Showing results by author "Brenda Maxfield" in All Categories

All her life, Jolene Weiger has taken care of her developmentally delayed brother, Bennie. Now grown, Jolene is engaged to marry, but her beau doesn’t want to start married life with Bennie in tow. Jolene calls off her engagement, secretly wishing she were engaged to Amos Zook, her best friend from childhood. Jolene’s mother announces she’s marrying an Englischer and leaving the Amish church. Getting no help from her married sisters, Jolene is on her own with Bennie. As Amos watches her struggle, the truth of his feelings snaps into place.

Anna Kennel's journey from her Amish roots to become a high school teacher was marked by bold choices and a love for learning beyond her community. Her current life, with the prospect of romance with her teaching colleague, Dennis Long, shines with promise. As summer vacation unfurls, Anna's plans for relaxation and time with Dennis are upended by an urgent call—her mother is unwell, and Anna's presence is needed at home. Anna returns to Hollybrook and discovers her stubborn mother is unwilling to accept help—unless it comes from her hired hand, young widower Gabe Eaash.

At the tender age of 16, Hagar King falls in love. She is certain all will go perfectly with her 15-year-old beau, Enoch Yoder. But she is wrong—very wrong. Hagar falls pregnant and is shipped off in shame to give birth to a beautiful baby girl. Under protest, her child is snatched away. Enoch’s family leaves the state, and Hagar does not hear from him again. In the present day, Hagar lives with an empty gap in her heart and life—one that can never be filled. But everything turns upside down when Enoch returns to town. He never stopped loving Hagar.

In his youth, Josiah Schwartz suffered a disastrous courtship, effectively ending his romantic life. But now, his loneliness cannot be ignored. He promises himself he’ll try one more time to find a woman to court. He settles on Nancy Mast - a nice local widow, kind and steady. Josiah follows his plan and begins courting her, with a promising outcome. But Josiah doesn’t reckon on running into newcomer Sharon Bontrager - literally. Her ankle is badly injured when she’s spooked by his mare, and she is unable to care for her aenti’s farm.

Ruth Schwartz never planned on falling in love with an Englischer. But then she meets Jack Wilson—handsome, intriguing, kind. She even finds herself willing to give up her Amish roots for him. When her parents find out, they promptly ship her off to Hollybrook to stay with her cousin. Ruth despairs of going, but she writes Jack so he can come and take her away. But something goes awry. Not only does Jack not come to rescue her, he doesn’t write her back. Certain something horrible has happened, Ruth makes plans to sneak back to her hometown.

Marlene Jantzi flees Rock Point, Ohio, to escape her shame. She will do anything to give her son a good start in life - even if it means she has to lie. It works, too, until she begins to have feelings for the mysterious Daniel Studer. She sees the pain in his eyes and wonders whether he’s been hurt, too.

Nancy Jantzi’s father had dared bring Englisch machinery onto their land, and ever since, things had gone downhill. Now, her family is in danger of losing their farm. The only way Nancy can help is by getting a job. After a tragic accident, Vernon Verkler is raising his two young nephews alone, but he is slowly drowning. He needs help - badly. When Nancy is recommended for the position, he agrees immediately.

Honor Kennel thought marrying Gabe Chupp would solve everything. It would give her and her parents a roof over their heads. It would allow them to stay put in Hollybrook. But there is one glaring problem. She doesn’t love Gabe. Oh, he’s a nice enough guy, but there are no sparks. No passion. Gabe Chupp can’t believe his good fortune - God is certainly smiling down on him. He’s secretly loved Honor for years, so when she begins seeking him out, he is over the moon. But after their wedding, something is wrong.

The unthinkable has happened. Amy Yoder rushes to Andrew’s house, ready to take care of his newborn baby. How can her best friend Grace be gone? How could Grace not have lived to see her baby draw its first breath? Grief is thick in Andrew’s house. Amy does her best to keep things going. She and her sister will be staying at Andrew’s house indefinitely. But Peter, Amy’s long-time beau, isn’t pleased. When he witnesses Amy in Andrew’s house, he panics and asks her to marry him.

Mary Sutter couldn’t get away from Hollybrook fast enough.... Her former fiancé and his new wife are expecting their first boppli by Christmas, and she doesn’t want to be there when it happens. So when she gets the opportunity to go to Ohio to help her aenti after she broke her leg, Mary goes immediately. Once in Ohio, Mary also takes over her aenti’s responsibilities with the annual Christmas bazaar. She is paired up with Daniel Bender to organize it.

Mary Hartzler runs her shop, Bits & Bites, making just enough profit to take care of herself and her elderly aenti and onkel. When newcomer Mark Bontrager opens a bakery across the street, he unwittingly takes many of her customers, and Mary wonders how she’s going to survive. Mark Bontrager has been shunned, but he yearns for his Amish roots. When he meets Mary, his heart is stirred in a powerful way. But he’s no longer Amish, and he’s quite certain Mary has a beau. But he can’t ignore his growing feelings for this gentle Amish woman.

Anna Mast has accepted Daniel Studer’s proposal of marriage. She is giddy with excitement, and her mind spins with wedding plans. When Daniel stops by the next day, refusing to come inside, instant dread courses through her. And Anna is right to worry. Daniel has been caught by Deacon Elias using technology, and he is to come before the church for discipline.

Ellen Kauffman’s younger sister Nancy is walking a dangerous path. Smitten with the divorced father of one of her nursery school students, Nancy has become deaf to Ellen’s warnings. Ellen will do anything to save her sister from being shunned. So, when Mark Otto, the man Ellen secretly loves, declares his interest in Nancy, Ellen sets aside her feelings and does all she can to help him.

Doris Glick’s beau has done more than enough to cause pain to his family and everyone in the district. Surely, he is finished causing upset. But, no. Now, his carelessness lands him in the hospital. Doris is beside herself. She’s tired of making excuses for him, tired of defending him, tired of him. But how can she break up with him when he’s hurt? What kind of person would she be?

Josh Lambright needs to get away—everything reminds him of the loss of his beautiful wife, Sara. His two young children, too, are suffering. Seeking a new beginning, Josh moves the three of them to Indiana to live with his widowed mother. Upon arrival, Josh discovers his mother is much more feeble than he remembers. He pursues household help. Lucy Oyer cannot abide her father any longer. Living with him has soured her on any hope of a romance of her own. She dreams of escape and is overjoyed when she hears of the position at the Lambright farm.

Julia Bontrager’s world collapses when her husband is killed in a freak accident. Suddenly a single mother with three children to raise and a farm to work, she flounders to survive. Her in-laws pressure her to return to Illinois, but Julia won’t give up her late husband’s dream; nor can she imagine living with her difficult and dominating mother-in-law. In desperation, she hires a young Amish man to take over the bulk of the farm work.

Everyone in Hollybrook agrees Uriah Umble is bad news - except Beulah Yoder. Uriah certainly isn’t bad news for her. She loves him and will do anything for him - including sneak out of the house repeatedly to be with him. After months of this, she finally gets caught and the anvil falls. She is forbidden to ever see Uriah Umble again. Join Beulah as she struggles through unbearable circumstances. Feel her confusion and rejection and rejoice with her as she learns the true meaning of faith, forgiveness, and love.

Fern Weaver doesn’t set out to become a liar, but it happens. When her dear sister Joyce is shunned, Fern can’t abide the separation. What would it hurt to sneak off to see her? But one time turns into two, and into three, and into four...When her sister’s Englisch brother-in-law shows interest in her, Fern is caught off-guard and fears she’s made a terrible mistake. Fern’s lies also threaten her fledgling romance with Reuben Swarey. She can’t go on like this; she must decide.

Melita Otto wants more than anything to get away. She’s not fond of the beau her aunt and uncle are pushing on her, nor is she fond of her routine life. But she has no idea what she’s getting into when she takes the job as housekeeper for three brothers who run an Amish horse farm.

A tragic road accident sends Leah Yoder reeling. Her mother is dead. And so is the mother of Seth Knapp. Now in charge of her household, Leah struggles to do not only her chores, but her mother’s. And when her father deserts the family, her brothers are left tending the crops. Leah reaches out to her beau Timothy for help - something she quickly regrets. Timothy is so busy, and isn’t inclined to spend too many hours helping out on the Yoder farm.