Laura was fooled by Mark, a man she thought she loved. But he not only betrayed her trust, he tried to kill her. Now, she wants revenge and the money he stole. Sawyer, born English, was thrown into foster care when his parents died, but later he was adopted by an Amish couple. Now, he must decide which culture and faith to embrace. He is attracted to Laura, who is Amish. But Sawyer’s very wealthy grandmother has just discovered he existed, and wants him to live with her and run her vast empire. Decisions, decisions! If this sounds a bit like a soap opera, you wouldn’t be far wrong. But it’s a clean tale, if a bit convoluted, and shows growth of the characters as they cope with what life throws at them. It’s quite an interesting and engrossing story, one that will make you reach for the next installment. ( )

This one wasn't my favorite of the Middlefield books but it is still exquisitely written and the characters are still delightfully dimensional. One thing I did really enjoy was getting to catch up with Lukas and Anna Byler from a previous series; seeing occasional glimpses of them and the other Bylers in "Treasuring Emma" was nice but spending some quality time with them was even better. I'm also glad that the unanswered questions/situations from "Treasuring Emma" come back into play and are fleshed out further in "Faithful to Laura".

Much as I dislike Sawyer's grandmother on principle (lol - I get very protective of my favorite characters), I thought she added a wonderful element of "snoot" to the book that is often missing in Amish novels. And while "snoot" is quite obnoxious to deal with in real life, in a book it can be very entertaining :) Watching her try to adjust to the Amish lifestyle was wincingly hilarious! I was not without compassion for her, however, and I am glad that we get more of her story in "Letters to Katie". ( )

The scars the Mark King left on Laura Stutzman are not only emotional, but physical. She knows that her Amish faith calls for her to forgive, but she wants revenge. When she moves to Middlefield, Ohio to find him, she finds Sawyer Thompson instead. Sawyer has one foot in the Amish world and one foot in the English world. Which world will win Sawyer's heart?

As a frequent flier in the Amish genre, I have read most of the authors and their ideas of Amish life, so much so that I find myself wishing for an unpredictable ending, the plot twist you don't see coming, or the mystery that is actually difficult to solve from your sofa. While this is a nice, enjoyable Amish novel, it does not deliver on that scale. When Sawyer's grandmother arrives (slight spoiler alert!), everything about this stock character was predictable, right down to her maid, Manuela. I do not mean to offend the author; it may be that I have read too many of these, and need a break. But while, as I said, it was good, it fell a little flat for me somewhere along the way.

4 stars

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” ( )

After a betrayal that left her scarred (both physically and mentally), Laura Stutzman is convinced she'll never love again and wants revenge against Mark King, the man who hurt her. Sawyer Thompson was adopted by an Amish family but isn't sure if he wants to commit to the Amish faith. His growing feelings for Laura complicate his decision as do unexpected revelations about his past. Will these two find love together or does God have other plans for them?

“Faithful to Laura” is a multilayered novel set in the Amish community that will make you smile at times and ache for the characters at other times. Laura and Sawyer’s story is a good one. In some ways both are scarred (Laura literally and Sawyer figuratively) and it is interesting to watch these two characters grow closer to each other while each struggles with their past. While the main story comes to a successful conclusion in this book, author Kathleen Fuller leaves some plot lines open that makes me eager to find out what happens to Sawyer next. In addition to the Laura/Sawyer storyline there are several other interesting plot lines. Adam and Emma are still working out issues in their relationship which is hampered by a growing rift between Adam's parents. The reason for that rift and how it is handled makes this book a perfect choice for a book club read (there is a list of discussion questions at the end of the book – you may not want to look at them until you finish reading the book as they contain spoilers). Even a very minor plot involving Katherine Yoder and a (seemingly) unrequited love had me interested - I hope Fuller writes a book in the near future that focuses on Katherine.

“Faithful to Laura: is another nice book by Kathleen Fuller set in the Amish community. ( )

Faithful to Laura by Kathleen Fuller exceeded my expectations. Even though it is second in a serious, it works well as a stand-alone.

If I could give this book a big hug, I would. It dealt with serious subjects like adultery and revenge in very skillful manner. I really connected emotionally with this book.

Laura Stutzman leaves her home and goes to another Amish community, Middleton which is in Ohio because she set on revenge for her former betrothed. Mark King had pledged his love to her and he broke that pledge, with terrible crimes against her and her parents. She has stopped praying and lost her faith because of her hatred for Mark King.

Sawyer Thompson was adopted by an Amish family who could not have children. He has always been conflicted because he was raised until he was a young teen by his birth parents as an Englisher and then raised by the Amish couple Norman and Mary. His parents have deep secrets that harm their marriage. His grandmother who he has never met has dark secrets of her own.

The secrets of the secondary characters were flawlessly dovetailed with the main characters' problems.

This page turner was written with such amazing sensitivity and depth. Now I want to read everything written by Kathleen Fuller. It is must read for all Amish fiction fans and readers who love to read family drama. ( )