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Anything But Plain by Suzanne Woods Fisher Review

 Hello Bookish Friends :)

Happy Friday, and thank you so much for choosing to stop by The Preppy Book Princess today.

Can I be honest and state that this last couple of days has not been the easiest? I received some pretty devastating news yesterday, and sometimes it's ridiculously hard letting yourself grieve when it seems that much easier to just push the feelings aside.

I'm thankful for Jesus and my amazing hubby as I navigate another trying week, and I'm also thankful for the many wonderful Christian fiction authors who continue to put out titles that uplift our faith and give us a wonderful escape from the horrors of reality.

I recently finished the newest release by one of my favorite authors, and today I'm looking forward to sharing all about it with you all.

I hope you'll all keep reading down below for my full review.


Anything But Plain by Suzanne Woods Fisher:


Source: Complimentary Copy Provided by the Publisher as Part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program

Publisher: Revell

Publication Date: October 4th, 2022

Genre: Christian Fiction/Amish Fiction



Synopsis:

It's not easy being the bishop's daughter, especially for Lydie Stoltzfus. She's not like other Amish girls, as much as she wishes she were. The only thing she does well is disappoint others. Leaving her family and church seems unbearable, but staying might be worse.

Knowing Lydie is "between" jobs, the local doctor asks her to fill in at the front desk for a few months. To Lydie, this is a boon. It gives her time to figure out how she's going to say goodbye to her neighbor, Nathan Yoder--the main reason she needs to leave Stoney Ridge. Nathan claims he's in love with her, but she knows she's not good enough for him. If in doubt, Nathan's father reminds her frequently.

As Dok spends time with Lydie, she recognizes symptoms of a disorder rare among the Amish. She offers treatment for Lydie. But will it be enough to make her stay? Or has help come too late?

Bestselling and award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Stoney Ridge, a small town that feels like an old friend.

(synopsis from goodreads)




My Review:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is one of my favorites, and I always look forward to getting to read her new titles. Somehow I had missed that Anything But Plain was taking us readers back to Stoney Ridge, and so that ended up being a wonderful surprise. It was a lovely experience getting to revisit this idyllic Amish community, and see some cameos from previous characters in the earlier books. It was also refreshing getting to follow along a completely different type of story from this author, and this one definitely ended up being a new favorite.

I've been reading Amish fiction titles for as long as I can remember, and it's always a pleasant surprise when an original story pops up, and stands out against any title I've read before. I've long appreciated that this author is willing to tackle tough subjects, and I can't even express how much I enjoyed the fact that this one deals with a young Amish lady named Lydie who's been dealing with undiagnosed ADHD. Lydie's frustration's were heart wrenching, and it was easy for the reader to see why she was tempted to leave the Amish lifestyle, when she's never been able to explain or understand why she's never been able to fit in amongst her own people.

Lydie's best friend Nathan was a likeable and well rounded male protagonist, and his character also brought something original to the story. Having grown up on his family's farm, Nathan is convinced that organic farming is what his family needs to be investing in, and it was interesting to learn right along with him about the benefits and challenges to converting a traditional farm to these methods. I found myself rooting for him and Lydie from the start, and I enjoyed following along their somewhat tumultuous friendship that was definitely growing into something more.

Suzanne Woods Fisher has penned another wonderful tale within the Amish fiction genre, and this one highlights once again just how talented of a storyteller she truly is. I loved that it shone a light on mental illness, and some of the lesser idyllic points of the Amish faith, while still staying true to the plain people, and their unique way of following their Lord and Savior.  The plot was well paced and plotted, the romance was sweet and heart wrenching at the same time, and I loved getting to revisit one of the communities from some of her previous titles.

Final Rating: 4/5.

A wonderful story, and one I'd highly recommend if you love Amish fiction, or a great title to try if you've never read one from this genre before.


Thanks so much to Revell for allowing me to read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher (Revell) as part of the Revell Reads Blogger Program. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.


Thanks so much for reading guys! I pray you all have a great weekend, and are able to spend some time with Jesus over the course of it! :)


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