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The Amish Widow's New Love
He’s her first love…
Will he be her last?
Naomi Miller can’t believe Elam Yoder’s back in their community after all the pain he caused! Still, the young Amish widow must reunite with her disgraced first love to raise money for her infant son’s surgery. Elam’s remorse seems sincere, as does his commitment to helping Naomi and her baby. Elam’s looking for forgiveness—and a new life with Naomi and her bobbeli by his side.
Will he be her last?
Naomi Miller can’t believe Elam Yoder’s back in their community after all the pain he caused! Still, the young Amish widow must reunite with her disgraced first love to raise money for her infant son’s surgery. Elam’s remorse seems sincere, as does his commitment to helping Naomi and her baby. Elam’s looking for forgiveness—and a new life with Naomi and her bobbeli by his side.
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published April 17, 2018
28 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Liz Tolsma
42 books1,779 followersLiz Tolsma is the author of several WWII novels, romantic suspense novels, prairie romance novellas, and an Amish romance. She is a popular speaker and an editor and resides next to a Wisconsin farm field with her husband and their youngest daughter. Her son is a U.S. Marine, and her oldest daughter is a recent college graduate. Liz enjoys reading, walking, working in her large perennial garden, kayaking, and camping. Please visit her website at www.liztolsma.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter (@LizTolsma), Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest. She is also the host of the Christian Historical Fiction Talk podcast.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 29, 2018
Sadly, not a well written book. I did get over 50% finished before I needed to let it go.
July 10, 2018
I've been enamored with Liz Tolsma's World War II novels so I was anxious to see how she handled something so completely different. After all, writing an Amish romance requires a certain skill set and I'm happy to say she delivers the same quality of storytelling in this new-to-her genre. I appreciate the homework she did on the Amish in Wisconsin and how she has woven their lifestyle and faith into a captivating second chance romance.
Kind-hearted, well-meaning Elam is so impetuous that sometimes it seems like everything he does is wrong while level-headed Naomi only wants to create a secure future for her infant son. Elam was trouble once upon a time and she has no intention of getting tangled up with him again. There's too much hurt in the past and while she tells herself she's forgiven Elam, she swears she'll never forget.
Tolsma explores the true meaning of forgiveness in this touching romance. And I love how that theme plays out in a number of characters' lives -- not just the hero and heroine. An honest -- and raw -- look at the healing power grace can bring to the most tormented soul. Definitely looking forward to more of stories of this Wisconsin Amish community.
Kind-hearted, well-meaning Elam is so impetuous that sometimes it seems like everything he does is wrong while level-headed Naomi only wants to create a secure future for her infant son. Elam was trouble once upon a time and she has no intention of getting tangled up with him again. There's too much hurt in the past and while she tells herself she's forgiven Elam, she swears she'll never forget.
Tolsma explores the true meaning of forgiveness in this touching romance. And I love how that theme plays out in a number of characters' lives -- not just the hero and heroine. An honest -- and raw -- look at the healing power grace can bring to the most tormented soul. Definitely looking forward to more of stories of this Wisconsin Amish community.
October 9, 2020
The Amish Widow's New Love is a heartwarming story written by Liz Tolsma that shows the reader what forgiveness can really be like. There is so much going on in this story that it will definitely keep the readers interest. Because of an accident four years ago Elam Yoder has run from his Amish community but he could never out run his guilt or love for Naomi Miller. As Paul returns to his community to help his family in a time of need he is dealt a hand that just might send him back to running. No one in the community wants to give this young man forgiveness or welcome him back. It will surprise you which character in this story offers forgiveness first. There is so much love in Elam's heart and all he wants to do is help his community but his help is refused time and again. I found myself drawn to Elam and wishing things were different for him.
I was not given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not approached to post a favorable response. I have rated this story with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful story that I can highly recommend to others. The author has done a fantastic job telling this story and although this is my first story by this author it won't be my last.
Congratulations to Liz Tolsma for writing this inspiring story of forgiveness, healing, love, and faith for the readers enjoyment.
I was not given a complimentary copy of this book to read and review. I was not approached to post a favorable response. I have rated this story with five stars for meeting my expectations of a wonderful story that I can highly recommend to others. The author has done a fantastic job telling this story and although this is my first story by this author it won't be my last.
Congratulations to Liz Tolsma for writing this inspiring story of forgiveness, healing, love, and faith for the readers enjoyment.
December 29, 2022
11/10 only because of Glens Art SurprisesTM.
Otherwise 1/10
Otherwise 1/10
March 16, 2018
I great story about a different way of life. Community help is always the best but you don't usually find it in the English community. It's a great thing when you have neighbors that want to help without looking for payment.
August 30, 2022
BADLY written, horrible book.
First, the title is a lie. Elam is Naomi's first love returned home after three years. He's not a new love, he's her old love. (((sigh.)))
Then we're told that Elam returns because his daed had a stroke and can't work the farm. You would think that this would mean Elam was there to take over the farm duties... but instead, he's taking on a job to build new picnic tables at the bakery Naomi works at, going to her daed's shop to ask if he can build furniture, and taking over the duties of running a massive benefit auction. In what spare moment is he planting in the crops, taking care of the livestock, and tending to the farm????
Then we're told that he used to work for Naomi's dad in the shop, but in the same breath Simon (the local bakery owner) is his 'mentor' (pg 28)... how that's possible is anyone's guess.
Naomi is a hot mess. Her first love (Elam) bought a truck and a cellphone on his rumspringa and hit her brother with it whilst text-driving in front of her house. So devastated by the accident, she refuses to see him again, turns around and marries Daniel (Elam's competition for her hand), then Daniel takes a dive off a roof and dies, but not before leaving Naomi pregnant with a Down Syndrome baby who has a hole in his heart. ON TOP OF Elam's daed's stroke, of course. Because why have one tragedy/need when you can stack them up like cordwood?
Aaron (Naomi's now-disabled brother) is a paraplegic. He can't use his legs (in fact, the author continuously calls them 'his useless legs' like that's a thing?!), but his arms/hands work fine, which means it's a thoratic level SCI. But the author has him in a motorized wheelchair... WHY?!?!?! If he can push a manual chair, that would be encouraged, as to 1) keep up his muscle tone, 2) retain caloric burn levels, 3) help with the flushing of his system. It's RIDICULOUS that he's in an electric wheelchair. And *HOW*, exactly, are they going to charge the batteries on that thing? They don't believe in electricity, and that's a LOT of generator power, on top of the fridge, on top of the tools in the woodworking shop, on top of everything else... NO. JUST. NO.
And the WRITING. PG 8: " 'How does it look for me, a widow with a son, to be at a singing?' Wait, did she hear Joseph crying? Nien. She shook her head. Her son remained at home with Mamm, safe and sound asleep.
?!!??!?!?!?!?!!?
Pg 17: "Naomi placed the bobbeli into the car seat on the hall floor. His face." WHAT THE FARTS IS UP WITH THE SENTENCE FRAGMENT?!?!?! GAH!!!
On pg 15, Joseph gave weak, raspy cries... but after a long truck ride, the baby was 'wailing' on pg 19 in the ER. How does THAT work, if he's sickly and weak?
Pg 22: "It's gut for you to get out of the house, even if only for a few hours of the day. If you don't you'll go crazy in no time." Um... MOST Amish wives don't work - they stay in the house, with the babies, hello. This is Marine wife talk, not Amish mamm talk, hello. Heck, I'm not even Amish, and I stayed home - all day, every day - with FIVE children that I homeschooled. For going on TWENTY-THREE years. This is nonsense.
Pg 23: " 'Watch out.' Boom. Crash. Bang." THIS is not writing, hello.
Pg 31, Elam wants her to tell her story to the newspapers, to garner attention and raise awareness. Except this is hochmut, something the Amish would *NEVER* have anything to do with. And the newspapers wouldn't run a personal interest story without photos. That's not even a thing - as someone who worked for a newspaper before having kids.
Pg 45: "A streak of light. A deafening crack. The ground shook. Kaboom. Naomi shrieked. The tree they were next to split in half an crashed to the earth, missing the buggy on each side.
Okay, JUST NO. *ABSOLUTELY* NOT. First, that's N.O.T. W.R.I.T.I.N.G. It's sentence fragments on par with a six year old's capabilities. Second, there is NO WAY a tree would split and fall on one side and the other and NOT HAVE BRANCHES crush the buggy. That's not to speak of the condition that poor horse would be in - the author completely forgets there even *IS* a horse in this clustermuck
At this point? I've had *E.N.O.U.G.H.* This is horrible. Not just the story - the writing, the characterizations, the lack of plausibility... the whole thing is disastrous. I'm not even thrifting this one - it goes in the burn barrel.
First, the title is a lie. Elam is Naomi's first love returned home after three years. He's not a new love, he's her old love. (((sigh.)))
Then we're told that Elam returns because his daed had a stroke and can't work the farm. You would think that this would mean Elam was there to take over the farm duties... but instead, he's taking on a job to build new picnic tables at the bakery Naomi works at, going to her daed's shop to ask if he can build furniture, and taking over the duties of running a massive benefit auction. In what spare moment is he planting in the crops, taking care of the livestock, and tending to the farm????
Then we're told that he used to work for Naomi's dad in the shop, but in the same breath Simon (the local bakery owner) is his 'mentor' (pg 28)... how that's possible is anyone's guess.
Naomi is a hot mess. Her first love (Elam) bought a truck and a cellphone on his rumspringa and hit her brother with it whilst text-driving in front of her house. So devastated by the accident, she refuses to see him again, turns around and marries Daniel (Elam's competition for her hand), then Daniel takes a dive off a roof and dies, but not before leaving Naomi pregnant with a Down Syndrome baby who has a hole in his heart. ON TOP OF Elam's daed's stroke, of course. Because why have one tragedy/need when you can stack them up like cordwood?
Aaron (Naomi's now-disabled brother) is a paraplegic. He can't use his legs (in fact, the author continuously calls them 'his useless legs' like that's a thing?!), but his arms/hands work fine, which means it's a thoratic level SCI. But the author has him in a motorized wheelchair... WHY?!?!?! If he can push a manual chair, that would be encouraged, as to 1) keep up his muscle tone, 2) retain caloric burn levels, 3) help with the flushing of his system. It's RIDICULOUS that he's in an electric wheelchair. And *HOW*, exactly, are they going to charge the batteries on that thing? They don't believe in electricity, and that's a LOT of generator power, on top of the fridge, on top of the tools in the woodworking shop, on top of everything else... NO. JUST. NO.
And the WRITING. PG 8: " 'How does it look for me, a widow with a son, to be at a singing?' Wait, did she hear Joseph crying? Nien. She shook her head. Her son remained at home with Mamm, safe and sound asleep.
?!!??!?!?!?!?!!?
Pg 17: "Naomi placed the bobbeli into the car seat on the hall floor. His face." WHAT THE FARTS IS UP WITH THE SENTENCE FRAGMENT?!?!?! GAH!!!
On pg 15, Joseph gave weak, raspy cries... but after a long truck ride, the baby was 'wailing' on pg 19 in the ER. How does THAT work, if he's sickly and weak?
Pg 22: "It's gut for you to get out of the house, even if only for a few hours of the day. If you don't you'll go crazy in no time." Um... MOST Amish wives don't work - they stay in the house, with the babies, hello. This is Marine wife talk, not Amish mamm talk, hello. Heck, I'm not even Amish, and I stayed home - all day, every day - with FIVE children that I homeschooled. For going on TWENTY-THREE years. This is nonsense.
Pg 23: " 'Watch out.' Boom. Crash. Bang." THIS is not writing, hello.
Pg 31, Elam wants her to tell her story to the newspapers, to garner attention and raise awareness. Except this is hochmut, something the Amish would *NEVER* have anything to do with. And the newspapers wouldn't run a personal interest story without photos. That's not even a thing - as someone who worked for a newspaper before having kids.
Pg 45: "A streak of light. A deafening crack. The ground shook. Kaboom. Naomi shrieked. The tree they were next to split in half an crashed to the earth, missing the buggy on each side.
Okay, JUST NO. *ABSOLUTELY* NOT. First, that's N.O.T. W.R.I.T.I.N.G. It's sentence fragments on par with a six year old's capabilities. Second, there is NO WAY a tree would split and fall on one side and the other and NOT HAVE BRANCHES crush the buggy. That's not to speak of the condition that poor horse would be in - the author completely forgets there even *IS* a horse in this clustermuck
At this point? I've had *E.N.O.U.G.H.* This is horrible. Not just the story - the writing, the characterizations, the lack of plausibility... the whole thing is disastrous. I'm not even thrifting this one - it goes in the burn barrel.
August 20, 2018
My review today is on the Love Inspired book, The Amish Widow's New Love. Liz is a new author for Love Inspired. I really enjoyed this story and I know you are going to love it. The story is well written and heart warming.
Naomi Miller is a young Amish widow. Her bobbeli was born with several birth defects and needs surgery to survive. The community is to have a fund raiser to help with the finances of the community for health issues. The man that is in charge of the sale is injured so her former boyfriend is assigned to help her to organize the fund raiser. Elam had hurt her brother and the whole community when he ran off and left them years ago. Can she trust him?
Elam Yoder caused an accident the left Naomi's brother in a wheel chair for the rest of his life. Elam blamed himself and ran away from his life in the community. How could he ever forgive himself let alone expect other to forgive him. Now he has returned looking for forgiveness. He has always loved Naomi and is determined to help her get the finances she needs for her son's survival. No matter how hard he works he can't seem to find his place in the community. He longs for a new start with Naomi and her son.
A journey of redemption, forgiveness. and trust. God has a plan for these two and for the community; a plan for a hope and a future. God has a plan for you too, a good plan for you and not for evil. Give him your heart and watch Him move in your life.
Naomi Miller is a young Amish widow. Her bobbeli was born with several birth defects and needs surgery to survive. The community is to have a fund raiser to help with the finances of the community for health issues. The man that is in charge of the sale is injured so her former boyfriend is assigned to help her to organize the fund raiser. Elam had hurt her brother and the whole community when he ran off and left them years ago. Can she trust him?
Elam Yoder caused an accident the left Naomi's brother in a wheel chair for the rest of his life. Elam blamed himself and ran away from his life in the community. How could he ever forgive himself let alone expect other to forgive him. Now he has returned looking for forgiveness. He has always loved Naomi and is determined to help her get the finances she needs for her son's survival. No matter how hard he works he can't seem to find his place in the community. He longs for a new start with Naomi and her son.
A journey of redemption, forgiveness. and trust. God has a plan for these two and for the community; a plan for a hope and a future. God has a plan for you too, a good plan for you and not for evil. Give him your heart and watch Him move in your life.
June 26, 2018
The Amish Widow's New Love by Liz Tolsma. Elam Yoder returned back home to the Amish community after being gone for a few years. He left because he was driving a truck that hit a tree and seriously injured a teenager that was in the truck with him. It was Naomi Miller's brother. Naomi was in love with Elam when he left town. Now he is back. Naomi is afraid he is going to leave again. Naomi has a baby who needs on operation. They have an sale to raise money. A lot goes on in this book. A good read.
June 17, 2024
I’ve read other books by this author and enjoyed them. I didn’t love this one. I listened to this book. The German words were all pronounced wrong. It drove me crazy. They were pronounced phonetically according to American English. Guy the German word for good was pronounced just like it’s spelled. It should be pronounced goot. I couldn’t take it because the book was laced with German words.
June 13, 2024
I’ve read multiple historical books by Liz Tolsma, thus when I saw this one at our library I had to read it. The story had a theme of forgiveness and second chances but the tale could have been more polished.
May 3, 2018
Enjoyed this book.
September 10, 2018
I didn't find this book as compelling or fun to read as other books in a similar vein.
September 21, 2018
Great story...my first time reading this author. I will look for more of her books.
January 24, 2019
This is a sweet story of love and forgiveness set in the Amish community in Wisconsin.
August 20, 2021
A good book about forgiveness and love.
February 17, 2024
Cute story, sweet characters, easy read. Predictable, but heart warming.
April 6, 2024
very good book about community ,faith making hasty decisions and having faith Great read
August 6, 2020
I have a few misunderstandings with this book. If the main character (Elam) is supposed to be Amish, why did he own a truck and a cell phone? Also, I do not like his pushy behavior. Other than that, this is a good book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2022
Was a great story I felt like I was in the story.
I hope you come out with another story about Naomi and Elam with their family growing and about Elam new Bussines.
I hope you come out with another story about Naomi and Elam with their family growing and about Elam new Bussines.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2018
This is my first book by Liz Tolsma and it wont be my last. Great Amish Book, I read it in 3 hours. Just loved it, cant wait to find more from her.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews