Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Review - Promise to Return by Elizabeth Byler Younts

*This is a sponsored review. All opinions are 100% mine.


In the debut novel Promise to Return by Elizabeth Byler Younts, Miriam Coblentz is looking forward to her upcoming marriage to Henry Mast, but then the unthinkable occurs - the United States enters WWII! On the very day they are to meet with the bishop about their vows, Henry receives his draft papers. Being in combat and killing other is against his Amish faith, therefore he assigned to a Civilian Public Service camp, where he is assigned various tasks, such as digging trenches.

With Henry away, Miriam's life isn't easy, as her mind is always on her future husband, wondering if he is alive or not. Days turn into months, and Miriam starts working as a maid to help new mothers after their babies were born.

When Henry returns, he has surprising news for Miriam and the entire Amish community. He has decided to enlist in the Army and fight for his country as he believes God has told called upon him to do so.

Henry is not exactly the same man Miriam once knew. He has seen the horror of war and it has begun to take its toil on him. Will there love survive the rest of the war?  Will their love survive the test of time?

I've read a few Amish romances set in the 1940s, but I don't recall reading one that had an Amish man get drafted, let alone later enlist in the Army. I'm not the biggest fan of WWII fiction drama, but the plot did intrigue me. The book starts out with a young couple about to wed, only to be torn apart by war. I was surprised to learn the novel is the debut for author Elizabeth Byler Younts, as for me she already seems to be a veteran storyteller, who has created likeable characters, great descriptions of the time period and a well-developed plot. Overall, Promise to Return is a wonderfully written Amish romance that I highly recommend to other readers. I look forward to reading future books by the author.


*Disclaimer - I received a complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

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