Leah’s Faith by Joanne Lehman

Leah’s Faith by Joanne Lehman
Series: Book 1 of the Benville Community Series
Publisher: Masthof Press (February 24, 2024)

REVIEW BY PRISCILLA BETTIS

Leah is an Amish teenager with severe scoliosis. Surgery would help her, but she and her family accept her disability as God’s will. The story takes place in Ohio. Even though Leah is young, this is not a YA book. We get point-of-view chapters from adults (including senior citizens), and the subject matter plus the gentle pacing speaks more to adult readers.

I loved Leah. She clings to what she thinks is God’s will, but she hopes for surgery. She wants to work hard, but her back hurts. She dreams of being a wife and mother some day, but her scoliosis is progressive and debilitating.

The other characters are likeable too. (Well, almost all of the other characters are likable, but what kind of story would it be if at least one character didn’t get your hackles up?) I especially liked the retired professor, Hank. His background is high-brow academia and big-city adventure, and it felt like the dear man was just now finally settling into life.

Of course I loved the setting. Imagine living off your own garden, caring for horses you depend on, sleeping in the quiet of the night with no air conditioner whining and no cars droning by. Imagine the rhythm and relaxation of sewing without electricity. The dark, nighttime skies with the Milky Way breathing God’s glory.

In spite of all the wonderful things I liked about the book, I didn’t like how the story unfolds. Lehman hints several times at conflicts between characters then doesn’t follow through. For example, the plot frames a love triangle, but it never develops. There’s a woman with financial difficulties, and there’s an arsonist afoot, but we never learn how these elements resolve. Most notably, an Englisher born-again character asks Leah about her faith … if being Amish means she’s a Christian, whether she’s saved, etc. The two of them could have had an in-depth, thought-provoking discussion, but Leah’s answer is short on theology and long on lifestyle.

As for the style of writing, it fits the setting. The slow, gentle lifestyle of Leah’s Amish community is reflected in the harmonious flow of the prose and polite dialogue scenes. You’d think polite dialogue would be boring, but no. The dialogue paints scenes of characters getting along whether or not they are tired or financially stressed or taking on extra chores. (Seriously, there is lots to learn from these Amish characters.)

I almost forgot! There’s a sweet dog in the story. Toby is an adoptee from the shelter, and he has that innate doggy sense to be calm and protective when Leah is hurting:

Toby wagged his tail in greeting, sniffed Leah’s skirt, and then looked subdued as if he knew better than to jump or try to play with his friend. He followed her around the rest of the day, her protector and guard.

Joanne Lehman, Leah’s Faith

Readers with furry family members will totally relate.

With Lehman’s beautiful characters and lovely settings, I wouldn’t hesitate to read the next book in the Benville Community Series (it comes out in November, no title revealed yet), but this particular book didn’t check all the right boxes for me. I give Leah’s Faith three fish.

I read Leah’s Faith through Kindle Unlimited.