A Cousin's Prayer

Jill Shellabarger doesn’t just narrate *A Cousin’s Prayer*—she embodies it. Her ability to toggle between Katie’s frantic breathing during a panic attack and the serene cadence of an Amish prayer meeting is nothing short of brilliant. My one critique? The romantic subplot with bishop’s son Samuel feels a tad too neat, arriving just soon enough to avoid lingering in Katie’s unresolved grief. That said, Shellabarger’s delivery of the emotional payoff—the moment Katie finally lets herself pray again—left me with actual chills. The production is crisp, with no irritating background noise or distracting music, letting Brunstetter’s storytelling shine. Where some Amish fiction leans on stereotypes, this book grounds its characters in messy humanity: the nosy neighbor who means well, the cousin torn between duty and frustration, the bishop who’s wise but still human. If you’re tired of Amish fiction that skirts around real pain, this audiobook delivers quiet fire. Just be prepared for Shellabarger’s performance to haunt your thoughts long after the final ‘Amen.’