HIDDEN the first in the Sisters of the Heart series, follows Anna Metzger as she leaves her controlling boyfriend and flees to an Amish community to stay with an old friend. Anna thought Rob Peterson had it all. He’s handsome, charismatic, and an up-and-coming politician. He seems too good to be true. But when Anna discovers he is misappropriating his campaign contributions and experiences his violent behavior first hand, she realizes she has to get out from under his manipulative control. Feeling as if there is no where she can go without Rob finding her, she decides to head to Amish country and hide out among the Plain. There, she is greeted warming by Katie, her old friend. The Brenneman’s accept Anna with open arms, all but Henry, Katie’s older brother. Henry does not like the Englisher and feels she is a disruption to their simple way of life. Or is he stilling stinging from the abandonment of the young woman he was going to marry? The story continues as Anna learns the ways of the Amish. And though she and Henry get off to a frigid start, they both soon realize that they have developing feelings for each other. Anna struggles with the idea of leaving the Englisher way of life permanently. She feels accepted among the Amish community, something she has never felt before. As Anna struggles with thoughts of her future, Rob is doing everything in his power to hunt down Anna and take her back as one of his possessions.


HIDDEN was a very pleasant read. Though I tend to lean towards books with more action, HIDDEN kept my interest. The story moves along at a slow but enjoyable pace. Shelley Shepard Gray’s style reminds me a lot of Lori Wick, especially her Big Sky Dreams series. A sweet story that is completely suitable for the YA reader.