Izzy and Zed have been friends for a long time, but a deeper relationship seems unlikely, since she is Amish and he is Mennonite. Izzy is having a difficult time deciding what she should do with her life. She is training to be a caregiver, but has some issues with it. Zed is preparing for college, and seems to be distancing himself from Izzy. But this story is more than a mere romantic tale. Central to the tale is the backstory of Izzy’s family history and the part her ancestors played in the mistreatment and worse of a friendly Indian tribe. As Izzy and Zed search out documents to explain what really happened, they draw closer to each other. What they finally uncover and how they overcome the obstacles that separate them makes for some enjoyable and entertaining reading. ( )

Review: The Amish Seamstress by Mindy Starns Clark. 3.5 Stars 06/06/2017

This book was an enjoyable read and the last of The Women Of Lancaster Series #4. This book can be read alone without the series. What I can say about Amish families is that they are wonderful people, caring, and serious about their faith. However, this book was different Amish books that I have read. This community is a combination of Amish and Mennonite families living in a more modern world. Creating mystery and details of the Amish life style before introducing romance or a strict account of their religions gave the story a more modern version. The book was refreshing with no murders, no sexual out-burst, and most of all no violence. The characters were well developed and reading some of the drama that connected these people kept my perception at a higher level and eager to read on.

The main character Izzy Mueller was an introvert sort of person which made her an avid listener and a gifted caretaker. Through the first part of the book Izzy was down on herself because she couldn’t see any good traits in herself compared to other family members. She claimed she was slow as a seamstress but she wouldn’t give herself credit for the wonderful work she did. In order to do her share in the family she started sitting and caring for older patients until her patient died and she became frighten with the issue of older people dying while in her care. She was having a hard time understanding that death is part of life. She loved caring for people and learning so much about their past memories and stories of their families. Izzy finally came to grips with her fear and went back to caring for the elderly.

Izzy is surprise when an old childhood friend reappears. Zed Bayer, a Mennonite studying film making came home for the summer before he starts college. His first small film was a hit at the school he went to and now back home for the summer months he and Izzy start hanging around again and she is interested in his film material that he has planned for his next film and at the same time he listens to Izzy issues and comforts her with good advice which enables her to view things in a positive way. It wasn’t long before Izzy’s feelings for Zed becomes more. Her parents love Zed but he’s not what her family had hopes for in a spouse for their daughter and they thought his creative interest with making films did not agree with their Amish upbringing.

When Zed started college he would be gone away for long periods of time with very little spare time or money to go home and visit his family or Izzy except for holidays. Izzy was hoping that Zed would soon feel the same for her but all he thought about was his education in order to fulfill his dream. So, Izzy went back to creating items as a seamstress to sell and taking care of people who needed her care. Over time Izzy matured into a lovely young women with a positive attitude while miles away Zed proceeds with his studies and researches for another film. Issues came between them, decisions had to be made, but their caring friendship held them together….This is a charming story with relationships, disappointments and growing up while Izzy’s struggles to stay true to her faith….. ( )

"The Amish Seamstress" is the fourth book in The Women of Lancaster County series by Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould.

I started reading the first book in this series (The Amish Midwife) some time ago and I could not make myself finish it.

[Just to clarify:
at the time, I was quite frustrated by a very angry book (another that I was reading at the same time) that I quickly decided to stop reading once I became aware of the problem.]

Since then, a dear friend has convinced me that this series is worth reading. Since I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers in exchange for an honest review, I decided to give the series another try.

I also thought it might be interesting to read this one first and go back to the others... to see how that works. It doesn't always work to read books out of order. With this one, it works. But I have a feeling that the story will mean a lot more if the series is read in order. Once I go back through and read from the beginning, I'll have a better perspective on that.

-From Harvest House-
Izzy Mueller is an exceptional listener and gifted caregiver. She’s also a talented seamstress. As the young woman sits with her elderly patients, she quietly sews as they share their stories. She’s content with her life until circumstances reconnect her with someone she once loved. Zed Bayer, a Mennonite, is not what her family is hoping for in a spouse, and his creative interest in filmmaking is definitely at odds with her Amish upbringing.

As Izzy is swept up again in Zed and renews her friendship with his sister, Ella, she begins to ask questions about her own life—her creative longings and historical interests, her relationships and desire for romance, and most importantly, her faith. What is the path God has for her? Can she learn from the past of both her family’s and Zed’s—or must she forge a completely different future of her own?
I imagine writing a collaboration is not an easy thing, especially since we don't see nearly as many of them as we see single-author books. Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould have found the way to do it right. I applaud them and I hope they collaborate on more stories in the future.

There is a lot of conflict in these novels and I can see now why it was so difficult for me to get into the first one. I am a person who has seen more than her fair share of conflict and drama so I tend to do everything I can to steer clear of it. If you are this way as well, don't let that stop you from reading these books. The end result is worth any heartache or frustration.
...don't let that stop you from reading these books. The end result is worth any heartache or frustration.
I plan to go back and read from the beginning of this series and then review each one in order (I may even re-review this one with that new perspective once I finish them all).

"The Amish Seamstress" is most definitely a continuation of the series but there is a good amount of information about what happened in previous books so you shouldn't be lost.
The story draws you in and you find yourself wanting to go on...
The characters are very strong and, in some cases, formidable. The story draws you in and you find yourself wanting to go on, if only to find out what happens next. I can't wait to start at the beginning again and see how it all develops into where we are now in this fourth book.

In other words, it's a very well written book - which means most likely that the entire series is well-written. Although that is not always the case so you should make that judgment for yourself. Start from the beginning with "The Amish Midwife" (along with me) and see what you think. Now I just have to find time to go read all four books and review them.
Now I just have to find time to go read all four books and review them.
Ah, the frantic busy-ness of fall... ( )