A Daughter's Dream Book Review

I was excited to get the next book by Shelley Sheppard Gray, A Daughter's Dream: The Charmed Amish Life, Book Two. I love the characters and writing of this author and they seem to be a little slower coming to my library so I was excited to get it even before it was released!!  Of course, I signed up for way too many review books with one due every Friday so I had a lot of other books ahead and I couldn't skip the order or I would be late on my other reviews so I totally had to be patient and forget that I had this book farther down in the stack but I cheered when I got it out!!

In Shelley Shepard Gray’s second book in her Charmed Amish Life series, a young teacher and farmer discover they have much in common, especially when it comes to healing old wounds from the past…and finding love in one another.
Rebecca Kinsinger has always dreamed of being a teacher. But when she’s given the opportunity she’s been waiting for at Charm Amish School, she’s dismayed to discover that teaching is hard work—work she’s afraid she’s not very good at.

That is, until Lilly Yoder joins the class. A thirteen-year old who’s just lost her parents, Lilly is in need of someone like Rebecca. For the first time since starting her new job, Rebecca feels a sense of purpose. But when she meets Lilly’s uncle, Jacob, his good looks and sweet, easy-going temperament are hard to ignore. How can she even entertain romantic thoughts of Jacob when his niece is her student?
Suddenly becoming Lily’s sole caregiver, Jacob Yoder never thought he’d be a single parent—or a farmer. Having been living in Florida as a carpenter, Jacob feels more at home wielding a hammer than a backhoe. The only bright spot in his life is Rebecca Kinsinger. As Lily and Rebecca develop a bond, Jacob’s fondness for the pretty teacher grows, too.  But when a fateful accident brings them together, Rebecca and Jacob must choose between duty and desire. Will they follow the path before them? Or set out to find true happiness…and true love?

I love the characters and writing for Shelley Shepard Gray's books.  The even better news is that I read the first book in the series so I totally should have remembered all of the characters as the book unfolded (review of first book here).  The great thing was you didn't really need to know the characters until about a third of the way through the book, I forgot that there was a book before it and they mentioned something from the first book and I was super excited to be reminded.  I love how this story unfolded with the school and the mill being the central places that most of the action happened.  Rebecca was trying to fulfill her dreams by volunteering at the school instead of working at the family mill.  She tried to make herself happy and quickly learned that the school and the children there were wonderful but it wasn't her dream.  I love that her family was supportive enough to let her try something different and figure out whether it made her more happy.  I hope that you check out this book and others in the Charmed Amish Life series and enjoy them as much as I have!

**I was given a copy of the book for my review and honest opinion.  All opinions here are my own.

If you would like to get your own copy, enter to win a copy of A Daughter’s Dream—five winners will be chosen! Click the image below to enter to win. The winners will be announced June 8th on Shelley’s blog!