Deb’s Dozen: Wrong place, wrong time, wrongfully accused. Abigail and Sam ignite personal flames.

Abigail Stutzman is feeling abandoned—she’d been dropped at a bus station by the parents who apparently didn’t want her anymore. Living with some relatives she little knew, she got in with the wrong bunch of folks. Investigating smoke in a barn, she discovers a fire and runs out to get help, only to run into the arms of firefighter Sam Miller. Sam believes Abigail set the fire, but the emotional vibes between them are hotter than the barn fire.

The Amish Firefighter sold out of its first edition copies within a couple of weeks of its release last May. While I usually do not like Amish stories, I can understand the lure of escaping to a simpler, less complex life. And I could also see why this book sold out within weeks—this is the best Amish romance I’ve read in a couple of years! Five stars to the Amish Firefighter!

Laura V. Hilton is a pastor’s wife of five children: two sons and three daughters. She homeschools them, writes reviews, and writes two blogs. She says she is now “putting on the new” and seriously writing. When asked why Amish, she related research into the family history (her maternal grandparents are Amish) fascinated her. She wanted to bring the history up to contemporary times. She too believes Amish stories are popular because women are drawn to the simplicity—“escape to peace and quiet of a simpler time.” Laura includes Scripture and strong faith messages to draw readers closer to God.

I asked her what she learned about Laura while writing this book. She said she learned “God can come through even if I don’t know where the book is going.” She learned a total and complete surrender to God.

The Amish Firefighter is Laura’s 11th Whitaker House novel. Her next book, The Amish Wanderer, should release in February 2017. Laura Hilton graduated with a business degree from Ozarka Technical College in Melbourne, Arkansas. A member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, she is a professional book reviewer for the Christian market, with more than a thousand reviews published on the Web. Learn more about Laura at her website, www.lauravhilton.blogspot.com, and her book review site, http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com. She and her husband live in Horseshoe Bend, Arkansas.

I received a complimentary copy of The Amish Firefighter from Whitaker House but was not obligated to write a favorable review.