The Innocent

The Innocent
by
Ann H. Gabhart


MY THOUGHTS:
Ann H. Gabhart has written several books about the Shaker community in Harmony Hill, and I have really enjoyed them! The Shaker religion is fascinating to me -- a community who found joy (theoretically) in work and simplicity yet had an amazing number of confounding rules that must be followed. The Innocent is a story of a woman in love with her husband who went off to fight the Civil War and went missing two years prior. Destitute and attracting unwanted attention, she escapes to the brothers and sisters among the mysterious Shaker community. There she encounters a grim-faced mentor and struggles to fit in. When she stumbles upon proof that things aren't as simple and honest as they seem, she must find a way to make sense of it all.

Gabhart has done a wonderful job of researching the Shakers and the lifestyle they lived. She writes with an ease that makes you feel as if you are right beside the main character, seeing and feeling what she encounters. I really liked this book -- in addition to the great story line it caused me to stop and really clarify what I believe about God and why.


ABOUT THE BOOK: 

She longs for peace--for her land and her heart--but can it truly be found at Harmony Hill?

Carlyn Kearney has spent two lonely years not knowing whether to mourn or to hope after she receives word from the Union Army that her husband is missing. When the war ends without further word, Carlyn finds herself penniless, in debt, and forced from her home. With nowhere else to go, she seeks refuge at the Shaker village of Harmony Hill.

The Shakers profess peace through simple living, but to Carlyn, the Shaker life seems anything but simple. When mysterious deaths disturb the peace of the village, Carlyn falls under intense scrutiny. Can a kind sheriff help her expose the true culprit?

Bestselling author Ann H. Gabhart invites fans back to Harmony Hill for a story laced with intrigue, romance, and heart.

"The Innocent is another well-crafted tale from the pen of Ann H. Gabhart. With characters that will steal your heart, Gabhart introduces a desperate young heroine who seeks safety among the Shakers during the post-Civil War era and a sheriff determined to come to her aid. A rich and rewarding read you won't want to miss!"--Judith Miller, award-winning author of Refined by Love series

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ann H. Gabhart is the bestselling author of several Shaker novels--The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, The Blessed, and The Gifted--as well as Angel Sister, Small Town Girl, Love Comes Home, Words Spoken True, and The Heart of Hollyhill series. She lives with her husband a mile from where she was born in rural Kentucky. Learn more at www.annhgabhart.com.