The Amish Ballerina - by Richelle Brunstetter & Wanda E Brunstetter Paperback

Arie Kauffman loves the beauty and simplicity of her Amish life. But ever since watching her English friend's ballet dance recital as a young girl, she's been fascinated by the beauty and artistry of ballet, so much so that she asks her parents to permit her to take ballet lessons. Of course, the answer is no. Longing becomes taking dance lessons from her friend and practicing all the moves in her barn. But Arie is an adult now and her boyfriend would like them to join the Amish church and marry, which means giving up the beautiful ballet she loves, especially when an opportunity presents itself to actually perform in front of an audience as an Amish ballerina. What will she choose?

This new book isn't your usual Wanda E. Brunstetter book! It is Amish fiction, but the families aren't the typical Amish families we've come to expect. Arie Kaufmann is keeping a secret from her parents, and her mother isn't always the kind, supportive person we associate with Amish mothers. What it does have are the heartwarming emotions and strong faith elements that we value in Brunstetter's books. Hard choices and difficult decisions are present, along with the need to pray, trust, and forgive! Arie's dream to become the best dancer she could be, and her certainty that her family wouldn't understand, were very touching, as was the support from her boyfriend Edwin Clapp. I was also intrigued by the young Amish drill team that used its performances to earn money to help needy Amish neighbors. The Amish Ballerina is a thought-provoking story co-authored by Wanda E. Brunstetter and her granddaughter, Richelle Brunstetter. I look forward to more of their collaborative efforts in the future. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Amish Ballerina by Richelle Brunstetter with Wanda E. Brunstetter is a story that I was looking forward to reading. I thought the premise was unique with a young Amish woman taking ballet classes. The writing style was definitely not that of Wanda Brunstetter (I have read every book that she has written). The story was stilted, lacked warmth, and a good flow. The story also moved at a snail’s pace. I did not enjoy the lengthy paragraphs of internal dialogue (they went on and on). Arie and Edwin’s families are not warm, loving people. I felt bad for Edwin whose father overlooked his older son’s numerous faults but did not appreciate Edwin’s hard work. I was disappointed that the issues with Edwin’s family were not resolved. The characters lacked depth, and, with the exception of Edwin, they were self-centered. The danger of secrets and being dishonest were the two main themes in the story. The Amish Ballerina had a nice ending, but I was disappointed with it. In the end, I was happy to turn the last page of The Amish Ballerina.

Not your typical Amish read from this author as it involves secrets and distorted truths because of family dynamics. This book brings to light the hard choice between family expectations and a desire of the heart that is not allowed in the Amish community. When we try to fit ourselves into a box amidst rules and regulations instead of seeking God’s plan for our life it can lead to heart ache and broken dreams. I thought the subject matter was tackled with finesse and although I don’t always agree with the Amish rules I understand their culture and trying to preserve their heritage. I did have trouble connecting with the characters the way I prefer as they seemed distant and hard to get to know except for Edwin who is a sincere, kind man who grants grace to others. It was interesting to learn of the drill teams that the Amish participate in as I had never heard of that . This is an interesting story and gives you a different perspective. I received a complimentary copy from Barbour Publishing. The honest review and opinions are my own and were not required.

The Amish Ballerina by Wanda and Richelle Brunstetter is a very different book. Don't get me wrong; I do like it. It pulls at your heartstrings. Will Arie change her life and follow her love of ballet?

Another great book by Richelle Brunstetter and her grandmother, Wanda E. Brunstetter in "The Amish Ballerina." It has a different approach than many of their past books. An eighteen year old Amish young lady, Arie Kauffman and her English friend, Lorrina Moore have been friends for many years. Lorrina has taught Arie many ballet steps over the years. Arie's parents certainly would not approve of this. Arie has been secretly practicing the ballet steps in the loft of the barn. The subject of doing ballet has come up in the past and both her parents are against it. Arie Kauffman keeps on dreaming what it might be like to actually take ballet classes and perform on stage. She has kept her secret from her boyfriend, Edwin Chupp. It is best to always to be honest with yourself and others in your life. One lie leads to another and another and another until it is totally out of control. Arie tells her parents she wants to work full time at the variety store in Shipshewana. Ballet dance lessons goes against her Amish faith. Will Arie's secret passion for ballet drive her from her Amish roots? What will happen if her parents and her boyfriend find out what she has been doing? Arie Kauffman has always felt like she does not meet her mother's expectations. She has to find a way to remain Amish yet satisfy her desire to dance ballet. She is very concerned about how her boyfriend, Edwin and her parents will react if they find out her secret. Arie struggles with her following her dreams while staying true to her faith convictions. You have to read the ending to find out what she does.

This was a sweet story of an Amish young woman, Arie, whose parents were quite strict as to following Amish rules. Arie's friend has helped her to learn ballet and Arie absolutely loves it. She wants to continue but is forced to do so while hiding in the barn to express her love of the dance. I was attracted to the title being the mom of a daughter who danced since she could walk. There were some exciting parts to the book and it was an easy read. Arie was worried to share the news of her dancing with her boyfriend. I enjoyed the book. I received an ARC copy of this book. All thoughts are my own.