July 15, 2024
Fisher (Love on a Whim) centers this poignant contemporary Amish romance on Ruth “Dok” Stoltzfus, a doctor in her late 50s who treats the Englisch and Amish of Stoney Ridge, Pa. Ever since leaving the Amish community she was raised in for college and medical school, Dok has wanted to go the extra mile for her patients, but the long hours she spends at her practice grate on her husband, Matt. Their life gets even more hectic when a newborn—who turns out to be the son of Matt’s drug-addicted cousin—is left on their doorstep. Matt convinces a reluctant Dok to temporarily take in the baby, and to her surprise she slowly realizes how much joy the child brings them, as she begins to envision a future that she doubted she would ever have. Dok’s story line is intertwined with those of her Amish assistant, Annie, whom Dok encourages to become an EMT, and her patient Bee Bennett, who remakes her life following a breast cancer diagnosis. The author perceptively sketches her characters’ emotional arcs as life’s challenges yield unexpected gifts, speaking to the power of second chances, faith, and love. Readers will eagerly await Fisher’s next trip to Lancaster County.
October 18, 2024
Dr. Ruth Stoltzfus, called Dok, knows she serves as a vital bridge between modern medicine and the Amish community that she left to pursue her medical degree. Whether helping her Amish office assistant, Annie Fisher, face the fear of her parents' disapproval for pursuing EMT training, or supporting English widower Bee Bennett in a recent cancer diagnosis that threatens her independence, Dok thrives with her hands full. Yet as she balances work, a strained marriage, and the sudden responsibility of an abandoned infant, Dok begins to question her priorities and realize that Annie, Bee, and Dok herself require a different kind of healing. Best-selling Fisher returns to the liminal space between Amish and English worlds, this time navigating the complexities of healthcare in the Amish community. A Healing Touch illustrates the perplexing and often winding paths toward healing, particularly after loss, and the tempting familiarity of staying stuck in fear, guilt, and grudges. Fisher's latest novel gently dramatizes the difficult yet rewarding peace that comes when one releases dark emotions through faith, community, and scriptural comfort
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