Can she unlock her memories…so she can stay alive?
There's a bull's-eye on her back, and Englischer Sadie
Standings can't remember why…but she's sure she can trust Amish widower Ben
Mast. With the single dad's help, she'll hide in Amish country while trying to
figure out why someone is after her. Because unless she uncovers the secrets of
her past, both their lives will be forfeit.
Excellent book that sucked me in from the first page and
didn't let go until I finished it a few hours later. It opened with Sadie feeling
as though someone was watching her, and noticing a man that looked familiar
though she didn't know why. In her rush to get away, Sadie was horrified to
discover that her brakes didn't work. Her fear leaped off the page as she
realized she was headed for an Amish buggy on the road, and she made a split-second
decision that could have killed her.
Ben was stunned to see a car hurtling at a high rate of
speed directly down his street. When the vehicle crashed into a tree, he and a
neighbor raced to check on the driver. They pulled her to safety fearing an explosion.
There was something about the woman that drew him, even though she was
obviously Englisch. When he went to the hospital to return the cellphone he
found, he was surprised to discover that she was the sister of his friend Kurt.
Ben arrived just as Sadie was dealing with the fact that
she had completely lost her memory. Her brother was with her, but she couldn't
even remember him. To make matters worse, Kurt informed her that she might have
been in danger because of a newspaper story he is writing. Kurt begs Ben to
take Sadie to stay with him to keep her safe. Ben is reluctant, as he is a
single father, and it wouldn't be proper. But when Sadie shows up on his
doorstep, having narrowly escaped another attack, he can't turn her away.
There are sparks between Ben and Sadie that both try to
ignore. Ben is Amish, a widower with no plans to marry again. Sadie is
Englisch, so a relationship between them is impossible. But the more time they
spend together, the harder it is to keep that distance between them. I loved
Ben's protectiveness and his determination to keep Sadie safe. He also had a
strict sense of honor that had him doing his best to keep his feelings under
control. Sadie was drawn just as much to Ben, even though she knew it was impossible.
Things became even more complicated when Ben took her to his parents' community,
and her memories began to return, especially long-suppressed memories from her
childhood.
The suspense of the story was intense from beginning to
end. It seemed that no matter what they did, Ben and Sadie could not escape the
man who was after her. My heart was in my throat on multiple occasions, as each
time they thought they were safe, something would happen, and they would have
to run again. The descriptions were so vivid that I could feel the cold, fear,
and exhaustion as they made their way to Ben's family home. I couldn't read
fast enough as the final confrontation unfolded. The danger was intense, and I
wasn't sure how it was going to end.
My heart broke for Sadie and Ben as she had to go into hiding
until the case was wrapped up. Ben knew there was no future for them, but he
could not deny his love for her. Sadie had some big decisions to make once she
was free. I loved her conversation with Ryder, as the police officer had become
an excellent friend. I liked the link to Isaac, from Guarding the Amish Midwife, and the unexpected part he played in Sadie's life. The ending was
fantastic, and I loved how Sadie and Ben came together. The epilogue was sweet
and a great wrap-up to the story.
I loved the secondary characters. Ben's son, Nathaniel,
was adorable. He was a typical little boy, but he also had moments of great
maturity. I loved seeing the way that he bonded with Sadie. Isaac was another
that I was happy to see. I loved him in the previous book, and his former life
as a cop came in very handy in this one. I loved his reunion with Ben and how
their friendship was so easily renewed. I also liked seeing more of Ryder and
really hope that he gets his own story soon.
