AUTHOR: Suzanne Woods Fisher
DATE: 2019
PUBLISHER: Revell
STARS: ***
Luke Schrock is a new and improved man after a stint in rehab, though everyone in Stoney Ridge only remembers the old Luke. They might have forgiven him, but nobody trusts him.
Amos and Fern Lapp allow Luke to live at Windmill Farm under two conditions. First, Luke must make a sincere apology to each person he's hurt--a four-page, single-spaced list. Second, he must ask each victim of mischief to describe the damage he caused.
Simple, Luke thinks. Offering apologies is easy. But discovering the lasting effects his careless actions have caused . . . that isn't so simple. It's gut-wrenching.
And his list keeps growing. Izzy Miller, beautiful and frustratingly aloof, also boards at Windmill Farm. Luke's clumsy efforts to befriend Izzy only insult and annoy her. Eager to impress, Luke sets out to prove himself to her by locating her mother. When he does, her identity sends shock waves through Stoney Ridge.
Mending Fences is a pleasant story with interesting characters. However, the plot pace reminded me of a slow-walking horse pulling an Amish buggy.
My favorite characters were Amos and Fern, along with Bishop David. The way their lives expressed grace touched my heart and made me want to follow their examples. Luke’s grudging realization of his harmful attitude and actions kept me reading, and Izzy’s lostness rang true.
Some surprises were sweet, but others seemed like a stretch to me. This is obviously the beginning of a series, but I expected more threads would be tied off by the end of the book.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher; all opinions are my own. Mending Fences receives three stars.