As World War II draws to a close, nurse Christine falls in love with roguish Amish boy, Eli, and must choose between a new, uncertain life in the Amish faith or face the judgment of a conservative post-war American society for her past mistakes.
It's 1946, and Christine Freeman is a nurse at Hudson River State Hospital, where she works alongside members of a Civilian Public Service unit. Eli is one of the "conscies"--conscientious objectors to the war--and he is doing his best to become a man of character instead of the immature heartbreaker he used to be back home in his Amish community.
Christine and Eli are friendly, but when an old acquaintance, Jack, returns home from the war Christine's world is turned violently upside down. Once Christine realizes she is pregnant with Jack's baby, her options are limited. Eli, heartbroken to see his friend so hurt, offers her an escape within his Amish community. Despite her unplanned pregnancy, Christine is fully embraced by Eli's community. She lives with an elderly midwife, who shares her great wisdom on life, and Christine slowly begins to feel valued and loved as she learns the Amish way of life.
Christine finds herself falling for Eli. But as her due date approaches, the abusive Jack discovers Christine in her Amish hideaway and starts causing trouble for the quiet community. Christine can't see herself becoming Amish, and she knows that if Eli leaves the church to be with her, he will be shunned. Will she escape Jack and possibly give up her baby or will she follow her heart and promise to cherish the Amish man who loves her?
