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Brides of Webster County #3
Dear to Me
Melinda Andrews loves two things deeply—her Amish friend Gabe Swartz and the wild animals she helps to heal. When an Englishman tells Melinda she has a special gift with “critters,” she dreams of becoming a vet. Could this be God’s plan for her life? Gabe loves Melinda and wants to make her his wife. When he finds out about her wild dream, he realizes he must either sacrifice his faith or lose Melinda forever. Will Melinda stay with Gabe and become an Amish fraa or pursue her dream only to be shunned by family and friends forever? Now available in mass market size, Dear to Me is book 3 in The Brides of Webster County series. Other books in the series include Going Hom Book 1, On Her Own : Book 2, and Allison's Journey : Book 4.
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
74 people are currently reading
720 people want to read
About the author
Wanda E. Brunstetter
216 books2,331 followersNew York Times bestselling and award-winning author, Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. She has written close to 90 books translated in four languages. With over 10 million copies sold, Wanda's stories consistently earn spots on the nations most prestigious bestseller lists and have received numerous awards.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at www.wandabrunstetter.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
April 16, 2017
A good read about a young Amish woman struggling with whether to marry a man she loves or become English and go to school to be a vet which means leaving her Amish life and family. Once she becomes English she wouldn't be able to visit with her Amish family very often. Her boyfriend would marry someone else. On the other hand, she loves carrying for animals with the local vet. She has to make her life changing decision soon.
November 10, 2016
Having a steady boyfriend is never an easy thing especially for Amish girl Melinda Andrews. Melinda is a big animal lover and takes care of injured forest animals and works at a vets office helping out. When the veterinarian praises her and encourages her to get schooling to become a veterinarian herself she doesn't know what to do. The Amish only do schooling up to 8th grade and are not permitted to go to college. Doing so would mean she would have to leave the Amish faith and her family to become wordly. An animal lover and her boyfriend who hunts, will they be able to make this relationship work?
February 18, 2017
This Amish romance series is great stuff, indeed.
September 25, 2012
After finishing the Brides of Webster County trilogy I can honestly say I'm not a fan of Brunstetter's work. I have read quite a few Amish fiction books over the years, most of which I've thoroughly enjoyed. Brunstetter fell short, in my opinion. To be fair to her, the competition is overwhelming. I would assume it would be difficult to come up with a unique perspective or plot in a genre that is filled with hundreds of Amish stories that have already been told. I would compare it to a writer trying to make a name for themselves in the supernatural young adult fiction genre.
Now, to be fair to that competition, many of the other popular Amish fiction writers have managed to write far more unique and entertaining novels. Aside from Beverly Lewis, probably the most well known Amish fiction writer, Amy Clipston's A Gift of Grace was, by far, my favorite Amish fiction to date. Clipston managed to create a storyline that was, at least to me, completely unique, and characters that I could both relate to and sympathize with. She proved that although there is no shortage of Amish fiction novels available, a creative writer can manage to come up with a good plot and interesting characters. Not every good story has already been written, or written well.
I should also point out that it wasn't merely the lack of a unique storyline that disappointed me about Brunstetter's novels. I felt that the story itself, however redundant it was, was poorly written and a bit remedial. I felt like the characters were not only stereotypical and extremely predictable but much more self absorbed than I felt was believable. If she was going to rehash the same plot as countless other Amish fiction novels with success, she should have at least come up with new and exciting characters.
If you're looking for an entertaining novel in this genre, I'd recommend anything by Beverly Lewis (Shunning was recently made into a movie which I also loved), and A Gift of Grace by Amy Clipston.
http://jenireadabook.blogspot.com/201...
Now, to be fair to that competition, many of the other popular Amish fiction writers have managed to write far more unique and entertaining novels. Aside from Beverly Lewis, probably the most well known Amish fiction writer, Amy Clipston's A Gift of Grace was, by far, my favorite Amish fiction to date. Clipston managed to create a storyline that was, at least to me, completely unique, and characters that I could both relate to and sympathize with. She proved that although there is no shortage of Amish fiction novels available, a creative writer can manage to come up with a good plot and interesting characters. Not every good story has already been written, or written well.
I should also point out that it wasn't merely the lack of a unique storyline that disappointed me about Brunstetter's novels. I felt that the story itself, however redundant it was, was poorly written and a bit remedial. I felt like the characters were not only stereotypical and extremely predictable but much more self absorbed than I felt was believable. If she was going to rehash the same plot as countless other Amish fiction novels with success, she should have at least come up with new and exciting characters.
If you're looking for an entertaining novel in this genre, I'd recommend anything by Beverly Lewis (Shunning was recently made into a movie which I also loved), and A Gift of Grace by Amy Clipston.
http://jenireadabook.blogspot.com/201...
July 23, 2021
Dear to Me by Wanda E. Brunstetter is the third book in the Brides of Webster County series. Melinda Andrews has been courting Gabe Swartz for several months. She’s an animal lover and works part time for a veterinarian who encourages her to get her GED and go to school to become a vet. This would mean she would have to leave the Amish community. Gabe loves her, but is not willing to leave the fold. Needless to say, this causes much strain and conflict in their relationship. An engaging story about deciding whether to follow your faith and remain Amish and stay with the man you love or leave and follow your dreams of caring for animals in the outside world.
January 6, 2015
Great book
August 3, 2025
Terrible. Wrong answer.
February 16, 2019
I love this story! The woman I related to a bit to much. I always brought home injured animals, and always have lots of pets. I tend to like animals better than people, and wanted to be a vet. Life changed things and I never reached my dreams, but I have a good life. This story was perfect for me. I loved it!
August 13, 2018
I loved this book!! Great story!! Love this author's books!!
February 27, 2014
Had a hard time finishing this book. It's about Melinda who at age 19 is struggling to decide whether to "jump the fence" and leave her family and friends and go for her dream of being a veterinarian or stay and live the life she has always known. She is engaged to Gabe. Both have been baptized so leaving would have dire consequences. Gabe doesn't want to leave. He likes his life and his future but he truly loves Melinda. This book did not have much story development and I was disappointed in the whole trilogy.
August 7, 2018
This is a wonderful story of a young woman (the daugther of Faith from book 2) who loves animals so much that she considers going back into the English world to become a veterinarian. But she's in love with a wonderful Amish man, who refuses to leave the faith. Melinda has a major decision to make, and she learns to seek God for answers. Very enjoyable story.
June 30, 2016
Bill read this, good story
November 19, 2018
Wanda and I are back in Webster County in the Ozarks region of Missouri, also known as my stompin' grounds. We are also back with Faith's daughter, Melinda who was just a child in Going Home, is all grown up and starting to explore life as an adult. Oh, and Aaron, the subtle star of On Her Own, is also all grown up now. Don't worry, these two are not the ones falling in love! I'm going to be honest right out of the gate, I didn't love this book as much as the first two. I didn't not love it but. . . Melinda is a bit of a twit and entirely too idealistic to be an adult and Gabe (the love interest) is a bit petulant as well. Just to be honest. Let's talk shall we?
I still love Wanda's writing style in this book and I still love this community and these characters. However. . . Melinda first. When I say idealistic I mean literal about it. Animals are her life, almost to the exclusion of people. She abhors the idea that people hunt for food and can't understand why not everyone things that all the deer in all the woods need to be protected and saved. Not just deer however but all the animals. She's developed a menagerie of wounded animals she's nursing back to health and a few she's bound and determined to keep (a blind racoon for example). Bells, the girl thought she was going to rescue a skunk, you get one guess how that turned out! She's so tuned out of the human world that it's causing a rift between her and her family and also Gabe, the man she's promised to marry. She's set her sights on the ideal of going to school to become a veterinarian. She's put the ultimatum to Gabe that she wants this, if she ever passes her GED, and in order to be together he needs to agree to go English with her. Way to change the rules Melinda!
Gabe, on the other hand, is so set on his love of hunting and venison that he doesn't necessarily credit Melinda for her passion. Or find ways to work about it. He's also too caught up in his desire to own his own woodworking business so he can show his father that he's more talented than just sanding down the pieces his dad makes. He's torn between his love of Melinda and his roots in his Amish faith. And guess what?!? They don't *talk* to each other. Nope, like their parents before them they carry on all the doubts and fears and thoughts and most importantly feelings in their own heads. They break up because they can't talk to each other. Heck, they don't even talk to other people, nope all in their heads. I mean it all works out in the end, as the way books tend to do, and with the little nudge on the path by a porcupine (that doesn't even live in Missouri) and a shotgun blast. I really did enjoy this book and one day in the future perhaps characters will learn to use their words.
Originally posted at https://fizzypopcollection.com/dear-t....
I still love Wanda's writing style in this book and I still love this community and these characters. However. . . Melinda first. When I say idealistic I mean literal about it. Animals are her life, almost to the exclusion of people. She abhors the idea that people hunt for food and can't understand why not everyone things that all the deer in all the woods need to be protected and saved. Not just deer however but all the animals. She's developed a menagerie of wounded animals she's nursing back to health and a few she's bound and determined to keep (a blind racoon for example). Bells, the girl thought she was going to rescue a skunk, you get one guess how that turned out! She's so tuned out of the human world that it's causing a rift between her and her family and also Gabe, the man she's promised to marry. She's set her sights on the ideal of going to school to become a veterinarian. She's put the ultimatum to Gabe that she wants this, if she ever passes her GED, and in order to be together he needs to agree to go English with her. Way to change the rules Melinda!
Gabe, on the other hand, is so set on his love of hunting and venison that he doesn't necessarily credit Melinda for her passion. Or find ways to work about it. He's also too caught up in his desire to own his own woodworking business so he can show his father that he's more talented than just sanding down the pieces his dad makes. He's torn between his love of Melinda and his roots in his Amish faith. And guess what?!? They don't *talk* to each other. Nope, like their parents before them they carry on all the doubts and fears and thoughts and most importantly feelings in their own heads. They break up because they can't talk to each other. Heck, they don't even talk to other people, nope all in their heads. I mean it all works out in the end, as the way books tend to do, and with the little nudge on the path by a porcupine (that doesn't even live in Missouri) and a shotgun blast. I really did enjoy this book and one day in the future perhaps characters will learn to use their words.
Originally posted at https://fizzypopcollection.com/dear-t....
June 30, 2025
This third book in the Brides of Webster County series continues with a theme of faith and its importance. The story centers around Melinda, a young Amish woman that has a passion for caring for animals. Melinda is torn between remaining part of the Amish faith and marrying her boyfriend Gabe or making a major change in her life by leaving the Amish and studying to become a veterinarian. She hopes that Gabe might agree to leave the Amish with her so she can have both her dream and her relationship, but when Gabe expresses his desire to remain part of the Amish community, Melinda is left to make this difficult decision on her own. While leaning on her faith to help her decide, she is still torn and unsure until an accident makes her realize what is truly important. Overall, this is a pleasant and easy read that encourages others to rely on faith when they are unsure and need guidance.
July 21, 2025
Even though this was another good story, it wasn’t very exciting to me. Basically Melinda Andrews, daughter of Faith and step-daughter of Noah, has always loved animals and takes in any that need her help. She even works for a vet. The vet thinks she would make a good vet and is trying to convince her that she should take her GED exam and go to college for veterinary school. But in order to do this, Melinda would be shunned since she has joined the Amish Church.
Melinda is being courted by Gabe. Gabe asks Melinda to marry him. But when Melinda tells Gabe her plans to become English and if Gabe loves her he should become English too, they have one disagreement after another. They even break up thinking they’re better off. But that is short lived when a shooting accident happens and Melinda realizes (finally) she should stay Amish and continue to help animals the way she’s been doing.
Melinda is being courted by Gabe. Gabe asks Melinda to marry him. But when Melinda tells Gabe her plans to become English and if Gabe loves her he should become English too, they have one disagreement after another. They even break up thinking they’re better off. But that is short lived when a shooting accident happens and Melinda realizes (finally) she should stay Amish and continue to help animals the way she’s been doing.
May 20, 2023
Melinda has loved animals for as long as she can remember. Ever since her mom brought her to her Amish family, she's found more solace in the woods with the deer than she does completing household duties. Now that she is courting Gabe, her mom wishes she would learn to run a household instead of being with the animals, but Melinda finds herself drawn to help all furry creatures. Now that she's working at the vet clinic, the idea of becoming a vet tech grows on her, but in order to do that she would need to leave her faith so she could further her education. In the end she will have to choose between her passion and her love.
I didn't see exactly how it would end, but I got the basic gist well before it happened. I have been enjoying this series and look forward to finishing it
I didn't see exactly how it would end, but I got the basic gist well before it happened. I have been enjoying this series and look forward to finishing it
March 3, 2023
This was a fun Amish fiction read about two teens-a girl and a boy, and their struggle to figure out if they should really get married when their ideas for the future were so different. I did feel like the story was pretty slow for a good part of the book, and then the end was jam-packed trying to tie up all of the loose ends.
September 23, 2024
Melinda took care of sick and orphaned animals and wanted to become a vet but that would mean leaving the Amish community. Gabe was smittened with her and wanted to marry but the question of leaving was a big question. Would Melinda bea ble to abandon the way of life she was accustomed to? Would Gabe want to leave? what a good ending to a nice love story.
June 27, 2017
I've officially read this whole series. The first one was good. The rest were meh. I like the timeline though. A mothers story to her daughters. Pretty cool series build, just boring / stereotypical stories. I felt the romances were really flat tbh. They fell in love with almost no dialogue.
February 28, 2021
This is the third book in the Webster County book series by Wanda Brunstetter. A story about how an Amish woman decides to stay Amish or givein to temptation to pursue further education. But will she turn away from love?
April 5, 2021
I enjoyed this Amish culture book. This book shows the struggle of a teen girl in the Amish community wanting to be loyal to her faith and family, but also desiring to pursue a career in the English world.
July 19, 2023
I’d been excited about this one for a while. An Amish girl who cares about animals and doesn’t want her fiancé to hunt? My vegan heart was happy. But, of course, it’s only some animals and she makes tons of compromises. I’ll finish out the series, but just not my favorite.
June 25, 2025
This book was one close to my heart. Melinda was always the one to help and rescue injured animals. It's when she started sketching the animals that got her into trouble. I'm not sure how Wanda does it but the way she writes her characters it's like you have known them personally.
October 27, 2017
Very enjoyable
I enjoyed the continuity of the story of Faith, with Melinda now being grown and Faith still being in her story. I wish there were more books in this series!!!
I enjoyed the continuity of the story of Faith, with Melinda now being grown and Faith still being in her story. I wish there were more books in this series!!!
June 12, 2017
Was pretty good. parts of it kinda got boring and i'd lay it down. But then I was curious if it would get better and i'd pick it back up..lol.
May 26, 2020
It was hard to put down.
Read
June 3, 2020dnf, get over yourself Melinda
October 4, 2021
What's important
Good story about learning what is really important. It's good to have passions in life, but not if it affects your relationship with God and family.
Good story about learning what is really important. It's good to have passions in life, but not if it affects your relationship with God and family.
April 22, 2022
I found Melinda, one of the main characters in this book, to be annoyingly stubborn and self-centered. It made this book a little hard to read. The book does have a satisfying ending though.
August 8, 2022
I enjoyed parts of the story but the main character, Melinda, is annoying and non very likeable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews