A Road Unknown

If she ever wants a future, she will have to return home to resolve the issues from her past. Elizabeth Bontrager had run away from home even though she was twenty-years-old. She needed a break from being the oldest of nine children and having all the responsibility of helping to care for her brothers and sister was simply more than could handle. It was rapidly changing her outlook on what marriage and having her own family should look like, and now it was the furthest thing from her mind. Even though she was still in her rumschpringe, a period of deciding whether she wanted to be baptized into the Amish faith or walk away, she figured out some distance is what is needed to help her decide.

Only she didn't plan on fate intervening on a bus headed for Paradise, Pennsylvania as Saul Miller took a seat beside her. She had no plans to have a conversation with him and simply wanted to be left alone with her thoughts, but Saul had other things in mind. He wanted to know what someone as beautiful as Elizabeth would leave home if she wasn't taking vacation or enjoying her rumschpringe the way most Amish do. It seemed to Saul that she was running away from something and he hoped he might convince her to let him help in any way he could. Even if it was simply sharing a Big Mac and fries on the bus to Paradise.

Elizabeth plans to stay with her English friend Paula who is attending college to become a nurse and has offered Elizabeth a place to stay. When Paula learns that Elizabeth can cook, the agree to deal where Elizabeth will do the cooking and Paula will pay for the groceries. Now all Elizabeth has to do is find a job in Paradise. But with limited skills working in a fabric store in Goshen, she isn't sure it will be that easy, until fate plays its hand again. She literally is given a job at a country store selling Amish products while Miriam goes on maternity leave for a couple months. Guess who her employer is? Yup Saul Miller. Now it seems God has more in store for Elizabeth and Saul as they realize that all roads to the future lie where God guides.

I received A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron compliments of Abingdon Press and Litfuse Publicity. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. This is the first novel in the Amish Roads Series, from Barbara Cameron and I LOVED it. I always wondered if the Amish oldest girls often got tired of the weight of helping raise children and what would they do, how would they act. I think Barbara captured this very essence in Elizabeth's character. In no way was she disrespectful to her parents but simply looked for a breather to gain the right perspective. I love how Saul enabled her to see things clearly in the end and can't wait for the next novel in this series. I think it's going to be a favorite of mine. There is a readers discussion guide at the end along with a sneak peek at Crossroads, the next novel in this series. I personally give this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information about A Road Unknown, Barbara Cameron or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron

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

To read more reviews on A Road Unknown, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.


Barbara Cameron is celebrating the release of A Road Unknown with a $200 Visa cash card giveaway and a fun "Amish Roads" Facebook party.
 

One winner will receive:

• A $200 Visa cash card
• A Road Unknown by Barbara Cameron

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 27th. Winner will be announced at Barbara's "Amish Roads" Facebook Party on February 27th. Connect with Barbara for an evening of book chat, Amish trivia, laughter, prizes, and more!

So grab your copy of A Road Unknown and join Barbara and friends on the evening of February 27th for a chance to connect and make some new friends. (If you haven't read the book, don't let that stop you from coming!)

Don't miss a moment of the fun; RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 27th!

Gabriel's Bride

Choices, choices? But which is the right path to take? If only she had a definitive answer. Will God answer her prayers? Rachel Yoder is still dealing with the death of her only family member, her Aunt Katherine, she is now faced with finding a new place to live. Unlike most Amish families, her Aunt Katherine took out a reverse mortgage on her home and land. Now that she has passed away, the bank now owns the property and despite all of Rachel's pleas to make the payments, she has no other choice but to find somewhere else to move.

It seems her only option is moving to Ohio where her Katherine had some cousins that could definitely use her help raising eleven children. His wife has been ill lately and could use the help around the house if she is willing to come. But what other choice does she have? She can only pray that they might be willing to take her goats as well since she has been making a living with their milk and cheese. But Ohio? So far away.

"There is no one here that would take her in. No one who would help without needing something in return. For her to care for their children or cook their meals. No one who would understand how important it was for her to keep her goats and make her cheese. To understand how important it was for her to make her own way. Once again she was adrift. Alone in the world. Except this time she was twenty-six, not ten. This time she was an adult, though she still felt like a frightened child who had come here all the way from Florida to live with a maiden aunt after her parents had died in that awful accident.

"The district will have to choose a new deacon, and I'm putting your name in."

A dozen conflicting emotions swamped Gabriel. He wasn't worthy. He was a widower. He didn't need the responsibility while he was alone now and struggling to raise his children.

"I'll say that I'd rather you didn't." Being a deacon, or any of the chosen leaders, was no easy job. Aside from feeling like he wasn't worthy, he simply wasn't up for it.

""It'll do you good son."

Gabriel took a deep breath, slowing the mad thump of his heart. Just because his name went into the lot wouldn't mean he would be chosen. Only God knew the outcome.

"Course'n it'd be better if you were married."

He had no intention of getting married again. He'd been so blessed before, marrying a woman he loved with all his heart. Then the Lord had seen fit to take her home at the same time He gave them Samuel. Gabriel would never love like that again. Having experienced it once before, it wasn't fair to ask another to enter into a relationship that was not was wondrous. Oh, he knew that he'd had something so special with Rebecca, he couldn't settle for less. He's make do in his life, knowing that once he had held the world in his arms.

But the little voice whispered in his head. He no longer had a woman partner, someone - anyone - to help with chores and teaching the boys the ways of women. Katie Rose was getting ready to get married and Mary Elizabeth was gone, her love of animals and desire for an education pushing her into the Englisch world. His mother was doing well after her cancer treatments a couple of years back, but she was not as strong as she used to be. Gideon's Annie was going to deliver their first child soon. No, all the women in his life were busy living their own lives. Oh, they would help if he asked, but he didnt' feel that was fair, nor was getting married again. He'd just have to manage.

"I don't think - "

Esh shushed him with a wave of one hand. "You just be open to whatever God has in store for you."

There was no way to argue with that. "Jah, Deacon. I will at that." (Excerpt pg 13-14).

Welcome to Gabriel's Bride, the third book by Amy Lillard in her Clover Ridge series that has completed captivated my heart and soul! Both Rachel and Gabriel have pressing matters in which a marriage of convenience would work well for, but even though it seems like the perfect arrangement, neither of them are prepared for what lies in store for them. For Rachel she has to contend with trying to find a way to cook and clean when she appears to not be able to manage anything without burning or scorching something in the process. Gabriel has to battle the feelings that he finds stirring in his heart now that Rachel is living under his roof even though they have agreed to keep things platonic between them. It's the perfect recipe for romance and a whole lot of laughs along the way.

I received Gabriel's Bride by Amy Lillard compliments of B and H Publishing Group and Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tours for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions are strictly my own unless otherwise noted. I have been completely charmed by this series because Amy creates a delightful cast of characters that keeps you coming back for more just to know what is happening in their lives. It's hard to believe that your simply reading a great novel and these characters only exist on the pages of this book and not in real life. They aren't perfect but have their own set of flaws much like we all do. I believe that is what makes readers sit up and take notice.  Congratulations Amy Lillard, you've hooked me and created such a craving for this series, I am officially addicted. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion and it even includes a discussion guide that is great for book clubs!

For more information about Gabriel's Bride, Amy Lillard or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Gabriel's Bride by Amy Lillard

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

To read more reviews on Gabriel's Bride, please visit Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Book Tours. 

Rosemary Opens Her Heart

"Some of us have dealt with disappointment this past week, and it seems to me that instead of making lemonade from such lemons, maybe a pan of lemon bars - or a lemon meringue pie! - would be a better way of chasing off our negative moods. We have to take the sour with the sweet, and when you bake up a pie or a batch of lemon bars, you spread happiness along with your treats. I wish you someone wonderful to share them with this week. ~ Abigail Lambright"

Abigail or Abby as her friends call her is the epitome of sunshine and hope when you meet her. She will always find the silver lining in the most desperate of situations and those who can call her a friend, know that they have found a true treasure with her friendship. Abby is finally beginning to look for love among her closest childhood friend, James Graber, who has miraculously survived a bad relationship with her sister Zanna. Zanna has found love among another and left a jilted and lovesick James behind for another. Now it seems that everyone but James and Abby can see that they are truly meant to be with one another and can look past their friends relationship and find something more meaningful inside.

The last thing that Rosemary Yutzy wanted to do was to attend a wedding in Cedar Creek, Missouri. It would just be another constant reminder that she was still a widow living with her daughter Katie and fighting back the memories of the life she had hoped would be her future with her husband Joe. But when a hunting accident robbed her from a life she dreamed of, she resolved to spend all her time and energy raising Katie and taking care of Joe's dad, Titus and his daughter Beth Ann. But then again love has a way of popping up just when you least expect it and in the most unusual of places.

Matt Lambright couldn't help himself from staring at the young Amish girl dressed all in black. He thought she was just about the most beautiful girl he had ever seen and it became a mission of his to find a way into her heart and make her fall in love with him. When opportunity presents itself with her father-in-law, Titus to merge a growing lamb-raising business that would benefit them both immensely, he tries to curb his over enthusiastic approach to getting to know her. All he manages to do is scare her off. After all she is still grieving the loss of one love and can understand why she might be as skittish as one of his lambs about jumping in too soon. Will they find a way to make it all work out?

I received, Rosemary Opens Her Heart by Naomi King, which is the second book in the Home at Cedar Creek Series, compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review. I read the first book in the series, Abby Finds Her Calling, and couldn't wait to see what would happen to poor James at the conclusion of that novel. It was completely worth the wait!!! Naomi King also writes under the name, Charlotte Hubbard so for those of you that love Charlotte's books, you'll want to grab this series as well and fall in love with the wholesome and heartwarming characters of this wonderful close-knit community of Amish people. You can't help but find a character you can completely relate to in this series, whether its an issue of learning to trust again after facing great pain like Rosemary or James, or even the ever optimistic Abby who finds at times, that a smile isn't always easy to find when you need it the most, but she gives it her best effort. I would easily rate this book a perfect 5 out of 5 stars. You can read this as a stand alone but you will want to go back and read Abby Finds Her Calling to see how it all began!!!

If you would love more information about Rosemary Opens Her Heart, Naomi King or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Rosemary Opens Her Heart by Naomi King

You can also find Naomi King on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest books.

To read more reviews on Rosemary Opens Her Heart on the Pump Up Your Book Tour, please click here. 

Join me tomorrow back her for a great guest post from Naomi King, you won't want to miss!!!

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (November 6, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451237978
• ISBN-13: 978-0451237972
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches