The Believer

By Ann H. Gabhart

Description:

Elizabeth Duncan has nowhere to turn. In charge of her younger brother and sister after their parents die, her options are limited. When she hears that the Shaker community in the next county takes in orphans, she presents herself and her siblings at Harmony Hill. Despite the hard work and strange new beliefs around her, Elizabeth is relieved to have a roof overhead and food to eat. But when she feels a strong attachment to a handsome young believer named Ethan, life gets complicated. Ethan has never looked on the opposite sex as anything but sisters, but he can't shake the new feelings that Elizabeth has awakened in him. Will Elizabeth be forced to leave the village to keep Ethan from stumbling? Or will Ethan's love for her change their lives forever?

Book Takeaway:

This book gives a good overview of the Shaker beliefs, how they worshiped, and why it was so hard for some to live the Shaker way.

Awards:

Why the author wrote this book:

When my first Shaker book, The Outsider, found an eager readership, I decided to delve back into Shaker history for more stories set in my Shaker village of Harmony Hill. In this Shaker book, I wanted to show why and how people ended up in the Shaker villages and what might make them rethink their commitment to the Shakers.