A Place At Our Table

A handsome Amish volunteer firefighter. A single Amish girl working for her families restaurant. All they need is the right circumstance for them to meet so sparks can begin to fly and love begin to bloom. In this case, a fire is the catalyst that introduces them. As the Dienner family's barn is engulfed in flames, Jamie Riehl is part of the Amish fire department to respond. As they try to keep damage to a minimum, he learns besides the two horses trapped in the barn, her younger brother Nathan has not come out after trying to rescue them. All they can do is pray that Jamie can bring all of them to safety along with their firefighting team.

Even though the barn is a complete loss, Jamie was able to bring Nathan out of the barn after being trapped inside when a beam fell on him. Had they not gotten there in time, it would have been the second death in the Dienner family that fire has taken from them. Jamie doesn't realize it at the time, but Simeon, their oldest son and brother died fighting a fire when a house collapsed on him and they were unable to get him out. Now Nathan wants to be a firefighter when he is old enough but it is something Kayla is trying to discourage him from doing. She can't lose another brother and she believes Jamie is just filling his head with ideas that he shouldn't be considering. When he realizes the dilemma he works with Kayla and her family to not only help with the barn raising, but giving them time to decide if Nathan can join the program to train as a firefighter.

It seems a common thread for both of them, the love and loyalty of family, and while neither of them is looking for a relationship, they at least agree to be friends. Kayla's past relationship was the clincher in making her never want to trust in men again. While he maintained a status as her boyfriend, he never made her a priority, choosing his friends and interests instead of spending time with her. But with her connection with Jamie, they seem suited well for one another, even if his job does pose a very real threat that he might not make it home one day, they agree to see where things might lead on their own, but until an unexpected tragedy occurs, it will leave them completely at a loss on how to find their way back to the feelings that brought them together.

I received A Place At Our Table by Amy Clipston compliments of Zondervan Publishers and NetGalley. I really LOVED this novel and read it in hours, simply because the action is so intense and you're rooting for your favorite characters and then tragedy strikes and you wonder if they will remain apart with just the right elements making everything one big mess. As a reader, you are immensely invested in the story and it feels as real to you as if you are standing alongside them as a friend. That's what makes a great novel in my opinion and the reason for a 5 out of 5 stars. There are some great discussion guide questions at the conclusion that would make this a must read for book clubs. This is also the first novel in the Amish Homestead Series, and I can't wait to see what's next in the series.

For more information about A Place At Our Table, Amy Clipston or where you can preorder a copy of this novel due out in November of 2017, please click on the links below:

A Place At Our Table by Amy Clipston

You can find Amy Clipston on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Place At Our Table, please visit Zondervan Publisher's website.