A Plain Leaving by Leslie Gould (The Sister's of Lancaster County Book 1)

I know you can't judge a book by the cover, but honestly, that is what can draw me into a book and get me excited to pick it up!  

I was really drawn to this book, isn't it pretty!  I've read quite a few books from Leslie Gould and this is the start of her new series The Sister's of Lancaster County.  From the back: Leaving Was the Hardest Thing She'd Ever Done . . . Until She Had to Return
  
Three years ago, Jessica Bachmann walked away from everything: her family, their beloved farm, her Amish community, and Silas Kemp. After clashing with the new bishop and her brother about her role in her family and the future of the family farm, anger and restlessness wouldn't allow her to stay. 

When she is forced to return home because of her beloved father's death, her arrival stirs up all kinds of emotions--sorrow, grief, and yearning alike. Jessica knows things can't return to the way they were, but, especially upon seeing Silas again, she can't help wonder what might have been--and what still could be. The stakes grow higher when she learns that her brother, Arden, is still pursuing potentially hazardous fracking on the family's land.

As Jessica wrestles with her next step, she learns the cautionary tale of Ruby Bachmann, a Revolutionary War-era ancestor who faced similar struggles. Will Ruby's decisions motivate Jessica to leave her family, the land, and her community forever? Or is there healing, love, and belonging yet to come for her in Lancaster County?  

The things I liked about this book, is like in her previous books she weaves a nice storyline.  Two stories are placed together and Ruby's story and Jessica's.  It's sometimes difficult to jump between two stories and time periods but Gould was able to do that with ease.  The overall story line was enjoyable. 

There are a few things that weren't as great as I had hoped.  There was a bit of a heavy hand with explanations.  Fracking was one example.  There was also a song, How Great Thou Art, that I don't think the Amish would have used.  The story ended to quickly after a nice steady pace as well.  

Overall, the book was OK.  I'll be picking up the second book in the series to see what happens next and I'm hopeful that the bumps will even out.  Happy Reading!  

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*