The Newcomer

February 1, 2017

The burgeoning shipboard romance between passenger Anna Konig and ship carpenter Bairn Bauer stalls after they land in 1737 Pennsylvania. The son of the bishop and founder of the new Amish settlement, Bairn takes a hard look at what life on the frontier means for him. If he stays, he will be unable to escape his controlling father or the suffocating Amish community. So, at the first opportunity, he returns to sea, asking Anna to wait for him. However, when newcomer Henrik Newman arrives in the settlement, Anna acquires a new suitor. Upon Bairn's return, Anna faces a choice: to be with the man who left her at the first chance, or the one who has pledged himself to her happiness. VERDICT This sequel to Anna's Crossing continues the story of the Amish settlers who arrived in this country in the 18th century. Crisp prose and close attention to historical detail will keep readers engrossed. A solid option for devotees of Wanda Brunstetter, Shelley Shepard Gray, and Amy Clipston.

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2017
Working his way through the shipping ranks, Bairn is happy with his life of adventure, control, and freedom on the seas. But now that he and his new sweetheart, Anna, have finally reached the New World with her Amish community, he questions the isolation and monotony of a settled life with the church in Pennsylvania. When conflict threatens to divide their immigrant community, a mysterious and charismatic newcomer complicates Bairn and Anna's budding romance. Can Bairn be the faithfully grounded partner whom Anna and their community, need, or will the sea always call to his wayward heart? Fisher returns to the Amish Beginnings series with a satisfying continuation of Bairn and Anna's story. The Newcomer is as rich in historical and nautical detail as Anna's Crossing (2015), though not as intensely visceral. The sights and sounds of the developing colonies and Philadelphia in 1737 complement Fisher's delightful rendering of such historical figures as Benjamin Franklin and enrich a more emotional, character-driven tale about identity, doubt, and belonging.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)