Sisters of the Heart Books In Order

Publication Order of Sisters of the Heart Books

“Sisters of the Heart” is a series of spiritual and romance novels by Shelley Shepard Gray, a bestselling author best known for her Amish romances. The award-winning author has been writing Amish romances published by prestigious houses such as Blackstone Publishing, Simon & Schuster, and Harper Collins that have won all manner of awards. She has been a Carol Award and Inspirational Readers Choice finalist and won the Holt Medallion award. Her bestselling novels have made the USA Today, New York Times bestseller lists and been highlighted in the likes of “Time Magazine,” the “Washington Post” and the “Philadelphia Enquirer.” Shelley has also been interviewed on nationally syndicated radio such as NPR among many other regional stations. Shelley has a bachelor’s in elementary education and English literature and a master’s in educational administration. Before she became an author, she was a school teacher in Texas. She lives in Colorado Springs with her husband, two children, and a dachshund and now writes fulltime.

The author of the “Sisters of the Heart” series, wife and mother of two often spends much of her time writing and taking care of her teenage children. She has asserted that she loves writing about the Amish and gets her inspiration directly from the community. In this regard, she visits the Amish in Holmes and Adams counties several times every year. She got interested in the Amish since their plain and simple lifestyle spoke to her and she thought it would be great to write about a people and culture so misunderstood. Since she was a child, she had always wanted to write stories about likable regular people who live in extraordinary situations and her characters just happened to be Amish. When she is not writing or spending time with her family, she can be found serving in church committees, baking, mowing the yard or surfing online.

The” Sisters of the Heart” series are novels that follow the life of Amish characters who live and love just like any other community. The common theme of the novels is that of “being wanted” which several women in the series are. The leads of the series are Anna Metzger, Winnie Lundy, and Katie who find themselves in situations, where they have to seek refuge in Amish communities and find love and romance. In “Hidden” the first novel, Anna is running away from an abusive boyfriend and seeks refuge with Katie Brenneman her lifelong friend who runs the “Brenneman Bed and Breakfast.” She believes that she could get used to life with the Amish but can she deny all the comforts of the life she has just left behind. In “Wanted” the second novel Katie is frightened by how far she had strayed from the values she had grown up with that she decides to withdraw from the world. Jonathan Lundy a widower approaches her and asks that she takes care of his two children. They are getting close but will the past destroy her chance at love. “Forgiven” the third novel of the series opens to Jonathan seething when a freak fire destroys the family barn. He does not believe it was an accident and determined to find the man responsible. But in a community built on forgiveness and grace, his unwillingness to be forgiving may ruin his life and that of others.

“Hidden” the first novel of the Sisters of the Heart series is the story of Anna that has decided to leave her abusive boyfriend though she does not know where she is heading next. Rob is a charming man with great looks that has won over the community and her parents, and it is only Anna who knows his true self. With nowhere else to turn, she runs to the Brenneman Bed and Breakfast in Amish country. It is an establishment owned by her friend Katie Brenneman and hence she knows she will be safe there. She is welcomed into the Amish community and is soon dressing in their plain clothing and assisting around the B&B where no one bothers her. Henry who is Katie’s brother does not like than an Englisher has come to disrupt their lives. He tries to ignore Anna but the more he does it the more is drawn to her good heart and how readily she has embraced their lifestyle. On her part, Anna finds that the more time she spends with the Amish the more she feels at home. However, she cannot easily forget the life she left behind and worries that the past may come back to take away the happiness she finally found with the Amish.

“Wanted” the second novel of the series is the story of Katie Brenneman, a twenty-year-old woman who has always loved Jonathan Lundy but never got the courage to tell him. As such, when he asks her to help take care of his two children she could not have been happier. This is the opportunity she needs to get close to the widower. But just as she is getting close to the man, she receives a letter threatening to expose her darkest secrets from the past. During her years running around known as Rumspringa, she had engaged in activities that were taboo among the Amish. She is now afraid that a small segment of her life that had caused her to stray from the Amish value could threaten what promised to be a fantastic life with Lundy. Jonathan had looked set to welcome her into his life but her transgression may just destroy all that. Could her man and God forgive her and will Katie accept their love so that she can enjoy the love and life that she deserves?

“Forgiven” the third novel of the Sisters of the Heart series opens to a fire tragedy. The Lundy’s barn is destroyed by a fire and Winnie injures herself while saving the animals and has to stay in the hospital for weeks. She is out of touch with her Amish loved one and only has Samuel Miller the Englisher for company. While he has family in the tight-knit Amish community that Winnie comes from, he has been away for years after he left to go study in the city. They form a friendship as they discuss their philosophies and Samuel works hard to ensure that she recovers. But Winnie resists the growing attraction since she does not believe it will lead to anything as long as Samuel insists on living outside the Amish community. When Winnie is well again and goes back home she finds Jonathan her brother struggling with his own demons. The investigation had found cigarette butts in the remains of the barn and he is determined to find the man that had put the family at risk and destroyed their property. He is hell-bent on revenge and in a community that holds forgiveness and grace dear his unwillingness to forgive could be a problem.