Brightest and Best (Amish Turns of Time #3) by Olivia Newport

The collapse of a schoolhouse puts pressure on Amish families and their long-held educational values. Ella Hilty anticipates marrying Gideon Wittner and becoming a mother to his children. In a whirling clash of values, Ella seeks the solid ground that seems to have slipped away. Margaret Simpson, an English schoolteacher, wonders if she is losing her last chance at love. As the local authorities draw lines in the sand, Margaret puts romance at risk one final time. All eyes turn to Ella to make a sacrifice and accept a challenge that can bring unity to the Amish and understanding to the English.

 About The Author

 

Olivia Newport's novels twist through time to find where faith and passions meet. She chases joy in Colorado, where daylilies grow as tall as she is. Her husband and two twenty-something children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books.  

 

 

 

 

 

My Review

The year is 1918 and WWWI is about to end in Europe, also the deadliest pandemic flu is running rampant. The officials in a small town in Ohio are not focused nationally, but have decided to make it their mission to make all the local Amish students attend the local school, and not allowing them to leave school at 15 as they do in their faith.
There is a young couple Giddeon Wittmer, who is a widower and about to be married to Ella Hilty, and their lives are about to be thrown into turmoil over their beliefs. The story is about the strength of wills against the beliefs of religion.
This is one story where you really don’t root for the Government and the people behind it using it as a crutch. What they do to these people, will have you shaking your heard. Ms. Newport really drew me into the story, and I held firm on which side I was on.
You have to wait until almost the last page of the book to see how things are to turn out. A really great read that makes you think, and want more.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Shiloh Run Press, and was not required to give a positive review.