Softly Blows the Bugle by Jan Drexler

 This unusual and delightful Amish book took me into a new area of Amish life.  Young Jonas joined the army because of his convictions about slavery being wrong.  Yet the Amish make no exceptions for military service.  When he returns home three years later his love Katie has been faithfully waiting for him.  But now he has to convince the Bishop and the bretheren that he is worthy to take vows for the church and as Katie's husband.  Meanwhile he brings home a non-Amish friend Aaron who has suffered severe injuries inccured in battle.  Katie's best friend Elizabeth finds this unsettling as she is drawn to him despite her resolve to ignore him.  As Aaron heals physically he begins to understand how truly deep his emotional and spiritual wounds are.  As these four young people search for what it means to follow God a beautiful story is told of friendship, courage, faithfulness and devotion.

I received this book from the publisher but was not required to write a positive review.

The Key to Love by Betsy St. Amant

 This book has all the wondrous things we all enjoy about a good, clean love story.  But added into the mix is a healthy dose of reality that for me makes the love story all the sweeter and more tender.  The heorine of this book has dream like fantasy of the perfect love story for her life.  The problem is that no man can meet up to those fairytale like expectations.  When Bri finds out that her "perfect" parents maybe didn't have the "perfect" marriage after all it sets her into a tailspin.  But not one to flounder, Bri begins to piece together a puzzle that just might help put her heart back together the way it should be.  Ready for authentic relationship and committed love.  

I received this book from the publishers but was not required to write a positive review.