The Quilt Room Secret - (The Heart of the Amish) by Lisa Jones Baker (Paperback)

Trini is a young adult who is very driven. Despite being single and Amish, she has her own home, and a very successful business, a quilt shop. To achieve her goals, she makes extensive lists about everything. Highly organized Trini has listed every aspect of her life, and she follows each list that she makes, with no deviation. Currently, her most important list is her secret one, she is leaving the Amish. Her list has everything planned to make her exit. Then a childhood friend, Jacob, comes back into her life, and she is blind-sided. When they were children, the two of them spent one summer together, and formed a strong bond. In fact, when Jacob left, he made a card for Trini asking her to marry him. Now Jacob is back, clearly wanting to live the Amish life, and he wants a relationship with Trini. She enjoys spending time with him, but she can't let herself feel too strongly for him. Trini does not know if she will find a non-Amish man she likes--truthfully loves--as much as she does Jacob. She is confused. All her plans and lists are made; Trini believes she must follow through. Jacob coming back into her life was not on any of her lists. Surely, she must press forward. This romance didn't seem like it could work. Trini strongly believes she wants to live as an Englischer, while Jacob feels just as strongly that he wants to live the Amish life. But God will make a way when there is no way: "For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland." Isaiah 43:19 NLT It is fun to read about what happens to this relationship, along with the entire clean story. Fans of Amish, and those of good stories, will enjoy this tale. Thank you, Barbour Press, for providing Tickmenot with a book to review. Opinions are my own.

Trini has a secret that she has kept close. Not even her two best friends, Serenity and Abby, know. Things become even more complicated when Jacob and his two brothers come back to town to live in their aunt’s house. Memories are explored from twenty years ago when five year old Jacob proposes to nine year old Trinity. Does Jacob still feel the same way and where is Trini’s head? Trini is strong willed and very independent for an Amish woman. Nothing is going to change her long thought out plans. I related somewhat to Trini and her list making, although I’m not as extreme as she. It’s somewhat satisfying to cross things that have been done off a list. This was a sweet Amish story with an underlying message for us all. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour publishing through Celebrate Lit but was not required to write a review.

Author Lisa Jones Baker shares a touching story of two people who both dream of something beyond their grasp. The Quilt Room Secret is a poignant reminder that excitement is often overrated and second chances are gifts from God. It's a perfect choice for readers in search of a sweet Amish romance. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. These are my own thoughts.

I loved Trini as soon as she was introduced in the story. She is very independent and always has lists everywhere around her. Trini seems to have everything she wants. She has a beautiful home and her own quilt shop. For some reason she has been planning on leaving the Amish world she has known all her life to live English. Her secret is hard to keep as she starts to have feelings for Jacob. Jacob and his brothers move next door to Trini and old feelings surface for him. He has been in love with Trini since they were little kids. I loved how gentle and compassionate Jacob is. When Trini gets hurt in an unexpected fall, Jacob is there to help her. I really felt bad for Jacob because he wears his heart on his sleeves. Everyone knows how he feels about Trini, but how does she feel? Keeping secrets always have a way of being revealed. Trini confides in her two best friends that she is leaving the Amish world. They are sad but I liked how they supported their friends’ decision. When Jacob finds out her secret he is shattered. He has to let her go so she can find out if her decision is right for her. I loved how the author gives depth to the characters and shares their strong faith. I was hoping that Trini would realize her place is right where she is. Will she leave her family and Jacob? Is she doing this to prove she can take care of herself? Be sure and grab a copy of this book to find out what Trini decides. “What separates the weak from the strong is the determination to keep trying.” I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit.the review is my own opinion.

This is my first book by this author and I found it quite entertaining. It is a sweet second chance story of childhood friends. Trini is a complex person who has a secret that when revealed causes hurt feelings and could have dire consequences. Jacob is settled and knows what he wants but will he achieve it? It was fun getting to know Jacob and his brothers as well as Trini and her best friends. This book laid the groundwork for future books in The Heart of the Amish series. I especially loved that Trini has her own quilt shop and I wanted to visit it and have friends to chat with while working on exquisite quilts. All in all this is an interesting and enjoyable read. I look forward to more. I received a complimentary copy from CelebrateLit. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

The Quilt Room Secret by Lisa Jones Baker is the third book in The Heart of the Amish series, but it can be read as a standalone. I enjoyed the descriptions of the beautiful quilts Trini Sutter created. I would love to own one of her creations. The Quilt Room Secret is a sweet story, but I found the pacing to be on the slow side. The overly detailed descriptions and repetitious details led to the lethargic tempo. Trini’s two friends, Serenity and Abby, were certainly taken with the other two Lantz brothers, Gabriel and Stephen. I liked that the book did not solely focus on Trini and Jacob. I did find Trini to be a conundrum. She is having a crisis of faith and identity. She feels the rules of the Amish community to be restricting yet she is not baptized. I do not know how Trini kept track of all her lists. I thought the ending was rushed. I liked the wisdom that had been handed down by the Lantz brother’s Aunt Margaret. She touched many lives. The Quilt Room Secret is a sweetly stitched story with a heaven-sent bequest, lengthy lists, peaceful countryside, quality quilts, and an old love note.

I enjoy Amish fiction. I enjoyed the story of Trini and her quilting friends and the way they cared for one another.Trini and Jacob were friends as children and he loved her for her kindness and later in life hoped they could have a future together. Trini has a secret that could change her life. She holds the secret in her heart, and has a hard time bringing it out. The story was a sweet story of this couple. This is a light story with a pleasant story line. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Trini and Jacob were friends since she was nine and he was five. At that time he said he wanted to marry her. Trini Sutter did not want to hurt Jacob's feelings and tells him she will consider his proposal. Now nearly twenty years later, Jacob and his two brothers return because their aunt has passed away. In her will she leaves the house to them. When Jacob who is now older and more handsome then ever realizes he still has the same feelings for Trini. Trini is a very organized person and great list maker. She is extremely independent and besides being the youngest of eleven children she owns a home and business on her own. Most of her other siblings are married and have children but Trini has other plans. When Jacob returns she realizes she does have feelings for him but she is not changing her plan that she has been preparing for years. She wants to move to Rhode Island where her brother ad his wife live, not join the church at home or become Amish she wants to be free. Unfortunately life comes with choices and this is one choice that might end the possibility of ever marrying or the friendship that Jacob and her share. Will Trini keep her plans or just forget them and accept Jacobs proposal of marriage. A very well written and enjoyable book