Softly Blows the Bugle (The Amish of Weaver’s Creek)
This is the third book in The Amish of Weaver’s Creek series, set in Holmes county, Ohio, just after the Civil War. A sweet Amish romance, it follows widow Elizabeth Kaufman and wounded Confederate veteran Aaron Zook as they come to terms with their unhappy backgrounds and learn to love each other and rely on God.
Elizabeth had been married for thirteen years to an abusive, non-Amish man before his death in Mississippi during the war. Aaron, a native of Tennessee with his home destroyed and family dead, has accompanied Elizabeth’s brother home. He becomes more and more a part of the Amish community as he recovers his health and adapts to his disability. So-called Amish Pennsylvanian Solomon Mast is also a newcomer to the community, although Aaron, and later Elizabeth, have doubts about him. As this inspiring story with its many characters unfolds, it is hard to keep track of who everyone is. Elizabeth, who suffered a miscarriage in the past, wants a family, and worries whether Solomon is the right man for her. Aaron, left isolated by the violence of war, wonders if new neighbors bearing his surname can be long-lost relatives. Sub-plots involve a younger couple’s romance, an abused ex-slave, and an engaging child who turns up late in the story. As Solomon becomes more threatening, the community must work together for the safety and well-being of all.
This is a pleasant read for the most part, although the villain is over-drawn and cartoonish. It was nice to visit the scenic, peaceful farms of Holmes county again. (As a native Ohioan, I’ve been there.) Fans of Amish fiction should like this book.
