Book Review: The Pretender

Book Title: The Pretender

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Publisher: Barbour Publishing

Publisher Date: 01 August 2025 (320 Pages, Paperback)

Genres: Amish, Amish fiction, Romance, Mystery, Fiction

Series: Mifflin County Mystery #3

A Woman Missing for Two Years Suddenly Returns Home

In book three of the Mifflin County Mystery series, Rosa Petersheim's return creates more hurt and confusion in the Big Valley.

Two years since Rosa Petersheim mysteriously disappeared from her Amish home, there has been no word from her. Her family and friends have suffered in the silence, though they have tried to move on with life.

Then one day Rosa just as suddenly reappears at her parent's home. . .with a husband in tow.

Rosa is ashamed of the choices she made that caused her to leave home. And now that she is back, her father is not welcoming and her siblings and friends want explanations that she can't give.

Will Rosa's family accept her and Anthony? Can the Big Valley ever be home again?

Disclaimer: I received this book from Wanda Clippty Clop Club, through the publisher. This is my honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.
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We are introduced to Anthony, who is working while waiting for a young woman who was running late for her shift. 

This young woman, who goes by the name Eileen Person. She came on, tears in her eyes, and she seemed ashamed at what she did.

They make a plan and then head to her family's hometown. It turns out that this young woman is Risa, who disappeared from home two years ago and has now returned, pretending to be married.

We get a glimpse of Anthony's parents, Larvane and Herb, and a little bit of their home life. 

Will the family welcome them back? Will Anthony fall for the community, and will he fall in love with Rosa? Will the community welcome Rosa back in with her husband?

The act continues, though Susan got suspicious of her sister Rosa, and her husband; she is not happy about Rosa coming home.

Rosa and Anthony are getting along and are starting to fall in love with each other, despite appearing to be happily married.

There are some twists and turns, but god may have a plan for Rosa and Anthony?

 

Book Review: The Peacemaker

Book Title: The Peacemaker

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Publisher: Barbour Fiction

Publisher Date: March 1, 2025 (320 Pages, Paperback)

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Christian Fiction, Amish Fiction

Series: Mifflin County Mystery # 2

An Unresolved Mystery Holds an Amish Community in Limbo

In book two of A Mifflin County Mystery series, Rosa Petersheim’s disappearance continues to cause suspicion and pain to swirl in the Big Valley.

Ada’s best friend, Rosa, disappeared a year ago and still has not been found. In their grief and confusion, Ada and Rosa’s boyfriend, Ephraim, have grown very close. But some in the community feel Ephraim is responsible for Rosa’s disappearance. Now Rosa’s younger sister is making accusations against Ephraim that can’t be true, and he pulls away from Ada, feeling betrayed. A fire set by an arsonist might finally be the thing to reveal secrets that have long been dividing this community of friends and family. But will it be too late for love between the peacemaker and the suspect?

Disclaimer: I received this book from Wanda Clippty Clop Club, and this is my honest review.

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We are welcome back to the Big Valley. Where we left off, we see Rosa's best friend's point of view. In this book, we get to follow Ada and Ephraim some more. Will we find out what happened to Rosa? Is she still alive, or is she gone? Norman and Salina, how are they doing as well? Will we finally see Norman and Salina get married?

We are also still following the Rosa Family; the community is still grieving, and suspicion is still going around. So, we are still suspecting or taking action on Ephraim of Rosa's disappearance. But is there more to the community than dividing it apart?

Will Ada and Ephraim get together, or will it fall apart? Is there love between Ada and Ephraim? There is so much confusion and pain surrounding Rosa's disappearance that it is hard for anyone to know for sure. But what will happen? Will there be love between a peacemaker and a suspect? Will it last, or will it be too late for the two of them?

Well, Ephraim will return to Lancaster County, where his grandma lives. Will Ephraim and his grandma stay there? But does the Lord have plans?

Ephraim is pondering whether to start looking or make some friends in Lancaster in case he ends up staying.

He seems to ponder this when he finds Blue in the barn. Eventually, he finds a missing pup and starts looking for its owner. He meets Anna.

Back with Ada, she seems to be going about her dad as a greenhouse but appears to be fighting her feelings for Ephraim, though she doesn't know if it's a good thing or not, when she knows Rosa broke the relationship up with Ephraim.

Ada hears about Susan through her mother and her friend's mother. She hears Susan lying about not being at a young people's gathering and being out with Ben.

Though Ephraim's father seems to have suffered a major injury that has put him in the hospital and made him and his grandmother hurry to Lewistown, is there a way to pray for them to stay in the Big Valley for good? Or will his grandmother want to return to Lancaster and have her eldest grandchildren go with her?

 

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Book Review: The Protector

Book Title: The Protector

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Publisher: Barbour Fiction

Publisher Date: August 1, 2024 (320 Pages, Paperback)

Genres: Mystery, Romance, Christian Fiction, Amish Fiction

Series: Mifflin County Mystery # 1

A Mysterious Disappearance Shakes an Amish Family’s Faith In book one of A Mifflin County Mystery series, Rosa Petersheim has disappeared from the Big Valley without a trace. Norman always considered himself his sister’s protector and can’t believe she would have left home of her own accord—so he must have failed her. He throws all he has into helping the authorities search for Rosa, while trying to support his parents and siblings who are struggling both mentally and physically. Salina Swarey loves Norman and hopes they are headed towards marriage, but his obsession with Rosa’s whereabouts is driving them apart. Can Norman find a place of peace and contentment if he never learns where Rosa is?

Disclaimer: I received this book from Wanda Clippty Clop Club, which is my honest review.

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We find out that his sister has mysteriously disappeared. Everyone does not know where she is or what happened to her. Each member of the family is dealing with her disappearance in different ways. Rosa is missing, and no one has heard from her.

As months go on, how will each member react and deal with their loss? Will Rosa's mother ever stop pinning for her daughter? Will Norman accept that he may not be able to find his sister? Will he be able to move on with life?  Each sibling is dealing with their sibling Rosa a bit differently. But can they come to peace with Rosa's disappearance and not contact them? No one knows what happened, and Rosa's boyfriend seems to be suspected, at least by Norman, as her boyfriend was the last to see her.

Norman seems obsessed with his sister's disappearance. Will he be able to keep his relationship strong with his girlfriend, or will his sister's disappearance cause them to drift apart? Can Norman find peace if he never finds out where his sister has gone?

Norman seems to be learning about something, though something happens to his girlfriend's horse. Will Norman and Salina make it? Salina hopes that she and Norman will get married soon. Will Norman find peace and contentment? He needs to learn that he may be unable to solve or fix every problem. He may need to see that and learn that lesson. 

Wanda does an excellent job writing a mystery. She explores all the emotions that go through a person or family when someone goes missing without anyone knowing. Did Rosa leave on her own, or did she not? Does her boyfriend know where Rosa is or what happened to her that night?

 

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