Love Finds You in Amana Iowa

Love Finds You in Amana Iowa
Melanie Dobson
Summerside Press
Minneapolis, Minnesota
ISBN: 978-1-60936-135-8
2011
$12.99
313 pages

Life with people known for their peaceful practices allows avoidance of war, bu how does anyone attempt to handle a country's civil war while still holding your values and beliefs.

The people from the Amana colonies are in the process of moving their entire colony from New York to settle in Iowa during our country's Civil War. Even though the elders chose to pay for their young men not to be conscripted, they were still strongly influenced by the realities of the war.

The colony in New York sent many able-bodied men ahead to begin to build and
prepare for the women, children, and the rest of their families who would eventually make the long trek overland to Iowa. Their advance team included Friedrich Vinzenz, clockmaker, and his adopted brother, Matthias, who was a builder. Their job was to start planting the fields and building the kitchens, shelters, and places of worship for those coming in the near future.

Friedrich has promised to marry Amalie Weise when she finally arrives at the colony. Their long relationship grew from their childhood while spending time with Friedrich's family. Growing up with the Vinzenz family, their close relationship grew as well along with Matthias being promised to Friedrich's sister.

However life does not always work out as we plan or hope. When some wounded Union soldiers come to the colony to recruit, Friedrich feels obligated to join and to fight for those in slavery. Even when the elders of the community offer to pay in compensation for their services, Friedrich still chooses to join much to the distress of his friends, family, and community. Added to that, Amalie is finally near the Iowa colony after being separated from Friedrich for nearly three years. Now that she is finally arriving, she has to question their relationship when she is told that Friedrich has left to fight in the war.

This hauntingly romantic tale expertly describes the hardships of those resettling in Iowa and gives the perspective of the Amana people. This country's Civil War influenced more than those who were directly in battle, the influences changed the country in numerous ways, including attitude. The characters were believable and realistic in this well-develop story.

The strength of this particular novel is how well Melanie Dobson developed the characters and life in the beginning Amana Colonies in Iowa during our country's
Civil War. Her interwoven characters into the daily life traveling on foot and wagon train, to beginning in a new land, to the struggles with a country in a civil war allow the reader to truly understand the times.

Melanie Dobson has written many novels in this historical romance category. Except for the cover of the book not matching the character description of Amalie Weise, this particular novel is a wonderful book to read for anyone who is interested in these historically peaceful people and for those who love romance.

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