Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Reviews of The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1)

The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1)
The Postcard - Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1
Author: Beverly Lewis
ISBN-13: 9780764222115
ISBN-10: 0764222112
Publication Date: 7/1/1999
Pages: 314
Rating:
  • Currently 4/5 Stars.
 156

4 stars, based on 156 ratings
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Book Type: Paperback
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

46 Book Reviews submitted by our Members...sorted by voted most helpful

reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 84 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
The author, Beverly Lewis brings you back into the culture of Amish society with a healing story with a bit of intrigue. An Amishwoman who loses both husband and son in a buggy accident, leaving her with her little daughter and the loss of her sight. The stranger who comes to stay in her parent's B&B befriends her. He discovers a old postcard lodged in a small drawer of his rolltop antique desk in his room at the B&B. The postcard brings strange reactions from the owners of the Amish Bed and Breakfast owners, urging him on a trail after the history of the postcard. Another great book set in the heart of Pennsylvanian Amish Country. A light enjoyable read.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
Story about an Amish widow and the Englisher who comes in to her life. Pretty good story, although not as good as her other series.
Grnemae avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 451 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2
A New York reporter sent to Amish country to do an article on "the Plain people" finds a 40 yr old postcard in a desk at the Amish B & B where he is staying. His inquires regarding the sender of the postcard are met with guarded hostilities by his hosts. As he sets out to find the answers to the who and why of the postcard he finds allies in the blind daughter and the granddaughter of the B & B owners.
This is really 2 stories in one - the story of Phil - the reporter and the story of Rachel - the shy blind widow and single mother who lives with her parents and assists in the running of their business.
I found this story a bit slow at first and then it really grabbed me and I could not put the book down.
This story is continued in The Crossroad.
Dimples avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 47 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
Wow! this was a quick read. I'm anxious to read The Crossroad - the second in the series - to find out if Rachel Yoder gets back her sight and if she triumphs over the powwowing.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 37 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
"Her quaint Amish life was no match for his city ways until a remmant from her past united them.... A long-forgotten message threatens a community united in secrecy.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
An enjoyable fairly easy read, the character development was a bit lacking but I enjoyed the story overall and the Amish culture.
maydayzee avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 754 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The Postcard is an intriguing, but easy read. I love the mystery in the story, and the captivating way in which it is finally revealed. A great plot with interesting twists and subplots add depth to the overall story.

I have read only a few Amish books, so can't really compare it to others, but I was fascinated by the Amish life and ways, especially the difference in beliefs and practices between the Old Order Amish and some of the Mennonites. I particularly appreciate the way the Amish are portrayed as real people with faults, as well as virtues.

My favorite character is Philip Bradley, a warm and caring man. He is far more astute and introspective than I expected him to be. I'm was happy with his spiritual growth over the course of the novel. I didn't really warm up to Rachael, the main female character, until near the end of the book, when she allows her own personality and character to surface, regardless of her mother's overbearing and meddling ways.

I found this book to be a very satisfying read, though I will soon be reading the sequel, The Crossroad, to find out the rest of the story. I recommend this book to those who enjoy an easy read with a heavy dose of mystery and a fair amount of spiritual investigation and growth in the characters.
RoyalCatwoman avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 278 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The usually simple lives of an Amish community are complicated when a forgotten postcard unlocks a tangled maze of secrets.

Are you one of over 700,000 people who fell in love with The Shunning, The Confession, and The Reckoning? Do you love great storytelling, precise characterization, and quaint settings? If so, The Postcard, by bestselling author Beverly Lewis, should be your next read. It is a tender novel about redemption and discovery as two people from different worlds are forced to rely on one another to uncover a long kept secret.

Rachel Yoder, a New Order Amish woman, lost her husband and son in a tragic accident two years ago. Now, returning to her aging parents with her young daughter, she has resigned herself to the life of a widow. With a subdued but cheerful heart she helps her family run a bed-and-breakfast in a quaint Lancaster county town.

Philip Bradley, a world-weary journalist from New York City on assignment in Lancaster to write an article on the Amish community, is a lodger at the Yoder's B&B. A chance discovery by Philip of a postcard written in illegible Pennsylvania Dutch in the dresser of his room sets off a series of events that leads him into the heart of the Amish life and to the bedside of a mysterious woman known as "The Storyteller." With the postcard as a link to a haunted past, the woman gradually weaves a riveting tale as old as herself about a community shuttered in secrecy, shattered by betrayal.

Fascinated by the story, Philip's and Rachel's lives become inevitably intertwined despite the attempts of the community to protect her from the outsider. Torn by devotion to the people she loves and the awakening feelings in her heart, Rachel searches her past to restore old wounds in order than new love might grow.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 74 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
A wonderful story that gives insight into the Amish community - a very enjoyable read!
demiducky25 avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 161 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
This book tells the story of Rachel Yoder, a blind Amish woman living at her parents B&B with her young daughter. Rachel came to live with her parents after a tragic accident left her a young widow and helped result in her blindness. She is content to quietly work behind-the-scenes at her parents' B&B until Philip Bradley, a big city reporter, comes to stay at the B&B and finds an old postcard tucked away in the stuck drawer of a writing desk. The postcard was from a mysteriously shunned relative of Rachel's and Philip begins to unravel the secrets surrounding the postcard, later sparking Rachel's interest in the tale as well, which helps to open her up to the world she had been shutting herself away from. Together, both Rachel and Philip slowly gain an understanding of faith and each other.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a fairly quick read, and I was happy to find out that it is the first book in a trilogy since there were a number of unanswered questions at the end. I also appreciated the descriptions of the different types of Amish since most people typically think of the "Old Order" when thinking about the Amish. Not everyone is aware of the "Beachy Amish" who among other things do sometimes drive cars and use electricity. Being aware of these different orders does help explain a number of things that occur in the book. All-in-all, I found it to be an enjoyable read!
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 234 more book reviews
This book was ok; not as good as some of Beverly Lewis's other books.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 14 more book reviews
Very good book.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
I enjoyed this book written about the experiences of a journalist visiting an Amish family and the search he took on to find the story behind and old "postcard" he found. It is easy reading and you will like it also.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 11 more book reviews
Disappointed in the way this one was written compared to most of Beverly Lewis' books.
readinggranny avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 87 more book reviews
Easy fast read. An journalist comes to spend a few days at an Amish bed and breakfast to write an article. He finds an old postcard stuck in a desk drawer and so begins a journey into the life of a blind Amish widow and the community.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 37 more book reviews
One of my favorite books!
srp avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 47 more book reviews
Great book
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 53 more book reviews
Good story! Great rainy day read!
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 163 more book reviews
A great book-- Beverly Lewis lets us know more and more about the Amish way of life... this one the "Postcard" is intriguing and brings an Englisher to the Plain life filled with healing, hope, and a new love. Hard to put down.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on
I love Beverly Lewis and this was a wonderful book :)
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 18 more book reviews
Another interesting Amish story by Beverly Lewis!
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 317 more book reviews
Great story. Fast Read --- although I would have liked a little different ending.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 5 more book reviews
It was different from alot of the Amish stories I've read. It was very good, good story.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 48 more book reviews
an enjoyable book
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 13 more book reviews
I have read most of Beverly Lewis's books and thoroughly enjoyed them. I have quite a few to be traded.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 50 more book reviews
I'm a Beverly Lewis Fan!! Love all her Amish stories.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 104 more book reviews
Her quaint Amish life was no match for his City ways
until a remnant from her past united them.
A wonderful read.
It is the first book, the next one is " The Crossroad
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 19 more book reviews
A long forgotten message threatens a community united in secrecy.
jaedoe avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on
A good story all in all although some parts were predictable. Since I enjoy reading anything about Amish life I enjoyed "visiting" the farm, riding in the buggy and all the rest that comes with the Amish way of life. It calms me down, slows me down and gives me a sense of peace. Good book for a lazy afternoon or evening.
DLeahL avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 48 more book reviews
Beverly Lewis has a strong and devoted readership for good reason. She tells a very good story about family life in a culture most of us know little or nothing about. Most of her books run in series, but as far as I can remember of this one, it stands alone. Certainly there is no precursor to this book, so you will not miss any information when you begin this book.

Because of the nature of these books (feel good, comfort reading), it is often easy to predict the outcome of the story. But Lewis excels at keeping you deeply interested. Although Lewis is not herself Amish and comes from a mother who left the Amish ways, she does really know what she's writing about. (Although it is very likely that someone who is Amish could find inaccuracies.)

An aspect of Lewis' writing that I and my family appreciate, is that she writes good, CLEAN books. Yes, it is possible to write good romance without resorting to bodice-ripping!

If you are a Lewis fan, you will really enjoy this book and probably were searching for it. If Lewis is new to you, do not hesitate to order the book, unless you are not a woman or teenage girl. These books do not seem to appeal that much to the average American male!
nadezhdainak avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on
The story was "undone" just because there is a second book :)
I really liked the story and read the book in three days. Now I am hooked on Beverly Lewis - reading the trird series written by her.
TheChurchGirl avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 75 more book reviews
I finished this book feeling that the story was "undone".
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 15 more book reviews
EXCELLENT
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 40 more book reviews
Learn something of the Amish ways, while enjoying a good, light read.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 3 more book reviews
The book was sent fast and in very good shape. was for a lady in a shelter
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on
This is my favorite book that Ms. Lewis has written. I also met her at a book signing and she was very sweet!
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 69 more book reviews
another great adventure into Amish country
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 9 more book reviews
Beverly Lewis is a wonderful story teller. Amish culture, mystery and love.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 31 more book reviews
Growing up Plain, Rachel Yoder dreamed of being a woman of confidence, like the hearty women and men of her ancestry. But unlike Gabriel Esh, her fiery great-uncle who preached out against age-old practices in the community and endured the shunning for his beliefs, Rachel was said to be "born shy". After suffering the tragedy of early widowhood, she is so shadowed by grief that even her young daughter has trouble coaxing Rachel out of her shell. . . .
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 336 more book reviews
her quaint amish life was no match for his city ways.. untill a remnant from her past united them... a beverly lewis best seller
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 49 more book reviews
Haven't read it yet but it does have a sequel called The Crossroad.
shelleysalibi avatar reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 280 more book reviews
From the back cover...

Growing up Plain, Rachel Yoder dreamed of being a woman of confidence, like the hearty women and men of her ancestry. But unlike Gabriel Esh, her fiery great-uncle who preached out against age-old practices in the community and endured the shunning for his beliefs, Rachel was said to be "born shy." After suffering the tragedy of early widowhood, she is so shadowed by grief that even her young daughter has trouble coaxing Rachel out of her shell.

Philip Bradley's arrival at the Orchard Guest House B&B would be called providential by certain folk in the Lancaster Amish community, for it is Philip who stumbles across a forsaken postcard in the crevice of an antique desk. A world weary journalist, Philip finds his enthusiasm renewed at the challenge the postcard presents. Written in Pennsylvania Dutch and signed be an infamous Plain relative, the faded message leads Philip to the bedside of a woman with a tale of dark secrets and lost love.

Drawn to the ancient story, Philip and Rachel find their own lives inexorably intertwined. Will their discoveries give Rachel the courage to embrace the promise of healing and the hope of new love?
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 354 more book reviews
THESE BOOKS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES,GREAT.
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 120 more book reviews
This might have been an interesting story if it hadn't been dripping with religious tripe...
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 154 more book reviews
loved it
reviewed The Postcard (Amish Country Crossroads, Bk 1) on + 6 more book reviews
any books by Beverly are good, mostly amish related