Review: Mattie's Pledge by Jan Drexler

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When she feels the pull of both home and the horizon, which will she choose?

Mattie Schrock is no stranger to uprooting her life. Even as her father relocated her family from one Amish community to the next, she always managed to find a footing in their new homes. Now as the Schrock family plans to move west from Somerset County to a fledgling Amish settlement in Indiana, she looks forward to connecting with old friends who will be joining them from another Pennsylvania community--friends like Jacob Yoder, who has always held a special place in her heart.

Since Mattie last saw Jacob, they've both grown into different people with different dreams. Jacob yearns to settle down, but Mattie can't help but dream of what may lie over the western horizon. When a handsome Englisher tempts her to leave the Amish behind to search for adventure in the West, will her pledge to Jacob be the anchor that holds her secure?

Tender, poignant, and gentle, Mattie's Pledge offers you a glimpse into Amish life in the 1840s--and into the yearning heart of a character you'll not soon forget.

My Review:

Mattie’s Pledge by Jan Drexler continues the saga of a group of families headed to new land in Indiana to begin anew.  This time around we have the viewpoint of Mattie Schrock who is very much looking forward to seeing again her childhood friend and first love Jacob Yoder.  There is adventure along the trail for these families; difficult pregnancies, homesickness (as some families had to part ways with loved ones), disease, and the threat of horse thieves and kidnapping.  

What I really related to in this story was how Mattie longed for something more, something different.  She excitedly assumed that this move would bring her adventurous heart the thrill she was seeking.  Sadly, the reality was lacking in her eyes, causing her to continue to long for an unforeseen dream and to step into possible temptation.  She fortunately finds out that sometimes what we most long for cannot be found on this earth and the dream we want most to come true is standing right before us, waiting patiently for us to say yes.  I have at times felt that sense of longing as Mattie had, and have almost felt trapped as she did.  I also realized, thankfully, it was a heart problem with contentment.

I look forward to her sister, Naomi’s story and the hope for a love match for her in the next book.  I received this book free of charge from the publisher.  The opinions and views expressed are my own.