"The Seeker" by Ann H. Gabhart

Amish fiction is becoming all too popular these days. However, books that delve into the Shaker tradition are few. In this book, the female protagonist is set to marry her fiance. Plans change when her soon-to-be husband decides to join the Shakers. The woman reluctantly joins this sect. Her heart is torn between men when a non-Shaker that is an illustrator for "Harper's" draws her and...I'm not ruining it for you. Anyway, she is immersed in the Shaker culture, and the reader learns about their beliefs and customs (in addition to the introduction into what the Shakers are that precedes chapter one). Letters are exchanged between characters and add emotion to the prose. With the Civil War going on, more details are added. At times, this book is a bit slow, but it seems as though it would appeal to history buffs that relish small details.

Available July 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group