Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    A Plain Leaving
    A Plain Leaving
    A Plain Leaving
    Audiobook11 hours

    A Plain Leaving

    Written by Leslie Gould

    Narrated by Stina Nielsen

    4.5/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Returning for her father's funeral, Jessica faces the Amish life--and love--she left behind years prior. Struggling with regrets, she learns about the life of a Revolutionary War-era ancestor who confronted some of the same choices she has. Will Jessica find peace during her visit, along with the resolution she hopes for? Gould Offers a New Amish Series in Idyllic Lancaster County At age twenty, Jessica Bachman left her two beloved sisters and her Amish community after clashing with the new bishop about her role in the family and the future of their farm. She tried to convince Silas Kemp, who'd been courting her for two years, to join her, but when he said no, she fled anyway. Three years later, she returns home for the first time since leaving Lancaster to attend her father's funeral. Her arrival back revives all sorts of emotions--yearnings and sorrows alike. Jessica knows things will never return to how they were. But in seeing Silas again, she can't help but wonder what might have been. Struggling to decide where her next step should take her, she learns the story of a Revolutionary War-era ancestor that echoes her own choices. Will Jessica leave her family and community forever, or is there peace and healing and love yet to come?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateOct 3, 2017
    ISBN9781501966453
    A Plain Leaving
    Author

    Leslie Gould

    Leslie Gould (LeslieGould.com) is a Christy Award-winning and #1 bestselling author of over forty-five novels, including four Lancaster County Amish series. She holds a bachelor's degree in history and an MFA in creative writing. She enjoys church history, research trips, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest. She and her husband live in Portland, Oregon, and have four adult children and two grandchildren.

    More audiobooks from Leslie Gould

    Related to A Plain Leaving

    Titles in the series (3)

    View More
    View More

    Related audiobooks

    Amish & Mennonite Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Amish On Vacation

      May 30, 2020

      Amish On Vacation
      7 min read

    • Article

      Good Neighbors

      Oct 31, 2019

      Good Neighbors
      9 min read

    • Article

      Cloud of Love

      Nov 24, 2018

      I collapsed onto my bed and closed my eyes. Fifteen family members would be arriving at our house any minute for my husband Tom’s birthday party. I should’ve been greeting our guests. Instead, I was in our room. I was just so tired. If I wanted to ma

      4 min read

    • Article

      Hell Is A City in Texas

      Jun 14, 2021

      Hell Is A City in Texas
      10 min read

    • Article

      Begin Again

      Jun 14, 2022

      My grandfather came to live with me. There was nowhere else for him to go. What had happened to all his children? Death, decay, exile—I hardly know. My own parents died of pain. But I must not be too gloomy, at the beginning, or you will leave me, an

      6 min read

    • Article

      Life After Death

      May 27, 2022

      Life After Death
      14 min read

    • Article

      Teddy And Roosevelt

      Jan 10, 2021

      They call it Friends Group. But there are no friends, and there is no group. Just me, a state-funded Social Worker, and another sixth grader the kids call Sweaty Teddy. We sit in a converted cinderblock office between the furnace and the chapel and l

      16 min read

    • Article

      Teddy And Roosevelt

      Jun 10, 2023

      They call it Friends Group. But there are no friends, and there is no group. Just me, a state-funded social worker, and another sixth-grader, the kids call Sweaty Teddy. We sit in a converted cinderblock office between the furnace and the chapel and

      16 min read

    • Article

      Lucky To Have You

      Mar 12, 2020

      Rushing around the house, I looked about for my keys and wallet, eventually finding them under a pile of laundry. Checking I had my shopping list, I popped my head into the living room to say goodbye. I’m off to Iceland for the food shop, see you bot

      5 min read

    • Article

      Epithalamium

      Jun 1, 2023

      Epithalamium
      16 min read

    • Article

      What’s In Your Knickers?

      May 18, 2023

      Feeling my phone buzz in my pocket, I reached in and took it out. I had a Facebook notification – my friend Tarl Williams had liked my photo. I didn’t really know Tarl – he’d added me out of the blue, but we had mutual friends, so I’d accepted. Now h

      6 min read

    • Article

      Famous People

      Mar 1, 2022

      Famous People
      15 min read

    • Article

      The Shape Of A Person

      Oct 20, 2022

      The Shape Of A Person
      25 min read

    • Article

      Coming To Terms

      May 25, 2021

      Coming To Terms
      14 min read

    • Article

      Cold Calling

      Jan 18, 2021

      Two or three phone calls per week. Every week for six months. All more or less the same. “Hello Mrs Redmond, this is Martin/Tim/Alice/Marmaduke [I’m serious], I’m calling from your internet provider to let you know that your broadband server has been

      6 min read

    • Article

      Shame Is Ever-Present When You’re Sitting in a Cell

      Oct 23, 2020

      Between a strained relationship with my family and the death of a good friend, I’ve struggled to feel like I’m worth something.

      5 min read

    • Article

      ANGER Mismanagement

      Feb 9, 2020

      Mr Stable has asked me to pick up his drycleaning, as he’s going to ‘babysit’ at his ex-wife’s apartment, while she attends a tango class. “Maybe she’ll find a new love?” I’m a sucker for happy endings, so I can’t help hoping that his ex-wife will fi

      3 min read

    • Article

      After “The End”

      Oct 10, 2022

      I walked down the road with a hunched back and a wet cigarette in my mouth—the fire had died a while back. My hands were tucked into the pockets of my jacket, and my hair fell over my face, limiting my sight. But I wasn’t really seeing where I was go

      10 min read

    • Article

      The Kill Registry

      Dec 10, 2022

      My sister chose to use her bullet years ago and ever since she has badgered me to liberate my own from its chamber. Beth leveled her pistol at her husband five years into their marriage, and she has no regrets, which is one of the things I admire abo

      14 min read

    • Article

      I’ll Not Risk Myself

      Feb 10, 2024

      My phone reception is better outside the laundromat, so I spend most of my time waiting for laundry on the bench near the door. I don’t talk with my friends, but I surf the news. I like to know what’s going on. I don’t like people to know about me, t

      13 min read

    • Article

      Me & Davey Waters

      Jan 15, 2023

      Me & Davey Waters
      4 min read

    • Article

      My Fellow Americans

      Nov 25, 2020

      My Fellow Americans
      10 min read

    • Article

      Bad-Time Dimitri

      Feb 3, 2022

      Bad-Time Dimitri
      16 min read

    • Article

      Penny From Heaven

      Feb 27, 2020

      Penny From Heaven
      5 min read

    • Article

      Heavy Heart

      Feb 5, 2022

      Heavy Heart
      6 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for A Plain Leaving

    4.5/5

    13 ratings4 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this, clean Amish story, with romance, family intrigue and a lot of growing. I received this for free and I voluntarily chose to review this. I've given this a 5* rating. This story grabbed my attention from the first and swirled in tibits along the way to keep drawing attention back to underline certain things. And woven through this story, was another story about a long ago ancestor of this family and their family farm. There were a lot of pro's and con's of the Amish versus Englisher type of lifestyle.
    • 4/5
      At age twenty, Jessica Bachman left her two beloved sisters and her Amish community after clashing with the new bishop about her role in the family and the future of their farm. She tried to convince Silas Kemp, who’d been courting her for two years, to join her, but when he said no, she fled anyway.Three years later, she returns home for the first time since leaving Lancaster to attend her father’s funeral. Her arrival back revives all sorts of emotions–yearnings and sorrows alike. Jessica knows things will never return to how they were. But in seeing Silas again, she can’t help but wonder what might have been.Struggling to decide where her next step should take her, she learns the story of a Revolutionary War-era ancestor that echoes her own choices. Will Jessica leave her family and community forever, or is there peace and healing and love yet to come?MY THOUGHTS:I received this book in exchange for my honest review.The Protagonist, Jessica, reads like she’s far older than twenty. I love these historical fictions. This story takes you on a journey of self-discovery by using two stories about Amish women who face life altering choices and their inner struggles with self, religion, family expectations and unexpected love.I love both female characters in this book. They are strong and honest and both adore their families in a way you don’t see anymore. I enjoyed seeing in to a way of living that I’m not accustomed to. We have Amish around here too and I’ve always been curious about their simplistic life choices.The Amish in the book are situated in the States although they do discuss Canada and the colonies here. The era is during the civil wars. It was a great read! And if you enjoy such historical family fiction, then I highly recommend you pick up this book and give it a chance.The plot is well paced, moving a bit slow at first, but you get a good feeling of the family dynamics, the author’s voice is smooth and transitions well from one setting to another, one perspective to another without jarring or jumping around. Tension is felt throughout the book building to a wonderful conclusion and resolution.The setting is beautifully written to the point where you, as the reader, also get a sense of how astounding the landscape is and why the Protagonist just loves her home so much.Overall, I’d say this book is a light, enjoyable read for those days when you don’t want too much complication to wrap your brain around. It’s a great read for those who love family stories, but also love historical fiction.
    • 5/5
      In this book by Leslie Gould, Jessica Bachmann has already left the Amish community she grew up in. But she is called back by her youngest sister to attend her father's funeral. This is the most difficult thing she has ever done in her life because of the divisive family drama that pushed her out in the first place. She is subjected to shunning practices while at the same time she is trying to grieve over her father's passing. Then her brother Amos arrives. He had left the family more than a decade ago with similar conflicts in the family, especially with his twin, the brother now in charge of the family homestead. Her aunt Suz helps Jessica cope while inviting her to the house she lives in. So during the days Jessica stays with her aunt while she tells her a story about one of her ancestors, a Ruby Bachmann who lived Plain during the days of the colonial period and the beginning of the American Revolution against Britain. There are parallels between the two women of this book. Both have tough choices to make that can change their lives drastically. The historical fiction story about Ruby Bachmann is filled with suspense and tough choices. As Jessica was listening to her aunt telling this story, she wasn't quite sure what point her aunt was making. Not until the very last few pages of the book does Jessica realize what the message was. In the meantime, watching her former fiance court another woman was breaking her heart when it shouldn't have, and seeing her older brother plan things for her father's farm that could jeopardize the family legacy irreversibly worried her in spite of the fact that she no longer lives on the farm. What was her heart trying to tell her? This is a fast-paced contemporary story about family conflicts, past hurts, reconciliation, and challenges that keeps our interest high. I loved this story. I loved the story within the story as well. Many of the characters go through a transition within their character. There are a lot of good dynamics moving throughout this book that takes awhile to process. There are even a few surprises toward the end of both stories. But all the conflict is well worth reading. I know this is one book I will enjoy reading several times. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers on behalf of the author. I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
    • 5/5
      A Plain Leaving by Leslie Gould is the first book in The Sisters of Lancaster County series. Jessica Bachman is at work when she receives a call from her sister, Leisel that their father has passed away. Jessica left their Amish community three years prior and is shunned (she was baptized when she left). She returns for the funeral and receives a less than warm welcome from her relatives. Jessica is filled with mixed feelings upon her return. She misses her home and family, but she still remembers why she left. Silas Kemp (courted Jessica for two years) works on the farm and Jessica realizes that her feelings for him have not faded. At their father’s funeral, Arden (her older brother) has a heart attack. Jessica is the one person who can keep the farm running while he recovers (and he really does not want to ask for her help). While on the farm, Jessica spends time with her Aenti Suzanne who shares a special story with her about their ancestor, Ruby Bachman. When the time comes for Jessica to return to her home, will she want to leave or return to her roots?A Plain Leaving was such a lovely story. I was drawn into the book from the very beginning. The characters are nicely developed. There are characters that readers will love and there are ones that you will love to hate (Arden, Marie, Bethel). In the face of such dislike, it can be hard to turn the other cheek. A Plain Leaving has a good pace, beautiful setting, and good writing. Leslie Gould managed to combine the two storylines (Jessica and Ruby’s) into one pleasing book. Some of the themes in A Plain Leaving are love, hope, forgiveness, foolishness, choices, history, trusting in God and having faith. I appreciated the growth of the characters in the story. I am rating A Plain Leaving 5 out of 5 stars (I loved it). I did not want A Plain Leaving to end. It is an inspiring story. I am eager to read the next book in The Sisters of Lancaster County series.