The Amish Ballerina by granddaughter and grandmother authors Richelle Brunstetter and Wanda Brunstetter is a Christian contemporary Amish book. It is not part of any series and is a standalone novel. It has the most unique storyline of any Amish book that I have ever read.
This is the story of Arie Kauffman, an Amish young woman. She helps her parents at home and in their store. Her English friend, Lorrina Moore, has secretly been teaching ballet lessons for years. Arie has kept this knowledge from everyone, including her family and boyfriend, Edwin Chupp. She practices in the loft of the barn away from everyone.
There are a lot of characters in this novel. Most of them seem to be disgruntled for one reason or another. Even Arie gets gloomy at times. There were a lot of side stories going on to keep straight.
I was not certain how the authors would integrate ballet dancing into an Amish novel. They did in a plausible way, and I was impressed. Their descriptive words whisked me away to that Amish barn where I envisioned Arie gracefully twirling and leaping to an unheard melody. There are some twists and turns in the story. A few are predictable while others are not.
There are many life and spiritual lessons woven intricately into this tale. Honoring parents, forgiveness, faith, love, trusting God are just a few. Overall I found it to be an entertaining and enjoyable read. I would recommend it to Amish readers for something different from the normal Amish book. It gets a 4 out of 5 star rating from this reader. A complementary copy was provided by Barbour Publishing, but these are my honest words.
About the Authors:
Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of over 100 books with more than 12 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher’s Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.
Wanda’s fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda’s desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.
All of Wanda’s novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.
Wanda’s primary attraction to the Amish is their desire to live a devout Christian life that strives to honor God, work hard, and maintain close family ties. Whenever she visits her Amish friends, Wanda finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties, which is in stark contrast to the chaos and busyness that plagues so many modern “Englishers.” Time and time again, Wanda loses her heart in the Amish life, and she hopes her readers will, too. For more information, visit: http://www.WandaBrunstetter.com
Richelle Brunstetter lives in the Pacific Northwest and developed a desire to write when she took creative writing in high school. After enrolling in college classes, her overall experience enticed her to become a writer, and she wants to implement what she’s learned into her stories. Just starting her writing career, her first published story appears in The Beloved Christmas Quilt beside her grandmother, Wanda E. Brunstetter, and her mother, Jean.
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