Living in Harmony

by Mary Ellis

Overview

Living in Harmony is the first book in bestselling author Mary Ellis’s New Beginnings series. It’s about fresh starts and love…and how faith in God and His perfect plan for our lives provides us with the peace and joy we desire.

Amy King—young, engaged, and Amish—faces difficult challenges in her life when she suddenly loses both of her parents in a house fire. Her fiancé, John Detweiler, persuades her and her sister Nora to leave Lancaster County and make a new beginning with him in Harmony, Maine, where he has relatives who can help the women in their time of need.

John’s brother Thomas and sister-in-law Sally readily open their home to the three newcomers. Wise beyond his years, Thomas, a minister in the district, refuses to marry Amy and John upon their arrival, suggesting instead a period of adjustment and counseling. During this time Amy discovers an aunt who was shunned. She wishes to reconnect with her, but this puts a strain on her relationship with John.

Can John and Amy find a way to live in happily in Harmony before making a lifetime commitment to one another?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780736942867
Publisher:	Harvest House Publishers
Publication date:	08/01/2012
Series:	The New Beginnings Series , #1
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	359,487
File size:	821 KB

About the Author

Mary Ellis is the bestselling author of many books, including A Widow's Hope, An Amish Family Reunion, and Living in Harmony. She and her husband live in central Ohio, where they try to live a simpler style of life.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Mary Ellis's new book was fantastic— once I picked it up I had a hard time putting it down. She has really outdone herself on this new series. It is a winner for sure.”
—Lois Klobucher

“Living in Harmony contains all the elements I value so highly in her previous books. She writes about the Amish community with solid understanding, yet she doesn’t make the members sound perfect. If you haven’t read one of Mary’s books before, you’ll find this one a great place to begin. And if you have, you should know that Living in Harmony is just as well-written and interesting as you’ve come to expect from this author’s work.”
—Mary Johnson

"Another great read from Mary Ellis!"
—Terri Wangard

“Mary Ellis has shown through an outstanding story some of the differences among the Amish. The characters are well developed and believable, and the plot is riveting. Above all, her characters have a sense of humor, making them people you'd like to meet and chat with. Once again Mary has told a story about the Amish as real people. I highly recommend this book.”
—Rosanna Huffman

“I really loved the story.”
—Tina Watson

“This story takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster and will keep you turning the page. Insights into the differences within the communities of the Amish orders and the impact of shunning on the families are revealed in quite a personal way. Mary Ellis never disappoints. But, I have learned one thing when it comes to her books, I never begin one until I have enough time to savor every scene from start to finish. I just cannot stop once I begin the story and always find myself wanting the next story right away.”
—Donna Taylor

“Well-rounded and interesting characters will keep you engaged soon after you turn page one. The Amish may be referred to as ‘simple’ but just as the world we live in, the road can be just as uneven as they are faced with the same challenges as us. Mary does a wonderful job creating a storyline that is believable with characters that you will root for to find their own way to live in Harmony.”
—Michelle Durben, destinationamish.com

“This story was well written and I enjoyed it a great deal.”
—Ginger Solomon

Editorial Reviews

"Another great read from Mary Ellis!"
--Terri Wangard

"I really loved the story."
--Tina Watson

"Mary Ellis has shown through an outstanding story some of the differences among the Amish. The characters are well developed and believable, and the plot is riveting. Above all, her characters have a sense of humor, making them people you'd like to meet and chat with. Once again Mary has told a story about the Amish as real people. I highly recommend this book."
--Rosanna Huffman

"This story takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster and will keep you turning the page. Insights into the differences within the communities of the Amish orders and the impact of shunning on the families are revealed in quite a personal way. Mary Ellis never disappoints. But, I have learned one thing when it comes to her books, I never begin one until I have enough time to savor every scene from start to finish. I just cannot stop once I begin the story and always find myself wanting the next story right away."
--Donna Taylor

"This story was well written and I enjoyed it a great deal."
--Ginger Solomon

"Well-rounded and interesting characters will keep you engaged soon after you turn page one. The Amish may be referred to as 'simple' but just as the world we live in, the road can be just as uneven as they are faced with the same challenges as us. Mary does a wonderful job creating a storyline that is believable with characters that you will root for to find their own way to live in Harmony."
--Michelle Durben, destinationamish.com

"Living in Harmony contains all the elements I value so highly in her previous books. She writes about the Amish community with solid understanding, yet she doesn't make the members sound perfect. If you haven't read one of Mary's books before, you'll find this one a great place to begin. And if you have, you should know that Living in Harmony is just as well-written and interesting as you've come to expect from this author's work."
--Mary Johnson

"Mary Ellis's new book was fantastic-- once I picked it up I had a hard time putting it down. She has really outdone herself on this new series. It is a winner for sure."
--Lois Klobucher

From the Publisher

Amy and Nora King lose both of their parents in a fire. Amy's fiancé, John Detweiler, convinces the sisters to travel with him to Harmony, ME. They are welcomed by John's brother and sister-in-law, who belong to a strict Amish sect. When the sisters learn of an aunt who was shunned, they want to get to know her, but John and his family don't think it's a good idea. VERDICT Ellis is known for her Amish fiction, particularly her Miller family series. The series debut doesn't quite live up to her previous works. The plot moves slowly, even for Amish fiction, and not all of the characters are entirely likable. Still, Ellis's fans will want to pick it up, so libraries with strong Amish collections should purchase.

Library Journal