Katie Opens Her Heart by Jerry S Eicher - Review of the first book in Emma Raber's Daughter series

Emma Raber has been a widow for many years and has one child Katie. Emma has only loved two men, one in her youth but when he married someone else she made a fool of herself then agreed to marry Ezra Raber even though she didn't love him. When Emma became pregnant she did fall in love with Ezra and they were a happy family until the day he died. After Ezra's death she became withdrawn and refuses to let anyone into her or Katie's life, she is now known as 'strange' Emma and Katie is known as 'plain Katie', Emma Raber's daughter. Katie doesn't have any Amish friends and was not allowed to participate in rumspringa. Katie works at Byler's Store with other Amish and some Mennonite's.

Jesse Mast has been a widower for about a year and has five children. He has been doing a good job but feels there is too much responsibility put on his oldest daughter Mabel and even his younger daughter Carolyn did more than she should have too. He gets the idea that he needs a wife and his children need a mamm.

Widow Ruth Troyer, who has no children, is teaching school this year and uses this to her advantage to get involved in Jesse's family life. The children like her but she has some work to get Jesse to be convinced that she would make a good frau for him and mamm for his children.

Katie has eyes for Ben Stoll, which Emma senses and sees Katie on the same path she was on in her youth so she refuses to let Katie court or even think about boys. When Katie is invited to the birthday party of a Mennonite boy she accepts and goes against her mamm's orders and goes anyway. She really enjoys herself and continues going to their activities. Now Emma has another problem, she feels like Katie is going to leave her Amish faith and become Mennonite.

Emma has to find help somewhere but who can she turn to? Ruth is inviting herself to Jesse's house more than he appreciates so what can he do about this situation? Katie is trying to push her mamm into Jesse's life, Jesse's children don't like Emma or Katie but they adore Ruth. Emma, Ruth and Jesse have known each other since their youth but have never been close friends, will everything turn out for each of them?

Jerry did a good job of keeping me reading, I think it took me about two days to finish this book, which is good for me, lol. I'm anxious to see what comes next in this series. I see there are two more books coming, Katie's Journey to Love due out in April and Katie's Forever Promise coming out in October. At least April isn't too far away.

I would gladly recommend this book for any reader of fiction and especially Amish fiction.

Thank you to Harvest House Publishers for providing this book for review. 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