The Hidden Life

About the book:
Emma Stolzfus has never been courted or kissed, despite a few dates during her Rumspringe years that never amounted to anything. Now 30 years old, it has become her place as the unmarried daughter to look after her elderly mother. In the dark hours when her mother is asleep, Emma writes letters and essays to Amish periodicals, short stories, and even a novel she's been working on for the last five years. When an editor at a New York publishing house, Tyler West, takes an interest in her work, Emma secretly goes to meet him.  It is the first time a man has paid attention to her, and beyond that Tyler wants to publish her novel. Emma suddenly finds herself torn between her Amish faith and the lure of all the English world offers her.

Gifted at writing, Emma writes letters and essays for Amish magazines and no one knows about it.  After writing a novel, she enters it into a contest and a New York literary agent takes an interest in it.  Emma has never dated, and feels destined to be the unmarried daughter who cares for her mother and helps with her sisters' children.  Then, when the man Emma has always had a crush on is recently widowed and begins showing her attention, she is torn between finding the love she has always wanted and having her writing published for an Englisch audience.  Women are to be seen, but not heard, at least in Emma's Amish world and she isn't sure she can have it all.

I enjoyed reading Emma's story after meeting her in A Wounded Heart.  I find the Amish world fascinating and this was a delightful novel.  I look forward to Carrie's story. A sequel to A Wounded Heart, the story stands alone fairly well, although it's always better to read a series in order.

Thanks to Sarah at FaithWords for the opportunity to review this book.  You can learn more about Adina Senft here.  You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 7/12

* * * *
4/5 Stars