Summary
When a well-to-do family asks Sallie Riehl to be their daughter's nanny for the summer at their Cape May, New Jersey, vacation home, she jumps at the chance to broaden her horizons beyond the Lancaster County Amish community where she grew up. Sallie has long dreamed of seeing more of the world, but her parents are reluctant for her to put off baptism yet another summer, and the timing is unfortunate for Perry Zook, who has renewed interest in courting her.Though she loves nannying, Sallie has free time on the weekends to enjoy the shore. It is there that she meets Kevin Kreider, a marine biology student who talks freely about all he's learning and asks about her interests, unlike most of the guys she grew up with. Time with Kevin is invigorating, and Sallie realizes she's never felt quite this alive around Perry. Then again, Kevin is Mennonite, not Amish.Sallie tries to brush aside her growing feelings for Kevin, but she fears what her parents would think about her new friendship. Just as concerning, however, is Sallie's realization that her time in Cape May is increasing her desire to see the world, challenging her plans for the future. Has she been too hasty with her promises, or will Sallie only find what her heart is longing for back home in Paradise Township?
Beverly Lewis was born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania on April 17, 1949. She received a degree in music education from Evangel University. She grew up as an Assembly of God minister's daughter. Although she was not Amish, she had a close family connection to Old Order Mennonites, including her maternal grandmother who left the Mennonite community when she married.
Her first book, Mountain Bikes and Garbanzo Beans (now titled Big Bad Beans) was published in 1993. Since then she has written over eighty books. Her titles for children and young adults include several series including the Cul-De-Sac Kids, the Girls Only (GO!), and the Holly's Heart. Her adult fiction books include The Heritage of Lancaster County series, the Abram's Daughters series, The Rose Trilogy, and the Home to Hickory Hollow series. She has received numerous awards including two Silver Angel Awards for The Postcard and Annika's Secret Wish and a Gold Book Award for The Shunning. In 2014, she made The New York Times Best Seller List with her title Child of Mine. Her title, The Love Letters, made The New York Times Best Seller List in 2015.
(Bowker Author Biography)