Review: Her Fear by Shelley Shepard Gray

Title: Her Fear by Shelley Shepard Gray
The Amish of Hart County Series Book Five
Publisher: Avon Inspire
Genre: Contemporary, Amish, Romance, Suspense
Length: 288 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

In New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray’s latest novel of suspense in her Amish of Hart County series, an EMT falls for a woman with ties to an Amish community where people are dying similar, suspicious deaths.

Sadie Detweiler never imagined she’d move to Kentucky, yet here she is: a pregnant, unmarried Amish girl banished by unforgiving parents to live with kin she barely knows. The men are gruff and her cousins are secretive. Worst of all, elderly matriarch Verba becomes mysteriously ill shortly after Sadie moves in. When EMT Noah Freeman arrives, Sadie immediately notices he’s unlike any other Amish man she’s met. Noah is warm, confident, and has an easy way with practically everyone in the community, both Amish and English. Though Sadie is drawn to him, she has little hope he will reciprocate her feelings once he learns she’s with child.

Noah can’t understand how a girl as sweet and lovely as Sadie ended up sleeping on a cot in Verba Stauffer’s kitchen. He also senses Sadie is terrified of something. Concerned, he checks up on her. Eventually they strike up a friendship and soon their attraction is undeniable. When Verba later dies at the hospital and her death is followed by two others, Noah’s boss wants him to dig around the Amish community for clues. He agrees—for Sadie’s sake—because only the truth will keep her safe and by his side.

Review:

Her Fear by Shelley Shepard Gray is an engrossing and touching Amish romance that also features a suspenseful element. Although this newest release is the fifth installment in The Amish of Hart County series, it can be read as a standalone.

Sadie Detweiler’s unexpected pregnancy throws her life into turmoil when her suitor refuses to marry her and her parents shun her in order to maintain their standing in the community. Sent to live with relatives in Kentucky, Sadie is uncertain of her new role in the household. This uneasiness increases when soon after her arrival matriarch Verba Stauffer dies of a mysterious illness. Amish EMT Noah Freeman is one of the paramedics who responds to Verba’s emergency and he is immediately smitten with Sadie. However, the Stauffer clan is closed off and secretive with outsiders and they urge Sadie to ignore Noah. Noah’s concern that Sadie is not safe with her relatives increases in the wake of several other deaths that might linked to the Stauffer’s.  Will the discovery of Sadie’s pregnancy coupled with the Stauffer’s reputation ruin her chance for a future with Noah?

Sadie’s family is part of a very strict Amish community and her father rules the household with an iron fist. Nevertheless, she is stunned when their believe her suitor’s lies when she reveals her pregnancy. Unable to reject her father’s plan for her to move to Kentucky, Sadie finds herself on a bus with little money. She quickly senses the tension in the Stauffer home, but she is naively unaware of their secret business dealings. Sadie walks on eggshells around the members of the household and she has no idea why her uncle and cousins are wary of her burgeoning relationship with Noah.

Noah’s family is loving and supportive of his decision to become an EMT. In his mid-twenties, he has devoted himself to his new career so he is taken aback by his unexpected interested in Sadie. Despite her efforts to hold him at arms’ length, Noah continues to gently court her. Unaware that there is more to her hesitation to become involved with him than her current living arrangement, he is stunned when he learns she is pregnant. Will this unexpected revelation alter Noah’s growing affection for her?

Her Fear  is a fast-paced and engaging romance that highlights the hidden and unusual aspects of Amish life. The story arc with Noah provides an intriguing glimpse into the “non-traditional” career choices that allow Amish to give back to both their immediate and Englisch communities. The Stauffer’s career choice is a very unusual for an Amish family and this aspect of the storyline shows that greed can lead people to make horrible decisions they find difficult to undo. Sadie’s plight exposes the abuse that goes on behind closed doors even within tight-knight communities. This newest addition to Shelley Shepard Gray’s The Amish of Hart County series is sure to be a hit with old and new fans of this wonderful series.