hopeful by Shelley Shepard Gray - Review of the first book in the Return To Sugarcreek series

BACK  OF  THE  BOOK  BLURB

Miriam Zehr has worked at the Sugarcreek Inn longer than she cares to admit. The restaurant is a favorite of town residents as well as the many tourists who come to taste the famous Amish fare. Though she always tries to have a smile for every customer, deep down Miriam knows something's missing: a family of her own.

Miriam has never felt particularly beautiful, especially because she's always been a bit heavier than other girls her age. When Junior, the man she's pined for all her life, suddenly seeks her out, she's thrilled to be noticed . . until she realizes he's onlly asking her to help get the attention of Mary Kathryn Hershberger, her pretty friend.

If Miriam helps Junior court Mary Kathryn, shell get to spend a lot of time with him, but she might lose him in the process. Are these few stolen moments worth a lifetime of sacrifice? Is Miriam right to even hope for the life she dreams of?

MY  REVIEW

Shelley did a good job of showing what true love really means. This isn't a long book but it is a very good one. It's nice to be drawn in to a story so quickly and you can only pray that you would be as good a person as Miriam is. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the series, "thankful" is already out and "joyful" is due to come out in September.