Missing Your Smile by Jerry S Eicher - Review of the first book in the Fields of Home series

Missing Your Smile

First book in the Fields of Home series

by Jerry S. Eicher

Susan Hostetler and Thomas Stoll are engaged to be married, that is until Susan catches Thomas kissing her best friend Eunice. Susan breaks off the engagement without any explanation to anyone else and with the help of an Englisha friend picks up and moves from Indiana to Asbury Park, New Jersey. She goes to work in Laura's bakery and lives by herself in the attached apartment, they soon become more than owner and employee, they become friends. Laura's son Robby and Susan become like brother and sister, spend a lot of time together, teasing each other, Robby drives Susan places when she needs to run errands, teaches her to drive and helps her get her GED. Susan makes a good listener for Robby and helps him find his faith again.

Duane Moran comes into the bakery quite often and is a good friend of Laura's, when he see's Susan, he shows an interest and asks her for lunch, with Laura's encouragement she accepts. One lunch date leads to a dinner date, then a home cooked meal by Susan. Duane, not being used to the Amish lifestyle thinks Susan is trying to "catch" him and runs off without helping Susan with her math studies. He does get in touch with Susan to apologize and explain what scared him, when she explains that she was doing what Amish do, they become friends again.

Teresa doesn't come into the bakery often, but she does notice Susan and on her second visit asks her if she's Amish. Teresa is pregnant, unmarried, and lives with her Mother on the wrong side of the tracks so to speak. Charlie, her boyfriend, wants her to have an abortion and her Mother wants the same thing if she doesn't give the child up for adoption. Teresa seeks out Susan to help her, she asks her to find an Amish family to adopt her baby. Susan finally agrees to write and ask her parents if she knows of anyone that would be willing to adopt a baby.

After Susan drops the letter in the mailbox, she realizes that her parents may get the wrong idea and think it is her baby, hers and Thomas's. She tried to reach in the drop box, but the letter had fallen down too far for her to reach it. Susan starts considering going home for a visit and maybe taking Teresa with her so Thomas's reputation isn't ruined by everyone thinking they'd let things go to far and that was the reason for the break up. When her parents receive the letter, they show it to one of Susan's sisters and her husband, after some discussion, not wanting to believe that Susan was talking about herself and thinking about the rumor mill, they decide it would be best if they invite Teresa to live in their community.

As Susan, Teresa and baby Samuel, who was born early, board a train and head to Indiana, Thomas is getting on a bus headed to New Jersey. Susan isn't sure if she will remain in Indiana or return to New Jersey and when Thomas arrives and asks about Susan at the bakery, Laura tell him that she's gone and that Susan and Robby are good friends. Thomas leaves the bakery to do some site seeing, until his train leaves that night, thinking Susan and Robby are more than friends. Will Susan return to New Jersey before Thomas returns to Indiana so they can talk to each other and work things out? I can't tell you, I hope it's in the next book, Following Your Heart, due out in May 2012. This book, Missing Your Smile is due out in February 2012.

I would recommend this book as a good investment of your money and time and I'm looking forward to finding out what happens next. Jerry S Eicher did a great job on this one.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Harvest House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”