This Amish story was heads above the other Amish stories I've either read or tried to read. The characterization was extremely well done. You really knew both Jacob and Lilly and cared what happened to them. It was a beautiful story of two people learning to love each other. Neither was perfect but they were good together. Although Jacob started out the marriage loving another woman he was always kind to his wife. The level of Christian preaching at you was very light. I felt like it was a genuine part of the story instead of feeling like I was being proselytized to. The Amish were not portrayed as perfect which was refreshing. ( )

I'm trying to gather my thoughts as I savor the blessing this book was. There are so many great lessons to receive from this story that I'm not sure I will write an adequate review. The author definitely has a gift of painting a picture with words. I could hear the horses as they galloped on the road. The laughter of children as they played outside whispered in my ears. The gracefulness of a young woman named Lilly could be seen in her bright eyes.

Lilly has always taken care of someone. She has never complained when her father took ill. Lilly honored her father with her quiet words and unconditional love. Her love for children is evident as she patiently teaches them every day. When her mother became ill, she gave all she could to make her mother feel safe. I loved Lilly so much and wished I had her patient, caring and giving heart.

Jacob is hard working and in love with Sarah. I think he has had eyes only for her since he was young. I could feel his heart break in two as his one true love marries another. Will he ever find that kind of love again? Jacob is very family oriented and close to his younger brother who I adored. I won't say how it came to pass, but before you know it two people are married and I questioned their hearts. What is the reason they decide to marry? Do they love each other like a husband and wife should?

The story is very touching and I loved reading how the characters start to share their innermost dreams. They each have a desire to be loved, but something is holding them back. The beauty of the story is how two people come together and through misunderstandings, jealousy, dreams shared, and the gift of unconditional love find joy. I loved how Lilly and Jacob found a way to show how much they care by the special gift each gave to the other. It is truly a love story that captures the message of forgiveness and putting others before yourself.

This review is my own opinion. ( )

Lilly's Wedding Quilt is the 2nd book by Kelly Long's Patch of Heaven Series.

Lilly is caught in a rain storm and stops at a barn where a man she has secretly liked is hiding after stealing a horse and being shot. What comes next is their story of stretching the truth to save Lilly's reputation and the joy that comes out of the relationship between Lilly and Jacob.

A few side stories of depression, brotherly love, teenagers need for rebelion and a speical needs child are all touched on in a way that make you hope Kelly's next book will be about one of them. ( )

Very good book. Lilly has loved Jacob ever since they were in school, but Jacob has only had eyes for Sarah. On the day that Sarah is marrying another man, Lilly finds Jacob injured in a barn. He has stolen a horse that has been abused and was shot while doing it. When they show up together at the wedding eyebrows are raised, especially when Lilly claims Jacob was with her to protect him from arrest. To protect Lilly's reputation, Jacob announces their engagement and they marry soon after. Now they have to learn to trust each other with their hearts.

I loved Lilly. She is the only child of her widowed mother and does her best to care for her, as well as do her job as the schoolteacher. She wants a family of her own, but the only man she wants cares for someone else. I loved her quick thinking when Jacob was accused of being the thief, even as it got her in trouble. She was willing to go through with the marriage, hoping that Jacob would soon come to love her. She gets discouraged when it appears that his feelings for Sarah are just as strong, but makes a decision to try to win his love. I loved seeing her efforts and the effect they had on Jacob.

Jacob has been fixated on Sarah for years and is devastated when she marries another. He is determined to make a go of his marriage to Lilly but doesn't seem to be able to let go of Sarah's memory. It doesn't take too long before he starts noticing Lilly for herself and develops feelings for her. But he feels unworthy of her because he has never really learned to read, something he has a hard time confessing to her. He also has trouble speaking of his feelings and draws away after being what he thinks is too forward. With his brother's help he finally sees what his true feelings are and comes up with the perfect way to show her of his love.

I really enjoyed their post marriage courtship, as they got to know each other better. Jacob confesses his difficulty in reading to her, and she tells him of her fear of horses. Together they learn from each other and conquer their fears. I loved Lilly's creativity in the methods she used to teach Jacob and how those methods contributed to their improving relationship. Jacob is an excellent horse trainer, and as such discovers that the methods of training a horse can work very well in teaching Lilly not to fear horses.

I also liked seeing the daily lives of Lilly and Jacob. Lilly's work as a schoolteacher was very fulfilling for her. She loved seeing them learn and liked finding special ways to teach them. It was sweet the way that she worried about having the ability to teach Abel and how she shared those worries with Jacob. There was also a lot of time spent on Lilly's relationship with her mother who suffers from depression. I loved seeing how the whole community got involved in helping Lilly care for her. Their improving relationship showed in the advice that Lilly's mom gave her at the end. I also loved the relationship between Jacob and his brother Seth. They were realistically portrayed with their love for each other, but also their rivalries and arguments. Seth's advice to Jacob was usually accurate but not always appreciated. I loved the way his help for Jacob snowballed at the end and the amusement it provided to others. I'm really looking forward to reading Seth's story. ( )

Lilly Lapp has loved Jacob Wyse for years, but thought that love was never meant to be because Jacob is heartbroken when the love of his life, Sarah King, marries someone else. Both think they are doomed to be alone but God has other plans for them and through a chain of circumstances, they soon find themselves married. Marriage is one thing, but will Jacob and Lilly learn to love each other?

"Lilly's Wedding Quilt" is the second book in Kelly Long's "A Patch of Heaven" series set in the Amish community. While it is a sequel of sorts to Sarah's Garden (A Patch of Heaven Novel) it can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. Long has created two believable characters in Jacob and Lilly - Jacob is so convinced that he is still in love with Sarah that he can't see how lucky he is to have Lilly; Lilly loves Jacob, but is also consumed with caring for her mother, who suffers from depression. Long does an excellent job with the Sarah/Lilly/Jacob storyline - the love triangle couldn't have been easy to plot, but she carries it off well. The same with Lilly's mother's story - Long treats the subject with the sensitivity it deserves. The marriage of convenience plot has been done many times but it works well in this book, although it does drag out a bit too much towards the end. The religious aspects seemed to be a bit more heavy handed in this book compared to other Amish books I've read but Long manages to balance these deftly with a nice dose of humor in the book. While she nicely wraps up the Jacob/Lilly storyline she leaves some hints of plots for future novels that will have readers eagerly waiting for the next book in the "Patch of Heaven" series.

"Lilly's Wedding Quilt" is a nicely done romance novel set in the Amish community. ( )