I’m a big fan of the books by Beverly Lewis, which feature characters from Amish communities. So, I was excited to hear that several of her books have been made into movies for the Hallmark Channel. A few years ago, they featured The Shunning, which is the first novel in Beverly Lewis’ “The Heritage of Lancaster County” trilogy. And they recently aired the second movie in the series, Beverly Lewis' the Confession. I received The Confession for review, but was fortunate to be able to catch The Shunning first when it was re-aired on Hallmark right before the debut of The Confession. The second movie is a sequel to the first, but you don’t have to watch the first to understand the second. In the first movie, The Shunning, we’re introduced to Katie Lapp, a young Amish woman who discovers that she was adopted at birth by her Amish parents when an unwed teenage mother, an “Englisher” (non-Amish), gave her to them. Now that Katie’s on the brink of marrying an Amish man, her birth mother, who has terminal cancer, seeks out the daughter she gave away. In The Confession, Katie heads to New York to finally connect with the woman who gave birth to her. But their reunion is complicated because her mother’s husband, who has a gambling addiction, has hired an actress to pose as his wife’s Amish daughter! Knowing that his wife has cut him off from her family’s money, his plan is to have her sign it over to her fake daughter, who will then give it to him when his wife dies. In the meantime, the real Katie is mistaken for a new maid when she shows up to meet her mother and ends up working in the house while the imposter plays the role of the beloved daughter. Will Katie’s mother find out the truth before her death? And where does Katie belong -- in the wealthy world of her birth mother or in the Amish world of her adoptive parents? To confuse matters even further, an old Amish boyfriend shows up while Katie is just becoming attracted to an “Englisher.” Who will she choose? I can’t wait to see the final movie in the series to find out!
The Confession, directed and co-produced by Michael Landon Jr., is a touching depiction of a young woman’s quest to find her true identity. Not only is she torn between two very different families (birth and adoptive; wealthy and simple), but she’s also not sure whether she’s meant to live the Amish or Englisher lifestyle. I could really feel Katie’s pain as she struggled with her love for both families and lifestyles, knowing that she couldn’t possibly have it all. We all face tough choices in life, and Katie’s entire future -- and the happiness of those she loves -- depends on the decisions she must make. I really enjoyed watching The Confession and will definitely watch the third movie in the series to find out what Katie decides!
Movie Trailer for Beverly Lewis’ The Confession:
The Shunning is already available on DVD, and The Confession will be available on June 11th. Pre-order your copy from Amazon today.
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