His Risk

I have fallen in love with Shelley Shepard Gray's latest series, The Amish of Hart County. In the fourth book in the series, His Risk, readers are once again transported back to the Amish community of Hart County. There you pick back up with familiar characters from the previous novels as they now become secondary characters in this novel.

Alice Yoder is the community's school teacher and she adores her job. She believes it is truly her calling and the one thing that brings her the most joy. However when she undertakes watching her brother's home while they vacation in Pinecraft and also care for Valentine, their cat. It is one job she truly looks forward to is a quiet night at the end of a busy day. She just didn't expect to find her curiosity peaked by the young man standing outside her neighbors home. Being a bit bold, she finds herself wanting to know who he is and why he is staying at their home.

Calvin Fisher is now staying with his brother, Mark and his wife Waneta as he undergoes a risky surgery to remove a cancerous kidney. He hopes that he will be able to be there for his brother as much as he helped to raise Calvin as a child. Both of his parents had their own issues to deal with and for Calvin, it meant leaving the Amish community. However know he has come home, but with it comes a threat that he believes he can handle as he works as an undercover DEA agent for a well known crime syndicate. Now that he has worked his way up in earning the King's loyalty, he believes he can balance the roles he is playing while keeping everyone safe.

But when his undercover life begins to show signs of being in Hart County, Calvin believes that he has brought a very real risk to those he cares about and even those he might begin to fall for. Will he be able to end the double life he is living before he endangers those he loves the most?

I received His Risk by Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Avon Inspire, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. This is such a cross over genre because you are combining a love for the Amish with its connection to the English world in a suspenseful way. Without realizing it, and while they remain very much divided in their faith and ideals, there are no physical walls to keep one from encroaching on the other as it does in this series of novels by Shelley Shepard Gray. I think she orchestrates it masterfully in that you don't even realize that you're reading two very different genres in a well blended series. I have loved every single one and am looking forward to the next one in this series. Finally authors who simply don't end a good thing after three books! This one is worthy of all 5 out of 5 stars in my own opinion.

For more information about His Risk, Shelley Shepard Gray or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

His Risk by Shelley Shepard Gray

You can find Shelley Shepard Gray on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on His Risk, please visit Harper Collins Publisher's website.

A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection

If you're new to Amish fiction, and love the idea of a Christmas setting with some great story lines, then you might want to pick up A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance collection. In it you will find 9 different Christmas Romances of Amish, Mennonite, Quaker and Amana settlements, which vary in some of the dress styles, their religious beliefs, and manner of speech. They hold fast to the belief that what happens stays in their communities to handle and marrying outside of the church, can often result in a shunning from the community especially if they have been baptized into their churches.

Yet the one thing that remains clear in all of them, is their sense of support within the community. Help is always offered from within regarding medical issue, issues dealing with breaking the law and tragedies. They are always there for one another. The best part also of this series, is it gives you a brief insight into the style of writing each of the nine authors. This will help you decide if you want to pick up full length novels of other books in that genre as well. It is well worth it too, if time is an issue. Reading them one at a time, as you have time available, keeps you from feeling overwhelmed about not being able to get through a larger novel, than these nine stories provide.

The nine authors that have contributed to this collection are: Jerry Eicher, Olivia Newport, Lauralee Bliss, Ramona K.Cecil, Dianne Christner, Melanie Dobson, Rachael O. Phillips, Claire Sanders, and Anna Schmidt. I have read quite a few of the novels of most of these authors, so it was a nice change of pace to meet some I had never heard of before. This collection is comparable to the length of a full size novel and in it, you get 9 short stories that feel like so much more than a simple novella. There is also a wonderful treat included at the conclusion of each one, a recipe that you can make at home from the story! Just the cover of this collection invites the reader to curl up by the fire on a cold wintery night.

I received A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection by various authors compliments of Barbour Publishing and NetGalley. This is such a beautiful collection of wonderful heartwarming stories of faith, hope and love set among the Christmas season. This is a must have for lovers of Amish Romance, and even for those who want a great sampling of the various communities mentioned in this review. For me, this really introduced me to some authors I had never heard of before, as well as bring back some favorites from best selling authors as well. For me, this collection would rate a 4 out of 5 stars. There are some stories that really didn't connect with me as a reader, and wanted to get through them to something else, especially the Quaker stories with their 'thee's and thou's in how they speak to one another. Kind of like trying to understand Shakespeare in high school, yet overall a great collection.

For more information about A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection by various authors

You can read more reviews of A Plain and Sweet Christmas Romance Collection by visiting Barbour Publishing's website. 

An Amish Christmas Love

I love reading Christmas novels during anytime throughout the year and happened upon An Amish Christmas Love, by four extremely talented authors, Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Ruth Reid, and Kelly Irvin. In this delightful collection of four novella's each of the authors shares a wonderfully sweet Amish romance all tucked inside this book. This is perfect for busy readers, who can just sit down and read one at a time, and still feel like they've read a full length novel.

In Winter Kisses by Beth Wiseman, three generations of Amish women find love with the wonderful men who they rent out their rooms for a construction job nearby. All of them have various reasons for wanting to find the right man but will they all be successful in their endeavors as Christmas is coming.

The Christmas Cat by Amy Clipston finds a lonely widow as Christmas Eve approaches with no one to share the day with as she fondly remembers her husband Henry, until a wayward cat finds her home during a winter storm. With it comes changes she never expected in her life, when she realizes she is never really alone.

Snow Angels by Kelly Irvin pairs an Amish couple up with the past one of them wishes would never come back to town. Now that she is here, will those old familiar feelings from the past threaten a relationship already on rocky ground?

And finally in Home for Christmas by Ruth Reid, a young English woman returns to her Aunts home she has inherited as a winter storm approaches and finds her GPS directions have led her to enter a home she thought was her Aunts, but turns out to be a Amish father and her young daughter. But did she really take a wrong turn after all?

I received An Amish Christmas Love by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin and Ruth Reid compliments of NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers. Each of these wonderful stories generate a wonderful sense of love, family, faith and hope and truly feel like you've gotten 4 novels in one. I have to say my favorite one might just be the Christmas Cat, because it reminds us that while we might missing a loved one's presence here, their memories are never gone! At the conclusion of each, you will find some discussion guide questions that are wonderful for book clubs. For me, this collection really is worth all 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about An Amish Christmas Love, Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin, Ruth Reid or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

An Amish Christmas Love by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin, Ruth Reid

You can find Beth Wiseman on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

You can find Amy Clipston on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

You can find Kelly Irvin on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

You can find Ruth Reid on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on An Amish Christmas Love, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website. 

Seeds of Hope

I can only imagine how difficult it must be to have a childhood crush on a boy, ten years older than you. Yet you remain the very best of friends. For Miriam Troyer, she kept that secret buried deep inside even though the feelings she had for Mark Byler have never changed. She had hoped that time and distance might change all that, but since Mark had moved away to the big city to follow his dreams of becoming an attorney, those familiar feelings remained. Even though he was now engaged to a young woman, Tiffany who was just like the jewelry maker, high maintenance and wealthy beyond measure, just the right kind of wife for an up and coming successful lawyer.

When Mark receives a letter from his grandfather to come to Paradise, Pennsylvania, he worries that his grandfather might be ill. He has never written to him before asking for anything, and when he doesn't return Mark's calls, he fears the worst. Yet all that John Byler wanted was a chance to talk to Mark in hopes of convincing him that unless he accepted taking over his farm, it would be sold and given to someone other than a Byler to run. He had hoped to stir those feelings inside him long ago when he used to visit his grandfather on the farm during his summers away. But he could't just walk away from the life he had now, and there was no way that Tiffany would have anything to do with farming.

So when a high profile case of Mark's suddenly takes a turn for the worst, his law firm insists that he take some time off to let things die down in the public's eye. The only place left for him to go, is back to his grandfather's farm to help him work the harvesting season and payback all those who have helped his grandfather for all those years, and maybe that includes Miriam Troyer who has spent her days bringing meals to his grandfather so he wouldn't have to fend for himself. Now she just hopes that she can keep those long-time feelings tucked inside because as things stand now, there is no hope for her and Mark to have anything romantic happen between them. For now, she will just do her best to be the friend he needs.

I received Seeds of Hope by Barbara Cameron compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Gilead Publishing. This is such an incredible novel that conveys the need for loyalty and love of family. It goes beyond what others might want especially in the big city of Philadelphia, who seemed to distance themselves from the negative publicity even his fiancè, Tiffany. It is a valuable lesson on what we define as important to us, and Mark soon realizes that money can't buy everything he once thought it could and that the love of close family and friends is indeed priceless. Discussion questions are included at the conclusion of this book that would make it the perfect choice for book clubs. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and can't wait for the next novel in the Harvest of Hope series.

For more information about Seeds of Hope, Barbara Cameron or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Seeds of Hope by Barbara Cameron

You can find Barbara Cameron on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Seeds of Hope, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 

The Gift

Sometimes through no fault of our own making, things change in unexpected ways that leave us feeling upset and downright mad. When the Vance family put their farm up for sale, there were no takers for quite some time. Forced into the option by their Uncle whom their father has quite the debt to pay thanks to gambling issues, they were left with no choice than to take whatever was offered, even if it wasn't enough to settle the debt. While their Uncle demanded full payment or turning the property over to him to settle things, their father decided to take the next offer for far less than what the property was worth. He wasn't about to turn everything over to his brother in hopes of appeasing him.

Just that one circumstance would set off a series of hostility to the new family whom the community seemed to have taken advantage of the situation, and an Amish family at that. The Schwartz family had hoped to embrace their new home and community but instead found themselves trying to justify how they were able to purchase the farm amid the rumors circulating about them. For Susanna, she loses control of her horse and buggy coming home during a winter's storm and feels that someone was shooting at her. Of course, that is easily explained away that hunters apparently forget just how close to the roads there were now that hunting season was in full swing. It cost her family a new horse and buggy.

When a series of unfortunate accidents begin to happen on their farm and to their family, it appears as if someone is wishing them to move. When first the shooting, then a property line section of fencing is destroyed, along with a bridge collapsing that almost took the life of their younger sister, the family begins to question those in the community, but instead of getting help, they are seen as accusing the community of trying to bring them harm. When Susanna and Neil Vance begin their own investigation, signs point to something more sinister. They have little time to figure things out before things begin to turn deadly.

I received The Gift by Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Avon Inspire, a division of Harper Collins Publishers. Readers who love a great suspense among their Amish novels, will want to pick this one up. This is the third novel in the Amish of Hart County and as with all of Shelley Shepard's novel, I don't even have to read the back cover because she involves the reader so much, they feel like they're a part of the book. There are some bonus material at the conclusion of this novel including reader's guide questions, insights into the story line and some delicious Amish recipes to try. I give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Gift, Shelley Shepard Gray or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Gift by Shelley Shepard Gray

You can find Shelley Shepard Gray on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Gift, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page. 

Home All Along

Some people struggle their whole lives to find a place to call home, when in all actuality it was right in front of them the whole time. In Beth Wiseman's newest novel, Home All Along, the third in the Amish Secrets series, Charlotte Dolinsky is faced with more challenges then most. Being orphaned along with her brother Ethan, she has watched the family deteriorate around her. First her father died, then her brother, and while she struggled to maintain any sense of a relationship with her birth mother Janelle, she watched her slowly die while languishing away in a mental institution lost in her mind in a rage of madness. It would make one wonder, why she shed any tears at all at her mother's funeral. But perhaps deep inside she was mourning for a family most had and she didn't.

Even though her Amish family made her feel at home, they weren't her biological family. Daniel Byler is struggling himself with the feelings he has for Charlotte, an English woman who makes herself at home among the Amish, but still keeping a foot in the English world. He knows what implications will happen if he chooses to walk away from all he has known to follow his heart, but he is hoping that Charlotte might just want to walk away from the English world and join him. After all, it seems as if she is home already.

They didn't see all the changes coming for both of them. The new Bishop has warned Daniel that Charlotte must make a decision soon as many in the fold are beginning to question if the Bishop intends to allow them to continue as they have been, clearly having affections for one another but not equally yoked. Charlotte is introduced to a sister, Andrea, she never knew she had, when she turns up at her mother's funeral, only to remind her that she just needed to know who she was for medical issues. This makes Charlotte question what God has in mind with all this news on the same day she buries her mother. Can she find the right faith to hold onto her life and weather the storms that seem to be pressing on her at this time? Only time will tell.

I received Home All Along by Beth Wiseman compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley. Oh how I have thoroughly enjoyed this entire series. It makes one realize that the Amish are just like the English in so many ways and have the same struggles we all do. The only difference is their ability to try and accept the things that happen as God's will, but it still doesn't mean it makes it easy for them to handle it well. So many other relationships are addressed as well in this novel with characters readers have met in the other novels. I especially LOVE the ideas that butterflies are rumored to be messages from heaven! I easily give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about Home All Along, Beth Wiseman or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Home All Along by Beth Wiseman 

You can find Beth Wiseman on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Home All Along, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website. 

The Beloved Christmas Quilt

The Beloved Christmas Quilt is a wonderful collection of three short stories that span a generation of authors beginning with Wanda Brunstetter, who is a best-selling author of Amish novels, along with her daughter Jean and granddaughter, Richelle, who also have added their own stories to this book, that span an Amish families generation much like the Brunstetter women have.

Luella's Promise by Wanda Brunstetter takes readers in the beginning of the Ebersol family, beginning with Luella who was hired by Dena and Atlee Zook to help care for Dena and their son Daryl, as her health declines based on an issue with her heart. While Atlee works at his shop, Dena helps with housework and keeping Daryl busy while also helping Dena out as much as she can. They know the end is near and when she passes on a much beloved quilt to Luella as a way of saying thank you for being a friend and to promise to care for her family when she is gone, she never dreamed the turn her life would take as she spends more time with them.

Karen's Gift by Jean Brunstetter picks up the next generation that comes to the Zook family as their child Karen Allgyer grows and begins her own family. However when they discover her newborn daughter Nancy Anne is deaf, it begins to pull on the threads that held this family close. Her husband Seth pulls away to spend time hunting when he isn't working and with their parents so far away, Karen believes that it is time to move back home so she can have the love and support of both sets of parents.

In Roseanna's Groom by Richelle Brunstetter, the Zook family continues as the Roseanne Allgyer, Karen's daughter, finds herself preparing to be married, only to have her groom, John Beiler up and run away just as they are about to saw their wedding vows in front of family and friends. Without any explanation, he simply tells Roseanna, he can't marry her and moves away. Now left with picking up the pieces of her life, she tries to find a future while her heart is mending and that might be with someone who suddenly moves back unexpectedly. Will John realize his mistake before she gives her heart away to someone else?

I received The Beloved Christmas Quilt by Wanda, Jean and Richelle Brunstetter compliments of Barbour Publishing and Net Galley. These are three unforgettable stories of family, romance and the Amish faith, shared between three generations of writers but also written about three generations of one Amish family. I LOVE that they created this unique idea with each of them taking on a new generation and the beloved Christmas quilt that journeys along with them. There are delicious recipes tucked in to entice readers to try their own hand at making these wonderful dishes! I easily give this book a 5 out of 5 stars and just the simplicity of these three stories gives readers an opportunity to take them in one at a time as their busy schedules allow.

For more information about The Beloved Christmas Quilt, Wanda E. Brunstetter or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

The Beloved Christmas Quilt by Wanda, Jean and Richelle Brunstetter

You can find Wanda E. Brunstetter on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on The Beloved Christmas Quilt, please visit Barbour Publishing's website.

A Place At Our Table

A handsome Amish volunteer firefighter. A single Amish girl working for her families restaurant. All they need is the right circumstance for them to meet so sparks can begin to fly and love begin to bloom. In this case, a fire is the catalyst that introduces them. As the Dienner family's barn is engulfed in flames, Jamie Riehl is part of the Amish fire department to respond. As they try to keep damage to a minimum, he learns besides the two horses trapped in the barn, her younger brother Nathan has not come out after trying to rescue them. All they can do is pray that Jamie can bring all of them to safety along with their firefighting team.

Even though the barn is a complete loss, Jamie was able to bring Nathan out of the barn after being trapped inside when a beam fell on him. Had they not gotten there in time, it would have been the second death in the Dienner family that fire has taken from them. Jamie doesn't realize it at the time, but Simeon, their oldest son and brother died fighting a fire when a house collapsed on him and they were unable to get him out. Now Nathan wants to be a firefighter when he is old enough but it is something Kayla is trying to discourage him from doing. She can't lose another brother and she believes Jamie is just filling his head with ideas that he shouldn't be considering. When he realizes the dilemma he works with Kayla and her family to not only help with the barn raising, but giving them time to decide if Nathan can join the program to train as a firefighter.

It seems a common thread for both of them, the love and loyalty of family, and while neither of them is looking for a relationship, they at least agree to be friends. Kayla's past relationship was the clincher in making her never want to trust in men again. While he maintained a status as her boyfriend, he never made her a priority, choosing his friends and interests instead of spending time with her. But with her connection with Jamie, they seem suited well for one another, even if his job does pose a very real threat that he might not make it home one day, they agree to see where things might lead on their own, but until an unexpected tragedy occurs, it will leave them completely at a loss on how to find their way back to the feelings that brought them together.

I received A Place At Our Table by Amy Clipston compliments of Zondervan Publishers and NetGalley. I really LOVED this novel and read it in hours, simply because the action is so intense and you're rooting for your favorite characters and then tragedy strikes and you wonder if they will remain apart with just the right elements making everything one big mess. As a reader, you are immensely invested in the story and it feels as real to you as if you are standing alongside them as a friend. That's what makes a great novel in my opinion and the reason for a 5 out of 5 stars. There are some great discussion guide questions at the conclusion that would make this a must read for book clubs. This is also the first novel in the Amish Homestead Series, and I can't wait to see what's next in the series.

For more information about A Place At Our Table, Amy Clipston or where you can preorder a copy of this novel due out in November of 2017, please click on the links below:

A Place At Our Table by Amy Clipston

You can find Amy Clipston on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Place At Our Table, please visit Zondervan Publisher's website. 

The Promise of A Letter

Could the promise of a letter really get the lives of the Raber men to change forever? Seeing as there is so much division between the two, especially when Roman, the youngest, decided to up and leave the Amish community in Birch Creek, Ohio without ever saying goodbye. No note. Nothing. Now that he's been trying to live among the English and get into college as an Engineer, he receives word that his grandmother has passed away. The one and only person who really was family to him. She died. He wasn't there. Is it possible to go home again?

Roman wasn't sure what to expect when he packed up what little he owned and headed by to Birch Creek. All he knew was that he needed to see his grandmother's grave and tell her how sorry he was for not being there for her. Perhaps things might have had a different outcome. Perhaps even today, she might still be alive. He just didn't expect to see his father while standing at her grave. He said nothing in passing. No expressions on his face. He just handed Roman a letter and walked away. It was a letter from his grandmother. One last request. That he reconcile with his brother Daniel and then he could do whatever he needed to do with his life. But Daniel got the same letter in regards to the terms of reconciling with his brother, he just never expected to see him back so soon. But it was the one thing both brothers could do was to find a way to fulfill their grandmother's request, but it might take an act of God to heal the bitterness and pain inside them both.

Leanna Chupp went against what most people might think for an Amish woman. She didn't cook. Couldn't cook. Wasn't good with sewing or any of the household tasks most would expect. In fact she left her house pretty much the way she did every single day. Bed unmade, dishes in the sink, and time to do that later. At almost six feet, she didn't look like most Amish women either, but her family loved her for what she was. Talented at anything with a motor or moving parts. Thankfully her father raised her to do what she loved and she had a great job working for Daniel Raber, until he fired her. Without explanation. She would later learn that some of the elder ladies in the community had taken to gossiping about Leanna that she was having an affair with Daniel, since the two worked to closely together at his shop and often late into the evenings. While his wife Barbara never considered it, with being pregnant and hearing the rumors herself, she began to wonder. That is just the very reason that Daniel came to the decision even though doing this would put his business far behind getting the orders fulfilled.

I received The Promise of A Letter by Kathleen Fuller compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley. This is such a heartwarming novel of reconciliation and of unconditional love as the central theme. It shows us that we don't have to forget the pain, but with God's help we can move forward and let the healing begin. We don't need to understand the why's of doing it, and that is the question that Roman and Daniel are challenged with since their grandmother had passed, there was no way to ask anything of what lead to this decision to reconcile. However once the men have a chance to solve their own personal pain, can they begin to build upon the pain that pulled them apart and be honest despite the hurt it might cause to finally achieve resolution. I absolutely LOVED this novel and can't wait for what is coming next in this series from Kathleen Fuller. I give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion.

For more information about The Promise of A Letter, Kathleen Fuller or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Promise of A Letter by Kathleen Fuller

You can find Kathleen Fuller on Facebook to stay on top of all her latest books.

To read more reviews of The Promise of A Letter, please visit Thomas Nelson Publisher's website. 

Their Pretend Amish Courtship

Fanny Erb wasn't looking for a husband. She was pretty set on what her future looked like and as long as it let her continue to work with horses, she was fine staying single. But as any Amish woman knows, marriage is something to all women should look forward to as well as beginning a family. But Fanny is different from all the other Amish women. Without a potential husband in the near future, her Mamm believes she could go to Florida to help out her ailing grandparents. Without any ties to her community aside from working with the English woman and her horses, Fanny has no excuse.

Noah Bowman dreams that one day his passion for baseball will be his future. Unfortunately as the last single men living in his parents home, they have made small concessions since he hasn't joined the church to allow him to participate in the local communities games as a pitcher. He believes his God-given talent shouldn't be wasted especially if he is offered a position on a professional team. When Fanny shows up at his door with a crazy proposal to pretend to court her, he refuses immediately. He knows it is dishonest and despite how well they both have things in common, he views Fanny as more of a friend than ever entertaining the notion she would one day be his wife.

When Noah learns that his mother and sisters have begun making plans for him to attend singings and picnics to meet new Amish girls, he wonders how far-fetched Fanny's plan really is. Yet when his mother demands he give up his baseball games, he knows he will do whatever it takes to continue in his passion of playing baseball. Who knows this way perhaps Fanny gets to stay home from Florida and continue working with the horses and he can continue to play baseball. Sounds like a perfect plan and they believe they have everything figured out, or have they?

I received Their Pretend Amish Courtship by Patricia Davids compliments of Harlequin Love Inspired and TLC Book Tours. From the beginning you could see where this would go, but the humor that accompanies trying to live out a life that begins as pretends soon forces them to see the things that they believe separate them are the very things that weave them together. It is entertaining from the reader's perspective to see just how this year will go and what kind of hoops these two will have to jump through. Will they keep their passions or will they be forced to give up the Amish lifestyle they have been raised with? You'll just have to read this one to find out. I'd give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars and is a quick read at 220 pages. This is the fourth book in the Amish Bachelor's series.

For more information about Their Pretend Amish Courtship, Patricia Davids or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the link below:

Their Pretend Amish Courtship by Patricia Davids

You can find Patricia Davids on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Their Pretend Amish Courtship, please visit TLC Book Tour's page. 

Gathering the Threads

"His Mamm called her the Thread Gatherer. Mann believed life was like an heirloom quilt that life ripped at the seams, and gatherers were rare. But Ariana took the frayed pieces and worked with them until the quilt could fulfill its purpose once again. Quill had seen her do it. At least once she had done it for him, when he was eighteen and his Daed died of a heart attack."

Gathering the Threads by Cindy Woodsmall is the third book in the Amish of Summer Grove series, and for this reader, I hope there is more. The best part of this novel that I really had to share is that at the beginning the author took the time to walk the reader through the previous novels to get them caught up to where this one begins. It is a rare jewel to find this in a series novel, but one I hope more authors will follow suit with.Ties That Bind and Fraying at the Edge are the first two in this series and should be read before picking this one up as it conveys so much more than a simple summary of the first two novels.

Ariana Brenneman is far from the Amish girl that her community remembers anymore, especially her boyfriend Rudy. Even her parents are struggling to figure out just how to get back the Amish girl they have raised, but not the daughter by birth. It was through an accident at birth that Ariana and Skylar Nash were switched and both grew up being raised by parents that were not theirs until they recently discovered the grave error. Since spending months with her English family, Ariana has been exposed to things she never knew before living among the Amish and never once questioning the ways they lived and believed, until now. Being forced by the ministers, her parents and boyfriend, they believe such correction is necessary to help Ariana return to her former life. She can't.

The only people that seem to understand her confusion is her best friend Quill Schlabach, also a former Amish man, Skylar, and her brother by being raised Amish Abram. They understand her confusion about trying to fit back into a society just because that is how you were raised but now are longer the same being exposed to reading the Bible for herself and understanding how the ministers in her community were manipulating things to work for themselves and not the community. It draws a line in the sand between the Amish upbringing she loved, and the new knowledge of what God has provided. Her parents are now faced with the prospect of being shunned if they can't control her defiant daughter, and her boyfriend Rudy isn't so sure he can wait for a girl that may no longer be who she was. This will be a true test of loyalty, love and faith for everyone if they hope to find a lasting peace among them all.

I received Gathering the Threads by Cindy Woodsmall compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. I really love how this book took into consideration all the things going on for Ariana, being challenged in her faith and standing up for what she believes God wants for her in her life, even if it means losing everything she ever knew. She knows she can never go back to that person, because that person no longer exists. Armed with a sense of love and faith, she tries to convince her family and friends of the life she has now embraced and that it might just mean walking away from everything she had ever known even if it separates her from her Amish family. I only hope that there might be more in this series as there are so many other relationships I would love to see expanded on at the conclusion of this one. This has been one of my favorite series by Cindy Woodsmall and well worth 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Gathering the Threads, Cindy Woodsmall or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Gathering the Threads by Cindy Woodsmall

You can find Cindy Woodsmall on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Gathering the Threads, please visit WaterBrook Multnomah Publisher's website. 

His Guilt

"Whatever your past has been, you have a spotless future." - Amish Proverb

Who knew Christian fiction could be so heart pounding? There will be some that will enjoy this book and others the define everything through a black and white microscope might think differently. This is a series unlike anything that falls under the Amish genre, and for someone looking for a bit of suspense in solving a murder mystery, then this is the series for you. It will have you glued to the book until the final page is turning hoping that this doesn't leave you in a cliff-hanger for the third novel and rest assured, you will have all the answers by the last page. Which leads me to ask the question, what will the third novel cover? Guess we will have to sit back and bide our time til it releases.

His Guilt is the second novel in the Amish of Hart County Series with Her Secret being the first. Please read them in order to gain the most satisfaction in understanding where the second novel picks up. Mark Fisher returns back to Hart County, where he and his brother Calvin shared a less than normal Amish upbringing. Suffering at the hands of an abusive alcoholic father, and a mother that seemed to wish both boys were not hers, Calvin and Mark both left to find new futures some place else. Now that Mark Fisher has returned and is trying to find a new future now that his parents have passed away, leaving him the family home to restore, he struggles to fit into the community that is resolved to hold his past against him.

He was questioned before in the assault of Bethany Miller, but was released when they could find no evidence to convict him. However most in the Amish community would rather have Mark Fisher leave and never come back. They are quite so willing to find forgiveness in their hearts. Waneta Cain, a young Amish woman tries to see things from a different perspective along with his employer and great friend, Mr. Lehmann who all work for Blooms and Berries. But when a murder happens, suddenly all eyes look for Mark Fisher, who once again seems to be the focus of this investigation. As more and more violence escalates in the community, members of Hart County seem convinced that Mark is the one to blame, but is he or is there something more sinister happening in the community that no one notices until it is too late?

I received His Guilt by Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Avon Inspire, a division of Harper Collins Publishers and Litfuse Publicity. This is one of the best suspense murder mystery series, I have read to date and love how Shelley doesn't give it all away until the very end as police investigations find the real guilty person, and it is not who I thought it was. It reminds you that too often we judge people based not only on their appearances, but also holding their past against them as well. When do we let people try and make a better future for themselves without our judging their actions of the past? For me, this one is worth all 5 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion and can't wait for the third novel in the series to release.

For more information about His Guilt, Shelley Shepard Gray or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

His Guilt by Shelley Shepard Gray 

You can find Shelley Shepard Gray on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on His Guilt, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.

Her Secret

When does the word "No," actually mean No. What would you do if you suddenly found yourself at the unwanted attention of a young man who didn't want to accept that answer? How long would you let him persist in trying to change your mind? That is the very premise behind Shelley Shepard Gray's latest novel, Her Secret. It is the first in the Amish of Hart County series and takes the definition of a stalker to a whole new level.

In the Amish world, they prefer to handle anything that comes up within their own communities and without outside intervention from the English world when they can. Perhaps that is just the reason for Trent, a young older English man to push the envelope for Hannah Hilty, a young Amish woman he has more than a passing fancy for. In fact, it has gotten to a dangerous level and finally her parents have agreed to involve notifying the police. But without solid evidence, their hands are tied until something else occurs. That isn't good enough for the Hilty family, so they up and sell their home and farm land in Ohio and move to a much smaller home in Kentucky to begin again.

Unfortunately for Hannah, that has only led to more problems for her, besides being a bit of a recluse due to her former stalker, but now it seems that her own siblings Ben and Jenny have more than just resentment brewing since they too were forced to leave their friends, school and jobs behind on account of Hannah. Lately it seems like just about everyone in the world is against her and she can't seem to find anyone who will understand. That is until she wanders away on a walk to a fishing hole and meets Isaac Troyer who will turn her world completely upside down in ways she never imagined. Yet when the past comes back to haunt her in unexpected ways the danger becomes too close for comfort again.

I received Her Secret by Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Avon Inspire, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers and Litfuse Publicity. . In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is such a great premise that goes beyond your typical Amish novels and takes the situation of harassment and shines the light on how some in the Amish community might perceive and handle it. Too often we think that the Amish are immune from the things we face, but they are as real to them as they are to the rest of us. I can't wait for even more in this series as the family settles in Kentucky and a new start for all of them begin. I easily give this novel at 5 out of 5 stars and at the conclusion of this novel are some special features like an author's note, some Q and A's about the Amish, facts about Hart County and great discussion guide questions for book clubs.

For more information about Her Secret, Shelley Shepard Gray, or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Her Secret by Shelley Shepard Gray

You can find Shelley Shepard Gray on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

You can read more reviews on Her Secret by visiting Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour page.

A Letter From Lancaster County

"Silvia Donato's hand shook as she put her pen's tip to the stationery. She hesitated, but then prodded herself no matter how much her fingers ached. This was her last chance to repair much of what had gone wrong. Before it was too late.

Dearest Angela and Rose,

Please visit me. This invitation may sound crazy. After so many years, I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't care less about your aunt. But I'm getting older, and how I regret not asking you sooner, as well as the tension between your mother and me that separated us for so long.

How can I entice you to travel clear across the country? For one thing, I still live in your grandparents house where your mother grew up. You might wish to take a memento home with you. Anything you like. Lancaster County is truly magnificent. To my way of thinking, autumn is its finest season. Please come.

Fondly, Aunt Silvia"

Angela and Rose haven't returned to Lancaster County since their mother had died and now with a letter begging them to come for a visit, they both decided to take some time to visit and perhaps find a way to mend their own distance between themselves as well. Angela, married and living in Seattle with two wonderful kids believes that her mother always favored Rose, her sister who remains single and beautiful as well as thin, running her own mail order business. For Rose, she looks on Angela with bitterness for not being happy with what she believes is a perfect life, married, with children and a husband with a booming law practice so she can stay at home. Why can't they be happy with what each of them has instead of wishing they were the other sibling.

When the two head home to Lancaster County, they find some long buried secrets from their mother's own past behind a paneled door in their closet. When their mother died, their father destroyed all her mementos so this will be an opportunity to gain something that they can keep the memory of their mother close to them in some small way. They both just didn't expect to have a crush over Glenn, the Amish man who runs a successful nursery, but hasn't decided to make the commitment to return to his Amish ways. To do so, would mean giving up what he has managed to create with his own business. But does Glenn's family have a connection to Rose and Angela? Only time will tell!

I received A Letter From Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd compliments of Harvest House Publishers and Litfuse Publicity. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This was a hard novel for me to navigate through because each chapter alternates from each of the sister's point of views. I had to keep telling myself at the opening of each chapter, this one is the married one and this is the single sister. In fact I didn't even realize that was happening until almost half way through the book. Even though each of these sisters isn't Amish or even strong in their faith, you can get a sense that they both have serious issues to work out.

Angela fantasizes about Glenn when she is clearly married and believes the reason he husband is so busy that he has little time for her, is because she thinks he is having an affair. For Rose, she is so carefree with her own single lifestyle she doesn't realize the carnage she leaves behind in all her failed promiscuous relationships. I had a difficult time believing this was even a Christian novel, because of their lack of faith and it's barely touched on throughout the novel. This is the first novel in the Lancaster Discovery Series with reader's getting a sneak peek at the second one, Starting From Scratch at the conclusion of this one. For me, this garnered a 3 out of 5 stars in my opinion. While I have read novels with alternating view points, this one was really hard for me to stay focused in.

For more information about A Letter From Lancaster County, Kate Lloyd or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Letter From Lancaster County by Kate Lloyd

You can find Kate Lloyd on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on A Letter From Lancaster County, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.

Will their sibling rivalry get in the way of these two sisters' chances at life and love? Find out in Kate Lloyd's new book, A Letter from Lancaster County. When a letter arrives from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, Angela and Rose decide to visit their mother's Mennonite sister in the heart of Amish country. Angela and Rose discover surprising family secrets that add to their strife and threaten Rose's romance with a new beau. Through it all, the two sisters must find the faith necessary to face their personal problems and allow God to restore hope and healing to their hearts and relationship as only He can.

Celebrate the release of Kate's new book by entering to win her Two Sisters, Two Winners Giveaway!

One grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Letter from Lancaster County
• A Kindle Fire

Another grand prize winner will receive:

• A copy of A Letter from Lancaster County
• A queen-size Amish quilt

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on July 27. The winner will be announced July 28 on the Litfuse blog.

Gladden the Heart

This was a difficult review to consider writing because when I get to a novel that I struggle to maintain focus on and dream of how much longer it would take to finish it so I can move on to something else, I have to take a step back and ask myself a few questions. What can I remember that I have read so far? Is it simply too much to take it for a reader at the beginning of a novel? Do I care what happens to any of these characters? Am I simply distracted from reading because of other things going on around me, that is pulling my focus away? Then I can answer these questions quite honesty and give an honest review. That answer to all of them is "No." I hate when that happens especially when you have read the authors other novels and you really enjoyed them. It was not the cause unfortunately for me in this one.

This novel is part of an ongoing series, Amish Turns of Time, and this one is book 5. I can be honest and say, I have not read any of the previous novels so I can't say whether doing so would have made me enjoy the premise behind this one any better. I have read previous novels that were part of a series and could follow along until I get the just of what is going on with the characters. In this case, I honestly couldn't care about any of them.

It involves two very different set of people living amongst one another, an Amish Order and the Methodists which are close neighbors to one another. Those readers who are familiar with Amish fiction, understand that they are very faithful and committed to their religious beliefs. They try to keep those in the community from being affected by those outside their faith, and in this case with the Methodist preacher who comes to stage tent revivals, a few of the Amish are a bit curious like the main character, Susana who occasionally peeks into the tents to see just what all the fuss is about. Her Amish boyfriend, Adam is making plans to marry Susana and doesn't want to see her dabbling in the other faiths, no matter how curious she is. When her favorite cousin Noah suddenly has spells in which is preaches without remembering any of it, not only is Noah's wife Phoebe at bit concerned, but also the entire Amish community who like to believe that all their preachers come from being chosen in the community not just those who suddenly have the ability.

I received Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport compliments of Barbour Publishing and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. For me, this entire novel really never connected. It felt like bits and pieces of two very different parts of the book were spliced together. The beginnings and endings of each set of circumstances seemed disconnected and choppy and thus for me, I had a difficult time truly caring for any of the characters. The spells that Noah continues to have increase in frequency and I can understand why those in the Amish faith might fear this situation, and thus the need to keep them separated while the leaders of the community can figure out just what to do with them. Other readers might feel differently about this novel, but for me, it just fell flat and thus the need for a 2 out of 5 stars in this reader's opinion.  This just wasn't a favorite for me.

For more information about Gladden the Heart, Olivia Newport or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Gladden the Heart by Olivia Newport

You can find Olivia Newport on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

Weddings at Promise Lodge

Spring is the perfect time for weddings, when winter has released its grip on new life just waiting to burst forth. Now that Promise Lodge is beginning to show the same signs of life with a new nursery, new people taking up available property, it now has a new Bishop as well. Bishop Monroe Burkholder arrived just as winter began and soon found love in Christine Hershberger. For both of them it would be a second chance at love since they are both widowers. Christine helps run the Promise Lodge along with her sisters Rosetta and Mattie. Mattie has married Preacher Amos, who seems to question the sudden unexpected arrival of Bishop Burkholder to their small town.

Just as the Sunday Morning service is about to end, a young woman arrives and announces that she has found Monroe and since he ruined her, he'd better make plans to marry her, after all she loves him and plans to stay in Promise Lodge forever. This upsets things between Christine and Monroe as well as Preacher Amos who now believes the new Bishop owes his congregation an explanation, but it will have to wait until things can be discussed between the parties involved. With the arrival of Leola, the young woman who has strong feelings towards Monroe, this really throws plans in the air. When Monroe explains that Leola is a special child from God, and her mind really is that of a child despite her physical appearance, he tries to figure out why she arrived here unexpectedly and without her parents.

He soon learns that Leola has run away from her aunt that was supposed to be caring for her while her parents were in the hospital. Her mom had heart troubles and it will be weeks before Leola can come home. Not to mention that she has thrown out her medication and removed all the labels from her prescriptions so no one can refill them or even know what she should be taking, without talking to her parents. Will the wedding plans continue or will things in Promise Lodge be shaken up so much that all plans will have to be put on hold?

I received Weddings at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard compliments of Zebra Books, Kensington Publishing Group and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is the third novel in the Promise Lodge series which the premise behind Promise Lodge is the three sisters, Rosetta, Mattie and Christine sold their homes and purchased Promise Lodge to begin a colony where spousal abuse wasn't tolerated and peace was part of the program of living here. Seems a far cry from that with the arrival of Leola as well as a new pretty blonde baker who decides that this is the perfect place to start her business. I love how the women are in charge of this Amish community and they have the say in how things are run despite that fact that there are three preachers and now a Bishop living in their new small town. Things are definitely going to get interesting as the pot begins to be stirred. I give this one a 4.5 of out 5 stars in my opinion and I absolutely LOVE the delicious recipes you will find at the conclusion of this novel.

For more information about Weddings at Promise Lodge, Charlotte Hubbard or where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Weddings at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard

You can find Charlotte Hubbard on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Weddings at Promise Lodge, please visit Zebra Book's website. 

Fraying At The Edge

I can't imagine leaving behind my entire family and moving in with complete strangers, at least to you, but one's you've learned are now your biological parents. To go from living as an Amish young woman to know having to enter an English home is what some might label as culture shock. You're entire way of living is drastically changed and all your hopes and dreams for the future are now placed on a temporary hold for a year. That is what Ariana Brennerman and Skylar Nash are both having to endure.

Ariana Brennerman believed she was the twin of her brother Abram only to learn that she was switched at birth by the midwife when she and Skylar were born in an Amish birthing center and thrust into the same carrier during a fire that same night in an effort to rescue them. For twenty years, they have both lived a life that now is about to be abruptly changed as both sets of parents have asked for time, a year, to spend time with their biological daughters. Ariana was set on preparing to marry Rudy, and now she learns that the entire large Brennerman family is not really her biological family and even worse that she isn't Abram's twin sister.

For Skyler Nash, living in an English world dealing with a prescription drug addiction as a way of dealing with her set of parents who apparently want nothing to do with her, since learning that they have a daughter with a better track record than she has displayed. Both girls will be faced with the challenges of trying to fit into vastly different worlds with parents who want nothing more than to get to know them. Skyler just wants her next drug fix and finding out a way to leave the Amish family and run off with her boyfriend. For Ariana, she has to come to terms with learning that she was conceived out of wedlock when her mom had an affair with a married woman, something she doesn't believe the Amish community and elders will forgive her for. Now she is faced with learning more about the Amish faith from an outsider looking in and seeing God for who He really is. Is it possible the Amish have it all wrong and if so, can she ever go back to her Amish roots and the man she left waiting for her?

I received Fraying At The Edge by Cindy Woodsmall compliments of WaterBrook Multnomah Publishers. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise.  In the second novel of The Amish of Summer Grove series, I found myself really seeing things from both woman's perspective and seeing the difficulties in dealing with the choices they were faced with. Perhaps the one character I found myself truly admiring the most was Quill Schlabach, her childhood friend who had gotten stuck in the middle with keeping some things confidential to those he made agreements with. What a tough place to be. I don't think I could have kept those great of secrets especially if I knew I would hurt the person I was holding them from once they were revealed. Of course that would all come back to him and it does.

Thankfully Ariana's faith is what gets her through some tough obstacles her English parents throw her way and now as in the first novel, this one ends with a bit of a cliff hanger ending, making me wish I had the third one, ready to read. The best part of this series, is the opening on this novel provided the reader with a short overview of what Book 1, Ties That Bind, was about for those who had to wait long months before this one was available. Now waiting on Gathering Threads, and this will be a nail-biter for me. I just have to know how this will turn out. Once again, couldn't stop once I began this one because I needed to know how it would all play out. For me, that is the ear-mark of a true 5 out of 5 stars novel.

For more information about Fraying At The Edge, Cindy Woodsmall or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Fraying At The Edge by Cindy Woodsmall

You can find Cindy Woodsmall on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Fraying at the Edge, please visit WaterBrook Multnomah's website. 

Ties That Bind

I am sure that kids that have been adopted, often wonder a lot about what life would have been like if they were raised by their birth parents, and perhaps even children from divorces often face that challenge as well. But what if you grew up knowing one way of life, and then learning that this wasn't your life after all? Could you come to terms with the results of thinking the people who raised you and your siblings weren't really yours after all?

In the novel Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall, Ariana Brennerman is coming to terms with the issues of trusting those she loves. Even since dreaming of the day when her and Quill Schlabach might marry, she had her heartbroken when he ran off into the evening with her best friend Frieda and leaving her a letter trying to explain things. Now at twenty-one, she has spent her life trying to do everything she can for everyone in her family. In my world, one might call her a people-pleaser, doing for others while she is left going without. But for her, her future is looking up. She is on the verge of fulfilling a dream of owning her own restaurant with being just $6000 short of her down payment and dating Rudy, a man who have given her his whole heart.

At late night encounter, leaves Ariana running into Quill once again, and all she can see is rage against the one person she trusted more than anything else in the world. The one person she loved, left her behind to marry her best friend. She can't even understand why he has returned except to help his ailing mother in any way he can. The leaders of the Amish community can't know about him being back and Ariana certainly isn't going to tell anyone, except the one person who knows her better than herself, her twin brother Abram. But when Quill informs her that someone in her family is considering leaving the faith and the community, Ariana believes it is her life mission to prevent him from hurting the only family she has ever known. But is there more to Quill than what she believes and can she learn to trust him again even if it means hurting those closest to her?

I received Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall compliments of Waterbrook Multnomah Publishers. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise.This is the first novel in the Amish of Summer Grove Series and it truly begins with a powerful opening. For me, this is a more mature Cindy Woodsmall in this series. There is a more serious theme in this novel than ones I have had the opportunity to read in the past. I would almost compare this series to one from Wanda Brunstetter with a more straight-forward approach to the situation developing between the Brennerman family and those leaving the Amish faith. I absolutely inhaled this one in an afternoon and am super excited to read the next novel in the series, Fraying the Edge. For me, this one easily garners a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Ties That Bind, Cindy Woodsmall or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Ties That Bind by Cindy Woodsmall

You can find Cindy Woodsmall on Facebook to stay up to date on all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Ties That Bind, please visit WaterBrook Multnomah Publisher's website. 

Amish Cooking Class: The Blessing

There is such support for one another for those who live within the Amish community and often time it even extends to the Englisher's who reside within the city limits as well. That is what has always drawn me to Amish fiction is their strong faith and sense of community support. In Wanda Brunstetter's Amish Cooking Class series, The Blessing is the third book in the series that revolves around Heidi Troyer and her husband Lyle who live in Walnut Creek, Ohio. Learning that they may never have children of their own, Heidi decides to teach Amish cooking classes in small groups of 5 to supplement their income and to give her something to do. This is her second class she is preparing to teach and this time with different hopes.

She hopes that Kendra will follow through on her desire to give her baby up to the Troyer's to adopt since as a young mother she certainly can't afford to raise a young child on her own with her parents tossing her out once they learned she was pregnant. So in Heidi believes this might be her last class before she becomes a full-time mother. Again, she has 6 people signed up to join her class, Lisa Brooks is taking the class to inspire additional ideas for her catering business, Todd Collins is taking the class under the premise of wanting to learn how to cook, but has secret motives as a food critic, who wants to see just how good this food could be.

For Bill Mason, he's signed up because as the owner of a cabin he and a few buddies visit during hunting season, his cooking has left something to be desired and he hopes it might teach him to make something else that his friends won't complain about. Nicole Smith is the youngest and she is taking the classes to learn to cook as the oldest child trying to help out her family since her mom left for another man and alcohol, while leaving her to help raise her two younger siblings and still work on finishing up school. At least this gives her a much needed break from her family's expectations. For Allie Garret, her husband provided the cooking lessons as a gift to learn how to make some different dishes for her family. What they don't all realize is that this will be more than simply learning how to cook some delightful Amish meals but that they will also work towards helping one another out when they each have a need and all part of God's plan.

I received Amish Cooking Class: The Blessing by Wanda Brunstetter compliments of Net Galley and Barbour Publishing. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. Besides getting what I would call 6 different mini novels in one is the delicious mouth-watering recipes that conclude this novel, each of them being the very meals or dishes that the cooking class learns. I only wish I had an lovely Amish woman like Heidi to teach me how. It's almost like a therapy session for them as each person begins to share their burdens to one another and soon find themselves being helped along the way by one another. This is one of my bucket list items to spend a weekend on an Amish farm and learn more about their way of life and cooking by living off of what they grow and can make in most cases. I just don't think I'd be able to keep up. This is a wonderful series and worthy of 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Amish Cooking Class: The Blessing, Wanda Brunstetter or where you can pre-order a copy of this novel due out in early August 2017, please click on the links below:

Amish Cooking Class: The Blessing by Wanda Brunstetter

You can find Wanda Brunstetter on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Amish Cooking Class: The Blessing, please visit Barbour Publishing's website. 

Abiding Mercy

As I sit back and reflect on the novel I just read, it is easy for me to see both sides of the story. In Abiding Mercy by Ruth Reid, the reader is taken into two very different story lines. One Amish and the other English. It is the reason why I had a difficult time placing this novel into either genre and included it in both. The novel centers around two people, Adrianna Colepepper and Faith Pinkham. They are the same person without knowing it.

Fifteen years ago, Adrianna was the subject of every parents worst nightmare. She was kidnapped by her nanny at the time, and left in the care of Amish parents at the age of 2. When the nanny dropped Adrianna off at the Pinkham's, they knew the Amish would take good care of her and wouldn't notify the police about a baby just being dropped off unexpectedly. For Irma Pinkham, she figured the mother was simply a woman who was having a difficult time with raising a baby and would be back once she had time to figure things out. Yet she never did. Irma never dreamed that this child was kidnapped from her English parents and set about raising her Amish all these years.

For Faith Pinkham, she never imagined in her wildest dreams of ever leaving her Amish faith, and even made a decision to never engage in rumspringa, a time of leaving the Amish faith and taking time to explore the English world. She decided early on, she wanted to be baptized without having any second thoughts about her life. She spent her life helping her mother run The Amish Table, a restaurant that served up Amish food in Posen, Michigan. She even began to fall in love with her best friend, Gideon Rohrer, whom at one time was going to marry her sister Olivia. But when Olivia made it apparent she was going to "jump the fence," leave the Amish faith, Gideon knew that they would never marry and instead began day by day falling in love with Faith. Just when it seems like everything is perfect, the police arrive to arrest the Pinkham's and return Adrianna to her English parents, wealthy property owners of Colepepper Hotels. But is going home as easy as anyone thought?

I received Abiding Mercy by Ruth Reid compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Net Galley. In accordance with the new FTC Guidelines for blogging and endorsements, you should assume that every book reviewed here at Reviews From The Heart was provided to the reviewer by the publisher, media group or the author for free and were received, unless specified otherwise. This is such a heart-warming story to see both sides of the situation. For grieving parents who never gave up their search for their daughter only to reunite with her and realize how hard the transition would be. It's not as easy as simply coming home and thinking everything will go back to the way it was. For Faith, her entire life has been about being Amish, from her faith, to her way of living, dressing and even talking. Now all her parents want is to make up for 15 years of lost time, but it won't be as easy as they thought. There are some discussion questions at the end of this novel that would make it an excellent book club selection and for me, this one garners a solid 5 out of 5 stars. I literally inhaled it and couldn't stop until I finished it. This is the first novel in the Amish Mercies series!

For more information about Abiding Mercy, Ruth Reid or where you can pre-order this novel due out in July of 2017, please click on the links below:

Abiding Mercy by Ruth Reid

You can find Ruth Reid on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Abiding Mercy, please visit Thomas Nelson's website.