Her Secret

March 20, 2017
Gray (Hopeful) begins a new contemporary series with innocent young Hannah Hilty being stalked by an aggressive man. Hoping to keep the stalker away from Hannah, her family flees Ohio for an Amish community in Kentucky. Hannah tells no one outside her family about the stalking and becomes known as the Recluse, as she rarely ventures out of the house. Although she is scared and traumatized, Hannah realizes she must overcome the predicament and slowly begins to warm to her new locale. Isaac, the Hiltys’ new neighbor, is attracted to Hannah and draws out her secret, divulging his own past trauma in exchange. Hannah’s parents and sister hide secrets, too, undergirding Gray’s strong moral concern with the needless suffering that arises from unexplained mysteries. The novel, peppered with Low German to lend authenticity, fits with popular, predictable Amish romances and—despite the harrowing setup—will leave readers pleasantly satisfied by the end. Although the book is as hortatory as Anne of Green Gables (each chapter a lesson worthy of Sunday School), Gray does convey one truth well: finding community is better than hiding alone.

November 1, 2016

Amish fiction queen Gray launches another series, the Kentucky-set "The Amish of Hart County," with young Hannah moving to the area with her family to escape a stalker. Just as she's drawing close to sympathetic Isaac, tragedy strikes. With a 100,000-copy first printing.

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2017
Hannah Hilty knows her family blames her for their having to move, but it really isn't her fault. Hannah didn't ask to have a stalker. In fact, she did everything she could think of to discourage Trevor Ritchie, but the Englisher just would not leave her alone. So Hannah and her family have no choice but to leave Ohio and start new lives in Hart County, Kentucky, where Hannah quickly becomes known as the Recluse by her new neighbors. When Isaac Troyer unexpectedly bumps into Hannah while out fishing, he is charmed and intrigued by her. But can Isaac convince Hannah to leave her self-imposed exile and rejoin the rest of the world? Award winner Gray (An Amish Family Christmas, 2016) neatly weaves a strong thread of suspense into the plot of the first novel in her Amish of Hart County series. Combine this with Gray's flair for crafting relatable Amish characters whose everyday problems and concerns will resonate with readers of any faith and you have a quiet yet powerful inspirational novel with widespread appeal.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)