Plain Jane's Secret Admirer

 

"Leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift."  Matthew 5:24

Fans of Mindy Steele, Leslie Gould and Jenny Beckstrand will not want to miss out on Anne Blackburn's newest book Plain Jane's Secret Admirer which will be released January 1, 2026.  The eleventh book in the Heart of the Amish, Blackburne teams up with other great authors of Amish fiction, to give readers cozy, heartfelt, faith filled books with characters they will love.  Simba loves Blackburne's animal and kitty characters and is happy to say that a special feline companion (in his humble opinion) steals the show in her novels.

In Plain Jane's Secret Admirer readers are taken back to Lizzie's New Orleans-style french Bakery from Lizzie's Little Mouse.  We finally get to see what happens to Jane Bongrager who has been helping Lizzie with her bakery.  When Lizzie goes on her wedding trip, all sorts of things happen, including a missing Little Mouse, Lizzie's beloved cat.  Jane feels horrible as she is able to immediately find her precious cat Secret.   Not only is she looking for a lost cat, she is dealing with a secret admirer and the unwelcome advances of newcomer to their beloved Amish community.  Samuel Mast has loved Jane since he was a 14 year old schoolboy, but as all 14 year old boys can be immature he inadvertently sticks his crush with the nickname of 'Plain Jane'.  Jane has never escaped from this moniker and has given her years of hurt, and what she feels is missed opportunities to find that special Amish man to settle down with.  

Samuel, while having prayed for forgiveness, has never confessed the incident to Jane.  He feels the weight of this secret as he wrestles with feelings of wanting to court Jane.  Blackburne expertly weaves the fragile journey of Samuel and Jane to true love, with deep, faith filled dialogue between characters (as friends and loved ones of the pair help them along their journey).  Animal lovers will fall in love with Samuel and his heart for all animals (and yes, Simba, we will not forget all the scenes with Secret, Little Mouse, and other cats that make an appearance throughout the book).  

As reading this book, I am reminded of the importance of Christian community and friendship along our journey.  Especially Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."  As Christians we are called to live in accountability and walk with our friends, our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Sometimes it requires honest conversations where we help them see the truth of God's word and how to apply it to their lives.  Blackburne does this beautifully in the inter character relationships in this heartwarming book.   

Fans of Amish fiction, heartfelt, and all cat lovers will not want to miss Plain Jane's Secret Admirer when it becomes available.   Take the time to visit Amish country in a charming romance novel,  gives us a picture of our heavenly Father and his desire for us to offer forgivness.  For anyone needing hope in their relationships, this book sprinkles that hope throughout, and with some surprising endings for much beloved characters, readers will see that it is never too late for love.  Simba says you do not want to miss this book and he hopes you appreciate his favorite characters Secret and Little Mouse, as he very enthusiastically gives this book 4 Paws and nose boop.  Happy Reading!!

I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC to read and review.  All opinions are my own.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Christmas Keepsake By: Annie Rains

Received copy from Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) to read for an honest review "Precious memories, how they linger How they ever flood my soul"  (Precious Memories Lyrics @Emibaapril Music Inc.   Songwriters Dp/Johnnie Robert Wright) As a first time mother, amd lover of all things Christmas, I was so excited to pick out that all important baby's first Christmas ornament.  It had to be the best,  so of course, off to the local Hallmark store we went.  I will always remember that little train with a bear that says baby's first Christmas.  And of course, it came as part of a set for the next couple of years (Which we proudly collected).  Twenty-five years qnd four kids later, we still make the annual trip to the store for that perfect keepsake ornament.  We have collected Disney princesses, Harry Potter, Superheroes, Charlie Brown, and many more.  All showing likes or what was important that year.  But for this mama's...
Read more

"Sometimes you Stay" by Liz Johnson: A Red Door Inn Romance

Psalm 32:7. "You are my hiding place, you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. " A small child growing up with trauma (physical, psychological, emotional abuse or neglect) is so hard for us to process.  For the child, there are scars they will carry throughout life.  Many times those cars will be picked over and bleed a bit more til they scab over again.  Many times we question and ask where God was in the midst of all this and why did He allow this to happen?  The people who are supposed to love and protect this innocent child, are the ones hurting him causing great pain.  I am no theologian and I do not understand the why, and I sincerely believe we won't understand it this side of heaven.  As a victim of childhood trauma, I can tell you that looking back, I see God's hand and protection throughout my childhood.  These painful experiences have made me who I am today, and God has used them to help me reach out to chi...
Read more

Getting Started

Growing up as an only child,  with older parents,  made for a very lonely childhood.  Books became my best friend.   My parents were always afraid to let me be play outside, and there were not many kids My age to look forward to.   Weekly, or sometimes bi-weekly trips, to the local library became the highlight of my days.   I would come home with stacks of books that would allow me to escape into a world filled with possibilities.  From the Babysitters Club, to Ramona and Beezus,  Mary Lenox in the Secret Garden, and Fern in Charlotte's web, I would lose myself for hours in a world where I felt safe and confident.   These characters became some of my closest "friends" and helped me to escape from a lonely and isolated childhood.   I was a fast reader and devoured so many books, I couldn't begin to name them all.   As an adult, I still love to read and find myself identifying with characters in my novels...
Read more