The Keeper (Stoney Ridge Seasons, #1) By Suzanne Woods Fisher

Staci

Suzanne Woods Fisher has done it again...delivered an engaging, educational and inspirational Amish novel.

While Julia is the main character of The Keeper, readers are entertained by her spunky youngest sister Mary Kate (MK), her very loud/no filter uncle Harold Lapp, tender spirited brother Menno and the in charge housekeeper Fern. A fabulous cast of characters to kick off this series.

The educational piece was about bee keeping.

Delightful novel.

Carrie Pagels

Paul Fisher is not the guy for Julia Lapp, even if they are promised to one another. She's finally woken up and realized his cold feet might mean something. But she's angry. And she targets Roman Troyer, the Bee Man, as the instigator (with a little prompting from others!)

Roman is far from home, a man who roams from place to place with his bees. He has a streak of white hair announcing the trauma he's experienced because if one looks closely they'll see a handsome young man. He's not as old as some might think. Only his past has caught up with him in the form of an irascible woman who is not going to let him keep running, if she can help it. I love that Suzanne gave this bossy woman a chance to redeem herself!

Julia's winsome character and strength make her a strong heroine and her sister is a lot of fun, too. Julia has a nice character arc.

Stoney Ridge is a lovely place but so many changes have happened that the inhabitants of the Lapp farm aren't feeling too secure.

God's will is at play. And it may not be what Julia and Roman think it is. Lovely story, great characterization, and that fabulous Suzanne voice--what more could you ask for?

Janice

I read this on the kindle

This book is one of the best Amish Books i read for a long time not taking anything away from other Amish books i have read

It a story about a family on Windmill Farm, Amos a widower Julia, Merino, Sadie & Mary Kate (MK) & there is Uncle Hank

Paul Fisher keeps postponing his wedding to Julia, Amos is getting weaker due to a weak heart, Merino is someone who is slightly slow but loved by all

Fern comes to the farm as a housekeeper, Roman is the Bee Man & comes around every year bring his bees

This is a lovely story with a real twist at the end The only minor disappointment was that the book didn't have an epilogue. but as there is 2 more in the Stoney Ridge series we may learn more about the family

This is a book if you only read 1 Amish Book then read this one

Shari

I have recently discovered the wonderful author Suzanne Woods Fisher. Every one of her books that I have read so far, has totally drawn me in, and got me turning the pages, even the one that wasn't a work of fiction, which normally I find harder to get through self help type books.

You know you have a good book in your hands, when you can't wait to get to the end to see how everything turns out, until you are getting close to the end, and the you change to not wanting it to end. That is my experience with her books.

In this book, The Keeper, we meet the Lapp family, and we follow their journey through an eventful summer, but the story tends to center more on the oldest daughter Julia. Julia Lapp has planned on marrying Paul Fisher since she was a girl. Now twenty-one, she looks forward to their wedding with giddy anticipation. When Paul tells her he wants to postpone the wedding--again--she knows who is to blame. Perpetual bachelor and spreader of cold feet, Roman Troyer, the Bee Man.

Roamin' Roman travels through the Amish communities of Ohio and Pennsylvania with his hives full of bees, renting them out to farmers in need of pollinators. He relishes his nomadic life, which keeps him from thinking about all he has lost. He especially enjoys bringing his bees to Stoney Ridge each year. But with Julia on a mission to punish him for inspiring Paul's cold feet, the Lapp farm is looking decidedly less pleasant.

Can Julia secure the future she's always dreamed of? Or does God have something else in mind?

While I am not an Amish person, I am a person, and I totally could relate to Julia's frustrations about Paul's cold feet. Having a non-committal boyfriend for 9 years before he proposed and fully committed to me, I connected with some of her feelings of wanting so much for this all to work out, and then realizing it was all in God's hands. Maybe he didn't have this in mind for me, but whatever he had in mind for me would be the perfect thing, and finding peace in that. For me, I ended up marrying that man, he just needed time to be ready. As for Julia? Well you have to read the story!!

When I got to the last page of the book, I said "OH NO!!!" I wanted to know more about what happened to the Lapps??? There are so many things left hanging at the end of this book, it leaves me wanting more. Well I looked for more info, and found a note from the author. Julia has 2 younger sisters that we learn about in the book, although we don't get too in-depth into them as Julia is the center of this book. In the note from the author she wrote that she has a second novel about the Lapp family coming out August 2012, and a 3rd coming out in January 2013. Those books will tell us more about the sisters, Sadie, and Mary Kate. So I warn you, you should read this book now, so you are ready for the other 2!

About Suzanne:

Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. She has many, many Plain relatives living in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, and travels back to Pennsylvania, as well as to Ohio, a couple of times each year for research.

Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world. In both her fiction and non-fiction books, she has an underlying theme: You don't have to "go Amish" to incorporate many of their principles--simplicity, living with less, appreciating nature, forgiving others more readily-- into your life.

When Suzanne isn't writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne's way of thinking, you just can't take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone's underwear in its mouth.

Suzanne can be found on-line at:
www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

The Loopy Librarian

In general, I gravitate toward edgier books, so I didn't expect to enjoy The Keeper as much as I did. However, the storytelling was excellent, and I became very invested in the characters. I'm glad to learn that it's the first in a series because I want to follow the sisters' stories further. Although there was romance, I would classify this book more as family fiction. Each character was unique, and the author gave them all a life and breath of their own. I fell in love with the entire family. The plot had enough conflict to keep the story moving. I was also surprised by the amount of humor. I didn't expect an Amish fiction novel to be so funny, but it was. The book also contained drama and tragedy...and hope and possibility. The main theme of the book was to trust in God and live by faith. Though I wasn't immediately grabbed, The Keeper far exceeded my expectations and was ultimately gripping while also delivering a positive message (without feeling preachy). I highly recommend this book to those who enjoy delightful family dynamics and storytelling.

Nancy Steinle gummel

I really enjoyed the Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher. It's a fictional story based on some facts. Julia, her sisters Sadie and MK (Mary Kate) and brother Menno who is slow try to run the farm and keep the house. They are failing miserably at it. Jack, dad Amos's brother brings in a housekeeper Fern. There is a clash of wills at first Braden the children and Fern. Then the bee man comes. He is very friendly to Amos and agrees to stay through the harvest. Julia and Rome the bee man don't see eye to eye except where Amos is concerned.

Joleen

I've had several Suzanne Woods Fisher Amish books in my library for years so I decided to read them this week.

The Keeper may have gotten its name from the beekeeper character, or because the two main characters considered each other keepers by the end; certainly not starting out that way!!

Julia Lapp was so very in love with Paul Fisher. But Paul waffled several times on a wedding date, so twenty-one year old Julia was uncertain of her future.

Enter Roman Troyer, the beekeeper who travels selling from county to county selling his honey. He was inadvertently the cause of Paul's waffling (twice!) as Paul would listen to the beekeepers stories of his freedom and all his travels. So Julia was no fan of Roman Troyer.

Sweet story. Lots of little stories about each of the Lapp family members which were interesting and gave the reader insight into their personalities.

Extremely clean, just a few kisses without detail. Good book.

Ellen

Admittedly, I could tell from the very beginning, this book wouldn’t be my thing; however, it’s the book picked for book club (yes I’m now questioning joining this book club, just kidding ;), so I read the entire book. Maybe Amish books aren’t my thing, or maybe I’ve yet to read an Amish book that isn’t about getting married. To me this was a Mary-Poppins-meets-the-Amish type of book with a healthy dose of romance intertwined. While mostly predictable, I will say I was surprised with Mennon (I’ll leave it at that so I don’t spoil anything). The similes mostly had me laughing and rolling my eyes, which I’m certain wasn’t the author’s intention, and there seemed to be a whole lot of them. The characters, especially the female ones, seemed pretty superficial and only cared about appearance and getting married—I can’t imagine that’s a true representation of the Amish culture, but maybe it is? I could never recommend this book, but it certainly wasn’t the worst book I ever read.

Sarah Rhomberg

This was a beautiful and memorable read. As so often with Suzanne Wood Fisher’s books, I don’t like the style (as in, very much don’t like it), but the story and characters make up for it.

At first, many things didn’t make sense to me (such as everyone’s age), but as I continued, I grew to love the novel. Julia, the main character, was so lovable, as were Sadie, Menno, and the others. M.K. was also incredibly funny as well as sweet. I also loved all the wisdom and deep thoughts that were scattered throughout this book.

Some of my favourite quotes:

“Why did it take the threat of dying to truly notice how exquisite a sunrise or sunset could be?”
“We don’t put a question mark where God put a period.”

“Just because the boat rocks, doesn’t mean it’s time to jump overboard.”

Gaylina

First in the series but I’m familiar with the characters because of reading other books by this author. This is one series that I would suggest reading in the order they are written in order to have the wonderful experience of getting to know them as the characters grow in age and spiritual maturity.

Katherine Bartlett

This was the first book in the Stoney Ridge series and I just fell in love. All of the characters are so real and memorable. The entire story fit together like a puzzle and I am anxious to read the other two books!

Katrina Lybbert

I have read a few books by this author now and she is quickly becoming a favourite. I really enjoyed this book. With rare bird sightings and beautiful quilts, to romantic and family love, there was lots to enjoy. There is a sad part too... which I wish never had to happen, but it does further the story in a way it needed to go. I can't wait to read the next two books about the younger sisters.

Melissa Henderson

I always enjoy reading stories by Suzanne Woods Fisher. I enjoyed this one, too.

Dawn

There were four reasons I decided to read The Keeper, the first in Suzanne Woods Fisher’s Stoney Ridge Seasons series.

1.) I was invited to take part in a Litfuse Blog Tour for the second book in this series (The Haven, which I just got in the mail this week).

2.) I got this book for free for Kindle back in May... and it was just sitting there waiting for me.

3.) I have NEVER once read an Amish novel in my life. I thought I should try the genre out.

4.) I’ve decided that it’s probably a good idea to read the authors who are also represented by my literary agent, Joyce Hart.

This was my first go at this, and since I am a rather picky reader, I went in praying.

And what I found out right away was that I adore Suzanne Woods Fisher’s writing voice! I think she could have been writing about drag-racing farm equipment through muddy fields and I would have wanted to keep reading. I LOVED the characters, their farm, the name of their farm, their dynamic family relationships, their community... EVERYTHING. I started reading this book on Tuesday night... and I didn’t want to stop.

But I had to. I’d told my mother I would go with her to Shipshewana, Indiana on Independence Day. I’ve been there before. It’s an Amish community that’s only about an hour from where I was born and raised. I don’t even know how many times I’ve been there in my life... but not once before this last Wednesday did I feel like I had an inkling of where they were coming from. I thought about them constantly, wanted to study them (I’m a people-watcher anyway), and most of all, I wanted to get my kindle out and keep reading The Keeper. When I got home that evening I finally had my chance. I sat on my bed for the whole rest of the night until I was finished.

There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this book. And I’m not able to say that very often. Suzanne Woods Fisher made me love every word and how she placed them together. It wasn’t just a story—although the story from start to finish was perfection—it was the way she put the story together that had me hooked. She uses her words so wisely! There were so many times she amazed me by the depth and meaning she was trying to portray to the reader—I’m sorry I can’t even remember a single one! I really should have taken better notes... but I was so enthralled! I just had to keep reading!

The title, The Keeper, is a great example... in that the hero in the story is a young drifter of an Amish man who hasn’t kept anything in the last six years... except for the bees he keeps... although no one ever calls him a bee-keeper, but rather, The Bee Man. And he, of all of the people in the story is the last person who would want to be called, or anyone else would even dare call a keeper in reference to falling in love and getting married.

Poetical is a perfect word to describe it.

Celebration is in order!... for I’ve found another one of those “go-to” authors who I know will not disappoint. And she has so many other books for me to find and read! I have The Choice and The Haven setting right here beside me waiting for the next chance I’m free! Can you tell how excited I am? Sometimes I go weeks before finding a book that I actually ENJOY reading!

I give Suzanne Woods Fisher’s The Keeper 5 stars.

Charity

Today I have a review of a very interesting book I can't wait to tell you about. My first keeper book of the year!

I am not a real big fan of Amish stories. With that in mind, I loved this book! The Keeper is definitely a keeper:) The plot of this book somehow seemed different. That is one of my major gripes with Amish books is that many of the plots all center around the same thing. A girl, or guy, who is not happy with the Amish life so he or she leaves. They go through their time of sowing wild oats and then somehow come back. I am sorry, but I have read one too many like this. So I was pleasantly surprised when I got through this one.

Julia and Paul are engaged to be married. But he has already postponed the wedding once. She would never expect him to do it again. But that is exactly what happens! Let me tell you, I wanted to slap him:) In the end everything worked out for the better but at the beg. I really did not like Paul. Julia then gets upset at Roman, a traveling bee man. I really liked Roman through the whole book. Even when he was just trying to get Paul jealous.

Now, don't think this book is all roses and an easy path. I cried throughout parts. I don't want to give anything away but this has a really sad part so keep the tissues handy. I did not see this coming at all. There are twists and turns along with some mystery. Overall a good book that I really enjoyed. And like I said, it is a keeper. Not a lot of books make it to my shelf but this one did.

Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.
I received a copy of this book for review purposes. I did not receive any monetary compensation.

Wendy Hines

Amos Lapp has a grave heart condition. His farm, Windmill Farm, is in disarray and his children are doing the best that they can to get the crops planted. Julia's excitement about her upcoming wedding to Paul Fisher is short-lived when he visits her produce stand one day. He's been speaking with The Bee Man and thinks they should postpone the wedding. Julia is heart-broken, as this is the second time this has happened.

Sadie is doing the best she can to cook their meals and take care of the house. But she is also shy and jealous of her sisters. Sadie is plump and she eats to take her mind off of things. Menno is seventeen, but he is a special boy - he's a bit slow intellectually, but he is gifted with animals. Then there is Mary Kate, M.K, a rambunctious young girl who just wants everything to be ok and for Jimmy Fisher to leave her alone - a neighbor boy who drives her crazy.

When Roman Troyer, the bee man, arrives, Julia is furious with him, but they need his services and his help. Roman is worried about Amos and a bit besotted with Julia. Then help arrives in the form of Fern, a bossy no nonsense woman, who is doing her duty to help out the family. With not knowing what path God has chosen for each of them, you can be sure that it is filled with love, hope, laughter and tears.

The Keeper is a wonderful read - filled with likable characters and a beautiful setting in Amish country. The troubles the characters go through and how they put their faith in God to help them through it is inspiring. The love triangles, the heartbreak of watching a parent suffer and wanting to help and the love and support of family is what makes this novel shine. I loved it!

Tammy

Another great book by Suzanne Woods Fisher! From the first page till the last page of this book, I had a hard time putting this book down. I have to admit that there was not a slow page in it.

The story of Windmill farm brought tears to my eyes but at the same time brought lifted spirits. The story of Julia and her upcoming marriage to Paul Fisher both broke my heart when he postponed it but at the same time I was hoping that she would see him for what he really was.

And oh the Bee Man, what a life of traveling around and never settling down. What a life to live. The story of his life also broke my heart knowing what he was living with and afraid to love another with the fear of losing the ones he loves and then with Julia Lapp blaming him for Paul postponing their engagement because of what he tells the young men in the community about how nice it is to be able to roam around and be free.

Julia has a lot on her plate being the oldest of the Lapp children, their father having a failing heart, their mother has past away, and she feels that she needs to handle everything around the farm and the house until Uncle Hank brings in "Stern Fern" to help them out around the house. Luckily Stern Fern is a blessing in disguise.

I cannot wait to read the second book in this series, The Haven, which comes out on Aug. 1, 2012.

Valentina

This was a lovely story full of romance and special relationships that is very different from a lot of the Amish novels that are being written now.
What I love the most about this author is her sense of characterization. All of her characters are so well-written, with layers upon layers of personality, that it is hard to believe they don’t really exist. Julia, for example, is a fully fledged person, with her positive and negative sides in constant battle, which makes her a fascinating person to follow through her life. The rest of the characters are just as well done, with M.K. being one of my favorites.
The story itself is simple enough, but the details, the mood is so welcoming that it is difficult to put the book down once the reader starts. The writing is clear, with occasional poetic flourishes that are always light and interesting and never slow the plot down. I do wish there had been a little more explanation on beekeeping to make the story even more unique, but that’s a personal thought and won’t really affect anyone else’s chance of enjoying the book.
This is definitely a fun, quick read. I can easily recommend it.

Tina Watson

Suzanne Woods Fisher has done it again, she has written another EXCELLENT book to start off a new series. For 2012, I am going to recommend this book every chance I get.

Fall in love with the characters.
Be moved by the details that you feel like are there in Lancaster County, Pa.
Smile, Laugh, and Cry.
Read God at work with the characters.

Julia is the oldest, followed by Menno, then Sadie, and the youngest Mary Kate (M.K.). Their dad Amos and their Uncle Hank. All of them are the Lapp members.
Paul Fisher; Jimmy Fisher; Edith Fisher; Fern Garber; Roman Troyer; R.W.

A FAMILY. A FARM. A HEART. ALL IN NEED OF REPAIR.
Will they all be repaired?
Can forgiveness be given?
Will there be a future?

Eileen Carter

Outstanding

This story is one that will bring you to tears over the effects which take place to the Lapp family. But then you will be laughing out loud at the antics of M.K. and Menno. Julia is doing her best to keep things going on the windmill farm but she can't do it all. Along comes Fern to the rescue, or is she? Julia thought she had found the perfect matter in Paul, but once again he has postponed the wedding where well that leave Julia?
As you read the story you will find it heart warming and enjoyable. You won't want to put it down

Christine

So disappointing and so frustrating. I can't seem to find an entertaining Christian novel. I thought the characters were flat, plot was nonexistent, reactions were over dramatized. I am by no means an Amish expert, but this could have been any old clean story that they tossed a bit of faith into as an after thought to meet the needs of a target audience. The characters didn't seem true to the faith. The whole story lacked authenticity because of that I just couldn't buy into it and lose myself in the book. I kept pointing out the flaws and inconsistency.

Samantha Clysdale

This book is anything but plain Amish.

There is growing up, love loss, finding love again, puppies, rare birds, uncle buck,Heath issues, special child, gambling and good old fashion quilting.

What is there not to love.

Lonnie

I don't read a lot of Amish books because they tend to all be the same, but this one surprised me. First, it didn't feel like an Amish book. And the ending was a surprise! But, looking back now, it shouldn't have been. It was a good story.

Valerie Waters

What a cute book!! I LOVED this book. It was such a good story and very entertaining.

Kaye

1st in Stoney Ridge series. Excellent story of the Lapp family and the two people who come into their lives and make a huge difference. Very emotional story!

Delta

Free 05-14-15

http://www.amazon.com/Keeper-Stoney-R...

Courtney

I absolutely LOVE this book! Mrs. Fisher is one of my all-time FAVORITE writers, with her behind the story you will never be disappointed!

Megan

This was a really fast and really sweet read! I've never read anything by Suzanne Woods Fisher and other than Beverly Lewis, I really don't read a lot of Amish books so I wasn't sure what to expect. I loved it! It was a brilliant mixture of humor (this book was so funny!), heartbreak, romance and family. I loved all of the characters! Each one had their quirks and we as readers truly get to watch them grow throughout the book as they face hardships and struggles. I loved seeing the family together and watching them interact. There are a couple issues I found with this book though. For one, I found several typos and there were some inconsistencies as well (example: going from one mule to two and then back to one). This could come from the version of the book I read. It was an e-book from Google play and from experience they are not as good quality as other e-books. Also, I thought more communication was needed between characters.
That being said, I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author!

Rosemarie

Trials and tribulations come to all of us, and Julia's family has had their share. After the death of her mother, Julia's father's heart started to fail him. Now Julia, the eldest of four children, is tasked with holding the family together while trying to farm the land her father is now too weak to farm....all while trying to keep her Uncle from heaping more embarrassment on her and the family. Her fiance, Paul, has already postponed their wedding twice!

While Julia is focusing on trying to get Paul back, the frustrating bee keeper, "Roamin' Roman," arrives at the farm to allow his bees to pollinate their orchards. Julia learns that his comments about marriage is what pushed Paul to postpone the wedding this second time, and she is livid! Little does she know that Roman holds a painful secret that explains why he is the way he is. Yet, will it matter to Julia, whose heart is set on marrying Paul?

The story is full of broken hearts, both emotionally and physically. Yet, one final tragedy brings healing in more ways than one.

This was a wonderful read that brought tears to my eyes in the final chapters. I'm looking forward to reading more about the Stoney Ridge community.

Title	:	The Keeper (Stoney Ridge Seasons, #1)
Author	:	Suzanne Woods Fisher
Rating	:
ISBN	:	0800719875
ISBN-10	:	9780800719876
Language	:	English
Format Type	:	Paperback
Number of Pages	:	316
Publication	:	First published January 1, 2012

The Keeper (Stoney Ridge Seasons, #1) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

The Keeper (Stoney Ridge Seasons, #1) Reviews

The Keeper (Stoney Ridge Seasons, #1) Reviews

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