to review through Netgalley.
I was not required to write a positive review, and the thoughts above are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

Amish fiction is one of my favorite genres and I just loved this book. I loved the wholesome story and the characters that were realistic, had their faults, but were dedicated to their community, family, and faith.

Kelly Irvin did a fantastic job.

Highly recommend.

With All Her Heart is the third book in An Amish Calling series by Kelly Irvin. Bonnie who has SMA owns a gift shop called Homespun Handicrafts. Her friends and co workers also have some sort of physical disability but that doesn’t hold them back from living their lives to the fullest. Elijah is shy with God’s gift to make toys but her comes from a family of auctioneers. The thought of going on stage makes him sick. Can they overcome their unique challenges and listen to God’s will for their lives. I loved it and will definitely have to go back and read the first two. Can be read as a stand alone.
Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and Zondervan fiction for the advanced copy. This is my honest review.

Elijah is a shy man that creates handmade toys and furniture to sell. His family, on the other hand, is loud and boisterous. They expect him to start working the auction.

Bonnie began a craft company with her friends. They each have a handicap. Bonnie wants a family.

Elijah finds the courage to bring in samples of his work for Bonnie to review.

With All Her Heart by Kelly Irvin – Likeable, Thoughtful Characters

Kelly Irvin’s newest novel With All Her Heart – is the third book in the Amish Calling series. I enjoy Kelly’s Amish themed books and looked forward reading this story.

With All Her Heart is a little different from most of the author’s other novels. In the introduction the author mentions that Amish communities may have a higher rate of disabilities or diseases because of marriage within their community and the limited gene pool. She also mentioned the love and acceptance the Amish have for their children, family, friends, and members of their community.

The main character in this book is Bonnie Yoder who has a disability called spinal muscular atrophy. Bonnie is co-owner of a shop with two of her friends who are also disabled. Bonnie is smart, beautiful, hardworking, and wants to be independent as possible. Bonnie would love to be married and have children. But she is resolved to remain single and not be a burden on others because of her declining health.

Thankfully, Bonnie has the love and support from her mother, Jocelyn Yoder. Jocelyn husband Marlin died two years ago, but he is still a part of her life.

But God is at work and may bring the unexpected into their lives. Like Elijah Miller a quiet and shy man that Bonnie had gone to school with. Or Jocelyn’s brother Uriah bringing his friend Theo over to see what things need work, repairs, or maintenance on Jocelyn’s property.

I enjoyed reading this book and the characters were very likable. I especially enjoyed Jocelyn, she was loving, caring, supportive and honest in dealing with her grief. Theo was a refreshing character, honest and open. I also liked Elijah. Though he was shy, he learned to work through that which is hard, and to fight for what he wanted.

It was eye opening to think of how challenging it would be to have a disability and live life without the modern-day conveniences that can make everyday tasks a little easier.

I enjoyed reading With All Her Heart by Kelly Irvin and recommend it. If you enjoy Amish themed novels, or a little romance, or Kelly Irvin’s novels be sure to get her newest book which will be released on January 28, 2025.

I would like to thank Zondervan Fiction and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of With All Her Heart by Kelly Irvin. I was under no obligation to give a favorable review.

Beautiful meaningful Title! Awesome cover and Heartfelt Amish Romance novel! Master Story Teller Kelly Irvin gives her readers not one but two romances in this uplifting inspirational story. I was totally drawn into the book from the first chapter . I loved all the characters that made this book seem so realistic. The theme of the book dealt with people with disabilities due to genetic disorders and accidents. How these disabilities affected the way they lived their lives. Putting their trust in God for their future instead of letting a disability rule their lives. I thought the book was very well written and researched. I have enjoyed every book in this series but this one goes on my favorite shelf.
Bonnie Yoder never gave much thought to getting married. At a young age she found out that she had Spinal Muscular Atrophy or SMA. Gradually she was losing the strength in her muscles which caused her to depend on a rollator to get around. Bonnie owned Homespun Handicrafts, a shop in Lee’s Gulch Virginia. Two other Amish friends who also had disabilities helped her run the shop. Bonnie felt her SMA held her back from having a normal life with a husband and children.
Elijah Miller is part of a large loud Amish family . Most of the men in the family are Auctioneers and on the road six months of the year. Elijah is different from his brothers. He’s always been shy and the thought of being an Auctioneer makes him physically sick. He’s talented in making wooden toys and hopes to sell them at Bonnie’s shop. For years Elijah has had a crush on Bonnie. She is so pretty that he would like to court her but he can’t even get up the nerve to go to her shop to see if he could sell his toys there on consignment.
I highly recommend With All Her Heart to readers of Amish Romance and Christian Fiction. This book is part of a series. Some of the characters are carried over from other books in this series. I feel that this book could be read out of order without reading the other books. This book is scheduled for release on 1/28/25
I voluntarily read an advanced Readers Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions shared here in this review are solely my own.
#WithAllHerHeart #NetGalley

Bonnie is a successful Amish woman. But she longs to find a husband and have a family. But she holds back because she is disabled and thinks no one will have her. Elijah is painfully shy but he loves Bonnie. Now if he can pluck up the courage to tell her. Sweet romance.

onnie and Elijah have known each other for years but never considered each other in marriage. However, it all changed when Elijah brought his woodworking wares to Bonnie's store. Bonnie has a special store that employees Amish like herself who suffers from health problems. Bonnie knows that a wheel chair is in her near future and she does not want to burden anyone. She worries about having children and not being able to do the necessary chores that most of us take for granted. Elijah himself is very shy and being shy does not do well with the family business of auctioneering. His own family is suffering from health issues are are relying on him to step up.

Bonnie and Elijah develop a friendship of respect and admiration. They both must face their fears and deal with pride. The pride of asking for help. Pride comes in different forms. Amish novels like this reflect on faith and help you with your own. Maybe to see your own struggles that you may be blinded to.

A special Thank you to Zondervan Publishing and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review

Wow, what a great book! This is the best one in the series, in my opinion. Bonnie and Elijah are 2 souls that needed each other without even knowing it. Love always wins. I was given an Advanced Reader Copy to read and this is my opinion only.

A wonderful story of finding God’s path for you. Not letting your fears, shyness or disabilities hold you back. Also being brave enough to find true love without your fears blocking you. A fantastic read!

I adore Amish romance, sadly this failed to deliver.

A single mum/foster mum to children with disabilities ranging from cerebral palsy to autism, I found the way the disabilities had been dealt with through this book a bit lacking.

For me the book just missed the mark, something was missing.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for my honest review.

I just adore Kelly Irvin's books and this one is no exception. She is continuously on my top of the list for books read every year. With All Her Heart is another example of why she is one of the best. Join Elijah, a painfully shy Amish man and Bonnie, a disabled woman, as they discover that they can do more than they ever realized: and they can do it together!

Loved reading the inspirational and awesome Christian story. Even though Elijah is shy, he wants to court Bonnie. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting romance story.

This book tells the story of Elijah Miller, a shy young man, and Bonnie Yoder, a young woman with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). "Painfully shy" doesn’t even cover Elijah’s struggle, but Bonnie notices this and helps him feel comfortable. However, Elijah’s family of auctioneers doesn’t see his discomfort and expects him to take part in the family business.

Bonnie hasn’t let SMA slow her down. She co-owns a successful handmade gift shop with two other women who also have special needs. Bonnie excels at sewing, arranging displays, and keeping the books. Elijah is drawn to her beauty, inside and out, but struggles to have conversations with her.

Their relationship moves slowly as they both grapple with their own challenges. Elijah can barely talk without Slowpoke, and Bonnie feels her disability has given her a different lot in life. They spend so much time helping each other, it delays their personal growth.

While this book uplifts those with disabilities, I found the number of characters with limitations unrealistic, even considering the Amish community's genetic background. As someone with a disability, I’ve only met that many others in hospital settings.

Jocelyn, Bonnie’s mother, stole the show for me. Her worries, encouragement, and motherly love were compelling. I related to her more, possibly because we’re closer in age.

I kept wanting to make good food while reading—those event menus sounded amazing!

𝓦𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓗𝓮𝓻 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓽 is the third book in the Amish Calling series but can be read as a standalone. It's a sweet story of second chances, friends to romance, and life with disabilities.

One star
The forward was so awful that I did not even attempt to read the book. What a shame and I will never ever read another one of this authors books.

Oh, what a wonderful book this was. I have really enjoyed Kelly Irvin’s series about characters dealing with different disabilities. And this book does not disappoint.

The story centers around the extremely shy Elijah Miller who is desperate not to be a part of his auctioneering family’s business. Elijah is gifted at woodworking and creating beautiful toys and children’s furniture. He would like to be able to sell his work and have his own business. His family does not understand his shyness and why he gets painfully tongue-tied in front of most people.

Bonnie Yoder and her mother have been struggling since the death of Bonnie’s beloved father. Bonnie also has a terrible degenerative, crippling disease that will ultimately put her in a wheelchair. She has fought her diagnosis for years and has opened a successful gift shop with two other disabled women. Bonnie and Elijah attended school together and she often stuck up for him when they were kids. When Elijah shows up at her shop, she is pleased with his work, and despite his awkwardness, contracts with him for more pieces. She finds herself attracted to him but shuts down any possibility of interest since she sees herself as someone who will have to spend her life alone as a result of her disability. Elijah finds her pretty and has always liked her. She is one of the few people he can stammer out a few words with.

In the meantime, Bonnie’s widowed mother Jocelyn has been in a deep hole unable to move past her grief. That is until the hired hand, widower Theo comes into the picture. He too, had lost his wife a year before and is trying to start his life over.

Kelly Irvin takes the reader on a double journey through both of these love stories. Questions hover about how God could have allowed such hardships, and how people deal with such insurmountable problems. God’s grace and forgiveness echo from the pages. Both Bonnie and her mother have to learn to deal with their pride and determination to do everything themselves. Elijah has to face his issues and his family and discover what God truly wants for him. Theo, too, has to find forgiveness from his son. These are weighty problems that can cause heart-wrenching decisions, but the story moves sweetly through the obstacles to get to an HEA. I do like that Kelly Irvin does not try to put a happy face on the very real circumstances the characters face, and I love that the story emphasizes that people with serious issues can and do find love and fulfilling lives. It was a wonderful and compelling read and I highly recommend it.

I received an advance reader copy of this book for free and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

A heart warming story of two Amish friends who are both carriers of a rare genetic disorder called Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, very prevalent in Northern Indiana Amish. Both Declan Miller and Bethel King have younger siblings with this disorder. Bethel feels her obligation is to her family, helping with daily care and chores to ease the burden placed upon her family. Declan dreams of having his own Auction Calling service, a family and possible future with Bethel. When he gets his own health scare, both Declan and Bethel feel their futures are never to be had. Their friendship is deep and both must overcome the uncertainty of the what if's in life. The Author did a wonderful job of putting you in the charactor and hearing the voices of their plea for help.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book. Opins expressed in this review are completely my own.

As always I love this authors books. This was amazing!
I finished in one evening it was so good.
Bonnie is such a wonderful character but so stubborn! That's why she's my favorite person. Her mamm is too. It never hurts to ask for help but on the side note I do understand a lot! No one wants to be beholden to anyone.
Elijah made me shake my head at times too. Even made me grin sometimes.
Bonnie and Elihah are opposites. I really loved them both.
Faith, Hope, and love are depicted a lot in this story which is another reason I loved it so much. It gives the reader hope when they read these wonderful books.
The Lord does have a way with perfect timing doesn't He?
5 stars.for keeping me engaged. I loved every minute of it. I highly recommend. You will learn much.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.
I learned a lot about SMA.
I'm so proud of these three young ladies who works hard to not or try not to think about their disabilities.

Such a sweet story! I love how the three young ladies overcome so many obstacles and run their own store. The relationship between Elijah and Slowpoke is so sweet!!! I thought Theo was such a fun character and one I wished to hear more about. The authors telling of these stories with the challenges faced by the characters was insightful and memorable.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. The opinions are my own.