Leah, inflicted with serious and progressing scoliosis since childhood, has accepted the fact that as a young Amish woman facing a physical disability that makes it hard for her to carry a 'normal' workload, it is unlikely that she will marry and have a family. Her family loves her, but treats her differently from their other children, out of fear for her health. Her Amish faith lets her see the situation as being God's will; but while she accepts her fate, she secretly wishes she could live a 'normal' life, with normal goals and dreams. Then hope arises unexpectedly in the form of spine surgeon who offers to help her at a huge discount. Has God sent her a way to achieve her dreams? Will she seize this opportunity? Will her family be able to afford the cost? When she is offered a summer position as a nanny to the doctor's two adorable children, she finds the courage to take the first step, moving to Cleveland where she can more conveniently undergo the medical tests necessary to determine whether she is a good candidate for corrective surgery. And then she begins a correspondence with a boy she has been friends with since her school days, giving rise to a different kind of hope. With God's help, and the love and support of family and friends, old and new, Leah faces her fears and embraces hope. Joanne Lehman's new book, the first in a trilogy, was very engaging and well-researched. I look forward to the next installment in the series!
