5-Star Review of "Sewn with Joy"

Review of Sewn with Joy

(The Pinecraft Pie Shop #3)

by Tricia Goyer and Sherry Gore

Nothing makes Joy Miller happier than sewing. And nothing makes Matthew Slagel, the bishop's son, happier than spending time with Joy.

With the rising popularity of the Me, Myself, and Pie shop run by Joy's eldest sister, Lovina, comes an increasing demand for souvenirs like aprons and dishtowels. Joy's handiwork soon catches the attention of a television crew preparing to film a new Amish TV series. While she is initially hired to sew the costumes, she finds herself becoming a consultant and fill-in for the main actress.

The bishop does not approve of Joy's involvement with the show—or his son's involvement with Joy. When he asks Matthew to stop seeing Joy, Matthew must make a decision—pursue happiness or follow the rules—unless he can find a way to reconcile those two sides of his faith.

When mounting tension threatens to rip the entire community apart, can an unexpected development stitch them back together?

Inspiration, romance, and creativity abound in Sewn with Joy, the third and final installment in The Pinecraft Pie Shop series.

MY REVIEW:  Pieces of fabric and spools of thread lead to conflict and joy in this Amish novel.   But television cameras, actors, and actresses in the Amish village of Pinecraft, Florida?  These all seem contradictory to the Amish faith. The bishop definitely frowns on the filming of a television series and even worse, the series is going to be about the Amish.  How on earth can Englishers know enough to write about the Amish?  Amish don't watch television unless they are in their rumspringa and  almost the entire community is very unhappy with the entire process. But Joy gets roped into sewing the Amish dresses for the film so that they are authentic after Joy sees the actresses and informs them that the dresses and accessories are all wrong.  Joy and her family get talked into serving as consultant on clothing and set while her mother, sisters, and other women in the community prepare meals for the crew and serve them on-site.  Another very important person is unhappy with Joy and that is her boyfriend whom she hopes to marry, Matthew.  Will Matthew and Joy be able to weather this incredible storm or is it the end of their relationship?

        This is the third book in the Pinecraft Pie Shop series and the characters are so lovable.  Who could dislike Joy and her sisters?  They are very sincere in their faith and their passion for life.  I read the entire series in order and I do think that this could be read as a stand alone or out of order.  This would make an excellent series for preteens and older.  Grab a piece of pie, a good book on gardening and your sewing supplies and you have the foundations for this series.   

         I rated this book 5 stars as it was extremely easy to read because it is just that good!  

         I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

About the Authors:

Tricia Goyer is a busy mom of six, grandmother of two, and wife to John. Somewhere around the hustle and bustle of family life, she manages to find the time to write fictional tales delighting and entertaining readers and non-fiction titles offering encouragement and hope. A bestselling author, Tricia has published thirty-three books to date and has written more than 500 articles. She is a two time Carol Award winner, as well as a Christy and ECPA Award Nominee. In 2010, she was selected as one of the Top 20 Moms to Follow on Twitter by SheKnows.com. Tricia is also on the blogging team at MomLifeToday.com, TheBetterMom.com and other homeschooling and Christian sites.In addition to her roles as mom, wife and author, Tricia volunteers around her community and mentors teen moms. She is the founder of Hope Pregnancy Ministries in Northwestern Montana, and she currently leads a Teen MOPS Group in Little Rock, AR. Tricia, along with a group of friends, recently launched www.NotQuiteAmishLiving.com, sharing ideas about simplifying life. She also hosts the weekly radio podcast, Living Inspired. Learn more about Tricia at www.triciagoyer.com.

Sherry Gore is editor-in-chief of Cooking & Such magazine, the author of "Simply Delicious Amish Cooking", "Me, Myself and Pie" and a weekly scribe for the national edition of the Amish newspaper, The Budget, established in 1890. The National Geographic Channel featured Sherry prominently their documentary series, Amish: Out of Order. Sherry's culinary adventures have been seen on NBC Daytime, the Today Show, Mr. Food Test Kitchen, and Fox, NBC, CBS and ABC affiliates across the country. Sherry is a year-round resident of beautiful, sun-kissed Sarasota, Florida, the vacation paradise of the Plain People. She has three children and is a member of a Beachy Amish Mennonite church. When not spending time with her family, writing, or eating, Sherry is a cooking show host, and an official pie contest judge.

Sherry is currently under contract with Harvest House Publishers for a 3-book novel series with best selling author Tricia Goyer.