The Proposal at Siesta Key by Shelley Shepard Gray

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

There is nothing like a sweet romance to enjoy on a beautiful summer day. Sitting on my deck with a tall glass of water and some snacks, relaxing, listening to the sounds of summer around me and reading. That was how I read a good portion of The Proposal at Siesta Key by Shelley Shepard Gray.

I have read several books by Gray, but this is the first book I have read from this series. The Proposal at Siesta Key is the second book in the Amish Brides of Pinecraft series, but because each is its own story, there was no catching up needed.

There is something so appealing about the characters that Gray develops. As I read the book, I couldn't help but feel a connection to them and to want to influence the situations in their favor. Both Penny and Michael have experienced a loss in their lives, but for each not only was the loss very different but also the way that they and their family coped with the loss. As readers, we get to watch them journey further in the healing process as they meet and grow close to each other, developing friendship and later realizing it is something more.

I liked that the book was more about the story's characters and what was going on in their lives, rather than being about them being Amish. The themes of love, loss, and healing are universal, the fact that the characters are Amish seemed to be more of a backdrop or setting for the story than something that was a focus.

If you enjoy reading light romance stories, then you will enjoy this book.

About the book:
The Proposal at Siesta Key (Avon Inspire, May 2015)

A young Amish woman, yearning for freedom, crosses paths with a handsome Mennonite celebrity in a deeply moving tale of friendship and self-discovery---the second installment in the unforgettable New York Times bestselling author's new Amish Brides of Pinecraft series.

Penny Troyer rarely disobeys her parents. In the years since her sister's tragic death, they've wanted nothing more than to keep her safe...even if it means never leaving the house.

But tonight, she's bending the rules because Michael Knoxx, the most famous member of The Knoxx Family Singers, a traveling Mennonite Evangelical family ---is scheduled to speak. Penny has heard of Michael---how he lost part of his leg in a terrible accident and uses the experience to inspire others---and knows she must meet him. So, for the first time ever, Penny stands up to her parents and goes out on her own.

Though he speaks about living life to the fullest, Michael knows he needs to take his own advice. Life on the road is grueling and Michael wants to slow down, to rest...to perhaps meet someone who sees him as a man, not just a celebrity. So when a twist of fate allows him the chance to stay a little longer in Pinecraft, Michael knows God is showing him a new path, especially when he discovers how much he and Penny Troyer have in common.

But new friendships can't stop time. Soon, Michael's time in Pinecraft will be over and he'll be back on the road. Her time with Michael has brought her happiness, but will she be able to follow her heart? Or will she be faced with the one thing she's sure she'll never have the courage to do?

Purchase a copy here.

About the author:

Shelley Shepard Gray is a two-time New York Times bestseller, a two-time USA Today bestseller, a finalist for the American Christian Fiction Writers prestigious Carol Award, and a two-time Holt Medallion winner. She lives in Southern Ohio, where she writes full-time, bakes too much, and can often be found walking her dachshunds on her town's bike trail.


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No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.