Return to Grace - Karen Harper

Released February 21, 2012

Karen Harper
Mira/Harlequin

Book review by Tracy Farnsworth

Return to Grace, the second book in the Home Valley Amish series, focuses on Hannah Esh. Hannah left her Amish life after her intended got another woman pregnant and called off their engagement. Giving up everything, she entered the world hoping to start a music career. Despite her dreams, she's always felt herself pulled back to her Amish life. She happens to be in the Amish cemetery with her friends when someone shoots at them. One person is dead and Hannah suffers serious damage after a bullet hits her wrist.

Needing to recuperate, Hannah returns to her family home. It isn't long before someone tries to break into Hannah's bedroom via the window and FBI agent Linc Armstrong (Fall from Pride) is on the case trying to discover if this is a hate crime against the Amish or if Hannah's former beau, Seth, isn't happy that she's back in town. Hannah can't believe that Seth Lantz, now a widower and single father, has anything to do with it, so she and Seth do what they can to unravel what's happening in their community.

I loved Fall from Pride. It was one of the romances that stuck with me last year. I didn't find, however, that Return to Grace grabbed me the same way. It was a good story, but I didn't feel drawn to the story and characters like I did in Linc and Sarah's story.

The story is packed with a detailed look into Amish culture and continues the stories of a few minor characters from the first novel. Despite my not liking it as much as the first, I'm still glad I read it. The final entry in this series is coming out shortly, so fans will want to pick up a copy. If you didn't read the first novel, I don't think you really need to worry. Return to Grace stands alone. I do recommend Fall from Pride though.