As to their honeymoon, Jake and Eva didn’t travel to Italy but rather ventured to the historic Italian Market in Philadelphia, which Beatrice said was the closest thing to it without leaving the state. Hiring a driver of Italian heritage to take them there was her wedding present. Jake and Eva enjoyed meandering through the grocery and cheese stores, bakeries, gift shops, and restaurants that left Jake’s breath smelling too much of garlic for Eva’s taste. Yet his kisses remained sweeter than ever.
Eva figured she and Jake would continue to be the subject of rumors. But she was determined to forgive those who’d gossiped about her—no doubt a lifelong challenge she was committed to overcome. She’d learned she couldn’t change others, only her response to them.
Forgiveness came easier to her now.
Discussion Questions
1. How did false rumors alter the course of Eva’s life? Do you have empathy for her, or do you think she should have acted differently? Could she have prevented the rumors?
2. Have you ever been the subject of gossip? How did it feel or alter your life? Do you know of a way to move beyond rumors?
3. Why do you think people gossip? Do you find yourself gossiping even when not meaning to? I think we’ve all been guilty of this. What’s the remedy?
4. Do you think Eva can truly forgive those who have maligned her? Does a person need to ask for forgiveness for you to bestow it? How is forgiveness healing and strengthening for the individual granting it?
5. Do you think Eva’s plan to begin anew—starting from scratch—was a good one? Was she brave or foolhardy to embark into the unknown? In your opinion, did she marry the right man?
6. Who is your favorite character and why? What element of his or her personality or behavior do you relate to?
7. Do you like Beatrice? How and why does her attitude toward Eva change as the novel progresses? How do you think Beatrice overcame her own difficult situations?
8. As you’ve come to know someone, have they surprised you in a good or bad way? Did Olivia’s behavior shock you? Were you surprised that once she repented, she was forgiven and accepted by the Amish church?
9. Most of us have seen actors awake from a coma in a movie or on TV, but did you know the Hollywood portrayals of instant recovery are for the most part false?
10. Do you think Stephen’s apology to Bill was warranted? How did both men benefit? Sometimes an apology is met with anger, but how can it bless the person bestowing it?
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Thank you, dear readers, for choosing to read my book. I am indebted to each one of you. Much time, research, and effort went into writing and publishing it for your enjoyment.
Humongous thanks to all the fabulous folks at Harvest House Publishers, foremost Kim Moore. My gratitude to each person at Harvest House who helped craft it, and to the sales team. Thank you to my excellent editor, Jean Kavich Bloom.
Thanks to talented Amish author Linda Byler for her encouragement and fact verification. Thank you to friends Sam and Susie Lapp in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; Amish Quilter Emma Stoltzfus of ES Quilts; and many other Amish who have helped me but prefer to remain anonymous. Thank you, friend Herb Scrivener, owner of Zook’s Fabrics in Intercourse, Pennsylvania.
Others who have helped me are Rudy DeLaurentus, president of the Lancaster Italian Cultural Society; Jamie at the Quarryville Fire Station, Lancaster County; and Allegra Johnson, adult services librarian at Lancaster Public Library.
Thank you to Linda, for describing her remarkable journey through a two-week coma.
Many thanks to my dear cousin Alex McBrien, who saved her family’s horses and her father’s Arabian stallion and prized Black Angus bull from a horrific barn fire and kindly described the chaotic scene to me.
I’m grateful for my faithful writing/critique group: Kathleen Kohler, Roberta Kehle, Judy Bodmer, Thornton Ford, Paul Malm, and Peyton Burkhart.
Always, I’m thankful for my stupendous literary agent, Chip MacGregor.
About the Author
Kate Lloyd is a novelist, a mother of two sons, and a passionate observer of human relationships. A native of Baltimore, she often spends time with family and friends in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the inspiration for her bestselling books in the Legacy of Lancaster Trilogy, and A Letter from Lancaster County. She has Mennonite relatives in Lancaster County and is a member of the Lancaster County Mennonite Historical Society. Kate studied art, photography, and Italian in college. She’s worked a variety of jobs, including restaurateur, both as sole proprietor and manager. Kate and her husband live in the Pacific Northwest.
Kate loves connecting with her readers. Please feel free to visit her at:
Website: www.katelloyd.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katelloydbooks
Twitter: @KateLloydAuthor,
https://twitter.com/KateLloydAuthor
Pinterest: Kate Lloyd,
https://www.pinterest.com/katelloydauthor
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