A Cousin's Challenge

     BOOK REVIEW:   After a serious van accident leaves Amish school-teacher Jolene Yoder profoundly deaf, she leaves home to learn how to read lips and communicate with sign language. But two years later, a family with children who have been deaf since birth moves to Jolene's hometown, and she is asked to return as their teacher.
    Lonnie Hershberger has lost faith in God and in women ever since his girlfriend broke up with him when he lost his hearing during an explosion. When he starts falling in love with Jolene, he worries how he can ever protect her if he can't hear. Besides, Jake Beechy seems to spend all his spare time with her.
    Ella Miller knows Jake's history with girls and fears he will break her cousin Jolene's heart. What she doesn't know is that Jake is fighting his growing attraction to Ella.
    What drastic measures will God take to break the barriers between these young lovers--and teach them to hear the voice of love?


       MY REVIEW:   This was one of those books that I saw sitting on my shelf and decided spontaneously to read again. As when this happens, I read the book backwards--start with the third-to-last chapter or so and read the ending. Then go back several more chapters and read the middle, and finally, end with the beginning. I already know the story, so why not read the interesting parts first? 😊
      This is the third and last book in Wanda Brunstetter's Indiana Cousins series. In the beginning of the first book, a van full of Amish youth has an accident, resulting in two deaths, an amputation, one loss of hearing, a concussion, and many scrapes and bruises. The rest of the book is focused on two victims, the second on another victim, and this last book on the last two--Jolene and Ella.
      Jolene lost her hearing in that accident, and for the last two years has been living with her aunt and learning how to read lips and sign. Now she is returning home to teach these skills to two young students. She is also teaching sign language to a few of the locals--her family, her cousin Ella, Jake, and Eunice (a young woman of the community). When Lonnie loses his hearing, she agrees to teach him as well.
      Ella's father passes away from an unexpected heart-attack, leaving Ella to care for the family. Her mother is diagnosed with diabetes and can't help much. When their financial situation becomes serious, Ella opens a bake shop. But she is irritated when Jake keeps coming around to help out.
                                           
                                                               ...THE END...