Twenty-five-year-old Amish Louellen
Friesen finds herself falling in love with forty-year-old Dr. David McAndrew, a
widower with two children, for whom she cleans house regularly in Mapletown,
Snyder County, Pennsylvania. There’s only one problem. Louellen is already
married to Eli Friesen.
Louellen has some love for Eli, but because of her church vows, sets out to be the best wife and mother she can be, especially when God blesses them with little ones. However, after three years, there are no children. Louellen is devastated, and Eli becomes bitter, feeling trapped in a marriage that has produced no offspring even though he knows that he has the medical problem, not his wife. Although he treats Louellen civil in public, at home he ignores her needs, and their wedded life is nothing but a disappointment to both.
Louellen has some love for Eli, but because of her church vows, sets out to be the best wife and mother she can be, especially when God blesses them with little ones. However, after three years, there are no children. Louellen is devastated, and Eli becomes bitter, feeling trapped in a marriage that has produced no offspring even though he knows that he has the medical problem, not his wife. Although he treats Louellen civil in public, at home he ignores her needs, and their wedded life is nothing but a disappointment to both.
What should Louellen do? Turn her back on her husband and her Amish Ordnung? Should she leave, become English, and marry Dr. McAndrew, a man who has promised her the moon? What causes Louellen and Eli to be shunned by their Amish Ordnung?
Book Excerpt
LOVE
SONG FOR LOUELLEN
(Volume Three of the “LOVES
OF SNYDER COUNTY” SERIES)
Marsha Hubler
Chapter
One
“Watch out!” Dr.
McAndrew yelled, and in an instant, Louellen Friesen found her slender frame in
the man’s embrace, his strong arms breaking the fall that would have landed her
face first in his afternoon coffee.
As usual, Louellen had not been paying attention to what she
was doing on this spring housecleaning day. Her thoughts were engrossed in the
beautiful piano music piping softly from the CD speakers, and she’d been
humming the now familiar tune she heard every Saturday during the past year.
Reaching up to polish the cut glass chandelier above the dining room table in
Dr. McAndrew’s home, she had stretched a little too far, and the stool had
slipped away. As she lost control, her can of cleanser and cloth went flying as
the stool toppled and smacked loudly on the oak hardwood floor.
Yipe, yipe! McGruff, the family Scottie, scrambled away from the
noise, his nails clawing in vain for a grip on the slippery turf.
“I’ve got you!” Dr.
McAndrew said, his arms wrapped tightly around Louellen’s waist.
“Lou, are you all right?”
Andrea McAndrew rushed in from the kitchen, hands embedded with flour paste.
“What were you doing, playing chicken with that fancy light?”
“What’s happening?”
Jenna yelled from the adjoining den. “I can’t get my homework done with all
this racket,” she joked.
Dr. McAndrew
answered as he steadied Louellen. “No worry, girls. Our housekeeper took a
little spill, but I caught her just in time. She sure knows how to get my
attention away from my coffee and newspaper. Go back to your report, Jenna.”
“Is Gruffy all
right?” Jenna asked. “It sounded like the roof fell in on him.”
“He got a good
scare,” Andrea yelled from the kitchen, “but he’s okay. No problem.”
Louellen gasped
for breath as she regained her balance and pulled away from her employer’s
arms. His touch, first ever and accompanied by the sweet smell of his expensive
Canoe after shave, stirred something deep inside Louellen’s heart that she
didn’t expect. For a moment, she focused on his gorgeous wavy, blonde hair and
handsome face and then quickly lowered her gaze. Never before had she allowed
herself to look into this man’s gentle brown eyes, although she had studied him from a distance. Hands
shaking, she adjusted the white mesh kapp covering her auburn hair then ran her
hands down the sides of her navy cape choring dress. She shifted her green eyes
to the dog sitting nearby with a puzzled look on his face as if to say, “What
happened?”
“Gruffy, kum.” Louellen’s voice quivered as
she bent down and snapped her fingers.
The dog, ears laid
back tight, waddled to Louellen. She snuggled him against her chest and patted
his head. “I’m sorry I scared the wits out of ya.” His tail wagged fiercely as
he stared at Louellen with all-forgiving eyes.
Andrea rushed back
into the room, her hands washed clean of flour paste. She knelt down and
tickled McGruff under his chin. “He’ll survive. Lou, you sure know how to liven
things up around here.”
Louellen smoothed her dress again and looked
at Dr. McAndrew. “Jah, that’s me. Never a dull moment with clumsy Louellen
Friesen.”
“You’re not
clumsy, Louellen. Accidents happen,” Dr. McAndrew said. “I’m just glad you
aren’t hurt.”
“My silly mind was
too far from the task at hand,” Louellen said, glancing at the CD player. “I
must learn to concentrate on my work. Jah.”
“I heard you
humming along with Andrea’s CD.” Dr. McAndrew wagged his finger at her and
smiled. “You like that kind of music, don’t you?”
“Jah,” Louellen
admitted, “but our Amish ways don’t permit us to play or even listen to
anything like that. Bishop Mueller says that kind of music is of the devil and
is made with instruments of evil.”
“Your people
believe music like ‘Serenade’ by Schubert is evil?” Andrea released a subtle
laugh. “They should hear what most teens are listening to today. It would make
their toes curl. And, Lou, if you ever want to hear this piece done ‘up close,’
let me know. That’s one of my practice CDs from a couple of years ago. I’ll give
you a live performance on our Baby Grand anytime you’d like.”
“Anytime,” Dr.
McAndrew added. He stared at Louellen with a warmth that she had never seen
from a man before. Her racing heart and
thoughts transported her back to
rumschpringe, her running wild days seven or so years ago when she lived
loose with the Plain boys. But never had she met anyone who made her heart
melt. Not like this.
Face flushing, she
covered her mouth with her hands and muttered, “Please forgive my clumsiness. I
am truly sorry.” She glanced at Andrea
whose face betrayed a twist of humor, then Louellen stepped farther away from
Dr. McAndrew. “I am so ashamed.”
“Now, Louellen,”
Dr. McAndrew said, uprighting the stool, “first of all, there’s no harm done.
Second, I’ve asked you to call me David.”
“Yes, Dr. David.
I’ll try.”
Dr. McAndrew
released a hearty chuckle. “Just David, Louellen. Not Dr. David.”
“Oh, Lou, don’t
take life so seriously.” Andrea coiled her long blonde curls behind her ears
and turned toward the kitchen. “I’m just glad you aren’t hurt. Now c’mon.
Forget the cleaning for a sec and help me with this schnitz pie recipe you gave
me. I think I added too much flour, and I don’t like sour cream. Do you think I
could leave the cream out? Maybe I’ll make a shoofly pie instead. What do you
think?”
“Well, I—”
Louellen turned toward the kitchen.
David touched
Louellen’s shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay? I don’t want anything to happen
to my number one housekeeper.”
Louellen allowed herself to
gaze into the man’s eyes again as his touch sent tingling sensations up her
spine. Every word he spoke thrilled her heart, and she loved being with his
family in his home, with him. She loved feeling safe and so cared for, so
needed. Suddenly, just like she had fallen off the stool, Louellen felt herself
falling hopelessly in love.
But he must
never know, Louellen promised herself as she hurried into the kitchen. And,
Gott in himmel, forgive me. My husband must never, never know.
About Marsha:
Marsha Hubler, author of the
best-selling tween Keystone Stables Series, lives in central PA with her
husband and two dogs. Her latest published works, THE LOVES OF SNYDER COUNTY
SERIES and THE SNYDER COUNTY QUILTING BEE SERIES 2 SHORT STORIES, Amish/Mennonite fiction by Helping Hands
Press, was created out of Marsha’s friendship with many Plain Folk who live in Snyder County .
She has 17 books in print and dozens of articles and short stories.
A frequent speaker at
writers’ conferences, she has a passion to help beginning writers get their
work primed for publication. Visit Marsha at her website, http://www.marshahubler.com and her blog
that features writers’ tips for all genres and Amish and Mennonite traditions: http://www.marshahubler.wordpress.com
To purchase Marsha's book:
Marsha Hubler is giving away
a copy of Love Song for Louellen. The
giveaway is only available to U.S.
addresses. To be entered in the
book giveaway, leave a comment along with your email address. You
may enter the book giveaway twice -- once on each spotlight post. (It's not too
late to go back and leave a comment on yesterday's post.)
Off to read another great book!
Sandra M. Hart
7 comments:
I seem to always be the early bird at the Barn Door! I very much want to read "Love Song for Louella." cjajsmommy (at) gmail (dot) com
Deb Ragno
This book looks very interesting. How will it end? Hmmmm guessing I'll have to get the book to find out!
Keep writing! :)
mandn(at)wisper(dash)wireless.com
I would love to read this post surgery! Am getting my stack together -- Kindle and paperbacks! :) Thank you for the opportunity!
dianalflowers(at)aol(dot)com
I think "Love Song for Louellen" will be an enjoyable book.
patucker54 at aol dot com
I am looking forward to reading LOVE SONG FOR LOUELLEN.Thank you for the opportunity to win.augustlily06(at)aim(dot)com. I enjoy reading your books.
Hello Marsha. i have wanted your Love of Snyder County books ever since I first saw it but was never able to get it. So I would be so happy to win your book. Thanks for the give-away. Thanks Sandra for hosting Marsha. Maxie > mac262(at)me(dot)com <
Hello Marsha,
I love mysteries. I also love Amish stories. This book looks to
be a very interesting one.
Thank you for this opportunity.
Joyce Guard
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