Along Wooded Paths (The Big Sky Series, #2)

Dec 06, 2012 Crystal Martin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Along-Wooded-Pathssm.jpg

Tricia Goyer has quickly become one of my very favorite authors. I recently reviewed the first book in her Big Sky series, Beside Still Waters, which introduced us to Marianna Sommer. I fell in love and couldn't wait for the second book, Along Wooded Paths, to be released.

Along Wooded Paths continues the story of Marianna and her family after their move to Montana. We watch as she opens her heart to bits of the Englisch (English) way of life and starts to see that being...more Along-Wooded-Pathssm.jpg

Tricia Goyer has quickly become one of my very favorite authors. I recently reviewed the first book in her Big Sky series, Beside Still Waters, which introduced us to Marianna Sommer. I fell in love and couldn't wait for the second book, Along Wooded Paths, to be released.

Along Wooded Paths continues the story of Marianna and her family after their move to Montana. We watch as she opens her heart to bits of the Englisch (English) way of life and starts to see that being friends with those outside your own community is possible. We also watch Marianna struggle with her heart. She has deep feelings not only for her childhood love Aaron Zook, but also for an Englischer named Ben. Ben has a very deep connection with God and this surprises Marianna. But it also surprises her father. He never realized that non-Amish folk can be that close to and walk with the Lord. While her faith in God and her beliefs in the Amish life don't waiver, she does struggle with the path her heart is taking. Along Wooded Paths brings Aaron back into her life and she must choose which love she will take. And her uncle, Ike, doesn't help matters much when she sees his affection for the English too! It's an Amish love story!

I love the way Tricia writes the two lifestyles. She does a wonderful job of showing us the Amish traditions and beliefs & how they differ from the English. Yet she also shows how the two can connect and live together as friends. Just because your beliefs are different doesn't mean you can't rejoice together in your similarities. Tricia shows us that and I love it. This writing style pulls you in and makes you root for every character in her novels. I hope there are many more books in the Big Sky series. And so does my husband's step-mom who called dibs as the first person to read Along Wooded Paths after I finished my review. She is as excited by the release as I am!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of Beside Still Waters as a member of LitFuse blog tours. All opinions are my own.(less)

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Mar 06, 2012 Jan Drexler rated it 5 of 5 stars

Along Wooded Paths continues the story of Marianna Sommer and her family after their relocation to the Amish community near Kalispell, Montana.

Marianna has delayed her return to Indiana, reluctant to leave her family, the Montana community and the closer relationship with God she has found there. Another factor is her friendship with the Englishcher, Ben. She knows her friendship with him is endangering her heart, but how can she turn her back on such a good friend who introduced her to God?

Mean...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Karen Blinn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is book two in a trilogy although I read it first and have no read the first book. (I feel no burning desire to do so at this point.) I saw the book on OverDrive and thought it sounded good so I downloaded it. It's not the typical Amish romance novel because it takes place in Montana in a group of Amish who moved there from Indiana. Because they are a small group, they have much more interaction with their English neighbors than is typically true in larger Amish settlements. In this case,...more

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Dec 10, 2011 Victor Gentile rated it 5 of 5 stars

Tricia Goyer in her new book, "Along Wooded Paths" Book Two in the Big Sky Series published by B&H Publishing Group takes us back into the life of Marianna Sommer.

From the Back Cover: All she wanted was a simple Amish life . . .

But now Marianna Sommer finds herself depending on Englisch neighbors. Although proud of living apart from the world, she and her newly relocated Amish family have discovered that life in the remote mountains of Montana requires working together.

As Marianna begins hel...more Tricia Goyer in her new book, "Along Wooded Paths" Book Two in the Big Sky Series published by B&H Publishing Group takes us back into the life of Marianna Sommer.

From the Back Cover: All she wanted was a simple Amish life . . .

But now Marianna Sommer finds herself depending on Englisch neighbors. Although proud of living apart from the world, she and her newly relocated Amish family have discovered that life in the remote mountains of Montana requires working together.

As Marianna begins helping those different from herself—and receiving their help—her heart contemplates two directions. She’s torn between the Amish man from Indiana whom she has long planned on marrying and the friendly Englischer who models a closer walk with God than she’s ever seen before.

Who should have young Marianna’s heart? What is God asking her to sacrifice? Her traditions? Her community? The answer is found along the wooded paths.

Marianna Sommer is a Amish girl who has left her childhood home in Indiana and Aaron Zook, the man she is pledged to marry, to move to the wilds of Montana where the Amish and the Englischers live and work together in close community. There she meets Ben, an Englischer, who teaches her that it is possible to have a personal relationship with God. As the romance builds between Marianna and Ben Aaron arrives to take her back to Indiana. "Along Wooded Paths" is all about community and people getting along with each other despite religious differences. This is the way God wants for His people that we just see each other as family. Ms. Goyer brings this theme out so clearly in the book and we enjoy every moment of these character's lives. "Along Wooded Paths" is all about families and relationships and that is what makes this book a winner. I enjoyed this book a lot and am looking forward to the next one.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book for free from Jeane Wynn at Wynn-Wynn Media for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”(less)

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Nov 09, 2011 Laurie Carlson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2ndin-a-series, amish, amish-food, amish-history, amish-life, amish-men, amish-recipes, amish-woman, amish-women, an-outsider, anabaptists, applique-quilts, baking, prayer-group, montana, indiana

“Along Wooded Paths” A Big Sky Series by Tricia Goyer

A Big Sky Series, Book Two, “Along Wooded Paths” by Tricia Goyer does not disappoint at all. Book One is “Beside Still Waters” and is all about Marianna and her family moving from the plains of Indiana to the mountainous region of Montana. Each book can be read on its own, but to get the true feeling of this book, these books should be read as the series in order. By doing so gives us the true meaning of this complete story.
I love this series...more “Along Wooded Paths” A Big Sky Series by Tricia Goyer

A Big Sky Series, Book Two, “Along Wooded Paths” by Tricia Goyer does not disappoint at all. Book One is “Beside Still Waters” and is all about Marianna and her family moving from the plains of Indiana to the mountainous region of Montana. Each book can be read on its own, but to get the true feeling of this book, these books should be read as the series in order. By doing so gives us the true meaning of this complete story.
I love this series so much because of the way it is written. I love Tricia Goyer’s style of writing, and in this genre, she has the characters come to life and jump off the pages at us. We can feel what they feel, think what they are thinking and even ask ourselves what the character are asking themselves. She has proven herself to be very talented at writing an Amish series, and these are by far no cookie-cutter stories like some Amish Fiction can be. This series of books is completely different from any of the other Amish books I have read so far. It is so different that it gets deep into the nitty-gritty of the characters. She even adds a little suspense in this story as it reads along.
I have read some of the reviews on this book and I want to address the romance, or some say, lack, thereof. There is not a lack of romance in this book at all, if you follow along, but more so what makes this book so good is the ‘anticipation and suspense’ of the love that has developed and is developing, and the love to come, and with whom. If you want the traditional Amish romance that tends to turn out predictable, then go grab a different author’s book where the stories all start to sound alike and are predictable. This book is not like that at all. Predictable, not at all! I guess I want to call this book a ‘mature’, grown-up version' of Amish books and it deserves every bit of that title. I really hope to see Tricia Goyer writer more books in the Amish genre. This has been so refreshing and entertaining, kind of like a curve-ball in Amish Fiction! I like this a lot!
This book has brought us to a city in Montana where the Amish and the English interact and live among each other without the usual tensions that other Amish communities seem to have. They, the Englischers and the Amish all sit down together at the same tables in a restaurant and have dinner together. They are friends that can count on each other. You will find them doing things together, even going to prayer meetings together and having get-togethers. This is such an enjoyable read, maybe even more realistic than just fiction. The sense of community really shines through in this story.
In this series, Tricia Goyer has us feel what these characters feel and draws us right into their lives. Between the two books in this series, so far this book has been, by far, my favorite. I am dying to read Book Three, which will be called “Beyond Hopes Valley”. I am sure, after reading this third book; it will then be my favorite! Each book just gets better and better.
In this book the story line has taken hold, developed and gets us living in Montana with these characters. This is a book I could sit down and read a second time and enjoy it just as much! How refreshing to read such a masterpiece in Amish Fiction! I sure hope she writes more of this genre! I found myself talking out loud to these characters’ which only happens when I am really into a great book!
Now that Marianna and her family are living in Montana, they are all falling into the pattern of daily life. Marianna meets a man named Ben, who is an Englischer. He teaches Marianna that it is possible to have a personal relationship with God, rather than just the Amish way of thinking about God, and the Amish don’t teach this concept. She is enjoying this very much; so much so, she even sneaks out one night in order to go to the prayer meeting. The prayer meeting is mixed with the Amish and the Outsiders. Marianna finds herself finding this prayer meeting very rewarding as she forms her own personal relationship with God, thanks to Ben who introduced her to it. She has found a sense of freedom in learning to have a personal relationship with God.
Marianna is being drawn closer to Ben. She really likes him, but there is still Aaron back in Indiana to whom she has pledged her heart to, yet she is finding she really likes it in Montana.
Even though this group of Amish that Marianna’s family moved to here in Montana is so different from the ‘typical’ Amish communities, they still follow the laws of the Amish, so if Marianna were to allow herself to fall in love and marry Ben, an outsider, she would be excommunicated from the church and her family, just like her brother, Levi, who in the end may or may not go back to being Amish. His parents are praying that he does return to the Amish community as they did lose two other children already, but I can’t give spoilers on this great book. However, I do feel Ben loves Marianna. She would never hear of this, though, even though deep down this very same thought has crossed her mind, and she has wondered if perhaps she might love him. Neither of these characters has said anything about this subject to the other, just thought it, but she would never allow herself to fall in love with Ben because of the threat of the excommunication. She loves her family and her faith too much to be able to accept a life like that.
Marianna thinks of Ben as having served his purpose in that he has taught her to have a personal relationship with God. This is all that Ben can be. Nothing more, yet he does enter her thoughts. When Marianna returns to Indiana, Ben will always have a soft spot in her heart for him.
I wonder if Ben, and if I remember correctly, Ben has entertained the thought of whether or not he could become Amish. If that were to occur, then Marianna could fall in love with him. It is so unusual for an Englischer to turn Amish, though, that it rarely happens.
Later towards the end of the book, we see Aaron come to Montana to see Marianna. She is delighted. She decides to go back home to Indiana, planning on spending the rest of her life with him. She has a few misgivings. Why? Trust is one of those misgivings, but why does she feel this way? She happily leaves Montana, hugging and kissing all of her newfound friends’ goodbye and leaves with Aaron to head back to Indiana to start planning her new life with Aaron, planning the Wedding. This is pretty much where our story leaves off without, again, giving any spoilers.
I cannot say enough or recommend this book anymore than I already have!
We do get a glimpse into Chapter One of the next, third book! This, I will leave for you to read! I think I can guess one thing, but I won’t say! I can only say, again, I can’t wait for Book Three to come out!
I hope for Amish Fiction lovers you get the opportunity to read this series and treasure it! It is one you will not put down till you have read it all. I HIGHLY recommend this book and give it 5 stars! Tricia Goyer has proven, once again, her writing skills are so talented!
I received this book for “FREE” from B & H Publishing through NetGalley, through their Book Reviewer’s Program in exchange to read and write a review about this book. It is NOT required for my review I write to be either positive or negative, but, “of my own opinion.” I was NOT provided with “ANY” monies to accept this book, “NOR” to read it, NOR were “ANY” monies given to me to write the review for this book. All that was ‘expected’ of me was to enjoy the pure pleasure of reading it. Again, the opinions expressed for and about this book are ‘of my own opinion’. I am disclosing this information in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/wa... Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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Oct 26, 2011 Patty rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book of a trilogy; I reviewed the first, Beside Still Waters and enjoyed meeting the characters. In this second chapter Marianna Sommer finds herself in Montana living in an Amish community that lives comfortably with its Englisch neighbors. This would be nigh on impossible back in her home of Indiana but in Montana all must work together to survive. She also finds a new way to find God that goes against what she has been taught from birth.

Marianna has strong feelings for an E...more

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Oct 13, 2011 Cafelilybookreviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Along Wooded Paths continues the story of Marianna Sommer, whom we first met in Beside Still Waters.

This is the second book in the new Amish series by Tricia Goyer. Although not necessary, I would highly recommend reading these books in order so that you get all of the background on the Sommer family and why Marianna and her family have moved to Montana.

Marianna, who is the namesake of her deceased sisters (Marilyn and Joanna), still lives in the shadow of their deaths which occurred the same n...more

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Oct 11, 2011 Kathleen (Kat) Smith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amish-historical-romance-fiction, christian-fiction, christian-historical-fiction, romance-fiction

If you have read any Amish fiction, then you know based on the Amish lifestyle and principles that most Amish that stay within their church communities, marry other Amish people. However when one Amish family decides to move to Montana, they find themselves working side by side with Englisch neighbors. It is here that the readers of Tricia Goyer's latest novel, Along Wooded Paths, find themselves at the beginning of this story.

This is the second book in the Amish Big Sky series with the first be...more If you have read any Amish fiction, then you know based on the Amish lifestyle and principles that most Amish that stay within their church communities, marry other Amish people. However when one Amish family decides to move to Montana, they find themselves working side by side with Englisch neighbors. It is here that the readers of Tricia Goyer's latest novel, Along Wooded Paths, find themselves at the beginning of this story.

This is the second book in the Amish Big Sky series with the first being, Beside Still Waters, where the Sommer family has moved to Montana to start a new lifestyle yet in the process separates Marianna from Aaron Zook who was hoping to being a courtship with her before she left. Now their relationship survives on what letters they write to one another and just when Marianna was going to move back to Indiana, she changed her mind and stayed with her family, who needed her help.

During the time apart, Aaron has tried to forget Marianna and tried seeing another local girl Naomi, but deep down inside, Aaron has his heart set on Marianna. He has been writing her since she has gone, but has never sent the letters. He hopes that he can win her heart again if he heads to Montana to see her and give her all his letters face to face.

Marianna has a confusing lifestyle, she lives in the Amish community but works with Annie, an Englisch woman at the store/bakery where she has been enjoying seeing both worlds mix together. In the process she has grown to see her heart fall in love with Ben, an Englischer who walks with the Lord in all he says and does, more so than most of the Amish around her. But Marianna's family does not want her to give up her Amish ways, but does God only love the Amish or can God have other plans for her with Ben?

I received Along Wooded Paths by Tricia Goyer compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and since reading Beside Still Waters I wondered how the next book would play out with the Englischers. I was not disappointed and even though I had read the prior book, anyone can read this one as a stand alone. The question about where the religious beliefs of the English play into how the Amish view them is up for grabs in this book. Does God see a difference between the two who place God first in their lives and try to live according to His word. To find out, you'll have to pick up this latest Amish book and see who wins Marianna's heart after all? Will she stay true to her Amish ways or will a God-loving English man show win her heart? I rate this one a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait for the next one!(less)

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Oct 09, 2011 Sarah rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amish-fiction, christian-fiction, christian-romance, christianity, litfuse-publicity, love, religion, review-books

Having read Beside Still Waters I was excited to be able to read Along Wooded Paths which picks up just where Waters leaves off, but could still be read as a stand alone book, although until some past are brought up you may be a little confused. What I like about Tricia’s writing is that her characters come to life and it doesn’t seem faked or forced when it comes to their dilemmas and choices they must make.

Marianna is a very likable character in that we can almost see ourselves in her, such as...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Lydia (Overweight Bookshelf) rated it 4 of 5 stars

First reviewed here: http://overweight-bookshelf.blogspot....

Along Wooded Path may appear to be a stereotypical Amish love triangle but it is so much more. Tricia Goyer's descriptive narrations keeps this book from being cliche and draws readers into the characters mind and hearts with introspective writing. Marianna's journal entries, correspondence, and Aaron's letters all contribute to the development of complex characters. Marianna's journey of growth in her faith is quite beautiful as she c...more

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Oct 07, 2011 Charlene Amsden rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is not a standard "cookie cutter" Amish fiction love story where the girl spends pages agonizing over whether or not a boy likes her, struggles with whether or not he (or she) is going to run off and become an evil Englischer, then finally chooses the Amish way of life, one another and, supposedly, happily-ever-after. In Along Wooded Paths Marianna, a young Amish girl who has left her Indiana home for the wilds of Montana, lives and works with Englischers and gets to know them as honest, ha...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was a great book! I enjoyed it so much and it helped me understand book one more. Marianna is back in Montana helping her family out after her younger brother's accident. What she has found is that she is loving being back with her family and growing closer to God and to her family. She and Ben are getting very close, which is worrying her, she knows that he can never be Amish and she knows she can never leave. And what of Aaron Zook back in Indiana?
Well Aaron isn't in Indiana after all he...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Valentina rated it 3 of 5 stars

Along Wooded Paths is the second book in the series that follows an Amish young woman, Marianna, through the difficult choices she has to make throughout her life. Although I did not read the first book, I was able to get the hang of the story without problem, so don’t let that dissuade you from picking the book up.
The story is well-paced, never allowing the reader to grow dull. There isn’t too much tension, since we don kind of know what Marianna will choose, even from the beginning, but it is...more

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Aug 03, 2011 Abbie Riddle rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the second in the A Big Sky series and is equally as good as the first. Though it could be read alone I would greatly encourage the reader to read the first book: Beside Still Waters, in order to get a full understanding of the characters and their histories and struggles.

At the end of the last book I was sure that Marianna would be entering a relationship with Ben Stone. However, this book is the continuing struggle of her heart. With the unexpected arrival of Aaron Zook to her home Ma...more This is the second in the A Big Sky series and is equally as good as the first. Though it could be read alone I would greatly encourage the reader to read the first book: Beside Still Waters, in order to get a full understanding of the characters and their histories and struggles.

At the end of the last book I was sure that Marianna would be entering a relationship with Ben Stone. However, this book is the continuing struggle of her heart. With the unexpected arrival of Aaron Zook to her home Marianna is faced with having to decide what she should do. She feels as if she is being torn between two worlds - The Englisch and and the Amish.

As she discovers more about the God that she loves she begins to question the beliefs of the Amish - in that their way is the best and only way. As she struggles to reconcile this she is also dealing with the matters of the heart that seem to pull her in two different directions. One is the safe and expected way - to marry Aaron Zook a good Amish man. Aaron is the one she had planned on marrying while living in Indiana. The other is a path she has never traveled, one that will mean leaving the Amish way behind - this is allowing herself to fall in love with Ben Stone. A man who loves God and serves God with all his heart. This is the man her uncle Ike likes best because he is good christian man - who lives his life according to God not the traditions of man.

I found myself almost crying at the heartbreak Marianna was feeling and at the same time wishing she would follow her heart towards Ben. The ultimate question that must be answered is Will Marianna do what everyone expects her to do in order to maintain peace and happiness or will she ultimately follow God's will.

Though the book ends with an answer to this question I am hoping that this is not what she actually chooses in the next book. This book ends with some unanswered questions that I can not wait to see answered in the next book.

I have to say that Tricia Goyer has done a superb job of leading up to the next book, leaving the reader hungry to know the rest of the story. I can not wait till the next one comes out!!

Thank you B&H Publishing for this review copy.

Release Date Oct 2011! Pick up your copy at your local store!(less)

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Jul 27, 2011 Julie Graves rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, christian

In the sequel to Beside Still Waters Marianna is still confused about her feelings for Ben. With Marianna being Amish and Ben being English a romantic relationship would not be allowed.

Aaron has tried to put Marianna out of his mind. He even tried to focus his attention on Naomi for a while. Being unable to forget Marianna he decides to travel to Montana and try and win her heart.

After an accident keeps Aaron in Montana and in Marianna's family home for weeks, Marianna becomes even more confused...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Jordan Mierek rated it 3 of 5 stars

I received a copy of ALONG WOODED PATHS by Tricia Goyer, from B & H Books. I was thrilled to see the cover and realize the novel is about the Amish (the cover depicts a young Amish woman walking along a path, surrounded by a misty sky, towering trees, and a homey wooden fence). I planned to only read a few chapters this morning, but ended up reading the whole thing – I literally couldn’t put it down except for lunch. All of the characters cook and eat plentiful meals, so it made me hungry. T...more I received a copy of ALONG WOODED PATHS by Tricia Goyer, from B & H Books. I was thrilled to see the cover and realize the novel is about the Amish (the cover depicts a young Amish woman walking along a path, surrounded by a misty sky, towering trees, and a homey wooden fence). I planned to only read a few chapters this morning, but ended up reading the whole thing – I literally couldn’t put it down except for lunch. All of the characters cook and eat plentiful meals, so it made me hungry. The back of the book includes recipes, and I am eager to make them. Some of them include meat, but can easily be transformed into vegetarian versions.

This story is the sequel to BESIDE STILL WATERS, and is the second in the BIG SKY series. I never read the first book, but now feel the overpowering urge to. You don’t have to be familiar with the first to enjoy this one, although some parts confused me. The back of the book contains an excerpt from the next BIG SKY novel, and it sounds just as exciting as this one. I look forward to reading that one as well.

ALONG WOODEN PATHS tells the story of Marianna Sommer. She lives with her family in a small Montana community, where the Amish dwell side-by-side with the English. Marianna must deal with the loss of her sisters and her brother, who decided to leave the Amish faith, while coming to terms with her own love of God. She questions reading English Bibles and going to prayer meetings. She also questions her love for two men. Ben is an Englishman who loves God, but because he isn’t Amish, her family frowns on their relationship. Aaron, her other interest, used to be her beau before her family left Indiana for Montana. He is now visiting her, and she wonders if when he leaves, she should go with him. While she lives in Montana, though, she works at an English restaurants and befriends her English coworkers.

The story shows a different side to the Amish than most novels I have read. The love story brought a smile to my face.(less)

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Oct 02, 2011 Laura rated it 5 of 5 stars

Title: ALONG WOODED PATHS
Author: Tricia Goyer
Publisher: Broadman & Holman
September 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4336-6869-2
Genre: Inspirational/Amish Romance

Marianna Sommer has adjusted to life in Montana and she loves it there. She’s settled in, making new friends with both English and Amish, and she has a job with a great boss that she loves.

She’s also still struggling with her feelings for Ben—the English man who introduced her to God. Her parents fear that Ben will steal her heart, so without tellin...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Lis Carey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian, fiction, romance, amish

Marianna Sommer has moved with her Amish family from Indiana to Montana, where they have found a much closer cooperation between their fellow Amish and the Englisch whom, in Indiana, they would have mostly avoided. The man Marianna has long planned to marry, Aaron Zook, has stayed in Indiana, building a house for the two of them and waiting for her return when her family can spare her. But in Montana, Marianna has met the Englisch man Ben Stone. Ben has led her to find a deeper relationship with...more Marianna Sommer has moved with her Amish family from Indiana to Montana, where they have found a much closer cooperation between their fellow Amish and the Englisch whom, in Indiana, they would have mostly avoided. The man Marianna has long planned to marry, Aaron Zook, has stayed in Indiana, building a house for the two of them and waiting for her return when her family can spare her. But in Montana, Marianna has met the Englisch man Ben Stone. Ben has led her to find a deeper relationship with Christ than ever before--and has stolen a piece of her heart, as well.

When Aaron grows restless with waiting and comes west to try to woo her back to Indiana, the man who picks him up at the train station has an accident on the icy road, and Aaron's leg is broken. He now has to stay with the Sommers for six weeks until his leg is healed enough to travel. While working together with both Amish and Englisch neighbors in the harsh Montana winter, Marianna is forced to examine her heart, her beliefs, and her priorities with both the men she loves in painfully close proximity. Aaron is a kind, gentle, good-humored, loving man, a hard worker, and a talented artist. Ben is a talented musician with a promising career if he chooses to return to it, who found Christ and a simpler lifestyle after nearly destroying himself in the wild, ungrounded life of the Los Angeles show business world. Aaron shares and embodies the ways and the values that have built her life; Ben has led her to see and embrace her relationship with Christ in a new way--and he is also, frankly, a bit more exciting.

As Marianna works in a general store with her Englisch employer and Englisch and Amish coworkers, she learns more about herself, her capacity for kindness and compassion. And from an Englisch coworker who is a struggling, young, single mother, something about the loneliness and struggle to keep a home warm and a child fed that can confront those without the strong, close-knit family and community support she takes for granted. Through all this, she struggles to make the choice that will shape her whole life--does her own heart and Christ's plan point her towards an Amish life with Aaron, or an unknown, Englisch life with Ben?

Sadly, as compelling as the issues here are, the writing is a bit rough, and not all of the characters are as well developed as one would like. Marianna is a strong, well-written character, Ben somewhat less so, and Aaron we get more intriguing glimpses of who he is than any real, solid sense of him. Most of the other characters are, frankly, placeholders. I'd love to get a better-developed depiction of the relationship between Abe and Ruth, Marianna's parents, for instance, and it took a while before I got it straight that Marianna has five younger siblings, and who they are.

Despite that, this is a pleasant read, enjoyable and with hints of, perhaps, more and better to come from this author.

I received a free electronic galley of this book from the publisher via NetGalley.(less)

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Dec 02, 2011 Paula-O rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is story called "Along Wooded Paths" by Tricia Goyer, the story Marianna and the choice she will have to make between two men that she loves and they love her. First and formost is the Love of God and of the amish background that she has lived all her life. One man is Amish and the other English. I found myself liking both of these young men and thinking I am glad I dont have to make a choice like she will.
Aaron Zook was a friend since childhood and everyone expected Marianna to marry him,...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Courtney rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: christian-contemporary-fiction, clean-romance, for-review

Along Wooded Paths was the second book in the Big Sky Series and is probably best to be read after reading book 1 although I do think you’d still enjoy it as a stand-alone, just maybe not as much.

Marianna is now in Montana and her relationship with God continues to thrive and so does her situation with her family. Things begin to come together for Marianna and I’m excited to read what God is doing in her life. Her boyfriend Aaron from Indiana shows up in Montana and due to an accident ends up sp...more Along Wooded Paths was the second book in the Big Sky Series and is probably best to be read after reading book 1 although I do think you’d still enjoy it as a stand-alone, just maybe not as much.

Marianna is now in Montana and her relationship with God continues to thrive and so does her situation with her family. Things begin to come together for Marianna and I’m excited to read what God is doing in her life. Her boyfriend Aaron from Indiana shows up in Montana and due to an accident ends up spending 6 weeks staying in her home with her family. This becomes hard on Marianna as she struggles to renew her relationship with Aaron yet remain faithful to what she has learned about God from Ben and the other English people of the town.

When I finished reading Along Wooded Paths, I had to just say back and take a deep breath!! Wow!! The ending leaves you guessing as things to come and yet satisfied with all that has happened so far. There were a lot of changes in Marianna’s life and that caused some interesting events to take place in the book.

I really enjoyed getting to know the people of this small town in Montana that has both Amish and English there. You could tell that God was the center of this town and the heart of these people in the way there were always there for one another.

I especially enjoyed getting to know Ben. Ben is an English young man who has become a friend to many of the Amish and helps driving them around along with other tasks, he is also a talented singer and Marianna is mesmerized by his singing the one time she hears him sing.

Again I loved that Tricia Goyer explained why the Amish believe what they believed and I felt like I grew more connected to their lives and the story of Marianna and her family.

My only complaint of this book is the romance or lack of romance. There was so much going on Marianna and she really had a hard time in deciding who to love, Ben or Aaron and at times I just found that to be frustrating. There was so many great qualities of both men that it was hard for me to even choose who I liked and all I wanted was her to make a decision and move forward with a relationship. However, the tension and frustration is what made this book believable to me and therefore I think it was necessary for the story to flow as well as it did.
I will anxiously be awaiting book three to see what happens in Marianna’s life. I highly recommend this book to fans of Amish fiction and Christian romance. You will not be disappointed.

Disclosure: I was graciously provided a free copy of this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review and opinion. All opinions are my own.
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Jul 14, 2011 Janet rated it 4 of 5 stars

http://jnut1-ilovebooks.blogspot.com

This book picked up where the last one, Besides Still Waters, ended. Marianna decided not to go back to Indiana and stay in Montana with her English / Amish friends. This continues to be her story with other minor story lines interwoven. She is confused about the difference between the English and the Amish and these shows throughout the book. Aaron Zook, the boy she loved back in Indiana, decided to travel to Montana to see Marianna. Aaron has an accident on...more

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Oct 05, 2011 Evangeline Han rated it 5 of 5 stars

I can't stop thinking how stunning this novel is! I love it. It doesn't romanticize the Amish people, but instead portrays them with their weaknesses and struggles. I read that Amish people don't favor bonnet fiction much because they are usually portrayed as super holy with hardly any problems. This book certainly doesn't do that. Marianna is in her rumschpringe and is somewhat more "liberal" than the Amish in her hometown. She mixes and befriends her Englisch co-workers and neighbors. She help...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars

In the book Along Wooded Paths, Tricia Goyer’s second book in the Big Sky series, we once again join Marianna with her family in Montana. Her heart is still torn between two men and that dilemma is made more intense when her Amish fiance’ shows up.

As we struggle along with Marianna as she tries to make a decision between the two men, Ms. Goyer treats us to some lyrical descriptions of the beautiful outdoors.

“And as she sat amongst the trees, with bird song filling the air, it was as if God sat b...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Diane A Brown rated it 5 of 5 stars

A Wavering Heart

Surrounded by remote mountains in Montana, where the Amish and “Englich” mingle, Marianna’s heart is pulled in two directions. Aaron offers a secure love within the realms of the Amish faith. Ben, an “Englicher”, has shown Marianna’s new ways to draw close to God. His kindness to her family and others is deeply valued. He offers his heart and a simple life.

This is a delightful story, filled with the struggles of young love and the consequences of choice and accountability. It is...more

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Oct 08, 2011 Jodie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, amish-fiction, litfuse, net-galley, tricia-goyer

Goodreads Summary: Although proud of living apart from the world, Marianna Sommer's newly relocated Amish family is discovering that life in the remote mountains of Montana requires working together with the Englisch. As Marianna pours her life into helping those around her-and receiving their help-her heart further considers two directions. She's torn between the Amish man from Indiana whom she has long planned on marrying and the friendly Englischer who models a close walk with God like she’s...more

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Rachel Brand Interesting to read your review as I loved Marianna's internal dilemmas over both her faith and Ben/Aaron. That said, in places I did want to shake he...more
Oct 08, 2011 08:27am

Jodie This review was hard for me to write because I really enjoyed the writing, just not the "problem." *Sigh*, I was really torn. I also enjoyed watching...more
updated Oct 08, 2011 04:35pm

Rachel Brand I know, it's unusual for such a problem to be drawn out over three books. I guess you could say it's similar to some of Beverly Lewis's early series -...more
Oct 09, 2011 03:46am

Oct 03, 2011 Patricia Kemp Blackmon rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: litfuse-review-copy, favorites

My Thoughts:
Along Wooded Paths, book 2 in the Big Sky Series picks up where Beside Still Waters, book 1 left off. Marianna Sommer left the Amish home and childhood love, Aaron Zook to move with her family to start a new life in a new Amish community in Montana. The new Amish community shares their daily lives with the Englisch that also live and work there. She is pulled between her Amish beliefs a new relationship with God that is unlike any she had ever thought possible. She have also become f...more

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Oct 19, 2011 Kendra Neal rated it 5 of 5 stars

I very much enjoyed this book. I have read many Amish Fiction books, but this was not your typical "Amish Book". I was very happy how the Amish and Englisch were friendly with each other, even to the point where Marianna struggles with her love for a boyfriend she left behind in Indiana and an Englischer whom she meets in Montana. The 2 communities, Amish and Englisch, mix and mingle well in Along Wooded Paths and that is one of the main parts of this book that kept me captivated and reading for...more

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Nov 12, 2011 pam rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: amish, netgalley

i loved this book. How Marrianna faith in God grew when she was growing up all she knew was the amish faith was the only faith that would get you into heaven until she came to montana did she see a different way. She still believe the amish faith, but until her friend Ben who is english explain to her that she can talk to God as a friend and to pray out loud. That sound so foreign to her she could not imagine it. Once she start to read a english bible and pray to God she felt a peace she never...more

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Sep 02, 2011 Mandy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: blog-reviews

MOM'S REVIEW:

This second "Big Sky Novel" continues the story of Marianna Sommer, an Amish girl who relocated from Indianna to remote Montana with her family. While working with and receiving help from the Englisch (non-Amish), Marianna grows in her walk with God. She learns that the Amish are not the only ones that are special to God. Marianna's heart is torn between two men that she cares deeply for - an Amish man that she grew up with in Indianna and a very friendly Englischer who has taught h...more

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Sep 08, 2012 Judith Mullett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Marianna is torn between Ben who helped her have a more personal relationship with God and her long time love Aaron Zook. But Ben is English and forbidden. She makes up her mind with this 2nd book. But she is not married yet. I'll have to read the 3rd book to get to the end of this story. While I like series, I have to admit, even when each book is really a good read, I find it somewhat frustrating to have to read 3 books to get to the true ending. But it is very well written, characters are rea...more

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Along Wooded Paths (The Big Sky Series #2)

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