Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Arms of Love

by Kelly Long

Kelly Long sweeps us away to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the year 1777; to a tumultuous time in the history of our country, where the Redcoats, loyalists, patriots, and Amish pacifists coexist. It is also a time of great political unrest, and persecution towards the Amish sect, who, in spite of their peace loving dictates, find their hearts rebelling against the injustices perpetrated in the colonies.
In spite of the political uncertainty surrounding her, Lena Yoder, a beautiful young Amish woman, can barely contain her joy. She is in the throes of love with the handsome Adam Wyse, and her mother is expecting another child. Unbeknownst to Lena, however, in just a short time a promise that her dying mother exacts from her beloved Adam, will turn her world upside down, and she will find herself forced to turn to another for support, Adam's brother, Isaac.
Adam Wyse carries a dark secret of guilt and shame from being physically abused, and ponders joining the Patriot's cause to try to escape his problems, the worst of which is being unable to bear seeing his beloved Lena with Isaac. Can Adam ever overcome his demons?...and why does his father seem to delight in tormenting him so? Will Adam run off to war, and keep his promise to Lena's mother concerning her?...and is it too late for forgiveness and redemption between a father and son, and a lifetime of abuse?
This was the first book I have ever read by Kelly Long, but it won't be my last! She touches on some very heavy issues in this book; PTSD, child abuse, the controversial habit of unmarried Amish young people "bundling", to name a few. Her characters are realistic and not flawless as in some of the Amish books of today, and I loved the inclusion of an older couple's romance, which landed a tender, heartwarming touch to this novel. This is truly a heartrending story of love, redemption, and forgiveness

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