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The Outsider (Shaker Series #1)

by Ann H. Gabhart (Goodreads Author)

3.48 of 5 stars 3.48 · rating details · 600 ratings · 114 reviews

For as long as she can remember, Gabrielle Hope has had the gift of knowing--visions that warn of things to come. When she and her mother joined the Pleasant Hill Shaker community in 1807, the community embraced her gift. But Gabrielle fears this gift, for the visions are often ones of sorrow and tragedy. When one of these visions comes to pass, a local doctor must be brou...more

Kindle Edition, 346 pages

Published (first published January 1st 2008)

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May 03, 2012 Abbie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, revell, christian-historical-fiction, blog-reviewed

3.5 Stars

Gabrielle is happy being a Shaker. She has a gift of seeing future events and one night she for see’s a friend getting hurt. Because of this accident she meets the local doctor Brice. She finds herself having feeling for him but that is a major sin in the Shakers way of life. She soon finders herself in a battle with both the Shakers and herself.

Brice does not understand the Shaker’s ideas on things but he tries to get along with them so he can help those who are sick. Once he meets Gab...more

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Aug 09, 2008 Virginia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who likes historicals set in the early 1800's, or who like Amish novels

Recommended to Virginia by: The author is a friend

A beautiful historical novel, set in the 1800's in a Shaker community located near Harrodsburg, Kentucky. The main character is a young Shaker woman who is completely happy living with her Shaker sisters and brethren, until an outsider intrudes on their lives and her thoughts. The Shaker culture and society are so realistic I felt like I was there, like I knew these people. There are a gazillion Amish novels out there, but this is the first Shaker book I've read and I really enjoyed it. (Read it...more

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Apr 13, 2012 Brenda Rupp rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This was book one of the Shaker series. I did like the book. It made me get up the next morning after finishing it to look into more about the Shakers who formed groups that worshed God and Mother Ann who formed it and were known for their furniture making, shaking when worshped and for many other interesting facts. This is about a gal whose mother brings her to the group and she feels content in their midst, they feel that marriage or having any relationship with the opposite sex is wrong they...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Miriam rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: religion, read-because-it-s-free, kindle, fiction

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Sep 07, 2011 Louise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

Story Description:

She thought she was content – until a love from the outside world turned hers upside down.

Gabrielle Hope and her mother joined the Harmony Hill Shaker community in 1807. The community promised stability and devotion that Gabrielle wholeheartedly embraced. But when a local doctor must be brought into Harmony Hill from the outside, he sets into motion a chain of events that will challenge Gabrielle’s loyalty to the Shakers.

As she falls deeper into a forbidden love for this man of...more Story Description:

She thought she was content – until a love from the outside world turned hers upside down.

Gabrielle Hope and her mother joined the Harmony Hill Shaker community in 1807. The community promised stability and devotion that Gabrielle wholeheartedly embraced. But when a local doctor must be brought into Harmony Hill from the outside, he sets into motion a chain of events that will challenge Gabrielle’s loyalty to the Shakers.

As she falls deeper into a forbidden love for this man of the world, Gabrielle must make a choice. Can she experience true happiness in this simple and chaste community? Or will she abandon her brothers and sisters for a life of the unknown?

Soulful and filled with romance, The Outsider lets you live within a bygone time among a unique and peculiar people. This tender and thought-provoking story will stay with you long after you finish the final chapter.

My Review:

Gabrielle Hope and her mother, Martha, entered the Harmony Hill Shaker community when Gabrielle was just 14-years-old. Now it’s January of 1812 and Gabrielle is 19-years-old and has had five years to get used to being separated from her mother. The Shakers do not believe in marriage and do not allow husbands/wives to stay together, nor can either keep their children near, they are housed and raised in a different area of the community and rarely seen.

After a fire breaks out in the Harvest barn, Doctor Brice Scott, an outsider comes into the community to care for, Nathan, whose legs have been badly burnt. While there each day checking on young Nathan, the Doc sees Gabrielle and almost instantly falls in love with her. His distractions are causing a great deal of grief for Gabrielle from the head sister, Mercy, and after having been seen kissing him in the forest, she is punished by having to be shadowed 24-hours-a-day by the surly Sister Helen for five long months. Sister Mercy wants to ensure Gabrielle keeps her mind on her prayers and tasks within the community and off of Doctor Brice Scott.

When the Doc heads off to war with Nathan, his heart and thoughts are of Gabrielle and how he is going to rescue her from the Shaker community upon his return from war, if he makes it. But will she give up what she’s known for the past five years and step out into the outside world, a world she no longer knows and fears?
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Jul 14, 2011 Susie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is not another sweet Amish story. Those Amish books aren't anything fabulous, but I had a hard time with the Shakers. I can see how they could believe what they do, for the most part. I can't imagine where the "love only as brothers and sisters" doctrine comes from, since, as quoted several times in the book, the Bible obviously does NOT say that. And I HATE people being told their suffering is because they sinned. That's not how it works. I won't be reading any more Shaker books.

I really f...more

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May 28, 2011 Cecelia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

http://ceceliadowdy.blogspot.com/2011...

The Outsider by Ann H. Gabhart

I enjoyed this novel. I enjoyed it as much as Gabhart's other Shaker novels. Since I've reviewed her other Shaker books, I'm not going to go off on a tangent about my negative opinions about the cultic (although peaceful) traits of the Shakers.

Gabrielle has a prophetic gift of seeing events before they occur - she'll know when something has happened. This gift has been with her during her entire life and having this gift can prove to be unpleasant at times. After "losing" her father as a youngster Gabrielle and her mother make a new life for themselves at the Shaker village. The atmosphere of the village is strange since there is no romantic love between the members since matrimony is considered a sin - according to their founder, Mother Ann. However, when one of the male Shaker members is burned in a fire, the Shakers need to call upon the help of Brice, the local "worldly" doctor in town. While Brice nurses his young patient back to health, he finds himself smitten with young, beautiful Gabrielle - Gabrielle was chosen to assist the doctor in nursing his young male patient. Gabrielle finds that she has feelings for the doctor, feelings that she is not able to act upon if she wants to enjoy her salvation. Gabrielle struggles with her feelings because, according to the Shakers, if she marries, she'll give up her right to eternal life from her sin.

The writing of this book was really good and you have a great sense of what life was like in the Shaker village. I did find myself getting unnerved when reading about the cultic Shakers, but was glad that Gabrielle found herself rightfully questioning the Shaker beliefs.

I also enjoyed reading about the different tasks that this religious group performed to make their living. They made jams and jellies, picked berries, farmed, ran a school, worked in the kitchen - cooking food to be consumed in the biting room, etc. They show their love for the Lord through their "works" - the tasks outlined above. However, they seem to worship Mother Ann moreso than Jesus Christ. This is a good book to read, especially if you want to know more about the Shaker way of life and to learn more about the time period. I've enjoyed all of the books in this series, but I didn't read them in order. I believe this is the first one. I got it as a free Kindle download awhile ago.

~Cecelia Dowdy~ (less)

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Aug 17, 2009 Nora St Laurent rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Quickly looking at The Outside’s, book cover, one might think this is a sweet Amish story, where people are wearing a little different kind of dress. The Shakers are not even close to the Amish religion—in any stretch of the imagination. I’d never heard about Shakers before reading this. The author, Ann H. Gabhart, lives just thirty miles from a restored Shaker village in Kentucky. She has walked the same paths her characters might have walked. Ann shares fascinating details woven into this comp...more Quickly looking at The Outside’s, book cover, one might think this is a sweet Amish story, where people are wearing a little different kind of dress. The Shakers are not even close to the Amish religion—in any stretch of the imagination. I’d never heard about Shakers before reading this. The author, Ann H. Gabhart, lives just thirty miles from a restored Shaker village in Kentucky. She has walked the same paths her characters might have walked. Ann shares fascinating details woven into this compelling story..

Definition: “The Shakers, a religious sect, practiced celibacy and took pains to separate the sexes in their day-to-day activities as they concentrated their energy on perfecting their lives through work and worship.”

Through Gabrielle’s eye, you’ll get an inside look into the nitty-gritty of every day life of one Shaker community, in Kentucky. Gabrielle, the main character, who’s lived in this community since she was small, gives you a glimpse from the inside-out, through her experiences inside the community and how she viewed the outside world.

On the flip side through Brice Scott, the doctor who helps a hurting boy in their community; you get to experience what he learns about the Shakers from outsiders he runs across trying to learn about this sect. It was quite fascinating and in parts heart wrenching to see the whole scope of what the Shaker community was all about.

Sister Mercy had all the answers for Gabrielle when she questioned about the communities ways, she says,” You see, my child, the Believers have joined together in a family as a separate society from the world where all reasons for sin are removed from our lives. Everyone works for the good of all and without the strife of the individual marriage and family. But when someone comes among us from the world he brings evil thoughts and ideas with him. That evil can touch and disturb out inner calm!! I’ll bet it does!! Reading about the Shaker ways disturbed by inner calm for sure, it will rattle you too.

As I read through the pages, I saw the mind bending tactics the Elders in this sect used to keep people in the community. I realized, in a big way, it’s only with Gods Grace and Love revealed to us through our personal relationship with Him, that has the power to penetrate the doctrine Gabrielle faced.

The Shaker community is run by law and not grace or love. The bible says that the TRUTH will set you free—this passage had new meaning to me after reading this book. Also how I take God’s Love and Grace for granted. God loves me and died for me just as I am, flaws and all. What a relief for me to experience—something the Shakers could not experience because they were trying to become perfect here on earth. This book was an eye opener—I learned so much about the Shakers, God and myself. What a winning combination.

Nora St.Laurent
Finding Hope Through Fiction
www.psalm516.blogspot.com (less)

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Jan 02, 2013 Angela Bycroft rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Outsider was a book that was more of a challenge to read than I first thought. It appears on the surface to be a basic romance set in a almost Amish like setting but that is definetly not what it turned out to be.

This book focuses on the main character, Gabrielle who is fully immersed in the Shaker community. Like many reviews I've read, I'm not the first to have a very limited knowledge of the Shaker lifestyle before reading the Outsider. Almost commune like living with everyone being 'bro...more

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Dec 07, 2011 Sarah Beth rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This novel is about a young woman living in a Shaker community who has to make the decision to stay with the believers or leave to be with the man she loves. I liked the overall plot of this novel and the Shaker element but I was really disappointed with the execution of it all. I've read a good bit about the Shakers, and I doubt they were the villains as described by Gabhart. If you're going to give your main character a big decision to make, make it a difficult decision. Gabrielle choosing bet...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Shari Larsen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This story is set in a Shaker community in Kentucky in 1812. Gabrielle and her mother have lived with the Shakers since 1807, when Gabrielle was around 13 years old. For as long as she has remembered, Gabrielle has had the gift of knowing; being able to see visions of events yet to come. When one of these visions comes to pass, a local doctor is brought in to save the life of a young man, setting into motion a chain of events which causes Gabrielle to question her faith, and she must make a choi...more

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Jan 31, 2011 Laurie Carlson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, the-shakers, an-outsider

The Outsider by Ann H. Gabhart
This book is about the Shakers. It is about a young woman by the name of Gabrielle, is the main character, in the prime of her life at the young age of 20. She had no choice but to join the Shakers because her mother decided to join with her other daughter, Becca, age 7, after her husband who was missing was pronounced dead.
I also wanted to learn more about the Shakers since my knowledge of their religion was almost none. The most interesting thing I learned was the...more

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Nov 08, 2011 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I wish Goodreads allowed for 1/2 stars because I'd probably rate it a 3.5 but somehow can't quite give it a 4. I knew little about The Shakers before reading this book, so I enjoyed learning more about this peculiar religious sect. Obviously, a fictional book can only shed so much light on the subject, but I appreciated the way the author dealt with the beliefs of the Shakers. I also liked seeing things from both Gabrielle's and Brice's perspectives, but I sometimes found the shift in perspectiv...more

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Aug 27, 2011 Tracy Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars

The story of following your faith in matters of the heart creates the tale of "The Outsider."

Living life in the 1800's in a Shaker community, Gabrielle, a young believer, is blessed with the gift of seeing into the future. With these visions, she saves her good friend's life from a fire by guiding Dr. Brice Scott to him to save him in time. Spending time with the good dr., feelings start to develop and thoughts that the Shakers don't believe in, start to bring turmoil to this young woman's mind...more

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May 09, 2012 Jessica rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, free, owned

I got this as a free Kindle book and was pleasantly surprised. I knew almost nothing about the Shakers and it was fascinating to read about all their customs. The other half of the book, about men fighting in the war of 1812, dragged on forever. I understand it was sort of meant to, since that’s how it felt for the men – lots of marching or making camp and sitting around waiting (and starving when they ran out of food), not much fighting – but I never would have finished the book if it hadn’t be...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book a while back and it got me interested in reading more about the Shakers, I had heard of them but didn't know a lot about their "religion". I found this way of life very strange.
Gabrielle was pretty much raised as a Believer, that is what they call themselves. Gabrielle always had visions which the community embraced, but she was afraid of, as they were not always happy visions. After one particular vision, they have to call in a 'worldly' doctor, he even has to stay in their com...more

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Apr 28, 2010 Jenny Trout rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Usually, when you read a romance, you know exactly how it's going to turn out. This one managed to keep me guessing, as the author constantly put legitimate obstacles in the paths of the hero and heroine. And for an inspirational novel, I never felt the message beating me over the head. It never felt forced or as though the characters came to their faith too quickly or in an unlikely circumstance. The characters were real, and the harsh realities of life in early 19th century America were never...more

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May 29, 2011 Gail rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I gave this book 4 stars because it was well written and kept my interest! But I had a hard time with it because it was so intense!

It's about the Shakers and for those who don't know what or who The Shakers are - They are as religious group who follow their God called Mother Ann! They promote celibacy, communal living! Their name comes from the way they worship which is partly by shaking all over because they believe it is a direct communication with Mother Ann! My problem being this question -...more

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Oct 13, 2010 Annika rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not a fan of "Christian fiction". That being said, this wasn't a sappy happy everyone come to Jesus fest that I thought it would be. It had...people. And people have problems. And a couple of the characters were Christians, and reflected that. That's fine, and such is life. The Christians weren't portrayed as a big joke or out of touch with the problems of life. One of them actually was executed by firing squad. Which was pretty interesting.

I thought I had this book figured out in the first...more

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Dec 08, 2010 Leigh rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 23, 2010 J.Elle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

July Book #30: If I'm being honest, I totally rushed through this book, partly because it wasn't great and partly so I could finish it and round out an even thirty books for the month of July. This book was about a girl who lives in a Shaker community who ends up falling in love with a local Doctor. Now, if you know anything about the Shakers (and I didn't before reading this book), they do not believe in marriage or family, other than the Shaker family as a whole (for instance, parents and chil...more

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Sep 08, 2008 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've always been interested in Shakers & their communities. This work of fiction was interesting as it gave glimpses of life within a Shaker group & tied it into the War of 1812. An enjoyable (& quick read) while I'm in the midst of a heavier book.

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Aug 04, 2012 Pegg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I enjoyed this story on two levels. The insight and history of the Shakers was well done. I appreciated that Ann Gabhart portrayed them fairly, without demonizing or trivializing their beliefs. While decidedly odd to our modern way of thinking, and most certainly not a Christian sect, the Shakers had some redeeming qualities. It is nice that they were not portrayed as just another crazy cult.

The second level is the story itself and young Gabrielle's struggle to become the woman God would have he...more

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Dec 28, 2010 Emily Liz rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: No one

Recommended to Emily by: no one

Shelves: 1-star-books, kindle-books, books-i-will-review

I just started to read this book. It is one of those books that you start reading and think "It will get better." But sadly, the "better" part never comes. It goes from dull, to weird, to annoying, back to dull, to excruciatingly dull and annoying, back to weird. This can not be happening. This has to get better soon,I toldmy-self but to tell you the truth It will not.

Oh, wait. Wake up, at this point, I slap myself trying to stay awake. But I do not think that, thats the one side of my face fau...more I just started to read this book. It is one of those books that you start reading and think "It will get better." But sadly, the "better" part never comes. It goes from dull, to weird, to annoying, back to dull, to excruciatingly dull and annoying, back to weird. This can not be happening. This has to get better soon,I toldmy-self but to tell you the truth It will not.

Oh, wait. Wake up, at this point, I slap myself trying to stay awake. But I do not think that, thats the one side of my face fault because the book is annoying, dull, and excruciatingly dull is it. NO! Oh, GREAT I'm going back to deadly dull.

I Hate it because the author makes a person religious beliefs sound as if there crazy. Believing in something other than your-self doesn't make you crazy. I feel that the author had a problem in the passed about God, it looks like at one point, didn’t believe in anything. Just because the people dance and sing in church doesn't make you crazy. Which is OK, to me, but why write about it? One thing I'll give it is that it's like a train wreck; you can't look away once you get started, because you'll be hoping that people like this don't really exist and if they do they aren't nearby. Wow, I hope they do not exist.

In case you don't know, this isn't an Amish book, as some assumed due to the cover art. Although, by the front cover of the book, the author tried to make this “shaker religion to be kinda of Amish. It felt that she tried to talk about the Amish, but then she tried to cover the Amish religion by a new religion she invented called “Shakers”

The book is about the Shakers, a strange cult that "shakes and writhes as a gift from God" and doesn't allow people to have family relationships. Mothers and children are taken from each other and taught that they are just "sisters" and no more. Husbands and Wives are separated and taught that they are "brethern and sister" since marriage doesn't exist to the Shakers.

I gave it 1 star. I read it because it was free, but I wouldn't pay to read this book.
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Oct 19, 2011 Dimitra rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Easy read, predictable ending ...knew about the Shakers and many of their religious ans societal beliefs...found the historical setting(begins in Kentucky in 1812 at Harmony Hill,a Shaker village) interesting at times...also some sections on the War of 1812 were good...there is inner conflict of a young woman, Gabrielle after she meets an "Outsider", an MD who provided medical care to a seriously burned young man ... the Shakers left a legacy of beautiful craftmanship and hopes for a peaceful Ut...more

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Nov 01, 2010 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I started out expecting something different from this novel, but after finishing it I grew to like it better. It was an interesting examination about religious faith and practice (early 1800's Shakers)and coming to doubt what you want to believe because deep in your core you know it isn't the truth. It gave me some insight into what people might feel when confronted with new religious ideas but are afraid to leave what they have been taught.

At times I felt the pace was slow and I was rushing thr...more

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Nov 25, 2008 Holly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, real-life

Don't let the four stars fool you. It is definitely a fascinating read if you want to know how a Shaker village was in the early 1800's. I still don't know how those people managed...

Anyway, the story itself is really good, if not predictable. Gabrielle is a Shaker sister who is perfectly content with her life until a stranger from a nearby village comes to save the life of a friend. Dr. Brice Scott is captivated by Gabrielle's beauty and wants her as his own. From there it's all downhill. Prett...more

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Aug 01, 2010 Tasha enderby rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010

I had never heard of "the shakers" before or thier religious beliefs but I am a fan of the Amish. This book is about realizing who you are and facing lies you have been taught your whole life and having the courage to choose what is right for you. I learned about the beliefs of the shakers, they believe everyone to live as brothers and sisters and pray in a song and dance fashion to a "holy mother" they believe will get them to heaven. It sounded more like a cult then anything to me and I was th...more

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Sep 13, 2012 L rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Having spent a weekend at the Shaker preserved colony in Pleasant Hill, Kentucky some years ago, this novel was historically accurate from what I recall from the tours and lectures. At times sad, dealing with a defunct religious group with some unusual "rules" and doctrine, the ending is sweet. Still a mystery to me how a group could identify with the Bible and still consider marriage a sin. The belief was based upon Ann Lee's "revelations" about the fall of Adam and Eve and the relation of sexu...more

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Sep 09, 2011 Kelly_Instalove rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-inspirational, genre-romance, theme-religion, hist-amer-expansion, freebie

As much as I wanted to like this one, I feel compelled to give it only two stars, because I really couldn't recommend it unless it was a free or 99c ebook (I think I got it as a Kindle freebie).

On the plus side:

- The unique focus on the Shaker sect. The descriptions of the worship/prayer practices and day-to-day life were vivid and kept me reading to the end. The author treated this misunderstood faith community with respect, never devolving into a movie-of-the-week treatment. The emotional and...more

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About Ann H. Gabhart

Ann H. Gabhart grew up on a farm in Kentucky. By the time she was ten she knew she wanted to be a writer. She's published over twenty novels. She and her husband have three children and nine grandchildren. She still lives on a farm not far from where she grew up. She loves playing with her grandkids, walking with her dog, reading and, of course, writing. Her Shaker books, set in her fictional Shak...more

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