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The Stone Wall
Anna is eager to begin a new chapter in her life as a Lancaster County tour guide in the picturesque area where her Plain grandmother once stayed. Anna wishes she could talk with her grandmother about those long-ago days, but the elderly woman suffers from Alzheimer's, and beyond a vague hint about an old stone wall, much about that time is a mystery. Thankfully, Martin Nolt, a handsome Mennonite, takes the young Beachy Amish woman under his wing for her training, familiarizing her with the many local highlights, including Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat, which serves children with special needs. The retreat's mission so inspires Anna that she returns to volunteer, and she quickly strikes up a friendship with Gabe Allgyer, the young Amish widower who manages it.
As Anna grows closer to both Martin and Gabe, she finds herself faced with a difficult choice--one in potential conflict with the expectations of her parents. Will Anna find true love and the truth about her grandmother's past in Lancaster County? Or will she find only heartbreak?
As Anna grows closer to both Martin and Gabe, she finds herself faced with a difficult choice--one in potential conflict with the expectations of her parents. Will Anna find true love and the truth about her grandmother's past in Lancaster County? Or will she find only heartbreak?
352 pages, Paperback
Published September 8, 2020
392 people are currently reading
1240 people want to read
About the author
Beverly Lewis
258 books3,013 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, has been an award-winning author for over a dozen years. Her acclaimed novel, The Preacher's Daughter, was a 2006 Quill Book Award finalist in the romance category. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Colorado."
Beverly Lewis, raised in Pennsylvania Amish country and both a schoolteacher and an accomplished musician, has been an award-winning author for over a dozen years. Her acclaimed novel, The Preacher's Daughter, was a 2006 Quill Book Award finalist in the romance category. Her books have appeared on numerous bestseller lists, including USA Today and The New York Times. She and her husband, David, live in Colorado."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
October 4, 2020
A very heart warming and different kind of Amish story than what I'm used to reading. Beverly Lewis has a way of making this reader forget that her stories are works of fiction. She has a gift of drawing her readers into the story making it seem so real to them. I almost felt like a part of the story as I grew to love each character. I loved that it was a time split novel that covers a young Beachy Amish girl who temporarily moved to Strasburg in 1948. And 70 years later when her young granddaughter moved to Strasburg and lived in the same area the grandmother had lived.
Anne Beachy wants something different for her life. Recovering from a broken relationship she applies for a job in Strasburg at a Mennonite Information Center. She hates to leave her grandma behind especially since she has Alzheimer's disease. But when Anne mentions her move to Strasburg her grandma shows interest and tries to tell Anne about waiting to meet someone at a stone wall. The past is locked away in Mammi's mind . How can Anne help her Grandma find peace about her past.
If you love Amish Fiction and are a fan of Beverly Lewis I know you will love this story. The past and the present come together in this tender story of forbidden romance and Love. I highly recommend it .
I downloaded a Kindle ebook copy of this book to my Hoopla App. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Anne Beachy wants something different for her life. Recovering from a broken relationship she applies for a job in Strasburg at a Mennonite Information Center. She hates to leave her grandma behind especially since she has Alzheimer's disease. But when Anne mentions her move to Strasburg her grandma shows interest and tries to tell Anne about waiting to meet someone at a stone wall. The past is locked away in Mammi's mind . How can Anne help her Grandma find peace about her past.
If you love Amish Fiction and are a fan of Beverly Lewis I know you will love this story. The past and the present come together in this tender story of forbidden romance and Love. I highly recommend it .
I downloaded a Kindle ebook copy of this book to my Hoopla App. A review was not requested. All opinions expressed here are my own.
January 13, 2021
Beverly Lewis' Amish novels are usually great, and this one is no exception.
February 15, 2025
The story starts with a prologue where it is twelve months since Anna Beachy’s break up with Atley, when he walked away from his Amish upbringing and Anna. Anna is keen to start a new life away from Mifflinburg. Though she regrets leaving Mammi Eliza, she is eager to start a new chapter in her life and applies for a job as a Lancaster County tour guide. When she learns Anna is off to Strasburg, it evokes memories in Mammi Eliza. Despite her Alzheimers which is getting worse, Eliza keeps talking about a stone wall from her time when she was young and stayed in Strasburg. Is it a real memory?
In Strasburg Anna meets Matin Nolt, a handsome Mennonite man who looks out for and trains Anna in her role as a tour guide. She becomes familiar with many local places of interest, including Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat, which caters for children with special needs. There she becomes friendly with young widower Gabe Allgyer and his daughter who has not spoken since her mother died. Anna forms a relationship with father and daughter but she knows it can never become more than friendship. And yet…she can’t deny what she is feeling. Faced with hard choices Anna has to trust God to guide her in her decisions.
Although there is romance there is much more. The story exposes in more than one case, the pain and trauma that Alzheimers causes for families. It was interesting to read of the differences in viewpoints between two different groups of Amish believers. The stone wall of the title is both a physical wall and a metaphor.
It is easy to sympathise with and understand these characters and the dilemmas they face. A gentle but engaging read that certainly kept my interest throughout. I liked the dual timeline of Eliza’s and her granddaughter Anna’s stories. A light read that doesn’t shy away from deeper topics. A little predictable in the way it all tied together but worth reading.
In Strasburg Anna meets Matin Nolt, a handsome Mennonite man who looks out for and trains Anna in her role as a tour guide. She becomes familiar with many local places of interest, including Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat, which caters for children with special needs. There she becomes friendly with young widower Gabe Allgyer and his daughter who has not spoken since her mother died. Anna forms a relationship with father and daughter but she knows it can never become more than friendship. And yet…she can’t deny what she is feeling. Faced with hard choices Anna has to trust God to guide her in her decisions.
Although there is romance there is much more. The story exposes in more than one case, the pain and trauma that Alzheimers causes for families. It was interesting to read of the differences in viewpoints between two different groups of Amish believers. The stone wall of the title is both a physical wall and a metaphor.
It is easy to sympathise with and understand these characters and the dilemmas they face. A gentle but engaging read that certainly kept my interest throughout. I liked the dual timeline of Eliza’s and her granddaughter Anna’s stories. A light read that doesn’t shy away from deeper topics. A little predictable in the way it all tied together but worth reading.
September 5, 2020
The Stone Wall by Beverly Lewis is a charming Amish story. The author blended the past and present beautifully with Anna and Eliza’s stories. I thought this was a unique Amish novel as it features Beachy Amish, Mennonites, and Old Order Amish. It allowed me to see the differences and the similarities between them. I thought The Stone Wall was well-written with developed characters. It moves along at a gentle pace which suits this story. Anna Beachy needs a change and has been praying on it. The opportunity arrives when she receives a letter from her mother’s cousins in Strasburg about an opening at the Mennonite Information Center as a tour guide. Anna is close to her grandmother, Mammi Eliza. Unfortunately, Mammi Eliza has Alzheimer’s and she has few lucid moments. When Anna tells her about going to Strasburg, Mammi Eliza has a moment of clarity. Her words about a stone wall linger with Anna and it has her searching for it in Strasburg. It is interesting to see the parallels of their time in Strasburg. There is more than one type of wall in The Stone Wall. Anna also has a wall around her heart because she is afraid of getting hurt again. There are two men who catch her attention. Since both men reside in Strasburg, Anna is torn because her parents did not want her to marry and live so far from home. Another issue is that neither of them are Beachy Amish. Anna becomes a volunteer at Peaceful Meadows Horse Retreat which practices hippotherapy. It was interesting learning about it and how it helps individuals. If you enjoy reading Amish novels, then you do not want to miss out on The Stone Wall. My favorite phrase from the book is, “The Lord had something better in mind for me than rehashing the past.” Mammi Eliza had once told Anna that it was a “waste of time to look back with regrets” because “the past simply can’t be changed.” I never thought of it that way. The Stone Wall is a thoughtful, heartwarming Amish story.
September 9, 2020
I've been a fan of Lewis's books for years, and this book is no exception.
I love the connection in the story to walls, literally and physically, and how they relate to our hopes and dreams. The characters are realistic, as are the struggles they face. Anna's desire to find her own place in the world, all the while sorting out her feelings, will likely connect with many readers. I like the addition of an Alzheimer's story line, as that's not often found in Amish-themed stories. I used to teach special education, so I also appreciated the incorporation of the equine therapy angle.
Lewis shines at pulling the reader into the setting and story, and she does so with this book, as well.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
I love the connection in the story to walls, literally and physically, and how they relate to our hopes and dreams. The characters are realistic, as are the struggles they face. Anna's desire to find her own place in the world, all the while sorting out her feelings, will likely connect with many readers. I like the addition of an Alzheimer's story line, as that's not often found in Amish-themed stories. I used to teach special education, so I also appreciated the incorporation of the equine therapy angle.
Lewis shines at pulling the reader into the setting and story, and she does so with this book, as well.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy, but I wasn't required to leave a positive review.
September 16, 2020
I hadn't read a Beverly Lewis book in quite a while. So was happy to be able to read one again. This is a sweet and different sort of story. We have some "going back" in time events to make for a bit of an interesting storyline. It has several different things going on, the new tour guide job for Anna taking her away from home and family and her Beachy Amish community. Anna working in horse therapy for special needs children and the topic of Alzheimer's. So there is a lot of topics to read about and learn about as well. So lots of changes and new adventures for Anna.
It was an interesting book but probably not my favorite from this author. I did enjoy it and the more I read, the more I got into the book. The beginning was probably not as quickly engaging as the author's other books.
It was enjoyable, and heartwarming. I liked the mystery parts best and the similarities between past and present people in two generations of a family. Which is a nice theme as one learns and grows from the past. And you will read about the many differences in the different Amish groups. And of course the secrets held by the stone wall.
Another good Amish read!
I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.
September 14, 2020
What a lovely story. It truly touched my heart. From the long ago love of Mammi Eliza and Eb, to the sweetness of little Emmi, to the gentle, compassionate ways of Anna. I felt peaceful, and a deep comfort, while reading this book. My heart went out to Mammi Eliza and Eva, for all of the memories lost to them. I also very much admired Sadie's godly wisdom and how she was so ready and willing to help Anna. And how praying and seeking God's will was so important in each person's life. One of the things I love about Amish novels.
The whole time I am reading this book I am thinking...folks are more alike and have more in common, than we think( in this novel it is Old Order Amish vs Beachy Amish Mennonites). We would do well to concentrate on what unites us rather than what divides us. And to remember, most importantly, to believe/trust in God's plan for us. He sees the whole picture, from beginning to end. We only see in part. I love how this story ended. Full circle. God's love, guidance always present. It reminded me....seek God's will, surrender to it, you will be amazed at what He will do!
The whole time I am reading this book I am thinking...folks are more alike and have more in common, than we think( in this novel it is Old Order Amish vs Beachy Amish Mennonites). We would do well to concentrate on what unites us rather than what divides us. And to remember, most importantly, to believe/trust in God's plan for us. He sees the whole picture, from beginning to end. We only see in part. I love how this story ended. Full circle. God's love, guidance always present. It reminded me....seek God's will, surrender to it, you will be amazed at what He will do!
February 25, 2022
A time-slip novel by Beverly Lewis? Not what I was expecting, but it was just as lovely as her other books.
I liked the sweet, forbidden romance between Eliza and Eb set in the late 1940s, but I also enjoyed the modern-day romance between Anna and Gabe that featured horse therapy sessions with an adorable little girl who couldn’t speak for a very particular reason.
The characters were well developed, the plot steady and enjoyable, and the tour guide job very interesting. This story was delightful, and I was happy to spend a few hours in its world.
I liked the sweet, forbidden romance between Eliza and Eb set in the late 1940s, but I also enjoyed the modern-day romance between Anna and Gabe that featured horse therapy sessions with an adorable little girl who couldn’t speak for a very particular reason.
The characters were well developed, the plot steady and enjoyable, and the tour guide job very interesting. This story was delightful, and I was happy to spend a few hours in its world.
June 3, 2021
Lovey Amish Love story
This was such s sweet love story with some great great characters you get to know. Learning there were different types of Amish keeping couples apart was Inter. Also a great twist st the end!
This was such s sweet love story with some great great characters you get to know. Learning there were different types of Amish keeping couples apart was Inter. Also a great twist st the end!
October 10, 2020
Give it up!
I think it is time to retire. A weak and boring story. Cardboard characters and well worn plot are all this book has to offer.
I think it is time to retire. A weak and boring story. Cardboard characters and well worn plot are all this book has to offer.
August 22, 2020
Friends I just had to write this review even though I'm not finished with the book yet. I was so excited when I seen this book because it's not often that a Beverly Lewis book is on Netgalley. Of course, I downloaded it right away!
I wasn't disappointed! Her books are always a treat to read! I'm almost finished with this one because I just couldn't put it down. I'm tired but it's a good kind of tired. I haven't read a book quite this good in a long while and plus I've been in a reading slump so this was just what I needed to pick my reading back up.
There are so many interesting places that were named in this book and Lewis has done a very good job in describing them that I felt like I was there seeing it through Anna's eyes and helping the tourists myself!
Her faith in God is truly amazing and I sometimes envy her for that because sometimes I find myself getting very discouraged sometimes ( many times) actually. Faith is never easy that's for sure and for me it's been a challenge throughout the years.
Yes, life can be discouraging but if we let it, it can and will keep us hostage as long as we let it if that makes sense.
There are lots of good quotes in this book and some of them are really uplifting. I consider them a gentle reminder from God to always look to Him and let Him guide us if it's His will. Through Him all good things will come if we trust Him enough and put Him in our lives first.
Anna is a girl who loves books just like me. I always like to keep one handy. You never know when you might need one to pass the time. History is a favorite of mine. I love learning things and refreshing myself at times too.
I think Anna's occupation is very interesting. I could imagine myself doing her job.
The many characters that are in this story is interesting like horse therapy. I enjoyed meeting Gabe and seeing his farm. A very interesting occupation as well.
I got to go to an Amish farm on a tour bus one year and I really enjoyed it. Our tour guide was Mennonite and she was a cousin to the people whose farm we were going to. It was such a fun day.
I really highly recommend this book. It is going on my fall list of 2020 books to read and I think I"ll also add it to my shelf along with my favorite books.
Thank you Beverly Lewis for another fine book! I always look forward to your stories and they are such a treat!
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this fine book and I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own!
I wasn't disappointed! Her books are always a treat to read! I'm almost finished with this one because I just couldn't put it down. I'm tired but it's a good kind of tired. I haven't read a book quite this good in a long while and plus I've been in a reading slump so this was just what I needed to pick my reading back up.
There are so many interesting places that were named in this book and Lewis has done a very good job in describing them that I felt like I was there seeing it through Anna's eyes and helping the tourists myself!
Her faith in God is truly amazing and I sometimes envy her for that because sometimes I find myself getting very discouraged sometimes ( many times) actually. Faith is never easy that's for sure and for me it's been a challenge throughout the years.
Yes, life can be discouraging but if we let it, it can and will keep us hostage as long as we let it if that makes sense.
There are lots of good quotes in this book and some of them are really uplifting. I consider them a gentle reminder from God to always look to Him and let Him guide us if it's His will. Through Him all good things will come if we trust Him enough and put Him in our lives first.
Anna is a girl who loves books just like me. I always like to keep one handy. You never know when you might need one to pass the time. History is a favorite of mine. I love learning things and refreshing myself at times too.
I think Anna's occupation is very interesting. I could imagine myself doing her job.
The many characters that are in this story is interesting like horse therapy. I enjoyed meeting Gabe and seeing his farm. A very interesting occupation as well.
I got to go to an Amish farm on a tour bus one year and I really enjoyed it. Our tour guide was Mennonite and she was a cousin to the people whose farm we were going to. It was such a fun day.
I really highly recommend this book. It is going on my fall list of 2020 books to read and I think I"ll also add it to my shelf along with my favorite books.
Thank you Beverly Lewis for another fine book! I always look forward to your stories and they are such a treat!
My thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this fine book and I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own!
October 28, 2020
Without humility, we cannot have obedience, nor the other way around.
Anna is looking for a new beginning. After a relationship heartache, she is leaving her community of Mifflinburg and her parents for a Old Order Amish community in Lancaster County. In Mifflinburg Amish community, they have a few comforts that the Old Order Amish stay away from, electricity and autos. Anna has her own car and feels a calling to the opportunity of being a tour guide in Lancaster County. She has a distant cousin that she will stay with, however, her parents are uneasy about the Old Order ways as they know that it is by grace we are saved. The trappings of a work salivation weighs heavy on her parents in the Old Order Amish Community, but her family puts their trust in the Lord for Anna to find healing. Anna finds several ways to serve the Lancaster County being a tour guide but also working at a Amish run therapy horse group. She catches the eye of two different Amish men and it with these men she finds her true calling of humility.
The narration is done by Anna and her grandmother Eliza who at the same age visited the same Old Order Amish community with the same fears as Anna's family. Eliza befriends Eb who shares different Amish beliefs. Their friendships grows however, they cannot be seen together and correspond with letters on the Stone Wall. Anna and her grandmother stories collide in a special way that marks God's hand on their family.
I loved how the Anna story bloomed into her grandmother's story and the same lessons that they both learned. Humility and obedience and what exactly that means in our faith. It shares the struggles and the victory of faith based on humility. Highly recommend.
A special thank you to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
Anna is looking for a new beginning. After a relationship heartache, she is leaving her community of Mifflinburg and her parents for a Old Order Amish community in Lancaster County. In Mifflinburg Amish community, they have a few comforts that the Old Order Amish stay away from, electricity and autos. Anna has her own car and feels a calling to the opportunity of being a tour guide in Lancaster County. She has a distant cousin that she will stay with, however, her parents are uneasy about the Old Order ways as they know that it is by grace we are saved. The trappings of a work salivation weighs heavy on her parents in the Old Order Amish Community, but her family puts their trust in the Lord for Anna to find healing. Anna finds several ways to serve the Lancaster County being a tour guide but also working at a Amish run therapy horse group. She catches the eye of two different Amish men and it with these men she finds her true calling of humility.
The narration is done by Anna and her grandmother Eliza who at the same age visited the same Old Order Amish community with the same fears as Anna's family. Eliza befriends Eb who shares different Amish beliefs. Their friendships grows however, they cannot be seen together and correspond with letters on the Stone Wall. Anna and her grandmother stories collide in a special way that marks God's hand on their family.
I loved how the Anna story bloomed into her grandmother's story and the same lessons that they both learned. Humility and obedience and what exactly that means in our faith. It shares the struggles and the victory of faith based on humility. Highly recommend.
A special thank you to Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.
October 5, 2020
The Stone Wall is a wonderful novel written by Beverly Lewis. This story is filled with love of family and community. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding the stone wall and grossmammi Eliza. The character of Anna Beachy is simply amazing always putting others before herself. She has recently decided to start a new chapter in her life which also means moving to a different community and a different way of life. She will have to learn to live without electricity but she finds that a minor adjustment if she can find happiness.
Anna interviews for a new job and is eager to start hosting tours of her new community. While conducting her tours she searches for stone walls because of a recent discovery while visiting Grossmammi Eliza. Grossmammi Eliza has Alzheimer's and doesn't remember things clearly but once she discovers Anna is going to Strausburg, Pennsylvania she keeps mubbling about a stone wall. As Anna searches she is beginning to think it is just a dream. Throughout this story is a side story revealing Grossmammi Eliza's story. I was amazed at the outcome at the end of this story.
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 not only developing her story but her characters as well.
Congratulations to Beverly Lewis for writing another inspiring story for her readers enjoyment.
Anna interviews for a new job and is eager to start hosting tours of her new community. While conducting her tours she searches for stone walls because of a recent discovery while visiting Grossmammi Eliza. Grossmammi Eliza has Alzheimer's and doesn't remember things clearly but once she discovers Anna is going to Strausburg, Pennsylvania she keeps mubbling about a stone wall. As Anna searches she is beginning to think it is just a dream. Throughout this story is a side story revealing Grossmammi Eliza's story. I was amazed at the outcome at the end of this story.
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 not only developing her story but her characters as well.
Congratulations to Beverly Lewis for writing another inspiring story for her readers enjoyment.
August 12, 2020
I found this book to be a very enjoyable read, and it kept my attention from beginning to end. You will learn a lot about the Anabaptist faith and the different sects here as we follow a young woman, Anna, from her home a few hours away to the Lancaster area.
There is a parallel to this story, Anna's beloved Grandmother also spent time with a Great Aunt when she was a teenage, and fell in love with an Old Order Amish man, now that doesn't sound bad does it? Her parents are like most, and the want their children raised in their faith, and their is a difference between this different Sects. Anna belongs to the Beachy Amish.
Now our girl is recovering from a failed romance and is staying in the Lancaster area with her Old Order cousins, and living without electricity, but she is still using her car, and we watch her bloom.
You will be wondering if she will end up with the fellow who has shown her the ropes at her new job, or the widow with the little girl. Both seems wonderful, and although they both worship differently from her, they would make great matches. Watch or read and see whom she ends up with.
Enjoyed how the title of this book plays such a great part!
I received this book through Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers. and was not required to give a positive review.
There is a parallel to this story, Anna's beloved Grandmother also spent time with a Great Aunt when she was a teenage, and fell in love with an Old Order Amish man, now that doesn't sound bad does it? Her parents are like most, and the want their children raised in their faith, and their is a difference between this different Sects. Anna belongs to the Beachy Amish.
Now our girl is recovering from a failed romance and is staying in the Lancaster area with her Old Order cousins, and living without electricity, but she is still using her car, and we watch her bloom.
You will be wondering if she will end up with the fellow who has shown her the ropes at her new job, or the widow with the little girl. Both seems wonderful, and although they both worship differently from her, they would make great matches. Watch or read and see whom she ends up with.
Enjoyed how the title of this book plays such a great part!
I received this book through Net Galley and Bethany House Publishers. and was not required to give a positive review.
September 30, 2020
The Stone Wall is one of Beverly Lewis's best yet. Lewis was my first Amish genre writer to read and I've never been disappointed.
Anna is a character filled with love for all those around her. Especially for her Alzheimers stricken grandmother. I can only dream of having the patience and understanding that Anna portrays not only with her grandmother but with little mute Emmie. Speaking of Emmie she will steal your heart.
I found the story calming during my current life of anxiety and stress-filled days. I see it becoming one of the rare books I will reread many times.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Bethany House, through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
Anna is a character filled with love for all those around her. Especially for her Alzheimers stricken grandmother. I can only dream of having the patience and understanding that Anna portrays not only with her grandmother but with little mute Emmie. Speaking of Emmie she will steal your heart.
I found the story calming during my current life of anxiety and stress-filled days. I see it becoming one of the rare books I will reread many times.
I received a complimentary copy from the publisher, Bethany House, through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in the above review are entirely my own.
October 24, 2020
This was a good story about a granddaughter living some of what her grandmother experienced in the way of a love interest. It kept me wanting to know the ultimate decision Anna would make, but it was not my favorite Lewis book.
March 14, 2022
This is probably one of my favourite Beverly Lewis stories! Anna is a sweetheart, and I love the dual POV between her and her grandmother growing up. I guessed the little twist at the end which was fun. Also Sadie and Glen are just the sweetest! Overall, a lovely story!
October 2, 2020
A beautiful story of lost love, faith, friendship, and finding true love. Readers of Amish stories will love this tale by one of the best writers in the genre!
September 7, 2022
This book was a romance and a mystery. I loved Anna and the two men. She made a wonderful decision at the end. Her grandmother was a blessing.
October 15, 2020
This time split story is a captivating one. Anna Beachy is tired of her life and wanted a new adventure. When she mentioned to her elderly Mammi she was going to Strasburg her eyes lit up and she briefly mentioned meeting at a stone wall. Anna was curious what it meant, and as an Amish tour guide she studied the various historical facts about stone walls. The differences in Anna being Amish Beachy and living with her distant mother’s cousin who were Old Order Amish made this an interesting story. There’s the mystery surrounding Mammi Eliza’s time spent in Strasburg as a sixteen year old. Will Anna find answers to her broken heart, Mammi’s past and new beginnings?
The Stone Wall is a well written by Beverly Lewis who is known as the number one author of Amish Fiction. I was not required to write a review but have shared my opinion.
November 29, 2020
This was such a cute read! I enjoyed this story and found the writing to not be so slow paced which is always a plus in my book! This also gave me a new viewpoint of Amish life and the different periods of that which was interesting to see. All in all the story was cute and Lewis really did good job on the setting and characters for this book. I will be keeping a lookout for any of her other works!
*I received this book from Bethany House and NetGalley for free but all opinions are my own.
*I received this book from Bethany House and NetGalley for free but all opinions are my own.
October 18, 2020
I have been a fan of Beverly Lewis Amish stories for a long time. I was so happy when I was able to get her latest, The Stone Wall, from my library. This novel explains the different orders of the Amish and how they differ. Some of the ways of the Old Order are not followed by the more modern Amish. Annie, the main character in this novel experiences this with her choice of a soul mate.I recommend this book to any reader who is interested in learning about the Amish life.
September 30, 2020
I like the two time lines between anna and her grandmother being told and how it all comes together at the end. This was a nice book to read especially to escape from all the current events :)
December 6, 2020
I found this book to be frustratingly boring.
March 2, 2021
Beverly Lewis is the author that first introduced me to Amish fiction years ago when I discovered her Abram's Daughters series from my library. She hooked me with that first book and I've since found many other wonderful authors who write in this genre. I'll always credit her to falling in love with my first Christian Fiction stories!
So it was with great pleasure & anticipation that I read The Stone Wall ! What I loved about it is that Anna is a young Amish woman who's trying to find her way in the world. When an opportunity comes up to visit distant family, she eagerly embarks spending time with her Old Order Amish relatives. The promise of a new direction for her life renews her spirit & refreshes her heart. I also love the mysterious memories her elderly grandma shares that involve a stone wall and a long ago forbidden love. Lastly, I enjoyed the developing love interests from two different men and couldn't wait to find out which one Anna would end up with. I normally don't care for love triangles because they can be frustrating for me to read, but Lewis wrote this in a way that was interesting without all the angst. Now, I'd really like to see a book featuring the one that didn't get his happily-ever-after! I'm a hopeless romantic like that.
I loved getting to know Anna & her extended family, the community she quickly feels a part of, the friendships she'd made, watching how her strong faith guided her every step, and the depth of love she had for her grandma. Someone described this as classic Beverly Lewis and I would have to agree!
"Tis a waste of time to look back with regret,” Mammi Eliza Slaubaugh once told me. “Though we might fret and stew, the past simply can’t be changed,” she’d added, leaning closer, as if to share a secret. “Besides, if we could change our past, Anna, would we want to?”
*I received a complimentary digital copy from Netgalley and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *
So it was with great pleasure & anticipation that I read The Stone Wall ! What I loved about it is that Anna is a young Amish woman who's trying to find her way in the world. When an opportunity comes up to visit distant family, she eagerly embarks spending time with her Old Order Amish relatives. The promise of a new direction for her life renews her spirit & refreshes her heart. I also love the mysterious memories her elderly grandma shares that involve a stone wall and a long ago forbidden love. Lastly, I enjoyed the developing love interests from two different men and couldn't wait to find out which one Anna would end up with. I normally don't care for love triangles because they can be frustrating for me to read, but Lewis wrote this in a way that was interesting without all the angst. Now, I'd really like to see a book featuring the one that didn't get his happily-ever-after! I'm a hopeless romantic like that.
I loved getting to know Anna & her extended family, the community she quickly feels a part of, the friendships she'd made, watching how her strong faith guided her every step, and the depth of love she had for her grandma. Someone described this as classic Beverly Lewis and I would have to agree!
"Tis a waste of time to look back with regret,” Mammi Eliza Slaubaugh once told me. “Though we might fret and stew, the past simply can’t be changed,” she’d added, leaning closer, as if to share a secret. “Besides, if we could change our past, Anna, would we want to?”
*I received a complimentary digital copy from Netgalley and was not obligated to leave a favorable review. All opinions are my own. *
August 13, 2021
Beverly Lewis may write Amish fiction, but her stories are always satisfying and relevant. The Stone Wall moves at a gentle pace without much drama, but there was a lot to capture my interest. The characters are well developed and I got to know them well. Through Anna's job as an Amish tour guide, the Lancaster area comes alive.
It was interesting to see three faith systems within the Amish framework - Mennonite, Old Order, and Beachy. We see the differences in their various beliefs and also the pressures to marry within one's particular faith. Grace vs. good works are contrasted, and I love it when Amish characters begin to understand God's grace.
There's a little bit of a love triangle that never really gets off the ground, because the guy never actually pursues Anna although she thinks she wants him to. Gabe's business of using horses as therapy for special-needs children made the story especially meaningful. And Emmie, Gabe's daughter, will steal your heart.
It was interesting to see three faith systems within the Amish framework - Mennonite, Old Order, and Beachy. We see the differences in their various beliefs and also the pressures to marry within one's particular faith. Grace vs. good works are contrasted, and I love it when Amish characters begin to understand God's grace.
There's a little bit of a love triangle that never really gets off the ground, because the guy never actually pursues Anna although she thinks she wants him to. Gabe's business of using horses as therapy for special-needs children made the story especially meaningful. And Emmie, Gabe's daughter, will steal your heart.
October 11, 2020
A young Beachy Amish woman's beau has broken up with her. As she seeks solace in prayer and Bible reading, she also begins thinking about a fresh start somewhere else. Her prayers are answered when her mother's distant Old Order cousin writes, asking if they would like to visit, and telling them of a job opening that would be ideal for the young woman. Her parents give her permission to go, warning her not to get involved with an Old Order beau.
While there, she forms many relationships with Mennonites and her Beachy counterparts in the area. There is a therapeutic riding program run by an Old Order widower with a 5 year old girl who has not spoken since her mother died of a recurrence of leukemia. The child also is in the program. The young woman's father raises ponies, which gets her permission to watch how the program works...and she ends up volunteering. Soon, the silent little girl takes a shine to her. Since most of the teens who volunteer are Old Order, this gives her some Old Order friends as well.
Parallel to this is the story of her grandmother, who, as a teen, was sent to help a great aunt who was recently widowed. Her mammi, as she calls her grandmother, fell for an Old Order man while there. When the young woman visits home, as well as before she left, and she mentions going to visit, her mammi, who is suffering from Alzheimer's, seems to have a lucid moment where she mentions meeting someone at a stone wall. Finding her Mammi's diary from back then, does fill in some of the blanks, but the ultimate blank isn't filled in until the end.
I've read a lot of different Amish romance authors, but IMNSHO, none so far can even touch Beverly Lewis, who writes respectfully and knowledgably about all the Anabaptist sects. It's obvious she doesn't just touch the surface, but is aware of the doctrinal and practice differences of each sect about which she writes, and how the tenets of their sects affect the rules for their groups. Her characters are 3 dimensional. Their dilemmas, joys, struggles, moments of happiness, family relationships, and more seem like something a real person of that sect would face, react to, and more. Always, she points out the fact that doctrinal difficulties aside, all Anabaptist sects still adhere to the disciplines of prayer, scripture reading, the blessings of like minded friends, and of fellowship of all believers in the celebration of God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, 3 aspects, One God, in weekly or biweekly worship. This is the individual and corporate strength of all Anabaptist sects as well as all Christians, and this is emphasized above which sect or denomination one may call their own. I believe this tolerance, along with a realistic look at how doctrinal differences affect others, is one reason why Ms. Lewis's books have such depth and why her characters feel like real people.
While there, she forms many relationships with Mennonites and her Beachy counterparts in the area. There is a therapeutic riding program run by an Old Order widower with a 5 year old girl who has not spoken since her mother died of a recurrence of leukemia. The child also is in the program. The young woman's father raises ponies, which gets her permission to watch how the program works...and she ends up volunteering. Soon, the silent little girl takes a shine to her. Since most of the teens who volunteer are Old Order, this gives her some Old Order friends as well.
Parallel to this is the story of her grandmother, who, as a teen, was sent to help a great aunt who was recently widowed. Her mammi, as she calls her grandmother, fell for an Old Order man while there. When the young woman visits home, as well as before she left, and she mentions going to visit, her mammi, who is suffering from Alzheimer's, seems to have a lucid moment where she mentions meeting someone at a stone wall. Finding her Mammi's diary from back then, does fill in some of the blanks, but the ultimate blank isn't filled in until the end.
I've read a lot of different Amish romance authors, but IMNSHO, none so far can even touch Beverly Lewis, who writes respectfully and knowledgably about all the Anabaptist sects. It's obvious she doesn't just touch the surface, but is aware of the doctrinal and practice differences of each sect about which she writes, and how the tenets of their sects affect the rules for their groups. Her characters are 3 dimensional. Their dilemmas, joys, struggles, moments of happiness, family relationships, and more seem like something a real person of that sect would face, react to, and more. Always, she points out the fact that doctrinal difficulties aside, all Anabaptist sects still adhere to the disciplines of prayer, scripture reading, the blessings of like minded friends, and of fellowship of all believers in the celebration of God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, 3 aspects, One God, in weekly or biweekly worship. This is the individual and corporate strength of all Anabaptist sects as well as all Christians, and this is emphasized above which sect or denomination one may call their own. I believe this tolerance, along with a realistic look at how doctrinal differences affect others, is one reason why Ms. Lewis's books have such depth and why her characters feel like real people.
November 12, 2020
I really enjoyed this book, though it didn't go the direction I first expected it to. I really liked how we saw snippets of what happened in Mammi Eliza's story, as well as from the viewpoints of Anna and Sadie.
I love how Sadie served as a mentor to Anna, a friend who always had the time to listen and remind her to put her trust in God, and pray for God's will to prevail in her life. Sometimes, what we think our lives will look like (or *should* look like) and what God wants for us are very disparate things. But, as we give our hearts to Him completely, things will work together for our good.
There's a reason Beverly Lewis is one of my favourite authors . . . she knows how to write a sweet, gentle story that points me back to what matters most.
I love how Sadie served as a mentor to Anna, a friend who always had the time to listen and remind her to put her trust in God, and pray for God's will to prevail in her life. Sometimes, what we think our lives will look like (or *should* look like) and what God wants for us are very disparate things. But, as we give our hearts to Him completely, things will work together for our good.
There's a reason Beverly Lewis is one of my favourite authors . . . she knows how to write a sweet, gentle story that points me back to what matters most.
September 19, 2021
The Stone Wall by Beverly Lewis is a story about Anna Beachy, a direct descendant of the founder of the Beachy Amish Church, and her lost love. To help her deal with this loss, she decides to move and get a job at a Mennonite Information Center in Strasburg. Here she meets a Mennonite tour guide named Martin Nolt. She enjoys spending time with him until she meets an Old Order Amish widower, Gabe Allgyer, who runs a horse therapy center. She starts to spend time with him as well as his mute young daughter. A parallel story of her grandmother, Eliza Hertzler, in the late 40’s adds an interesting touch to this page-turning book. This is a 5-star book by the first Amish author I ever read years ago. She continues to create captivating stories and I highly recommend this book.
February 5, 2021
When I am in a reading funk like I have been for the last few weeks, I have to pull out Amish fiction. This was perfect for me to read right now. Beverly Lewis, the author, mentions so many places that I know and love from many visits up to that area. She also made me want to take a van tour the next time I am up that way. I love the way she touched on the topic of Alzheimer’s disease and horse therapy with children with special needs. I enjoyed the simple story for what it was - an easy read with a lot of sincerity, heart and true faith. I wouldn’t recommend it to everybody but to people that enjoy Amish fiction, I would absolutely recommend it!
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