**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for consideration. All thoughts are 100% my own.
Back and broke in Stoney Ridge, Jimmy Fisher has coasted as long as he could through life on charm, good looks, and deep-set dimples. They always worked just fine for him--until they didn't. His smile has no effect on the violet-eyed beauty he met at the Bent N' Dent, the one with that stunning horse. She's offered him a job, but nothing else.
The last thing Sylvie Schrock King needs around Rising Star Farm is a grown boy working for her, especially her neighbor Edith's son. The woman holds a serious grudge against Sylvie and her son, and hiring Jimmy Fisher will only fan the flames of Edith's rancor. But Sylvie is desperate for help on the farm, and Jimmy understands horses like no one else.
While Jimmy's lazy smile and teasing ways steal Sylvie's heart, Edith is working on a way to claim her land. Has Sylvie made another terrible mistake? Or is it too late to outfox the fox? More importantly . . . just who is the fox?
Writing with both wit and warmth, Fisher delivers a supremely satisfying conclusion to the popular Deacon's Family series.
Suzanne Woods Fisher is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than thirty books, including Mending Fences and Stitches in Time, as well as the Nantucket Legacy, Amish Beginnings, The Bishop's Family, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, among other novels. She is also the author of several nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and Amish Proverbs. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Facebook @SuzanneWoodsFisherAuthor and Twitter @suzannewfisher.
Two Steps Forward is the third and final book in Suzanne Woods Fisher's The Deacons Family... and I must admit I'm sad to see it end as I've really enjoyed this group of characters that we have gotten to know throughout. And yes, we get to revisit those characters in this book as well. Still, if you haven't read the previous two books, I think this would read just fine as a standalone too. I had personally only read the second book, and find that while you might miss some good backstory on some of the characters, you won't feel lost in the story anyway.
In this story we meet Sylvie and Jimmy... two rather unique characters, neither seeking out romance. And yet, isn't that when it usually finds us? The romance in this one seemed rather slow building, but I enjoyed that myself. Like so many of the other characters we've met so far in this series, both have had a bit of a rough, even questionable past. I love this about this series. So often I think we picture the Amish as being perfectly obedient to God and the ways of their culture. This however isn't always true... even in the Amish community, faithful though it might be, there are struggles, many of those the same in basic human nature as those that we struggle with.
Two Steps Forward definitely had a pro-life message weaved throughout the story. Like the previous book that talked a lot about foster care, this was likewise another important element here... but even more so seemed to talk about saving babies before they reached that point. It was a really great message that tied into the story quite beautifully.
While I tend not to give any spoilers at all, I think it is important to note that this book does talk about a miscarriage. This is not until towards the very end of the story and though important to the story line, I wouldn't say it was a focus in the story... however having gone through a miscarriage not even two weeks before reading this book and still recovering both physically and emotionally from that experience, it took me by surprise. For those that might be sensitive to the topic, this is something that might be worth noting so you are better prepared than I was.
That said, it was still a great read. It had a great mix of humor, family drama, romance and some pretty unexpected twists that kept me reading right through to the very end. While I hate to say goodbye to these characters I've come to enjoy, this was certainly a great conclusion to the series!
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