Mary Margaret is seeking an escape. With the money she has made from her greeting card-making business and a little bit of money her parents give her, she goes to Pinecraft, Florida, for a vacation. On the bus ride there, she meets Lilly and Betsy, two other Amish girls also on vacation. Once she gets to Pinecraft, she finds out that her arch-nemesis from grade school on is coming to Pinecraft as well, and is staying at the same Bed and Breakfast. Mary Margaret has had to overcome years of bullying at Esther's hands and is not exactly excited to see that she will be staying in the same place.
Shelley Shepard Gray has written a book about forgiving the hard things, the deepest hurts, and the betrayals people inflict on one another. This isn't an easy book to read, and it differs from most Amish fiction in that it isn't over-the-top syrupy sweet. Those are things I really liked about it. The characters are flawed which make them all the more believable and relatable. The setting of Pinecraft is one I've read about with other authors too and seems as familiar as being home, so understanding the surroundings is very easy to do.
Both Mary and Esther meet young men whose eyes they catch, so there is a bit of romance for those die-hards who require it. What Shelley has done well is show that even Amish have their difficulties and flaws. One of the most compelling quotes Shelley has included in this book is by Esther, when she asks when it became okay to be mean on purpose instead of gently teasing.
Five Stars, two thumbs up, and an ice cream cone by the ocean.
Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
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