Seasons in Paradise

I think everyone believes their hometown is the most perfect place in the world. At least it's that way for me. This afternoon I finished reading Seasons in Paradise by Barbara Cameron, and her characters love their hometown. Mary Elizabeth loves the fall in her hometown, the sights and smells of autumn delight her. The only thing that is not well in her world is the fact that the one man she truly loves has left the Amish church and basically told her that there is no hope for a future together because of his father's behavior.

Ben Miller moves to town and decides to court Mary Elizabeth, and that hurts Sam Stolzfus to think that Mary Elizabeth has moved on without him.

Barbara Cameron has done an excellent job developing her characters and making them real. I was sad when Ben dropped out of sight in the book after Mary Elizabeth broke up with him. Because of Mary Elizabeth's work with the women's shelter ladies, I thought Ben might have been an abusive husband looking for his wife or something. Or that he was going to become a stalker, or do some other nefarious deeds. But, I was wrong. Once he was kicked to the curb, he basically dropped out of the book. The setting is perfect--farmland in Pennsylvania, with just a touch of town thrown in for good measure. The pacing of the novel is steady with a touch of sweetness (and a grandfather who likes extra slices of pie).

Five Stars, Two Thumbs Up, and a slice of your favorite pie.

My thanks to Abingdon Press for allowing me to read and review this book.