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Little Wild Flower #1
Little Wild Flower 1
Jane Abigail Reeves was raised as a city girl. In 1977, at only fifteen, her family moved to a farmhouse in a rural Amish community in Indiana as a respite for her alcoholic mother. Jane hates farm life, until she stumbles upon Elijah, the Amish boy next door. As she slowly ventures out of her comfort zone, she begins to mimic her family’s acceptance of Amish living and realizes it’s a practical solution for squelching the dysfunction of her family’s past. Can a hippie-chick like Jane find friendship with a sixteen-year-old Amish boy, despite their cultural differences? Will their feelings for each other change as they grow up?
200 pages, Paperback
First published August 20, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
May 22, 2014
Did not finish. Realize this is fiction but I still expect it to be realistic. First time I have tried this author. Her story presents publicly affectionate, kissing Amish who would allow marriage outside the faith endorsed and presided over by an Amish Bishop! When she added an Amish band to the reception I could not read any further. There may be some small, very progressive Amish sects who worship in English churches but not interested in reading about it. This story even had English high school age children going to the one room amish school. Totally unbelievable to me.
March 31, 2011
Little Wild Flower: Book One by Samantha Jillian Bayarr
A while back Samantha Jillian Bayarr asked me to read her Little Wild Flower series, and graciously offered me the opportunity to do so.
Though it took me a while to have the time, I have since read the entire series, and will be posting the review of the series as well as an interview with Samantha Jillian Bayarr in the near future.
What's so unique about Little Wild Flower: Book One?
Well, most Amish fiction feels like you are traveling back in time, but when you find Amish fiction that is also period fiction, it is a unique mix.
Little Wild Flower: Book One is set in the 1970s and follows the main character, Jane Reeves. She was born and raised in the city, so when her parents move their entire family out to rural Amish country, she is not happy. What teenage girl would want to leave everything she knew behind to go live an old-fashioned life, after all?
At first Jane is reclusive, not wanting to expend any time or energy to get to know the neighbors in the community. At some level she realizes that this move is the best for her formerly alcoholic mother, but that doesn't mean she has to accept such a drastic change in her own life.
But one day Jane meets a very cute neighbor boy, Elijah, and she begins to open herself to the idea of Amish living, since Elijah himself is Amish.
As they get to know each other, obstacles in their relationship become apparent as Jane was raised Englisch and Elijah Amish, and their ways are just very different. Will they be able to overcome these obstacles? Or will heartbreak on account of Elijah be one more painful part of life Jane will just have to learn to accept?
Read Little Wild Flower: Book One to find out!
I have to admit, when I normally read period fiction I do not generally have much interest in reading anything more recent than the early 1900s. I guess I just have a more minimal interest in the decades between now and the early 1900s, so I found the idea of a 1970s Amish fiction book to be a little less exciting than others might normally.
However, once I delved into the series, I couldn't have been more glad to have given the book a chance! I think it's a very interesting premise, as you see a family that has serious problems trying to recover, and feel the struggle of a teenage girl who has drastically changed her environment as she struggles with the changes in her life.
My only criticism would be that some part of the book seem to go along slowly, while later in the book periods of time just flash by, months or years at a time (the same thing happens throughout the rest of the series for the most part) so I found it a bit odd at times to go so slowly and then jump so far ahead.
Little Wild Flower: Book One is an independent Amish fiction book, and I think most Amish fiction fans will find it a very unique contribution to the Amish fiction field of literature. Complete with everything most Amish fiction contains, good morals and values, an idyllic setting, and lovable characters, the book has its own voice, completely independent from many other Amish fiction authors who can begin to sound alike after some time.
I highly recommend Little Wild Flower: Book One!
4.5/5 stars!
A while back Samantha Jillian Bayarr asked me to read her Little Wild Flower series, and graciously offered me the opportunity to do so.
Though it took me a while to have the time, I have since read the entire series, and will be posting the review of the series as well as an interview with Samantha Jillian Bayarr in the near future.
What's so unique about Little Wild Flower: Book One?
Well, most Amish fiction feels like you are traveling back in time, but when you find Amish fiction that is also period fiction, it is a unique mix.
Little Wild Flower: Book One is set in the 1970s and follows the main character, Jane Reeves. She was born and raised in the city, so when her parents move their entire family out to rural Amish country, she is not happy. What teenage girl would want to leave everything she knew behind to go live an old-fashioned life, after all?
At first Jane is reclusive, not wanting to expend any time or energy to get to know the neighbors in the community. At some level she realizes that this move is the best for her formerly alcoholic mother, but that doesn't mean she has to accept such a drastic change in her own life.
But one day Jane meets a very cute neighbor boy, Elijah, and she begins to open herself to the idea of Amish living, since Elijah himself is Amish.
As they get to know each other, obstacles in their relationship become apparent as Jane was raised Englisch and Elijah Amish, and their ways are just very different. Will they be able to overcome these obstacles? Or will heartbreak on account of Elijah be one more painful part of life Jane will just have to learn to accept?
Read Little Wild Flower: Book One to find out!
I have to admit, when I normally read period fiction I do not generally have much interest in reading anything more recent than the early 1900s. I guess I just have a more minimal interest in the decades between now and the early 1900s, so I found the idea of a 1970s Amish fiction book to be a little less exciting than others might normally.
However, once I delved into the series, I couldn't have been more glad to have given the book a chance! I think it's a very interesting premise, as you see a family that has serious problems trying to recover, and feel the struggle of a teenage girl who has drastically changed her environment as she struggles with the changes in her life.
My only criticism would be that some part of the book seem to go along slowly, while later in the book periods of time just flash by, months or years at a time (the same thing happens throughout the rest of the series for the most part) so I found it a bit odd at times to go so slowly and then jump so far ahead.
Little Wild Flower: Book One is an independent Amish fiction book, and I think most Amish fiction fans will find it a very unique contribution to the Amish fiction field of literature. Complete with everything most Amish fiction contains, good morals and values, an idyllic setting, and lovable characters, the book has its own voice, completely independent from many other Amish fiction authors who can begin to sound alike after some time.
I highly recommend Little Wild Flower: Book One!
4.5/5 stars!
February 19, 2016
My sweet friend Jolene sent me two books via the Book And A Cuppa Swap, and I read one of them this week, Little Wild Flower by Samantha Jillian Bayarr.
Amish fiction is becoming an increasingly popular sub-genre in Christian fiction, especially Christian romance. I think that this one is a bit different because Jane's family is so dysfunctional compared to their Amish neighbors. All of the family members at least try to become a part of the community except Jane. She doesn't want to have anything to do with their change in lifestyle. I also think that setting the story in the mid-seventies is interesting because it's the peak of the Women's Rights Movement, not to mention the other social changes occurring then. So the plot containing teenagers marrying so young is jarring because the seventies is the decade where women were empowering themselves by accomplishing goals before marriage. I also question the acceptance the Amish have of Jane and her family. They clearly aren't Amish, yet their church seems okay with (several) marriages between Jane's family members and members of their sect.
I enjoyed the characters, especially Elijah. He also has a rebellious spirit matching Jane's. They seem to find a way to spend some time together without chaperones which also seems odd to me.
I must stress that this is the first Amish story I've read, so I don't have anything to compare it to, and I'm not an expert on Amish culture. But if you like this genre, I do think you'll enjoy Jane and Elijah's story: their narrative is a lot of fun.
Amish fiction is becoming an increasingly popular sub-genre in Christian fiction, especially Christian romance. I think that this one is a bit different because Jane's family is so dysfunctional compared to their Amish neighbors. All of the family members at least try to become a part of the community except Jane. She doesn't want to have anything to do with their change in lifestyle. I also think that setting the story in the mid-seventies is interesting because it's the peak of the Women's Rights Movement, not to mention the other social changes occurring then. So the plot containing teenagers marrying so young is jarring because the seventies is the decade where women were empowering themselves by accomplishing goals before marriage. I also question the acceptance the Amish have of Jane and her family. They clearly aren't Amish, yet their church seems okay with (several) marriages between Jane's family members and members of their sect.
I enjoyed the characters, especially Elijah. He also has a rebellious spirit matching Jane's. They seem to find a way to spend some time together without chaperones which also seems odd to me.
I must stress that this is the first Amish story I've read, so I don't have anything to compare it to, and I'm not an expert on Amish culture. But if you like this genre, I do think you'll enjoy Jane and Elijah's story: their narrative is a lot of fun.
January 9, 2013
Jane was angry, because her mother was a drunk, they had to move out of the city to the middle of nowhere, to a house that didn't have a bathroom! It didn't even have electricity! How could her parents expect her to live without all of her friends in a place like this?! Her father wants them to learn from their Amish neighbors.
Quite something for a teenager to adjust to under the best of circumstances.
We follow Jane as she navigates life in this strange place. There is a Boy, a neighbor, Elijah, that catches her eye, but at 14, she is much to young to date, or "court" as her Amish neighbors call it. Follow along as their young love blossoms.
A sweet tale of young love.
Quite something for a teenager to adjust to under the best of circumstances.
We follow Jane as she navigates life in this strange place. There is a Boy, a neighbor, Elijah, that catches her eye, but at 14, she is much to young to date, or "court" as her Amish neighbors call it. Follow along as their young love blossoms.
A sweet tale of young love.
June 22, 2013
Jane's mother was an alcoholic and after her mother recovers, Jane's dad decides they need to move into a different environment. She is 14 when her family moves....into a house with no electricity, cell phones and surrounded by farms. Life is terrible to her....until she meets an Amish boy Elijah. This series chronicles a blossoming love and future.
The series are all novella's...short but well written.
The series are all novella's...short but well written.
August 14, 2013
This is a different story about a family that moves from a big city to an Amish community to escape their inner demons. Most of the family adjusts fairly quickly, but one teenaged daughter struggles not unlike many of us struggle in our lives accepting what is there.
A good story of how a young woman survives and then thrives in a difficult change.
A good story of how a young woman survives and then thrives in a difficult change.
April 30, 2011
The book was cute and I enjoyed the story. Gives you a little insight into the Amish and Mennonite communities. Not extremely well written but I think I'll read the next book too.
May 19, 2011
This is a sweet story (kind of like a Little House on the Prairie). The charactors are likable and it shows what it would be like to live in an Amish community.
September 20, 2011
Very good. Enjoyed this book and looking forward to reading the second in the series.
March 27, 2012
See my review at my blog: http://colormeactive.blogspot.com
August 7, 2012
This is such a cute book! An outsider joining the amish community. I can't wait to read the others in this series!
August 28, 2012
Could anything be more sappy? NO.. PULEASE!
December 29, 2012
Loved the story. Great book. Can be a bit sad so have some tissues. Ready for book two.
January 2, 2013
Not a true Amish story. Boring
April 22, 2013
Great read
September 19, 2016
Slow, boring, inaccurate. First person narrator further weaken the story.
May 19, 2017
BOOK 1 OF 3 BOXED SET
May 8, 2013
Seems quite unrealistic, but a sweet story nonetheless. I enjoyed it.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews