[Review]—Clichéd Genre Conventions Hurt "Anything but Plain"

I feel like it's been a very long time since I last read an Amish romance. Yes, the blogger who enjoys horror and Star Trek adventures used to read a ton of Amish romances; you could say I went through a long phase in the early 2000s. My preference for Amish fiction has deteriorated because I've read too many books in the same genre. I'm reading fewer and fewer Amish novels since the genre has become oversaturated with too many authors—both superb and subpar—and I always return to my favorites, such as Suzanne Woods Fisher.

Anything but Plain, the newest Amish novel by Suzanne Woods Fisher, departs from the genre's usual tired storylines to concentrate on mental illness, particularly ADHD. Lydie Stoltzfus, the main character, is a 19-year-old bishop's daughter who discovers she has ADHD. She doesn't find out she has it straight away, though—she gets a job working for the local doctor, and it's he who sees her symptoms and eventually gives her an ADHD diagnosis. 

That pretty well sums up Anything but Plain's primary narrative; however, there is a subsidiary plot (sometimes known as Plot B) centered on Nathan, Lydie's love interest, whose father wants to divide the family land. Sincerely speaking, Nathan's story was hackneyed, dull, and predictable; it seemed like filler and slowed down the novel's tempo. 

 

Many readers have given Anything but Plain high marks; while I'm pleased for them, I don't count myself among them. I had an issue with Lydie—I couldn't connect with her. If I can't connect with the protagonist, I lose interest in the narrative rather quickly. The Plot A storyline held some promise for me, but there was just too much "preaching" that I found distracting. 

Overall, Anything but Plain is a straightforward story—involving a heavy subject—hampered by clichéd genre conventions. ╌★★½✰✰