Summer Reading Book #5

The next book that I have finished on my summer reading plan is the 4th and final book in the Brides of Lancaster County series by Wanda E. Brunstetter, The Hope Chest. This book is about Rebekah's family. Rebekah was the little girl who was hurt in book one and found love and her miracle in book two. Rebekah's daughters, Anna and Rachel, both fall in love with the same guy, Silas. Silas has many of the same interest as Rachel, but is closer to the age of Anna and he has loved Anna since they were children. Rachel hopes for the impossible, that Silas will pick her. Anna though has other love interest in Reuben, Silas' best friend. Anna leads her family to believe that she is courtin Silas but really she is running off with Reuben who has a job painting in the English world. Anna decides to join Reuben in the English world and they get married and leave the Amish ways. Anna is shunned by her family because she had joined the church. This leaves Rachel open to courtin the love of her life, Silas. However, Silas has a hard time getting over Anna and that makes it hard for them. The rest of the book goes into how they finally get together. There is also another romance in the book with Rebekah's son Joesph who falls in love with Pauline a character from book three. I liked this book, but I will have to say that it did not impress me as much as the other three books and therefore took me longer to read. The other books in this series goes places and I can just image and feel like I am really in those places as the reader. This book did not leave me with those feelings and it was much harder for me to get through. With that said, I would still read any of Wanda's books, just this story left me wanting a little bit more. As usual, here is a recipe from the book:

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Rachel's Ribbon Salad

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3-ounce box lime gelatin

3 cups boiling water, divided

3 cups cold water, divided

1 small can crushed pineapples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3-ounce box of lemon gelatin

8-ounce package cream cheese

1/4 cup whipped cream

3-ounce box raspberry gelatin

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Dissolve lime gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 cup cold water, crushed pineapples, and nuts to the gelatin, then pour into an 8x8 pan to make first layer. Chill in the refrigerator until set. dissolve lemon gelatin in 1 cup boiling water, then add 1 cup cold water. When mixture becomes cool, add the cream cheese and whipped cream. Pour this mixture over the first layer of gelatin that has already set. Return to refrigerator and let set again. Dissolve raspberry gelatin in 1 cup boiling water. Add 1 cup cold water and mix well. Pour over the top of the first two layers, return to refrigerator, and chill until set.