The Keeper

The Keeper
Suzanne Woods Fisher
(Revell)
ISBN: 978-0800719876
January 2012/370 pages/$14.99

Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Suzanne Woods Fisher's interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.

Suzanne can be found on-line at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.

MY THOUGHTS:
It's a happy day when a book by Suzanne Woods Fisher finds its way into my hands! As with all of her stories, The Keeper is fresh and full of endearing characters! Well, Paul was quite aggravating and I wanted to throttle him a time or three! And when Fern showed up, I wanted to give her some sugar for the lemons she seemed to have eaten and sweeten her up! Julia and her siblings were just like any other family: alternately loving and contentious, except for sweet, sweet Menno. Julia has way too much responsibility on her shoulders as she mothers her siblings and cares for her ailing dad, and the uncertainty with Paul just adds to her burdens. Several plots entwined in this story and unexpected twists touched my heart. Suzanne's new Stoney Ridge Seasons is off to a wonderful start with this first book in the series. It is absolutely a . . . Keeper!

On a personal note, I have had the privilege of becoming friends with Suzanne through her blog over the past several years; she has shared, at times, her journey through her dad's struggle with Alzheimer's. He slipped away into heaven early Sunday morning as the new year began. Please pray for Suzanne as she grieves the final loss of her precious dad.

You can read my interview from our time in Atlanta here.

It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher!

Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

• A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
• A $25 gift certificate to iTunes
• A copy of The Keeper

But wait--there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!

RSVP early and tell your friends!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!