Their Secret Courtship by Emma Miller is a standalone novel with two central characters. Bay Stutzman is Amish; David Jansen was Amish but is now a Mennonite. The first sentence in the description is a perfect introduction: “They have almost everything in common…except the thing that could keep them apart.“
Bay is not your “typical” Amish maiden. She isn’t that interested in cooking and cleaning house isn’t on that list either. What she does like to do is work in the greenhouse with her stepbrother Joshua — so much so, she is half owner.
David Jansen owned and operated a commercial nursery in Wisconsin. He sold that business and has set up another when he moved to the community to assist his sister, Annie, a widow with a young son, Matty. Matty has not spoken since his father died. Annie is in her final trimester of pregnancy. When she and Bay meet, it’s like they have been friends forever.
Bay’s mam, Rosemary, seems determined about one thing — Bay must marry a good Amish husband. And soon. Bay is far more interested in plants. She is not husband-hunting and won’t even to please her mother.
Bay has a buggy accident. David rescues her and they discover they have interests in the same thing. And the story takes off from there.
The pacing of the story is good with side stories involving Annie, Matty, and Bay’s family — no cliffhanger ending. I really liked Bay; she knew what she wanted yet took other people’s feelings into account. I will admit it — I fell in love with Matty. The book was enjoyable. Good character development and enough “side” characters to make it interesting.
I received a complimentary e-ARC* copy of Their Secret Courtship via NetGalley and HARLEQUIN – Romance (U.S. & Canada), Love Inspired. A positive review was not required; the opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Rating: 4.5 stars. I felt the ending before the Epilogue was just a bit weak. However, I have rounded the stars to five.
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Updated: 1/20/2022- moved post to new review format.
