First Light in Morning Star

· The Maidels of Morning Star Book 2 · Zebra Books
4.6
8 reviews
Ebook
368
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

Founded by five enterprising Amish maidels, the new Morningstar Marketplace is a joyous
success. What’s even more remarkable is the gift the business bestows upon each of these
unmarried women—the unexpected blessing of love . . .
 
Leaving Flaud’s Furniture to teach at the community’s new school is a joy for
Lydianne Christner. Old Order Amish, but new to Morning Star, she’s grateful that the congregation trusts her with the position—but she panics when handsome Bishop Jeremiah Shetler asks about the life she left behind. If anyone discovers the secret she’s hiding, she would, quite rightly, be shunned.   
 
A widower, Bishop Jeremiah admires young Lydianne’s youthful energy and skill with the children. He’s also curious about her past, and the burden he senses on her heart. When his request to court her is
refused, he’s stung, and lonelier than ever. It isn’t until a crisis prompts a tearful Lydianne to confess to him that Jeremiah is faced with a choice that requires all of his faith—and teaches them both that love and forgiveness go hand in hand.
 
Praise for the novels of Charlotte Hubbard
 
“Hubbard firmly grounds the storyline in the principle of Amish grace.”
Publishers Weekly
 
“Hubbard writes of healing and brave new beginnings from a refreshingly feminist perspective.”
Booklist
 
 
 
 
 
Visit us at www.kensingtonbooks.com
 

Ratings and reviews

4.6
8 reviews
Kristina Anderson
February 26, 2021
First Light in Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard is the 2nd novel in The Maidels of Morning Star series. While it can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading Morning Star first (sets the stage for the whole series). I like Lydianne Christner as well as the other characters in this series. Lydianne is woman with a secret. She is afraid of what will happen if her past is exposed. I liked that this book is not a traditional romance. There are twists to surprise a reader. The story does start out a little slow, but the pacing increases as the book progresses. There is also repetition of information that did not enjoy (I got it the first time). I like that we get to catch up with some of the characters from the author’s Simple Gifts series and Seasons of the Heart series. We get to see Bishop Jeremiah Shetler as a man with feelings and desires of his own instead of just as the leader of the community. It is nice how the Faith elements of second chances, forgiveness, hope, and acceptance are woven into the story. God has a plan for each of us and we must have faith in Him. First Light in Morning Star is a sweet story with a lovely ending. I am eager for the story of Jeremiah’s nephew, Pete. I think it is time for him to settle down. First Light in Morning Star is a heartfelt Amish tale that features developed characters with real life problems.
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Jeanie Dannheim
February 3, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this Amish novel! It is the first book I have read by this author and I am very impressed! It is a faith-filled novel that emphasizes grace and forgiveness. The characters are fresh and delightful, especially Bishop Shetler, Lydianne, and the other young women who began the Morning Star Marketplace. Second in the series, it can be read as a standalone. Lydianne has worked for the furniture factory owned by Martin Flaud most of the time she lived in Morning Star. The opportunity has risen for her to interview for the position of schoolteacher in the new Amish school building, which she is very excited about. She has lived in Morning Star for a few years, but nobody knows much about her past. She is happy to be offered the position and has time to prepare for the fall term. If her Saturday duties at the Marketplace interfere with the position, she will turn over the bookkeeping and other tasks to the other young women. Lydianne has a secret from her Old Order Amish district, one that nobody can find out. She would be shunned if her past was revealed. She will not date anyone, and does not believe she should marry. Lydianne is an excellent teacher to her eight scholars, and after listening outside to some of the lessons, Bishop Jeremiah Shetler is impressed. He has been widowed for several years, and his mother is determined to get him remarried. Lydianne is the first woman he has considered asking out since his wife died of an aneurism, and he invited her to the upcoming family reunion. She panicked, turned him down, and requested that he not ask her to explain or invite her again. Glenn, the youngest board member who lost his wife during the summer, has a seven-year-old son in school. Billy Jay adores his new teacher even as he misses his mother. Glenn wants his life to get back to normal and thinks his son’s teacher would be just the person to wed. When he tries to get her attention and is turned down, he is less than happy and thinks it is because of Jeremiah. As often happens with secrets, Lydianne’s is discovered during a crisis, leaving her only three options. It was not bad enough that Jeremiah guessed the secret, but a student, then other church members, hear the speculation. She will either lose her teaching job and be shunned, leave town and find where she can support herself again, or marry Jeremiah, in which case she would still have to give up teaching. I love this novel! Lydianne, a young woman it is easy to have empathy for, is a thoughtful, loving young woman of faith whose life had not gone the way she planned. With God’s help, she started over again. She could have revealed her secret several years ago, but believed she had a good reason to not do so. The characters in this novel are well defined through conversations and actions, and I like Lydianne and appreciate her secret. I like Jeremiah, also, even though at times I think his ego may have gotten ahead of him. How he handles her revealed secret, his feelings for Lydianne, despite her secret and as he stays true to his faith, speaks volumes of him. I highly recommend this to those who appreciate well-written Amish fiction with good friends, faith, and romance. From a thankful heart: I received a copy of this from a Goodreads First contest, and this is my honest review.
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Maureen Timerman
October 31, 2020
I loved being back in Morning Star and being reunited with characters that I've come to care about and learn more about what is going on in their lives and the lives of their friends. This is primarily, Lydianne's story, and her desires and self punishment. It is also about two men who are very interested in getting her attention. One is a widower with two very young children, and your heart will break for him as we look into his circumstances. Then there is the Bishop who is also a widower and would like to move on with his life. Come and see how the Market Place and new school is doing, and how the people are working to make it all a success. I am now waiting for the next installment in this series, I love a deeper look into these new friends and what is going on with them. I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Kensington, and was not required to give a positive review.
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About the author

Drawing upon her experiences in Jamesport, the largest Old Order Amish community west of the Mississippi, longtime Missourian Charlotte Hubbard writes of simpler times and a faith-based lifestyle. Charlotte considers it her personal mission to feed people—to share hearth and home. Faith and family, farming and food preservation are hallmarks of her lifestyle—and the foundation of all her Amish romance series. She’s a deacon, a dedicated church musician, and a choir member. When she’s not writing, she loves to try new recipes, crochet, and sew. Charlotte now lives in Minnesota with her husband and their border collie. Please visit her at charlottehubbard.com.

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