Shannon here: Kelly Irvin shares insight into her latest Amish Romance, A Long Bridge Home, along with an excerpt, & a chance to win a copy. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing. Deadline: Feb 22nd, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Kelly:
Romance of a different kind by Kelly Irvin:
I always struggle when I sit down to write these articles about Amish romances. The Amish show their love and affection in much more subtle, yet incredibly romantic ways. They don’t have elaborate weddings. They don’t go to exotic destinations for honeymoons. They don’t wear wedding rings. (Not that there’s anything wrong with those things.) The Amish are romantic.
As I thought through the romance between A Long Bridge Home’s Christine Mast and Andy Lambright, it occurred to me that their biggest romantic gesture was their willingness to let one another go because it might be what’s best for them. They allow each other to forge their own paths through changes wrought in them by circumstances beyond their control. They know it’s necessary in order to find their way home.
Christine’s family, along with all the residents of West Kootenai, Montana, are forced to evacuate because of a
wildfire bearing down on the tiny community. Christine has no experience in the world. Her family moves to Kansas, but she stays behind to work in her uncle’s general store in nearby St. Ignatius. Andy goes home to his family’s farm near Lewistown. Their plan is to return to West Kootenai as soon as the evacuation order is lifted so they can marry.
God has other plans. For the first time, Christine is exposed to a world different from her own. Andy is brought face to face with the reason he left home. They both are rocked by unexpected challenges and events.
St. Ignatius is located on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Raymond Old Fox, who shops at the store, befriends Christine. She begins to learn about the spiritual life of the Native American Indians who lived in the region thousands of years before Lewis and Clark explored it. For the first time she’s forced to examine what she believes and why. Is it true that people can be good, kind, honorable, and even spiritual, but not go to heaven? How can a loving God allow such a thing?
Andy and Christine each contend with their own crisis of faith and
they’re no longer sure they are meant for each other. Andy’s hurt when he finds out Christine is spending time, however innocent, with another man. Christine is devastated when she learns the secret Andy has been guarding about his past. The moment comes when they decide to trust each other to walk the long bridge separately that will take them home.
It’s hard, it hurts, and there’s no guarantee of a happy ending. It’s also terribly romantic. They’re willing to give one another the space to strike out in opposite directions in order to affirm their faiths while asking God to safeguard their true love.
Now that’s a Godly romance.
Excerpt from A Long Bridge Home by Kelly Irvin:
Gott knows what’s in a person’s heart. That’s what Christine’s dad always said. How surprised would Andy be if Christine hopped from her bike and jumped into his arms? Rather than shocking him half to death, she settled for a sturdy wave. He plowed to a stop in the intersection, hopped from the buggy, and strode toward her with a frown on his tanned face.
“I couldn’t believe it when your daed said you went to work this morning with the preevacuation notice hanging over us.” He punctuated the statement with emotions—anger, worry, fear, love—in that gruff voice that never failed to send goose bumps hiking up Christine’s arms. “You should’ve been on the first wagon out of here.”
As usual her heart took a quick vacation from beating as she stared up at his unlined face with his forest-green
eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips. His normally crisp, clean blue shirt sported dark sweat stains. His pants were dirty. If only she could do his laundry. He towered over her, but so did most people. He said he liked that she was short and he never took advantage of it by treating her as if she were a child because she looked like one. “I was at DeeDee’s cleaning when they got the call.”
“Get in. My boss got the same call. I’ll put your bike in the back.”
Andy didn’t wait for her to agree. He waggled his fingers at Donut—so named because he’d never met a doughnut he didn’t like—and the dog hopped from the front seat into the back with a soft woof. Christine slipped from the bike and climbed into the buggy. Donut’s snout nudged her arm. She swiveled and petted the gray German shepherd’s grizzled head. “Jah, it’s gut to see you too, hund.”
Andy settled next to her and snapped the reins. “Your daed was headed back to the house. He asked me to come get you.”
“Do you think he knows about us?”
About Kelly: Best-selling author Kelly Irvin’s latest Amish romance is A Long Bridge Home, the second book in the series, Amish of Big Sky Country. She is the author of the Every Amish Season series from Zondervan/ HarperCollins, including Upon a Spring Breeze, winner of the 2018 Readers’ Choice Award in the long romance category. That series follows the Amish of Bee County Series, which included The Beekeeper’s Son, subject of a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly, calling it “an intricately woven masterpiece.” Among her other works are novellas in six collections. She is also the author of the Bliss Creek Amish series and the New Hope Amish series, both from Harvest House Publishing.
She has also penned four inspirational romantic suspense novels, Over the Line, Tell Her No Lies, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine.
Kelly’s novels, The Beekeeper’s Son and Love Redeemed, were finalists in the 2015 and 2016 contemporary romance category of the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Carol Awards Contest.
About the book – A Long Bridge Home:
After her community in the awe-inspiring Montana mountains is suddenly consumed by a raging wildfire, one young Amish woman finds herself in a new town where she’s introduced to the Native American culture of the Kootenai people.
When the Mast family is forced to evacuate their Montana home, Christine chooses not to move with her family to Kansas. Instead, she wants to stay closer to home and to her beau, Andy Lambright, who has yet to ask for her hand in marriage and who seems to be holding tightly to secrets from his past.
Now, living with her aunt and uncle in St. Ignatius, Christine is on her own for the first time in her life. While working in her uncle’s store Christine meets Raymond Old Fox, and he introduces her to his rich native culture with strong ties to the earth and nature. Despite the warnings of her aunt and uncle, Christine is inexplicably drawn to Raymond, and her mind is opened to a history and heritage far different from her own.
With her newly expanding horizons, Christine wonders if she can return to the domestic life that is expected of her. Her heart still longs to be with Andy, but she isn’t the same person she was before the fire, and she wonders if he can accept who she is becoming. Has too much distance grown between them? Or can they bridge the gap from past to present and find their way back together?
Question for Readers: Have you ever been forced to leave extended family, friends, or loved ones behind because your family had to move?
Come back Feb 14th for Pat Jeanne Davis!
Shelia Hall says
No ,thank goodness I haven’t!
Kathy Levernier says
Yes, my entire family was born, raised in the same 20 miles in the for
6 Generations.Husband was promoted several Times relocating us around the Midwest. Then, it was 3000 miles to the East End of Long Island. It may as well have been to the moon🌙. These folks have never traveled farther than the state over for 🐟fishing, where grandpa has a cabin. The movers came and so did everyone in the family😣 it may as well have been my funeral. It was goodbye like we will NEVER see 👀 each other again. I sobbed after I said good bye to my dad .. I didn’t grasp it till that very second as I pulled away seeing him standing there.😰I turned around got wiped not tears,out gavebhim a big hug. Left,sobbing in the car until my stomach hurt. I most likely would not even be back for a funeral. Too expensive. 😰 Dad raised us not to drive a car unnecessarily. It is vital for week-ya don’t drive it if you don’t need to. See no big trips. Just letter,☎phones. Great distances.
Kelly Irvin says
Thank you for sharing your story with us. How heart wrenching! I moved to Laredo, Texas, and eventually San Antonio, TX, when almost my entire family lives in Kansas. Some of my family members refuse to fly and others can’t afford to. They’ve driven down here a few times, but mostly it’s up to me go there. Families are so spread out now it can be really hard. My daughter and grandkids are in Virginia. It’s super hard to be so far away!
Lorraine Boyd says
My extended family luved in R.I, VT, and NY. I lived in MA. We always had a place to travel to. I would have liked to have seen my family locally. Many cousins went to school together. We had good family trips and visits.
Tiffany Hall says
No I have not, but my family did have to move away from us.
Betty King says
Nope…but looking forward to it.
Lorraine Boyd says
Kelly Irvan’s new book looks and sounds great.
Perrianne Askew says
No, we only had to leave (as a family) when our house flooded and when a car ran into the house. I was quite young when these things happened, and yes it was the same house.
Kelly Irvin says
thank you, Lorraine.
Lorraine Boyd says
I live the cover and look forward to reading it.
Kelly Irvin says
Wow, a car ran into your house, Perrianne! I hope no one was hurt.
Debbie Hazelton says
No, I have never had to move and leave loved ones behind. I got married right out of high school and my husband and I have lived in the same home for 49 years in April. Am looking forward to reading Kelly’s book. I love all of her books.
Jessica says
Not at all, I never was moved away. Honestly I don’t know how I could ever live like this. Thank God my family and I live close to one another. We stay contact no matter if it’s just miles away, but we are close.
Kelly Irvin says
That’s amazing, Debbie. My sister Debby and her husband are farmers in Kansas. They have lived in the same house since 1976, the year they married at age 19. So glad you like my books!
Melissa E. says
After my dad died my sister took my mom to live with her, I’ve always lived in ssme town as my parents and took care of them. It was heart breaking, I felt like I lost my dad and mom, it was very hard.
Linda Critcher says
Yes I have and it was surrounded by emotional and physical pain inflicted upon me and my family by jealousy and power hungry members of our church of 35 years. Yes, Christians can be cruel too. But don’t judge all by a few. It happens. We lost our home, income, and had to move, Leaving behind some precious friends. It’s been 11 years now and I still suffer from depression and anxiety. Being betrayed by those closest to you is beyond belief. But I have to leave it and the consequences in God’s hands. I can’t judge. My duty is to remain faithful.
Kelly Irvin says
So sorry to hear of your experience, Linda. I pray for healing of your wounds.
Pamela Kappel says
I’ve lived in the same town most of my life but 2 of my sisters have moved to another state that’s a long ways from here and I’ve never been able to go see them!
Beth Clark says
No, thank goodness! I would really dislike leaving behind my family and friends.
Tiffany Hall says
No I haven’t.
Ola Norman says
I’ve always lived in the same place. Sounds like this will be a good book.
bn100 says
nope
Wendy Newcomb says
Not really forced but my husband really wanted to move to Florida, from Nebraska, and I was not enthused at all. He applied for a job and they wanted him to start in TWO WEEKS, I said, “No way!”, lol. We did move within a month with the agreement,that since he wanted this move and I was giving up my job, I would not have to work, he agreed.
We lived in Florida for 18 years making trips back home once or twice a year. After 18 years we finally moved back ‘home’ five years after he became disabled.
I feel that the Lord was wanting us to move since everything ‘fell into place’ for us to be able to move, his ‘new’ employer even allowed him time off a month and a half after his start date to come home for our sons wedding AND paid all expenses to move the rest of our belongings to Florida.
wfnren at aol dot com
Kelly Irvin says
Love for our spouses leads to compromise in order to support them, doesn’t it. I gave up a good job in El Paso so that my husband could take a job in Fort Myers, FL about six months after we married. That job lead to a better one for him in San Antonio, where we’ve lived for the past 30-pluse years so I think it was a God thing.
Mandy Bentley says
Yes, my husband and I left home for about 1 1/2 years. It was hard, but necessary at the time.
Kim Hansen says
Yes many times.
Maryann says
Yes. My husband got a job offer in Texas when we lived in New York. Our extended family lived in New Jersey. It was hard and an adjustment for everyone.
Kelly Irvin says
It is hard, that’s for sure. I tried to look at it as an adventure. I loved to travel, but I’m an introvert so making new friends was hard!
Vivian Furbay says
Yes, when my first husband got orders for Germany when he was in the air force. It turned out to be a big blessing as I grew up in a military family and had gone to high school for one year where my ex was assigned. Also, I lived in MT for 5 years and have several relatives there which make me want to read this book.
SARAH TAYLOR says
No I haven’t ! Love the cover of your book it sounds amazing Thank you for the giveaway!
Shannon Vannatter says
I have a winner! Pamela Kappel won this drawing. I appreciate Kelly for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.