The Imposter by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Imposter
The Bishop's Family (Book 1)
October 2015
ISBN: 978-0800723200

About This Book: Katrina Stoltzfus thought she had life and love all figured out: she was going to marry John and live happily ever after. Those plans started to crumble when her father moved the family to Stoney Ridge, then completely collapsed when John decided to marry someone else. Katrina is devastated. How could she have felt so loved, yet been so deceived?

As she struggles to face a future without him, a widow asks for her help to start a new business and Katrina quickly agrees. She needs time to heal her broken heart, to untangle her messy life, to find a purpose. What she doesn’t need is attention from Andy Miller, a farm hand who arrives at the widow’s farm just when help is most needed–and who always seems to say the right thing, and be in the right place, at the right time. Is Andy for real, or too good to be true? Deceived once before, Katrina is determined to keep her feelings in check.

When a cascade of events is set in motion by some surprising information, the little Amish church is turned upside down. Soon, everyone has a stake in the outcome, and the community struggles to find the best response to an imposter in their midst. Can they forgive even the most deceitful deeds?

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My Review: Wow! What a book! I don't know why it took me so long to pick it up and read it. With a refreshing view of the Amish life, and specifically of an Amish's minister's family, this book is filled with depth and feeling. Suzanne Woods Fisher is a masterful storyteller, and The Imposter is a superb example of that.

To me, it seemed the side story of David (Katrina's dad) was more prominent than Katrina's, but that's ok. I still got the connection I craved with Katrina. A woman scorned always makes for an interesting story. Reading the story was like being in Katrina's mind. I could feel Katrina's angst and struggle, her fear and joy. David Stolzfus is a strong example of a Christian man. His life is not perfect, his family is not perfect, but he handles what life throws at him with a heaping of grace and God's love. The side characters, Thelma, Andy, Jesse, and especially Birdy added a depth to the story and perfect little nuggets of God's mercy and love.

Suzanne has a masterful way of weaving in a message that not only touches the characters at just the right time, but also digs itself into the heart of the reader (at least is seems that way to me). The Imposter delivers a strong message of redemption and what it means to be in the midst of a storm. As David is fond of saying, "everybody begins somewhere." I believe the little Amish community of Stoney Ridge is getting ready to find out just how true that is.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through the Revell Reads Blogging program in exchange for my honest review.*

About the Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction. Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, who was raised Plain in Franklin County, Pennsylvania. She travels back east a couple of times each year for research. For fun, too.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. She has an underlying belief in her books–you don’t have to “go Amish” to incorporate many of their principles into your life: simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily, trusting in God.

When Suzanne isn’t writing, playing tennis, or bragging to her friends about her grandbabies (so cute!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To her way of thinking, you just can’t take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone’s underwear in its mouth.

Keep up on Suzanne’s latest news by receiving her e-newsletter, as well as connecting on Facebook, Twitter and her blog!