Banished

The first book in The Long Road Home trilogy, a unique and gripping Amish romance set in the South at the turn of the century.

It was the early 1900s when Obadiah (Oba) and Merriweather's (May's) parents died tragically, leaving them orphans at ten and eleven years old. When none of their nearby relations volunteer to take them in, they are set on a train to Arkansas to go live on their Amish aunt and uncle's cotton farm. Once there, it didn't take long to discover they would be treated cruelly, no matter what they did. May, always anxious to be a godly young lady, took on more and more responsibility, trying desperately to keep the peace and convince her older brother not to run away. But when they became teenagers and Oba received one especially cruel beating, he disappeared, leaving May to shoulder even more responsibility while navigating the dangerous and lonely world she'd been placed in.

When she encounters Clinton, a young black man, on the road one day, she sees a kindness in his eyes that she's been thirsting for. He is immediately drawn to her, too, but quickly reminds her that he is black and she is white. In that time and place, there is no chance of starting a friendship. But still, they find themselves meeting discretely, spending more time together than is proper, finding joy and solace in each other's company.

When things go from bad to unbearable at the farm, May realizes she must escape from her aunt and uncle. If only she knew where Oba had gone! Can she turn to Clinton for help? Where is God when she needs Him most?

 

Linda Byler grew up Amish and is an active member of the Amish church today. She is the author of five bestselling fiction series, all set in the Amish world: Hester's Hunt for Home, Lancaster Burning, Sadie’s Montana, Lizzie Searches for Love, and The Dakota Series. In addition, Byler authored The Healing and has written several Christmas romances: A Horse for Elsie, A Dog for Christmas, The Little Amish Matchmaker, The Christmas Visitor, Mary’s Christmas Good-Bye, and Becky Meets Her Match. Linda writes all her novels by hand in a notebook and is also well known within the Amish community as a columnist for a weekly Amish newspaper.