Wooster author Joanne Lehman releases ‘Susan’s Hope,’ second novel in Benville Community Series

The second book in Wooster author Joanne Lehman’s Benville Community Series is set for release on Oct. 25. "Susan’s Hope" follows last year’s "Leah’s Faith," with both Christian fiction titles published by Masthof Press of Morgantown, Pennsylvania. A third book, "Fannie’s Love," is scheduled for 2026 release. Each book in the trilogy depicts the life of an Amish woman in the Troyer family of Benfield, a fictional Holmes County community.

In "Susan’s Hope," Susan Troyer witnesses the death of an Amish teen at an Englischer music festival in Ohio, after which she leaves Benville, along with her friend Ruthie, to seek work in Sarasota, Florida. Troyer hopes the change will help her forget her mistake-filled past. But until she faces her fears and seeks forgiveness, trouble continues following her. With Christmas approaching, she and Ruthie help their Mennonite host, Eva Good, renovate a neglected inn. Working alongside them is the handsome Luke Rohrer. When Susan learns of his connection to her past, she fears he won’t understand when he learns her secret.

Lehman’s Mennonite faith influences her stories, which depict Anabaptist customs of Ohio’s contemporary Old Order Amish. She also draws from a lifetime of living and working among Ohio’s Amish and Mennonites. "Susan’s Hope" and "Fannie’s Love" were influenced by Lehman’s work with the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Wayne and Holmes Counties during the 1990s and early 2000s. Her role was to help raise awareness about mental health and substance abuse and included outreach to the Amish community.

“Writing these books has enabled me to reflect on how my work with the Amish has evolved since that time,” Lehman said.

While romance is a component of each of the stories, they also feature real-world problems of the community while tackling the characters’ physical, emotional and spiritual challenges.

“These stories explore hope, healing and forgiveness,” Lehman said. “They offer encouragement and inspiration to my readers.”

Lehman earned an MFA from Ashland University and taught English composition and literature at Wayne College and Malone University. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the American Christian Fiction Writers Association. She also is a fellow of the Wick Poetry Center and has published three poetry books and two books with Herald Press, a Mennonite-affiliated publisher.

"Susan’s Hope" and "Leah’s Faith" are available on Amazon, Kindle, Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. They also may be purchased at local bookstores through IngramSpark and from Masthof Press at www.masthof.com.

Lehman will appear at a multi-author book-signing at Gospel Bookstore, 4900 Oak St., Berlin, on Oct. 25 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at Buckeye Book Fair on Nov. 1 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Greystone Event Center, 50 Riffel Road, Wooster. She also is available for inspirational presentations. For more information about the author or to contact her, visit www.joannelehman.com.