I am honored to have been asked to fill in for Beth Wiseman this week, as she is on vacation in Hawaii, but am somewhat leery about my ability to fill her shoes. As a dedicated Wisemanite, I do read ALL of her books and think she is the BEST!! But.... I am not a writer, I am a book lover and reader!
For those of you unfamiliar by the term Wisemanite, someone coined this phrase a while back, we are readers dedicated to read all of Beth's books from cover to cover!! Had a bit of fun with that terminology!! And this term has stuck.
I had the privilege of meeting Beth, in March, while vacationing in Texas and got to know her a bit, as well as attend one of her book signings. Her books truly reflect her faith, beliefs and personality.
Beth's newest book, Healing Hearts, is a delightful book. It contains three of her novellas, which have previously been published in books in which other other authors contributed.  The title describes these stories perfectly. All three are filled with hope , second chances , being capable of following your heart, regardless of the circumstances, and true forgiveness, of self and others.
The ability to make you feel each character's hurts, challenges and joys are typical of all of Beth's creations. The families involved become very much a part of you- you cry when they cry, you laugh when they rejoice. The twists and turns in the plots, keep you on your toes. Surprise endings are not unusual.

I will just give a quick synopsis of the three stories:
A Chance to Forgive- Lydia has love two men in her life. Her plans to marry Daniel, dissolved one Christmas Eve , when he disappeared, only leaving her a short note. She ends up marrying Daniel's brother, Elam and remains happily married for 15 years, has a family, when suddenly he dies. Lydia gives up any hope of loving again. However, out of the blue, Daniel arrives back in the Amish community and wants to return to the Amish faith. Can she forgive him and overlook the hurt she has experienced and move on to a happy future in which he plays an important part??????

Healing Hearts:  Levina Lapp and her husband Naaman become empty nesters. Their family is grown and has moved on with their lives. Naaman leaves to visit some cousins in Ohio, but to Levina's shock does not return for over a year.   Can she forgive him when he finally does return? Where has he been and what has he done?
Can their marriage ever be the same again? A warning- this has a very surprising ending!! But I must not give spoilers here.

A Change of Heart: Leah is a young Amish girl, who lacks all the skills to become a good frau (wife). She does not cook well, quilt, or garden, BUT she excels at writing, to her father's dismay. He thinks of it as a total waste of time. A young man, Aaron, is fully aware of Leah's shortcomings, however his heart is captured by this lovely young lady. Can she marry and still use her creativity? Will Aaron make this possible? You must read to find out!

I have read these stories three times and am still in awe of Beth's ability to make these characters come alive and become part of you!  I did NOT want any of the stories to end!  God has given Beth a wonderful talent and I, for one, am thankful that she is using it to His purpose.

Thank you Beth, for giving me this opportunity to sing your praises, for you certainly deserve them.You are one of a kind! Just, KEEP WRITING!!

Karla Hanns