I deeply appreciate the help of Dan Cottrell, operations foreman at the U.S. Forest Service Missoula Smokejumper Base. Mr. Cottrell’s experience includes eighteen years as a smoke jumper after several seasons working as a helicopter rappeller and hand crew member. He kindly answered all my questions with great patience. Learning about the nuts and bolts of smoke jumping was so helpful, but again, even more important was the insight into how smoke jumpers think and why they do this job. My thanks to our tour guide for an information-packed tour of the smoke-jumping school and base.
As always my thanks to the entire team at HarperCollins Christian Publishing, but especially my editor Becky Monds.
I would be totally remiss if I didn’t thank my number one supporter and cheerleader—my husband. We put one thousand miles on a rental car in six days and he never complained. He did all the driving and turned a work trip into a couple’s retreat filled with good food and lots of laughs—even when my choice of four hotels in seven nights left something to be desired. He was always there to speak up when my introverted nature kept me from starting a conversation. Driving through such gorgeous scenery with someone who appreciated it as much as I did will remain a sterling memory forever. Thank you and love always.
Last but by no means least, thank you to my readers who keep coming back for more. Your kind support is treasured more than you will ever know.
God bless and keep you.
Deutsch Vocabulary*
ach: oh
aenti: aunt
bopli(n): baby
bruder: brother
daed: father
danki: thank you
dochder: daughter
Englischer: English or non-Amish person
faeriwell: farewell
fraa: wife
Gelassenheit: submission to the will of God; attitude of tranquil humility
Gmay: church district
Gott: God
groossdaadi: grandpa
groossmammi: grandma
guder mariye: good morning
gut: good
hund: dog
jah: yes
kapp: prayer cap
kind: child
kinner: children
kitzn: kitten
mann: husband
mudder: mother
nee: no
onkel: uncle
Ordnung: written and unwritten rules in an Amish district
rumspringa: period of running around
schweschder: sister
suh: son
wunderbarr: wonderful
*The German dialect spoken by the Amish is not a written language and varies depending on the location and origin of the settlement. These spellings are approximations. Most Amish children learn English after they start school. They also learn high German, which is used in their Sunday services.
About the Author
Photo by Tim Irvin
Kelly Irvin is the bestselling author of the Every Amish Season and Amish of Bee County series. The Beekeeper’s Son received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, who called it a “beautifully woven masterpiece.” The two-time Carol Award finalist is a former newspaper reporter and retired public relations professional. Kelly lives in Texas with her husband, photographer Tim Irvin. They have two children, three grandchildren, and two cats. In her spare time, she likes to read books by her favorite authors.
* * *
Visit her online at KellyIrvin.com
Instagram: kelly_irvin
Facebook: Kelly.Irvin.Author
Twitter: @Kelly_S_Irvin
Acclaim for Kelly Irvin
“Kelly Irvin’s Mountains of Grace offers a beautiful and emotional journey into the Amish community. Readers will be captivated by a heartwarming tale of forgiveness and finding a renewed faith in God. The story will capture the hearts of those who love the Plain culture and an endearing romance. Once you open this book, you’ll be hooked until the last page.”
—Amy Clipston, bestselling author of A Welcome at Our Door
“Irvin’s fun story is simple (like Mary Katherine, who finds ‘every day is a blessing and an adventure’) but very satisfying.”
—Publishers Weekly on Through the Autumn Air
“Kelly Irvin’s Through the Autumn Air is a poignant journey of friendship and second chances that will illustrate for readers that God blesses us with a true love for all seasons.”
—Amy Clipston, bestselling author of Room on the Porch Swing
“This second entry (after Upon a Spring Breeze) in Irvin’s seasonal series diverges from the typical Amish coming-of-age tale with its focus on more mature protagonists who acutely feel their sense of loss. Fans of the genre seeking a broader variety of stories may find this new offering from a Carol Award winner more relatable than the usual fare.”
—Library Journal on Beneath the Summer Sun
“Jennie’s story will speak to any woman who has dealt with the horror of abuse and the emotional aftermath it carries, as well as readers who have questioned how God can allow such terrible things to happen. The choice Jennie makes to take a chance on love again and to open her heart to God after all she has suffered is brave and hopeful, leaving readers on an uplifting note.”
—RT Book Reviews, 4-star review of Beneath the Summer Sun
“A moving and compelling tale about the power of grace and forgiveness that reminds us how we become strongest in our most broken moments.”
—Library Journal on Upon a Spring Breeze
“Irvin’s novel is an engaging story about despair, postnatal depression, God’s grace, and second chances.”
—CBA Christian Market on Upon a Spring Breeze
“A warm-hearted novel that is more than a romance, with lovable characters, including two innocent children caught in the red tape of government and two people willing to risk breaking both the Englisch and Amish law to help in whatever way they can. There are subplots that focus on the struggles of undocumented immigrants.”
“Irvin has given her audience a continuation of The Beekeeper’s Son with complicated young characters who must define themselves.”
—RT Book Reviews, 4-star review of The Bishop’s Son
“Once I started reading The Bishop’s Son, it was difficult for me to put it down! This story of struggle, faith, and hope will draw you in to the final page . . . I have read countless stories of Amish men or women doubting their faith. I have never read a storyline quite like this one though. It was narrated with such heart. I was fully invested in Jesse’s struggle. No doubt, what Jesse felt is often what modern-day Amish men and women must feel when they are at a crossroads in their faith. The story was brilliantly told and the struggle felt very real.”
—Destination Amish
“Something new and delightful in the Amish fiction genre, this story is set in the barren, dusty landscape of Bee County, TX . . . Irvin writes with great insight into the range and depth of human emotion. Her characters are believable and well developed, and her storytelling skills are superb. Recommend to readers who are looking for something a little different in Amish fiction.”
—CBA Retailers + Resources for The Beekeeper’s Son
“The Beekeeper’s Son is so well crafted. Each character is richly layered. I found myself deeply invested in the lives of both the King and Lantz families. I struggled as they struggled, laughed as they laughed—and even cried as they cried . . . This is one of the best novels I have read in the last six months. It’s a refreshing read and worth every penny. The Beekeeper’s Son is a keeper for your bookshelf!”
—Destination Amish
“Kelly Irvin’s The Beekeeper’s Son is a beautiful story of faith, hope, and second chances. Her characters are so real that they feel like old friends. Once you open the book, you won’t put it down until you’ve reached the last page.”
—Amy Clipston, bestselling author of A Gift of Grace
“The Beekeeper’s Son is a perfect depiction of how God makes all things beautiful in His way. Rich with vivid descriptions and characters you can immediately relate to, Kelly Irvin’s book is a must-read for Amish fans.”
—Ruth Reid, bestselling author of A Miracle of Hope
“Kelly Irvin writes a moving tale that is sure to delight all fans of Amish fiction. Highly recommended.”
—Kathleen Fuller, author of the Hearts of Middlefield and Middlefield Family novels
Other Books by Kelly Irvin
An Amish of Big Sky Country Novel
A Long Bridge Home (available February 2020)
Every Amish Season Novels
Upon a Spring Breeze
Beneath the Summer Sun
Through the Autumn Air
With Winter’s First Frost
The Amish of Bee County Novels
The Beekeeper’s Son
The Bishop’s Son
The Saddle Maker’s Son
Stories by Kelly Irvin
A Christmas Visitor in An Amish Christmas Gift
Sweeter than Honey in An Amish Market
One Sweet Kiss in An Amish Summer
A Midwife’s Dream in An Amish Heirloom
Mended Hearts in An Amish Reunion
Romantic Suspense
Tell Her No Lies
Over the Line
Copyright
ZONDERVAN
Mountains of Grace
Copyright © 2019 by Kelly Irvin
Requests for information should be addressed to:
Zondervan, 3900 Sparks Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49546
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Irvin, Kelly, author.
Title: Mountains of Grace / Kelly Irvin.
Description: Grand Rapids, Michigan : Zondervan, [2019] | Series: Amish of
Big Sky Country ; 1
Identifiers: LCCN 2019007764 | ISBN 9780310356691 (paperback)
Subjects: | GSAFD: Love stories. | Christian fiction.
Classification: LCC PS3609.R82 M68 2019 | DDC 813/.6--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019007764
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, niv®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
Scripture noted as King James English is from the King James Version of the Bible.
Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Zondervan, nor does Zondervan vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.
Publisher’s Note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people living or dead is purely coincidental.
Printed in the United States of America
19 20 21 22 23 / LSC / 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1