Given the stereotypes associated with Amish and Mennonite culture, you probably would not think that Amish romance is a thriving genre that is gaining more and more popularity in the world of fiction. But it is. The top three bestselling authors of Amish fiction, Beverly Lewis, Cindy Woodsmall, and Wanda Brunstetter, have sold over 24 million copies, collectively. The story of the Amish and Mennonite has grown to be something of a pop culture phenomenon. I mean, when something has its own reality television show, you know it has definitely garnered some serious attention.
Most authors of Amish fiction are not actually Amish themselves. The first successful Amish romance novel was The Shunning, written by evangelist author Beverly Lewis in 1997. As its title suggests, the book follows the story of a young girl who rebels against the strict customs of the Old Order Amish and is shunned by her community for it. All Amish fiction novels are set in Amish communities, such as Pennsylvania Dutch country. (The majority of Amish can be found in Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Ohio.) Authors tend to portray the strictest of strict Amish culture, complete with bearded men, horse buggies, and children stopping school after the eighth grade. Amish romance novels explore the “boy meets girl” theme that is typical of any romance novel, but they are devoid of all things risqué and promiscuous that is characteristic of many modern romance novels (cough, Fifty Shades of Grey, cough cough). In the world of Amish fiction, authors are crossing the line when they depict an unmarried girl letting her hair down in front of a man. Real nasty, alright.
Amish romance has a pretty significant audience. Readers say that the books offer them an escape from the technology-driven world that we live in. These books allow them to enter a more peaceful, easygoing world that reduces the stress of their everyday lives. Readers find the chastity very refreshing, yet they still enjoy the drama and mystery that are part of any developing love relationship. As they say, the course of true love never did run smooth, and that's true even in Amish Dutch country.