"Unbreakable" by Nancy Mehl (Review & Giveaway)

About the book: Gentle and unassuming, Hope Kauffman has never been one to question the traditions of her Mennonite upbringing. She quietly helps her father run Kingdom Quilts and has agreed to the betrothal he arranged for her with the devout but shy Ebbie Miller.

Despite the attempts of Hope and other Kingdom residents to maintain the status quo, changes have already begun to stir in the small Mennonite town. The handsome and charismatic Jonathon Wiese is the leader of the move to reform, while Ebbie insists Kingdom must remain true to its foundation. When Hope's safety is threatened by a mysterious outsider, she can't help but question what she's always been taught about the Mennonite tradition of nonviolence.

As it swiftly becomes apparent the threat Hope faced is only the beginning, the town that's always stood so strong finds itself divided. With tensions high and their lives endangered by an unknown enemy, will Hope and the people of Kingdom allow fear and division to break them or will they draw on the strength of the God they serve?

My thoughts: Unbreakable is the second book in the Kingdom series about a small community of Mennonites.  One of the beliefs of Mennonite believers is that God would have them behave non-violent toward those who offend or harm them.  That is a key issue in Unbreakable.  The story opens with a single lady, Hope,  driving her horse and buggy along a deserted road and a red pickup truck runs her off the road.  It then turns around and is about to finish what it had begun when another truck arrives in time to save her from sure destruction.  She is Hope Kauffman of Kingdom and the man who has come to her rescue is Jonathan Wiese.  Hope was engaged to marry Ebenezer Miller (or Ebbie for short) but finds herself drawn toward Jonathan.

There is much discussion among the Mennonites regarding the on-going threats to churches and individuals in the Mennonite community and how they should protect themselves from this danger or how they should react should they encounter it.  Jonathan is ready to take up arms and protect the community and enlists others from outside the community.  However Ebber, who is the young Mennonite that Hope's family has plans and hopes she will marry, is an Elder in the church, and he is constant in his belief that the Mennonite non-violent belief and policy is the way they should react.

Nancy Mehl has well developed characters who are completely believable.  The story line is intriguing enough that you don't lose interest as you read.  The insight into the gentle, non-violent Mennonites is interesting and challenging as you, as an individual that is not Mennonite, examines your own closely held beliefs into how you would protect those you love and just how you would react.

I had already read book one in the Kingdom series but reading it is not prerequisite to understanding Unbreakable. Read my review of Nancy Mehl's other book, Inescapable.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ GIVEAWAY ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Litfuse has graciously agreed to provide a copy of the book for one of Chat With Vera's readers as a giveaway prize.  Just enter via the Rafflecopter links below.  (Please be patient as Rafflecopter is sometimes a bit slow to load.) This giveaway only open to USA addresses. Begins Feb. 15, 2013 - ENDS March 4 at 12:01 a.m. EST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author:  Nancy Mehl, the author of 13 books, received an ACFW Carol Award in 2009 for her novel For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. 

DISCLOSURE:   I was provided a complimentary copy of Unbreakable by Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the publisher, Bethany House a division of Baker Publishing Group and the author, Nancy Mehl in exchange for my honest review. Opinions are solely mine.