Review: Happily Ever Amish by Shelley Shepard Gray Is "Simply" Charming

Happily Ever Amish is book one of three in The Amish of Apple Creek series by Shelley Shepard Gray.

Apple Creek is a real Ohio town, named after a nearby creek, with less than 1200 residents. Apple Creek and the surrounding area has been home to a large Amish community since the mid-1800s, and it's here that Gray sets her sweet story.

Happily Ever Amish Plot

Addie Holmes is 19 and considered an oddity by her peers, which means she has few friends her own age and no prospects for a husband in the small Amish community of Apple Creek. Since her parents gave her up when she was small, her formidable grandmother raised her, and Addie's personal drama is the primary reason why other teens have teased and avoided her since childhood. Addie's pet donkey is another point of gossip among her contemporaries.

Daniel Miller has known Addie most of his life, yet, like his friends, he has never made an effort to speak to her. When he spies her standing alone and disconnected at an Amish engagement party, his heart softens to her plight. With good intentions, he resolves to bolster her self-confidence by mailing her a secret admirer letter.

Addie is surprised by the letter and worries it's a prank at her expense. Despite her fears, she engages in correspondence with the would-be admirer, and the two exchange letters via a hollow tree.

As Daniel gets better acquainted with Addie through the letters and chance personal encounters, he realizes that she is sweet, warm, hard-working, and independent, as well as pretty. He develops deeper feelings for her, which surprises his closest friends, who vow to be kinder to her, too.

Conflict arises when Addie's grandmother experiences a health crisis, her parents make an appearance, and she discovers the identity of her secret admirer before Daniel has a chance to reveal the truth on his own. Can their budding relationship survive it?

Happily Ever Amish Is "Simply" Sweet

The character arcs in Gray's novel are well-developed. Addie begins as an insecure young lady who evolves into a self-confident woman who learns to let go of past hurts and embrace the present and all its possibilities. Daniel behaves like an immature schoolboy in his initial stab at courtship, but he follows his heart, does the right thing, and becomes a stronger male leader as the story unfolds. Daniel's actions inspire his peers, who stop defaming and judging Addie as their empathy expands and they welcome her into their circle. Addie's mother, Kate, appears late in the story, but her personal journey is chronicled earlier in the novel--by the time she's introduced, her character arc is nearly complete.

Happily Ever Amish includes several inspirational elements. When the characters face conflict, they are reminded to lean on God, and when they keep their eyes fixed on Him, their perspectives change. They strive to make God-honoring choices, and when they fall short, they pray. As they encounter God's grace, they intentionally extend the same grace towards others. Another underlying thread throughout the novel is counting one's blessings. The characters learn that instead of viewing difficult circumstances negatively, to focus on how God is using those trials for their good. People of faith will love the biblical filter included in the novel. Those with no religious affiliation will appreciate the heartwarming story because the Christian aspect isn't heavy-handed.

Gray's novel includes the theme of self-sacrifice, something that is becoming increasingly foreign in a culture brimming with narcissists! Addie selflessly cares for her grandmother and rises to the challenges of running an Amish home and property on her own, and she does it all without complaining, self-pity, or resentment. She looks for opportunities to do good for others, whether it's baking a loaf of bread to gift to an ageing neighbor, cooking her grandmother a hearty meal, or sharing Snickers with local hospitals and nursing homes to bring comfort to those in therapy.

Happily Ever Amish is a simple story and a quick read, yet it's laden with relational complexities and emotional depth that pull the reader right into the heart of Apple Creek.

The Book Nerd Weighs in on the Review of Happily Ever Amish by Shelley Shepard Gray

I have an admission--Happily Ever Amish is my first EVER read in this genre.

I'm an Ohioan who grew up near Amish Country. The places referenced in this novel--Apple Creek, Wooster, Kidron--are a little further out from my old stomping grounds of Walnut Creek, Berlin, and Sugarcreek, but the cultural feel is the same.

Amish fiction is ever present in the small shops and restaurants throughout the touristy hotspots, but I always pass them by, thinking to myself that they would likely be too simple to be interesting and read worthy.

As I noticed the genre exploding in popularity, I realized that I needed to give it a chance. I just couldn't land on the first author to try. Beverly Lewis? Suzanne Woods? Charlotte Hubbard? Cindy Woodsmall? Amy Clipston? Wanda Brunstetter? The list of Amish fiction authors continues to grow with the customer demand for more of this genre.

Shelley Shepard Gray caught my eye because she's a fellow Ohioan who writes about settings that are familiar to me, so her books seemed like the best place to start.

Happily Ever Amish is a delight from beginning to end, and I now grasp why readers find the genre so riveting. The power is in the simplicity. The books are clean, uplifting, offer insight into the mystique of Amish culture, center on universal truths about relationships, and are faith-filled without sounding preachy.

I can't wait to read more!

Who Are Your Favorite Amish Fiction Authors?

In the comment section, share your favorite Amish fiction authors along with some of the titles you've enjoyed the most. You can help newbies like me find our next great Amish fiction read!

Check Out The Amish of Apple Creek Series

Click on the images below to explore each of the three books in The Amish of Apple Creek series by Shelley Shepard Gray.

Book 1 in the series, as mentioned in my review, is Happily Ever Amish.

Happily Ever Amish is Book 1 in the series.

Book 2 is titled Once Upon a Buggy. It sounds fascinating and is on my TBR list. It's hyped as a Beauty and the Beast tale because it's about a young Amish woman (May) who once got too close to a fire, which resulted in extensive burns to her best friend (Carl), who ends up leaving town for extensive surgeries. When he returns six years later, she thinks he hates her, and he assumes she can't see past his scars and wants nothing to do with him.

Once Upon a Buggy is Book 2 in the series.

Book 3 is An Amish Cinderella and is about a woman who is too busy taking care of her widowed father, juggling chores, and managing pets to even think about marriage--until a young man moves into town and becomes a blacksmith's apprentice to her father.

The final book in the series (unless Gray surprises us with more) is An Amish Cinderella.

If you find yourself like me, looking for a place to begin in the Amish fiction genre, I highly recommend Shelley Shepard Gray.

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Review of Happily Ever Amish by Shelley Shepard Gray