Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
21st out of 58 books
—
37 voters
Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa (Love Finds You)
by
Melanie Dobson (Goodreads Author)
Times are hard in 1894. Desperate for work, former banker Jacob Hirsch rides the rails west from Chicago with his four-year-old daughter, Cassie. When a life-threatening illness strands the pair in Homestead, Iowa, the local Amana villagers welcome the father and daughter into their peaceful society. Liesel, a young Amana woman, nurses Cassie back to health, and the Homest...more
Paperback, 345 pages
Published
March 1st 2010
by Summerside Press
(first published 2010)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
591)
This was such an enjoyable read. I didn't want it to end, and it made me want to live in the Amana Colonies. Life was very hard for people all over the Country in 1894, when this book begins, a lot of people are out of work. Jacob Hirsch decides to leave Chicago IL with his daughter Cassie and two dollars in his pocket. There is a rail strike going on and he ends up hopping a freight train, which he hopes is going to his destination of Seattle WA! Once on the train his daughter become extremely...more
Title: LOVE FINDS YOU IN HOMESTEAD, IOWA
Author: Melanie Dobson
Publisher: Summerside Press
March 2010
ISBN: 978-1-935416-66-1
Genre: Inspirational/historical
Jacob Hirsch worked as a banker in Chicago, but when the banks started being run broke by depositors demanding their money, Jacob lost his job. With nothing but $1.95 to his name and the Pullman cars under strike, Jacob is forced to hop onboard a freight train with his four year old daughter, Cassie, in hopes of finding a job out west.
Cassie is...more
Author: Melanie Dobson
Publisher: Summerside Press
March 2010
ISBN: 978-1-935416-66-1
Genre: Inspirational/historical
Jacob Hirsch worked as a banker in Chicago, but when the banks started being run broke by depositors demanding their money, Jacob lost his job. With nothing but $1.95 to his name and the Pullman cars under strike, Jacob is forced to hop onboard a freight train with his four year old daughter, Cassie, in hopes of finding a job out west.
Cassie is...more
I couldn't wait to read this book. I am a direct descendant of Christian Metz one of our forefathers that told our group in Germany to come and settle in America. His quotes from testimonies are in the book. I have lived in Amana all my life where the book is about. I think Melanie Dobson described very well how the Amana people lived back in the communal days. My dad was from Homestead and my mom lived in Amana so I can think of them when Liesel and Jacob are apart and want to see each other.
I...more
I...more
From the title, you might think this is just a "fluffy" romance, but there's so much more depth to the story than that.
Times are hard in 1894 Chicago, after losing his job at a bank due to the economic depression, Jacob Hirsch rides the rails west with his 4 year old daughter Cassie. When a life threatening illness strands them in Homestead, Iowa, the local Amana villagers welcome Jacob and his daughter into their peaceful society. Leisel, a young Amana woman, nurses Cassie back to health, and t...more
Times are hard in 1894 Chicago, after losing his job at a bank due to the economic depression, Jacob Hirsch rides the rails west with his 4 year old daughter Cassie. When a life threatening illness strands them in Homestead, Iowa, the local Amana villagers welcome Jacob and his daughter into their peaceful society. Leisel, a young Amana woman, nurses Cassie back to health, and t...more
I have always enjoyed Melanie Dobson's storytelling and so far I have read every book she has written. Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa was just as amazing as all of her other books. She knows how to capture my attention from the first page and her stories always have excellent pacing. While tender and sweet, this novel was still enthralling for me and compelling, probably because I learned something new as I read.
I have never heard of the Amana Colonies before reading this book, but thought t...more
I have never heard of the Amana Colonies before reading this book, but thought t...more
I've seen the "Love Finds You" series before, but had never read any of them. I'm sure they're all very similar and not everyone's cup of tea. But I really enjoyed this one and plan on checking out more of these (was glad to download another of these free for my Kindle, as this one was free also). This one is set in the late 1800's, in the Amana colonies, which upon further research, was an interesting time and place I had never heard of. Similar to the Amish community, the Amanas lived together...more
Sep 16, 2011
Leona Atkinson
added it
I loved this book! I usually do not read fiction, however, this book attracted my attention because I used to live very near Homestead, Iowa. The author, Melanie Dobson, described the area very well. Her characters seemed real and alive and the book held me in suspense. I couldn't stop reading it and when I got to the end, I didn't want it to stop!
Highly recommend this book. It is enjoyable reading, plus gives one the history of the life of the Amana Colonies in Iowa.
Next on the List to read: "...more
Highly recommend this book. It is enjoyable reading, plus gives one the history of the life of the Amana Colonies in Iowa.
Next on the List to read: "...more
Melanie Dobson is a gifted storyteller and she doesn’t disappoint in her latest book, Love Finds You In Homestead, Iowa. Dobson artfully weaves history, romance, and suspense together to create a story you won’t want to put down. From the first paragraph to the final sentence, you’ll be transported to the peaceful Amana colonies of 1894 where life for Liesel is comfortable and predictable until a fateful day in July when a handsome outsider turns her life upside down. You won’t want to miss this...more
This wonderful story of loss, illness and love again takes place in eastern Iowa's Amana colonies and how the communities might have operated in 1894. The historic story transverses locations between both Homestead, Iowa, and Chicago, Illinois. Rich historic detail and a fantastic love story are both key reasons to read this book.
I'll never stop for coffee, pie and ice cream in Little Amana on my way across Iowa without remembering Melanie Dobson and the charming characters she brings to life i...more
I'll never stop for coffee, pie and ice cream in Little Amana on my way across Iowa without remembering Melanie Dobson and the charming characters she brings to life i...more
I have enjoyed both of the Love Finds You books that I have read. It is fun how it takes you to a different culture and tells you how their world works. This one was fun because when I started reading I thought that Amanas sounded so familiar to me and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. The end of these books describe the changes in the communities and how they have progressed. They make Amana fridges! I'm a cook and I couldn't believe it took me that long to put together the name of...more
This was a sweet love story near the turn of the nineteenth century. I found the overt religious references to be heavy handed and lacking any depth but that is typical for this genre. What drew me to this book was the setting, the Amana Colonies. Having been there, I was interested to "see" them during their early years before the Great Change. It was very fascinating and I know for sure my spirit of independence would rebel against the rigors and conformity of commune life.
This story is set about 50 years after "Love Finds You in Amana, IA." Dobson does a great job of describing the economic woes that plagued our nation after the financial crash of 1893. She weaves the lives of Jacob and Cassie, who end up in Homestead by "accident," with Liesl. Liesel has lived in Homestead her entire life. Jacob and Liesel fall in love, but will Jacob be able to stay and adapt to their lifestyle? A great story.
There are certain things about the way the Amana Society believes that bother me. So those instances made the book a smidgen less enjoyable for me, but for the most part, I liked the book. The writing was good, and I liked the characters, but I didn’t fall in love with them. This is an enjoyable read with a sweet ending though, and I did like it.
Great story! I'm not normally a fan of inspirational fiction nor of romance novels, but this one manages to be both without slapping you in the face with either genre. A fun, light read but also very well written (as many light reads tend not to be) with accurate historical details. I can't wait to read the next "Love Finds You" book by Melanie Dobson.
I really enjoyed this one! I like finding out the historical facts to go along with a well written book! It was so neat to learn at the end how this community ended up becoming such an important and well known name all around America! I recommend this book!
This is a lovely story that was thoroughly enjoyable to read with characters that you can admire and was an interesting look at people who choose to live apart from our culture and instead live simply in a community depending on each other and hard work from all. I would recommend.
What an amazing book about the Amana people, how they lived, the love story that came about and the never ending twists that it took. Captured my attention right from the start!
bought this book in Amana on my weekend trip there with the Racine quilt group. Gives a nice perspective of what life might have been like there at the time.
I loved this book. Read it in a weekend. It's one of those books that you just have to see how it ends.
I really liked this book! It is the first book I have read about the Amana Colonies. I found the information about the Amana culture and faith, really interesting, and I look forward to reading more on the Amanas!There was a sweet romance story in the book,also.
view 2 comments
I enjoyed this book. It was a quick read. It was interesting to learn about how thhe Amish worked together for the good of the community.
Dobson did her research on the way of life in the Amana Society.
So nice to read a rated "G" romance.
Excellent book!
I really enjoyed this book!! I am not familiar with the history of the Amana's, so it was quite interesting!
.
A
I enjoyed this book very much!
More than just another "bonnet book" - Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa features endearing but realistically flawed characters, a captivating romance, and a hint of mystery. Add Dobson's impeccable research into the little-known Amana colonies, and you have a thoroughly enjoyable novel.
Jun 14, 2013
Hope Barnes
marked it as to-read
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Writing novels is a fun excuse for Melanie to explore ghost towns and old houses, travel to unusual places, and spend hours reading dusty books and journals. She writes both contemporary and historical fiction with threads of romance and suspense.
Two of Melanie's books recently won a Carol Award (The Silent Order and Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa), and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won a...more
More about Melanie Dobson...
Two of Melanie's books recently won a Carol Award (The Silent Order and Love Finds You in Homestead, Iowa), and Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana won a...more
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
