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Land of Canaan #3
His Love Endures Forever
An unplanned pregnancy. An absent father. Can love really endure all things?
Danielle Kent is anything but Amish. Just her luck to fall in love with an Amish guy.
Now she’s 18, pregnant, and hopeful that the child’s Amish father—Matthew Lapp—will do the right thing and marry her. She knows Matthew plans to leave his Colorado settlement for a life in the Englisch world. But that plan never included a baby.
When Matthew walks away from her and their unborn child, she has nowhere to turn. Her unlikely friendship with Levi offers some comfort—yet they have so little in common. This wasn't the plan she had for her life, and she's never felt so alone. She doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to trust God.
And yet.
God has plans beyond what her mind can imagine . . . loving plans to show a lost young woman that His love never goes away but endures forever.
Danielle Kent is anything but Amish. Just her luck to fall in love with an Amish guy.
Now she’s 18, pregnant, and hopeful that the child’s Amish father—Matthew Lapp—will do the right thing and marry her. She knows Matthew plans to leave his Colorado settlement for a life in the Englisch world. But that plan never included a baby.
When Matthew walks away from her and their unborn child, she has nowhere to turn. Her unlikely friendship with Levi offers some comfort—yet they have so little in common. This wasn't the plan she had for her life, and she's never felt so alone. She doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to trust God.
And yet.
God has plans beyond what her mind can imagine . . . loving plans to show a lost young woman that His love never goes away but endures forever.
336 pages, Paperback
First published October 2, 2012
About the author
Beth Wiseman
120 books1,373 followers"I wish I had the time to review books and chat with you here, but my writing deadlines just don't allow it. Please like my Fans of Beth Wiseman Page on Facebook where I try to post any news and interact with readers."
Beth is the best-selling and award winning author of the Daughters of the Promise series - Plain Perfect, Plain Pursuit, Plain Promise, Plain Paradise, and Plain Proposal. She is contracted with HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Her other series--the Land of Canaan Novels--begins with Seek Me With All Your Heart, then The Wonder of Your Love and now, His Love Endures Forever. Seek Me With All Your Heart is the first Amish fiction book selected as a Women of Faith novel in 2011. Beth has also written three contemporary Christian fiction novels, Need You Now published in 2012 and The House That Love Built in 2013. In The Promise, (2014) Beth jumps way outside the box. This story takes readers far away from Amish Country and small Texas towns to a dangerous place on the other side of the world. Inspired by a true story, Beth believes this is the book she’s been working toward for a long time. 2015 brings Beth back to the Pennsylvania Amish with her new series, Amish Secrets. She is currently working on book #2 following much success with book #1, Her Brother's Keeper.
You can also follow Beth on Twitter: @BethWiseman
Beth is the best-selling and award winning author of the Daughters of the Promise series - Plain Perfect, Plain Pursuit, Plain Promise, Plain Paradise, and Plain Proposal. She is contracted with HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Her other series--the Land of Canaan Novels--begins with Seek Me With All Your Heart, then The Wonder of Your Love and now, His Love Endures Forever. Seek Me With All Your Heart is the first Amish fiction book selected as a Women of Faith novel in 2011. Beth has also written three contemporary Christian fiction novels, Need You Now published in 2012 and The House That Love Built in 2013. In The Promise, (2014) Beth jumps way outside the box. This story takes readers far away from Amish Country and small Texas towns to a dangerous place on the other side of the world. Inspired by a true story, Beth believes this is the book she’s been working toward for a long time. 2015 brings Beth back to the Pennsylvania Amish with her new series, Amish Secrets. She is currently working on book #2 following much success with book #1, Her Brother's Keeper.
You can also follow Beth on Twitter: @BethWiseman
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
September 28, 2014
This is the third book in the series A land of Canaan. The story is about Danielle Kent and Levi Detweiler. It is such a sweet love story. Beth Wiseman has won me over and i will be reading a lot more books from her. This story made me smile, cry, made me mad (at Sarah and Vera -Levi's mother), and joyful for such a happy ending. I wish she would come out with a fourth one about Sarah and maybe Matthew together. But anyways i loved this book and this whole series.
September 26, 2012
A tale of forgiveness and unending love.
Danielle finds herself pregnant and single when her Amish boyfriend, Matthew Lapp runs away from his responsibilities.
Levi, Danielle's best friend, feels God calling him to marry Danielle so he obeys, risking the wrath of his loved ones.
Will Levi and Danielle be able to weather the winds of hardship together?
His Love Endures Forever was a written in an easy to read style, making it a speedy read. I've read just about every book by Ms. Wiseman, but for some reason this one just didn't "click" with me as much as the others, though there was still much to enjoy about this third novel in The Land of Canaan series.
Levi was an excellent character who had a strong faith in God, and was noble and true. I liked how he reacted to things realistically and kept calm, he never foolishly overreacted when things got tough.
And I really liked the scenes with Martha and her new husband Arnold, because Martha is so full of fire and spunk, while Arnold is a calming influence and a very sweet man.
I guess my main problem with the book was how Sarah, Levi's ex, was just determined to break him and Danielle up. And she was just unreasonable!
I liked how Danielle and Levi built their relationship on their friendship, and how Levi was determined to show Danielle God's love. So while this book wasn't my favorite from this author, I really liked how Danielle had to make peace with so many things in her past and learn to forgive. I kinda of thought that at the end there were some open threads, so I'm hoping that means there will be another book soon!
I received this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
Danielle finds herself pregnant and single when her Amish boyfriend, Matthew Lapp runs away from his responsibilities.
Levi, Danielle's best friend, feels God calling him to marry Danielle so he obeys, risking the wrath of his loved ones.
Will Levi and Danielle be able to weather the winds of hardship together?
His Love Endures Forever was a written in an easy to read style, making it a speedy read. I've read just about every book by Ms. Wiseman, but for some reason this one just didn't "click" with me as much as the others, though there was still much to enjoy about this third novel in The Land of Canaan series.
Levi was an excellent character who had a strong faith in God, and was noble and true. I liked how he reacted to things realistically and kept calm, he never foolishly overreacted when things got tough.
And I really liked the scenes with Martha and her new husband Arnold, because Martha is so full of fire and spunk, while Arnold is a calming influence and a very sweet man.
I guess my main problem with the book was how Sarah, Levi's ex, was just determined to break him and Danielle up. And she was just unreasonable!
I liked how Danielle and Levi built their relationship on their friendship, and how Levi was determined to show Danielle God's love. So while this book wasn't my favorite from this author, I really liked how Danielle had to make peace with so many things in her past and learn to forgive. I kinda of thought that at the end there were some open threads, so I'm hoping that means there will be another book soon!
I received this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thanks!
June 13, 2016
This was okay-- not really good, but not really bad either. Honestly, if I had remembered that it was an Amish book (couldn't see the cover very well on my library's site & didn't bother reading the blurb because I was trying to hurry & I knew it was Christian fiction), I probably wouldn't have even given it a second thought. And I most likely wouldn't have finished it, except that it was the audiobook and I needed something to listen to at work and I couldn't find a different book to listen to. So yeah... I finished it and it wasn't a bad book, it's just not the type of book that I really like.
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July 9, 2024
I really liked this book! It was interesting and enjoyable!
I liked Levi a lot, but Danielle, I liked a bit less, though she did have a pretty good character arc.
This was the first Amish fiction book I had ever read, so I have some fond memories with it. I look forward to eventually reading more from this author!
I liked Levi a lot, but Danielle, I liked a bit less, though she did have a pretty good character arc.
This was the first Amish fiction book I had ever read, so I have some fond memories with it. I look forward to eventually reading more from this author!
October 15, 2012
Very good book. I liked both Levi and Danielle, though she had a fair amount of maturing to do in this book. When Danielle discovered she was pregnant, she was devastated when Matthew walked away from her and refused any responsibility. She went to Levi for comfort, since he had been her best friend since she had come to live there. Danielle is still very young emotionally. She had a crummy home life, where her mother abused her. She ran away and ended up living with Martha, an Englischer who lives in the Amish community. Levi offers to marry her, to raise the baby as his own and take care of her. At first she refuses, because she knows that it will cause him to be separated from his Amish faith. He convinces her to accept and they marry. Danielle has never learned how to cook or keep house and her first few weeks are pretty rough. She also has to cope with the fact that Levi's mother dislikes her and blames Danielle for luring Levi away. Danielle also has no faith in God which is hard for Levi to accept. Over the weeks of their marriage, Danielle starts to believe that maybe God does exist and has a plan for her life. With help from Martha and other friends in the community, Danielle learns how to cook and care for the house. When Danielle is put on bedrest when her pregnancy is threatened, Levi's mother steps in to help. This gives her and Danielle a chance to get to know each other and Vera soon comes to care for Danielle. She also helps Danielle learn about the Amish faith and about her own relationship with God. I also liked Levi and the way he wanted to help Danielle. He felt called to marry her even though he knew the problems it would cause. I loved his patience and the way that he wasn't a critical husband when Danielle was first learning her way around being married. I also loved the way he supported Danielle, even standing up to his strong-willed mother. His quiet faith also help Danielle grow in hers. I thought the ending was very well done, and very believable because the changes happened over a period of time.
October 26, 2012
I love love love love LOVED this book! This week at work I was told there was no purpose for fiction-gasp! As a literature major hearing this from a former English and theatre teacher, I was shocked. But this book is a testament to how the Spirit can use fiction (and fiction based on TRUTH!) to speak to your soul. After six years of knowing the Lord, I've really started to hear Him say "Jannell, I LOVE you. I want to have a RELATIONSHIP with you. I want to spend TIME with you. Cast all of your fears, your tears, your anxieties, your insecurities onto ME." I have an overwhelming joy in the presence of the Lord and I have been learning to LISTEN. The Spirit is such a faithful teacher, and Jesus' life was a beautiful picture of what it looks like to walk each day on the path the Lord has laid. I really liked that Levi continued to follow God's plan, even though everyone around him thought he was crazy because it took all of them out of their comfort zones. And when Vera shared her testimony with Danielle: "There's a feeling you get, an all-knowing sense of peace that comes from knowing the Lord...It's a love so strong that you never have to be afraid, never have to worry, and never have to fear...His love endures forever. Talk to the Lord like you would your BEST FRIEND(!) and open your heart to Him with total trust. Place your future-and your past-in His hands. Life will never go the way you plan. But putting your total trust in God is the answer." Because God has a PERFECT plan for our lives, for MY life. I might not know what will happen tomorrow, in a year, or ten, but I can be CONFIDENT in this: that He who began a good work in me will carry it on to completion and that where I have weakness he is all the more strong. God is constant, mighty, powerful, caring, compassionate, jealous, protective, and loving. Oh how I love Him and I am so thankful that He places these stories and characters on author's hearts because I know that these people aren't fictional-they're our neighbors, siblings, parents, coworkers, friends...and me.
October 8, 2012
Beth Wiseman is such a delightful author. I have enjoyed her Amish fiction and her Christian fiction which is outside the Amish genre. The Land of Canaan series is a favorite of mine. I quickly felt sympathy for Danielle, Matthew, and Levi. I could see each of their viewpoints. What is so amazing is that the Amish do forgive and even accept people, even those who become pregnant and are unmarried. Danielle is faced with a difficult decision, but when others suggest she abort the baby or give it up for adoption, she refuses. She plans to raise this baby and love it, in a way that she never knew growing up.
God has a plan for Danielle and her baby, just as He has a plan for each of our lives. As I read, that is one of the main points that came across. That is something that I am personally struggling with at this time and so this book meant a great deal to me. It is a reminder to me that even though I don't always see what is ahead, God does, and He is working it all out for me; just as He worked it out for Danielle. The Amish view each new life as a blessing, even in circumstances of a sinful conception. That was another line that was repeated many times in the book. I agree fully with that! I believe this book would be appealing to young teenage girls as well as adults. It might even be a good one to recommend to young people.
Forgiveness and healing broken relationships is also a theme of His Love Endures Forever. I won't spoil the book by saying which relationships are broken. Read the book to see if Danielle is able to forgive several important people in her own life. Find out if Danielle discovers a personal relationship with God. She has attended the Amish services with her "adopted mother", Martha, since she came to Canaan, but she does not KNOW him personally. In fact, she is angry with God and thinks He deserted her. This is one you do not want to miss reading!!
God has a plan for Danielle and her baby, just as He has a plan for each of our lives. As I read, that is one of the main points that came across. That is something that I am personally struggling with at this time and so this book meant a great deal to me. It is a reminder to me that even though I don't always see what is ahead, God does, and He is working it all out for me; just as He worked it out for Danielle. The Amish view each new life as a blessing, even in circumstances of a sinful conception. That was another line that was repeated many times in the book. I agree fully with that! I believe this book would be appealing to young teenage girls as well as adults. It might even be a good one to recommend to young people.
Forgiveness and healing broken relationships is also a theme of His Love Endures Forever. I won't spoil the book by saying which relationships are broken. Read the book to see if Danielle is able to forgive several important people in her own life. Find out if Danielle discovers a personal relationship with God. She has attended the Amish services with her "adopted mother", Martha, since she came to Canaan, but she does not KNOW him personally. In fact, she is angry with God and thinks He deserted her. This is one you do not want to miss reading!!
March 2, 2019
At first I wasn't sure I would enjoy this book but I have completely fallen in love with the Land of Canaan series. I wish there were more than just 3! This one focused on Danielle who finds herself pregnant from an Amish man. But when he doesn't want the baby, Danielle's best friend Levi steps up to be the husband and father she needs.
September 27, 2012
Title: HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER
Author: Beth Wiseman
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
October 2012
ISBN: 978-1595548887
Amish/contemporary romance
Danielle Kent is an English girl, not Amish, who loves an Amish man, Matthew Lapp. When Danielle tells Matthew she’s pregnant, Matthew is not prepared to do the right thing. Instead he tells her that he is leaving the Amish community and Colorado and he walks away from her.
Danielle feels totally alone, and doesn’t know who to turn to for help. She’d been so certain that Matthew would do the right thing and take care of her and their baby. But Matthew does have a friend, Levi who is prepared to step up and take care of Danielle and the baby. Only problem? Levi is fully committed to the Amish community and faith and Danielle does not want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to trust God.
HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER is the third book in Ms. Wiseman’s A Land of Canaan series. Ms. Wiseman is a hit or miss author for me. I totally love some of her books and others not so much. This is one that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was nice to see some unusual twists to the tried and true.
If you are a fan of Amish fiction then Ms. Wiseman’s books are some you should look at. HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER does have some characters present from previous books in this series (Seek Me With All Your Heart and The Wonder of Your Love) but it easily stands alone. Some Amish recipes are included at the end of the book. $15.99. 336 pages.
Author: Beth Wiseman
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
October 2012
ISBN: 978-1595548887
Amish/contemporary romance
Danielle Kent is an English girl, not Amish, who loves an Amish man, Matthew Lapp. When Danielle tells Matthew she’s pregnant, Matthew is not prepared to do the right thing. Instead he tells her that he is leaving the Amish community and Colorado and he walks away from her.
Danielle feels totally alone, and doesn’t know who to turn to for help. She’d been so certain that Matthew would do the right thing and take care of her and their baby. But Matthew does have a friend, Levi who is prepared to step up and take care of Danielle and the baby. Only problem? Levi is fully committed to the Amish community and faith and Danielle does not want to be Amish. Doesn’t want to be pregnant. Doesn’t want to trust God.
HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER is the third book in Ms. Wiseman’s A Land of Canaan series. Ms. Wiseman is a hit or miss author for me. I totally love some of her books and others not so much. This is one that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was nice to see some unusual twists to the tried and true.
If you are a fan of Amish fiction then Ms. Wiseman’s books are some you should look at. HIS LOVE ENDURES FOREVER does have some characters present from previous books in this series (Seek Me With All Your Heart and The Wonder of Your Love) but it easily stands alone. Some Amish recipes are included at the end of the book. $15.99. 336 pages.
January 13, 2013
I have always enjoyed reading Ms. Wiseman's books but this one grabbed me from the first sentence on the first page of the first chapter. It was that good.
Right from the beginning the reader is drawn into Danielle's plight. She suddenly finds herself in a situation a lot of women can relate to and we walk through the emotions with her as she comes to grips with what now is her reality. But nothing goes right, or so she thinks. She had a hard life growing up, has been abandoned by her Amish boyfriend when she needs him the most and now her Amish best friend has offered to do the unthinkable - for her. Because God had a plan.
This book kept me up late reading because I just couldn't put it down! I had to see and experience what would happen next. Is there conflict? Well, of course, but it is mild conflict and resolved quickly. Is there a lot of passion, no not really but there IS a lot of love. And forgiveness, And healing. We get to experience the wonder of God as we see how He changes lives for the better.
I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good book to read.
Right from the beginning the reader is drawn into Danielle's plight. She suddenly finds herself in a situation a lot of women can relate to and we walk through the emotions with her as she comes to grips with what now is her reality. But nothing goes right, or so she thinks. She had a hard life growing up, has been abandoned by her Amish boyfriend when she needs him the most and now her Amish best friend has offered to do the unthinkable - for her. Because God had a plan.
This book kept me up late reading because I just couldn't put it down! I had to see and experience what would happen next. Is there conflict? Well, of course, but it is mild conflict and resolved quickly. Is there a lot of passion, no not really but there IS a lot of love. And forgiveness, And healing. We get to experience the wonder of God as we see how He changes lives for the better.
I loved this book and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good book to read.
December 31, 2012
2.5 stars: This was a decent story although the h, Danielle, really got on my nerves. She was just a whiny brat. The H of the story, Levi, was wonderful, really did love her and was willing to give up everything for her, although I am not sure why. I'm not usually a fan of Christian Romance (I grew up Catholic, but still I hate being preached to) but I like Amish stories, so go figure.
October 17, 2012
GENRE: AMISH ROMANCE
PUBLISHER: THOMAS NELSON
PUBLICATION DATE: OCTOBER 2, 2012
RATING: 5 OUT OF 5 – NEAR PERFECT
PROS: Realistic portrayal of the Amish; continues the series’ exploration of more taboo topics; progression of Danielle’s faith was believable; loved the way Vera’s character evolved; good presentation of a young couple making marriage work
CONS: None!
Danielle Kent has had a difficult life, but it seems like things are looking up for now that she’s found a new family, got a job at a local restaurant and dating a handsome Amish man who has made plans to become English. Matthew Lapp has assured Danielle that he loves her, so when she discovers that she’s pregnant, she assumes that he’ll leave his family and settle down with her, even if it is sooner than they’d planned. What she doesn’t expect is for him to break her heart and leave behind both his Amish family and his unborn child. How can she raise this baby, alone and at the age of eighteen?
Levi Detweiler has been Danielle’s best friend ever since she moved to Canaan and began attending Amish church services with her new family. His heart also breaks when he hears that Matthew refuses to take responsibility for his child. Although he’s never considered leaving the Amish faith, he finds himself inexplicably called to marry Danielle and raise the child as his own, through a series of dreams and signs that he can only assume have come from God.
Not everyone is happy about Danielle and Levi’s decision to marry, least not Levi’s Amish family, who are convinced that he’s ruining his life by leaving the faith. Levi is sure that he can keep his faith while being married to an outsider, but even Danielle feels uncomfortable with all that Levi is giving up to be with her. Can they really make this marriage work? And is it truly the best thing for Danielle’s unborn child?
Out-of-wedlock pregnancy isn’t a topic I’ve seen explored in many Amish novels, particularly when the mother herself isn’t Amish. But if anyone can tackle this sort of topic, it’s Beth Wiseman. Although I enjoyed the slow-moving, rather conventional romantic plots of her Daughters of the Promise series, I appreciate that she’s delving into more serious topics (rape, adultery, out-of-wedlock pregnancy) in the Land of Canaan series. While it’s nice to escape into an idealised, simplistic view of Amish life, some novels portray the Amish as being a little bit too perfect, so I’m glad that Beth is here to remind us the Amish struggle with the same issues as the rest of the world.
That said, I don’t want to scare typical Amish readers into thinking this series may be too serious or heavy compared to other books in the genre. His Love Endures Forever may examine the ramifications of premarital sex and the difficulties the Amish face when they leave the faith, but it also contains many of the typical features of Amish fiction. There’s still the overwhelming sense of community, even in a small settlement like Canaan. I loved the way that, despite their disapproval of Levi and Danielle’s relationship, Levi’s family rallied around Danielle when she had pregnancy complications, and how Emily and Martha helped Danielle to improve her housekeeping and cooking skills. The importance of forgiveness, always associated with the Amish, also resonated throughout the story.
I wasn’t sure how the spiritual aspect of the novel was going to pan out, considering how little faith Danielle had at the start of the book, but I felt that her beliefs progressed in a realistic manner. Christian novels tend to shy away from exploring relationships in which one person has little or no faith, or they present such a relationship as doomed from the start. Occasionally, they avoid this awkward topic by having the faithless character suddenly turn to God just before the wedding. Life isn’t like that; and I would know, since my husband didn’t truly develop his own faith in God until six months before we got married. I appreciated that Beth chose to show how Levi and his family gently guided Danielle in her faith without being too pushy or overbearing.
The progression of Danielle’s faith also made a previously unlikable character all the more relatable. Initially, I found Levi’s mother, Vera, to be rather caricatured in her disapproval of Levi’s relationship with Danielle. But as she helped Danielle throughout the latter stages of her pregnancy and unintentionally guided her along her faith journey, I came to appreciate Vera’s personal worries about her grown son and the decisions he was making. By the end of the novel, I’d come to care for Vera just as much as I did Danielle, in spite of her previously unkind and narrow-minded treatment of Levi and Danielle’s relationship. Her turnaround in character never felt sudden or forced, and even I was quite surprised that Beth was able to show such different sides of a person in one single book.
Danielle and Levi’s relationship didn’t take the form of a conventional romance, since they were friends long before the start of the book and are essentially thrown into a romantic relationship when Danielle discovers that she’s pregnant. I expected their marriage to come across as one of convenience, almost like a historical mail-order bride story or another similar plot device. It’s hard to describe how their relationship truly did progress, other than to say that it’s clear that Danielle and Levi had always had feelings for each other, but didn’t realise it until they were catapulted into a romantic relationship. I appreciated that, despite their unconventional situation, they were able to make their relationship work with relatively little difficulty. A lot of Christian novels fall into the stereotype of portraying the first year of marriage, in any situation, as being ridiculously hard, so it was a nice change to see a young couple making their relationship work and not letting the little things (Danielle’s poor cooking abilities, the work still needing to be completed on their house) bother them.
Although I loved the conclusion to His Love Endures Forever, I truly hope this isn’t the final Land of Canaan novel. There were some hints about members of Levi’s family returning to Pennsylvania, and I did wonder if Sarah (an Amish girl that Levi courted before he married Danielle) might someday get a story of her own. Either way, I’m sure I’ll be reading Beth’s next Amish novel, regardless of the setting or characters. As His Love Endures Forever demonstrates, Beth never fails to produce realistic stories with believable characters whose struggles truly resonate with the reader.
Review title provided by Thomas Nelson.
PUBLISHER: THOMAS NELSON
PUBLICATION DATE: OCTOBER 2, 2012
RATING: 5 OUT OF 5 – NEAR PERFECT
PROS: Realistic portrayal of the Amish; continues the series’ exploration of more taboo topics; progression of Danielle’s faith was believable; loved the way Vera’s character evolved; good presentation of a young couple making marriage work
CONS: None!
Danielle Kent has had a difficult life, but it seems like things are looking up for now that she’s found a new family, got a job at a local restaurant and dating a handsome Amish man who has made plans to become English. Matthew Lapp has assured Danielle that he loves her, so when she discovers that she’s pregnant, she assumes that he’ll leave his family and settle down with her, even if it is sooner than they’d planned. What she doesn’t expect is for him to break her heart and leave behind both his Amish family and his unborn child. How can she raise this baby, alone and at the age of eighteen?
Levi Detweiler has been Danielle’s best friend ever since she moved to Canaan and began attending Amish church services with her new family. His heart also breaks when he hears that Matthew refuses to take responsibility for his child. Although he’s never considered leaving the Amish faith, he finds himself inexplicably called to marry Danielle and raise the child as his own, through a series of dreams and signs that he can only assume have come from God.
Not everyone is happy about Danielle and Levi’s decision to marry, least not Levi’s Amish family, who are convinced that he’s ruining his life by leaving the faith. Levi is sure that he can keep his faith while being married to an outsider, but even Danielle feels uncomfortable with all that Levi is giving up to be with her. Can they really make this marriage work? And is it truly the best thing for Danielle’s unborn child?
Out-of-wedlock pregnancy isn’t a topic I’ve seen explored in many Amish novels, particularly when the mother herself isn’t Amish. But if anyone can tackle this sort of topic, it’s Beth Wiseman. Although I enjoyed the slow-moving, rather conventional romantic plots of her Daughters of the Promise series, I appreciate that she’s delving into more serious topics (rape, adultery, out-of-wedlock pregnancy) in the Land of Canaan series. While it’s nice to escape into an idealised, simplistic view of Amish life, some novels portray the Amish as being a little bit too perfect, so I’m glad that Beth is here to remind us the Amish struggle with the same issues as the rest of the world.
That said, I don’t want to scare typical Amish readers into thinking this series may be too serious or heavy compared to other books in the genre. His Love Endures Forever may examine the ramifications of premarital sex and the difficulties the Amish face when they leave the faith, but it also contains many of the typical features of Amish fiction. There’s still the overwhelming sense of community, even in a small settlement like Canaan. I loved the way that, despite their disapproval of Levi and Danielle’s relationship, Levi’s family rallied around Danielle when she had pregnancy complications, and how Emily and Martha helped Danielle to improve her housekeeping and cooking skills. The importance of forgiveness, always associated with the Amish, also resonated throughout the story.
I wasn’t sure how the spiritual aspect of the novel was going to pan out, considering how little faith Danielle had at the start of the book, but I felt that her beliefs progressed in a realistic manner. Christian novels tend to shy away from exploring relationships in which one person has little or no faith, or they present such a relationship as doomed from the start. Occasionally, they avoid this awkward topic by having the faithless character suddenly turn to God just before the wedding. Life isn’t like that; and I would know, since my husband didn’t truly develop his own faith in God until six months before we got married. I appreciated that Beth chose to show how Levi and his family gently guided Danielle in her faith without being too pushy or overbearing.
The progression of Danielle’s faith also made a previously unlikable character all the more relatable. Initially, I found Levi’s mother, Vera, to be rather caricatured in her disapproval of Levi’s relationship with Danielle. But as she helped Danielle throughout the latter stages of her pregnancy and unintentionally guided her along her faith journey, I came to appreciate Vera’s personal worries about her grown son and the decisions he was making. By the end of the novel, I’d come to care for Vera just as much as I did Danielle, in spite of her previously unkind and narrow-minded treatment of Levi and Danielle’s relationship. Her turnaround in character never felt sudden or forced, and even I was quite surprised that Beth was able to show such different sides of a person in one single book.
Danielle and Levi’s relationship didn’t take the form of a conventional romance, since they were friends long before the start of the book and are essentially thrown into a romantic relationship when Danielle discovers that she’s pregnant. I expected their marriage to come across as one of convenience, almost like a historical mail-order bride story or another similar plot device. It’s hard to describe how their relationship truly did progress, other than to say that it’s clear that Danielle and Levi had always had feelings for each other, but didn’t realise it until they were catapulted into a romantic relationship. I appreciated that, despite their unconventional situation, they were able to make their relationship work with relatively little difficulty. A lot of Christian novels fall into the stereotype of portraying the first year of marriage, in any situation, as being ridiculously hard, so it was a nice change to see a young couple making their relationship work and not letting the little things (Danielle’s poor cooking abilities, the work still needing to be completed on their house) bother them.
Although I loved the conclusion to His Love Endures Forever, I truly hope this isn’t the final Land of Canaan novel. There were some hints about members of Levi’s family returning to Pennsylvania, and I did wonder if Sarah (an Amish girl that Levi courted before he married Danielle) might someday get a story of her own. Either way, I’m sure I’ll be reading Beth’s next Amish novel, regardless of the setting or characters. As His Love Endures Forever demonstrates, Beth never fails to produce realistic stories with believable characters whose struggles truly resonate with the reader.
Review title provided by Thomas Nelson.
March 23, 2023
Englisch runaway Danielle is a hot mess when she finds herself pregnant by an Amish boy who leaves the Amish rather than doing the right thing. Levi and Danielle are really good friends but their hasty marriage is also a hot mess that neither character takes the time to think through. Yes, Levi feels Gott has called him to marry Danielle and be a father to her child which is selfless and inspiring. Adding in Levi’s headstrong and judgmental mother and a scheming Amish seductress who tries to break them up took this story to a whole new level of drama that left me scratching my head. Yes there are misunderstandings and messy feelings before a happy ending but the mama drama! I did enjoy Martha’s quirky character because she’s a mother figure for Danielle and provides love and encouragement to the young couple when Levi’s mother can’t cope. An interesting story but it wasn’t my favorite in the trilogy.
March 15, 2019
I'm hooked on this series in spite of myself. They're just so darn interesting in a light reading, mental break way. "His Love" continues with Danielle's story, the abused teen whom Martha takes under her wing in "The Wonder of Your Love".
The story opens with Danielle's realization that she's pregnant by her hot Amish boyfriend, Matthew. Naively assuming that he'll be thrilled to be her baby daddy, she is shocked when he refuses not only to marry her, but remain in the community. Enter Levi, Amish babe and Danielle's best friend, who feels called upon by God to marry and support Danielle even though his family disapproves and he's been courting an Amish teen, Sarah.
This is a great series for those who need a reassuring, calming and upbeat story as well as an escape from deeper, challenging fare.
The story opens with Danielle's realization that she's pregnant by her hot Amish boyfriend, Matthew. Naively assuming that he'll be thrilled to be her baby daddy, she is shocked when he refuses not only to marry her, but remain in the community. Enter Levi, Amish babe and Danielle's best friend, who feels called upon by God to marry and support Danielle even though his family disapproves and he's been courting an Amish teen, Sarah.
This is a great series for those who need a reassuring, calming and upbeat story as well as an escape from deeper, challenging fare.
October 19, 2019
In this third novel in the Land of Canaan series, "Danielle finds herself pregnant and single when her Amish boyfriend, Matthew Lapp runs away from his responsibilities.
Levi, Danielle's best friend, feels God calling him to marry Danielle so he obeys, risking the wrath of his loved ones.
Will Levi and Danielle be able to weather the winds of hardship together?"
I found this novel to be fairly well written and to have a decent amount of character development, but it wasn't one of my favorite Amish novels because I felt that the conclusion was too rushed; it seemed out of character for Danielle to make the decision that she did at the end. Overall though, I found it to be a sweet story, and I liked how the different relationships became better or stronger by the end of the novel.
Levi, Danielle's best friend, feels God calling him to marry Danielle so he obeys, risking the wrath of his loved ones.
Will Levi and Danielle be able to weather the winds of hardship together?"
I found this novel to be fairly well written and to have a decent amount of character development, but it wasn't one of my favorite Amish novels because I felt that the conclusion was too rushed; it seemed out of character for Danielle to make the decision that she did at the end. Overall though, I found it to be a sweet story, and I liked how the different relationships became better or stronger by the end of the novel.
April 14, 2018
Excellent
story of forgiveness and love. Danielle, the main character, is a young woman who comes from an abusive home and mother. She lands in an Amish community that is a bit more accepting of the English, and is adopted into an unique family. Her best friend in an Amish guy as is her boyfriend. As events unfold, she becomes pregnant, abandoned by her boyfriend, married to her bestie and the the trouble multiples! Thru a tangled mess of female relationships, Danielle comes to love herself, her mother and her LORD. Well written, very good characters you will care about and a realistic setting and interactions between the Amish and English. Highly recommended.
story of forgiveness and love. Danielle, the main character, is a young woman who comes from an abusive home and mother. She lands in an Amish community that is a bit more accepting of the English, and is adopted into an unique family. Her best friend in an Amish guy as is her boyfriend. As events unfold, she becomes pregnant, abandoned by her boyfriend, married to her bestie and the the trouble multiples! Thru a tangled mess of female relationships, Danielle comes to love herself, her mother and her LORD. Well written, very good characters you will care about and a realistic setting and interactions between the Amish and English. Highly recommended.
May 17, 2017
I enjoyed this book. I think it is more 4 1/2 stars for me.
It is about listening to the Lord's plan for your life and forgiveness, both in others and yourself.
I really disliked the characters who meddled and grew to love those who were trying to do what was right. It got on the edge of frustrating and then would straighten out so I was able to enjoy it. I really liked the way it ended and how the characters resolved themselves. Which is why I gave it 5 stars. I look forward to the next one.
It is about listening to the Lord's plan for your life and forgiveness, both in others and yourself.
I really disliked the characters who meddled and grew to love those who were trying to do what was right. It got on the edge of frustrating and then would straighten out so I was able to enjoy it. I really liked the way it ended and how the characters resolved themselves. Which is why I gave it 5 stars. I look forward to the next one.
April 3, 2021
Loved this story! Not sure why but I am drawn to the Amish - maybe because my step-grandfather was Pennsylvania dutch...and I am intrigued.
This was well written, and drew me into the storyline! For a bit of a twist on the ins and outs of Amish, and Christian life...this is an endearing story. No One is perfect - and this book very nicely shows us How Much God Loves each of us! And once you give your heart to HIm, He works all things for His good!
Must REad!!
This was well written, and drew me into the storyline! For a bit of a twist on the ins and outs of Amish, and Christian life...this is an endearing story. No One is perfect - and this book very nicely shows us How Much God Loves each of us! And once you give your heart to HIm, He works all things for His good!
Must REad!!
July 12, 2021
Interesting Story, but I question the ending
I didn't think much of Matthew, and thought even less of Susan. The Amish values are commendable in the sense of stressing responsibility. I'm not too sure, however, that I would have made the commitment in the end. I'm glad that "Ladybug" found it in her heart to forgive her mother, but even more so that she had the courage to tell her Mom of the offense that her Mom had committed against her.
I didn't think much of Matthew, and thought even less of Susan. The Amish values are commendable in the sense of stressing responsibility. I'm not too sure, however, that I would have made the commitment in the end. I'm glad that "Ladybug" found it in her heart to forgive her mother, but even more so that she had the courage to tell her Mom of the offense that her Mom had committed against her.
April 11, 2018
I enjoyed this book. It wasn 't your ordinary amish book. All the characters were believeable. I loved how the author brought Danielle through alot of things in her life. I don't want to give it away, but, prayer does work and His mercy endures forever. Good read. I didn't really know it was the third book in the series, but I have the first two that I am going to read.
July 13, 2017
An Amish series set in CO. Characters have some depth, and real-life feelings and conflicts. Writer keeps the plot moving. Excellent audiobook narrator. (Got the 2nd and 3rd book of series through Overdrive.)
March 30, 2018
I loved this book, as I love all of Beth's book, keep writing and I will keep on reading.
I loved this book as I love all of Beth's books, keep on writing and I will keep reading, give it 5 stars.
I loved this book as I love all of Beth's books, keep on writing and I will keep reading, give it 5 stars.
June 19, 2020
Excluding the last chapter, this is by far the best book in the series. Extremely Christian in it's positions. The last chapter wasn't bad, it just ties up loose ends that may have been better left loose.
February 27, 2023
I thought it was good or at least I thought I was loved but now I’m pregnant and I’m a little bit scared but I’m sure Matthew loves me. He’s told me so, it wasn’t a plan to be intimate but it happened. So I going to tell him tonight and we can plan to marry and then go from there.
March 10, 2023
A non Amish girl gets pregnant by an Amish man who takes off. She has an Amish friend who agrees to marry her and take care of the baby. They have so many things to work out and the parents are involved and not happy.
February 6, 2024
Beautiful book
This was a really good book to read. A person can grow in their faith by reading books by Beth Wiseman. She includes the gospel in her writings about Amish families. They serve as reminders of my faith in God and his Son.
This was a really good book to read. A person can grow in their faith by reading books by Beth Wiseman. She includes the gospel in her writings about Amish families. They serve as reminders of my faith in God and his Son.
June 29, 2024
Excellent book!
I enjoyed meeting Danielle and Levi in other books and I'm so glad to have read their story. Great characters, situations, easy read but not too fast. Really enjoyable book. Enjoyed the faith and character arcs.
I enjoyed meeting Danielle and Levi in other books and I'm so glad to have read their story. Great characters, situations, easy read but not too fast. Really enjoyable book. Enjoyed the faith and character arcs.
February 14, 2019
The last book in a series I do not want to end.
January 28, 2020
I really enjoyed this book. The story was heartwarming and I didn’t expect the message that came through all the difficulties. Really beautiful and true, loved reading this story.
August 31, 2020
Excellent Amish book with a twist in it. Love does conquer all. Enjoyable read. Probably mend to read the other books on the series too!
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