Promise to Cherish

I had a rare moment to read an outstanding novel that shares the love of nursing in a state hospital alongside an Amish man who was sent to the Civilian Public Service Unit during World War II in Promise to Cherish by Elizabeth Byler Younts. There is so much realization poured out in the words you read that you can imagine what it felt like as nurse Christine Freeman tries to find a way to manage the healthcare of so many patients in Hudson River State Hospital. Since so many of the men and women have been called to active duty, there only last resort is to take in the conscientious objectors from the CPS unit. This one filled with Mennonite and Amish young men who are serving their time in the war in obligation to their religious faith.

While some might claim they are dodging their duty by not serving in the war, Eli Brenneman knows it is what he must do even if he is already experiencing his prejudice from the Amish in Sunrise as well. At least this way he is fulfilling his military obligation and not taking lives that go against the Amish faith. Now if he can only manage to convince others of this as well. But the life of aiding the mental patients at Hudson River is something he can do beside digging pointless ditches for the government. From helping them bath, custodial duties, and even keeping patients busy reading to them or playing games makes him feel like he is doing what God has called him to do.

What he isn't prepared for is the attraction he feels towards Christine. Yet he manages to keep his distance because in her eyes, he is one of the reasons her brothers Nathaniel and Peter died, so that men like Eli could avoid going to war in their place. All Christine wants is to find a way to help her struggling family financially since her father was left crippled from the war and unable to find work. She had hoped that one day she might find the perfect man and begin a family of her own, but for now her duties as a shift nurse fulfill that calling. But life is about to change abruptly for both Christine and Eli and ways that neither ever anticipated. For both of them, their lives would never be the same and the hopes and dreams they had will not work out as they had planned.

I received Promise to Cherish by Elizabeth Byler Younts compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I absolutely love the blending of WWII and Christian Amish into this wonderful novel. It is the second in the Promise of Sunrise Series and I can't wait for the third book in the series. There is so much detail in the treatment of the patients at Hudson River that you literally feel like you are part of the staff as well. The author utilizes her own families history to breath life into this novel and the result you will find is pure perfection. For lovers of WWII, Christian Amish and of course romance, trust me, this is the novel for you. Even though this is part of a series, each can be read as a stand alone. But once you read this one, you will want to pick up Promise to Return. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and literally read it in one sitting, I simply couldn't put it down.

For more information about Promise to Cherish, Elizabeth Byler Younts or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Promise to Cherish by Elizabeth Byler Younts

You can also find Elizabeth Byler Younts on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Promise to Cherish, please visit Howard Book's website. 

Christmas at Rose Hill Farm

I've been a huge lover of roses and not quite sure where it came from. In fact, my husband understands that I would rather have a rose plant over a dozen of roses any day. Why? Because they will continue to produce blooms long after that dozen cut roses dies. And it is a constant reminder of the time they were purchased as my love gardens continues to grow.

I've been a huge fan of Suzanne Woods Fisher and her ability to capture the love of the reader for all things Amish. So whenever I see her books available for review and add in the element of a Christmas novel, and toss in the love of gardening roses for good measure, well I absolutely knew I had to have this one. And I was NOT disappointed in the slightest. This has all the elements of what I am looking for in a great Amish love story. A plot twist, a love that is just waiting to be discovered despite all the odds against them, and a love of something that will draw the characters together. That is just what you find tucked beneath the beautiful cover of Christmas at Rose Hill Farm.

Bill Lapp has left his former Amish life behind as he works as a rose rustler at Penn State. Meaning it is his job to help discover roses that can't be identified and to also help cultivate lasting ones to be shared by rose lovers all over the world. You could say he is the rose expert. He simply walked away from a potential relationship with Bess Riehl when it seemed she had fallen into the same opinion of him as his father and brothers. It was simply better to try and find a new start someplace far from his feelings and his heart.

Bess Riehl is hoping that her upcoming wedding to Amos Lapp will enable her to move forward with a man who truly loves her and will do anything to make sure she is well taken care of. Only thing is, she can't forget the man who claimed her heart at 12 and wonders if she will ever find a way to put Billy in her past. Working alongside her father at Rose Hill Farm, Bess discovers a rose plant beneath the potting table while cleaning things out before the wedding and believes it might be the one special rose her grandmother had told her about so long ago and thought was destroyed. But there is only one way to know for sure and her father contacts their local rose expert but he can't make it and suggest that Billy be the one to do it. The only thing is that neither of them know that Billy is the rose rustler until Bess arrives to pick him up. Will he be able to stick to his job or will something more happen to draw them closer together? What is the significance of this mystery rose at Christmas? Only time will tell.

I received Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher compliments of Revell Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I found that while I was reading this novel, I would stop and look up the different variety of roses that Billy and Bess were talking about and didn't realize that some of the oldest rose varieties were brought over from Europe, often found in the old cemeteries to this day. In fact I didn't know that you could propagate new rose cuttings using willow water, something I also discovered while referencing the term I came across while reading the novel. I can't wait to try it on my rose cuttings. This was such a beautiful story of an angelic encounter and the love of things that draws people together in unforgettable ways and as a reminder to keep those things at the heart of your relationship! For me, hand down a true winner of 5 out of 5 stars and will be keeping this one on my personal library shelf. There is also a Reader's Discussion Guide, Author's Note and recipe at the conclusion of this novel you'll definitely want to try.

For more information about Christmas at Rose Hill Farm, Suzanne Woods Fisher or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher 

You can also find Suzanne Woods Fisher on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Christmas at Rose Hill Farm, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour page. 


Join best-selling, award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher for an Amish Christmas to remember. Filled with heart-twisting moments amid the sweet anticipation of love, Christmas at Rose Hill Farm will charm readers into the holiday spirit.

Suzanne is hosting a "Christmas Rose" iPad bundle giveaway and a nation-wide Christmas at Rose Hill Farm Book Club Brunch in November. Enter the giveaway below and sign up to host a brunch HERE.

 

TWO grand prize winners will receive:

• An iPad
• A Rose-patterned iPad case
• A Rose-patterned phone case (for any model phone)
• A Christmas wreath
• A set of Christmas hand-towels
• Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Five second place winners will receive:

• Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on September 28th. All winners will be announced September 29th at Suzanne's blog.

Host a Christmas at Rose Hill Farm Book Club Brunch! This fall Suzanne is inviting book clubs across the nation to throw a Christmas at Rose Hill Farm Book Club Brunch. Sign up here between now and September 29. If you’re selected as one of the 50 hosts, you’ll receive a copy of the book plus two other Revell titles (give them away as party prizes or door prizes or keep them for yourself), a complete party kit, and a discount code to purchase copies of Christmas at Rose Hill Farm for your book club at a discount. Suzanne is also encouraging each book club brunch to collect non-perishable items for their local community shelter. She will be making a donation to her favorite charity (helping abused women and children) for every brunch that meets their goal. Click here for more details and to SIGN UP!

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 29th to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

Joyful

For those of us that have come to love and call Sugarcreek our home away from home, best-selling author Shelley Shepard Gray, takes us back in her latest novel Joyful, the third book in the Return to Sugarcreek Series. This has definitely been one of my favorites because I feel like I have come to know each of the couples we deal with in this novel, like they're close family friends. I've had the opportunity to get to know them and the struggles they have had up to the point we are reunited with them once again. For me, it's like having a really great television series, that you have to wait for each next episode to air so you can come back again and again to a place you'd love to be a part of.

Randall Beiler and Elizabeth Holt have been seeing one another for the last two years, and Elizabeth is just waiting for the day when he will finally ask her to marry him and join the large Beiler family. Just when she believes that day is finally here, Randall gives her news she wasn't quite expecting. He tells her that he needs to spend more time taking care of his family, now that his older brothers and sisters have gotten married and moved on. Still taking on role of caretaker, mother and father, and older brother leaves him at a disadvantage with the house failing into a state of needing constant cleaning, someone to do all the cooking, and helping to raise nine-year-old Kaylene who feels being left at home with four older brothers is beyond what she can take. So Randall's solution is to call things off with Elizabeth.

Now heartbroken, Elizabeth struggles to figure out a way to help pay her bills taking care of her grandmother since her mother has moved away to begin her own life. She had originally planned to send money, but each month is seems like she is sending less and less, leaving Elizabeth with no choice but to find a way to supplement their income while still caring for her ailing grandmother who needs constant care. She had hoped that being married to Randall would solve things for them, knowing he could support not only them, but allowing her grandmother to move in with them, but that is not going to happen anytime soon. But will one unskilled bachelor be able to handle taking care of a house, cooking, cleaning and raising his siblings without any help, or will Randall realize he has simply bitten off more than he can chew?

I received Joyful by Shelly Shepard Gray compliments of Avon Inspire, a division of Harper Collins Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I absolutely LOVED where Shelley took her characters in this novel. As the title suggests, each of them will be forced into a situation in which they will have to find the joy in life once again, instead of dwelling on worries and things beyond our control at times. Too often we find ourselves taking on more stress and worry wondering what will happen, instead of simply enjoying what we have right in front of us, that we miss the joyful moments, of learning what it means to care for those we love, to help out our friends and family when they need it the most, and learn to appreciate what we have instead of wanting more that may never come. It causes the reader to reflect on those joyful moments in their own life, they may be missing simply worrying about tomorrow instead of enjoying today and one that I believe can cause us to change how we view our lives and see more joy instead of worry. I easily give this one a 4.5 out of 5 stars. A reader's discussion guide is included as well as a sneak peek into Shelley's next novel Snowfall.

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

Joyful by Shelley Shepard Gray

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

To read more reviews on Joyful, please visit Litfuse Publicity's book tour page.

Thankful

I can honestly say that any book that I see that is written from Shelley Shepard Gray will be one that will find a permanent home in my growing collection of her books. In her latest novel from the Return to Sugarcreek Series, Thankful compromises a couple of stories with being thankful as their central theme. My favorite is that of Christina Kempf and Aden Reese, who experienced a tragedy one day when ice skating, as Christina fell through the ice. Aden successfully saved her but would be the one link that keeps them from moving forward in life. Aden joined the Kempf family when he lost his parents as a child and has spent the last ten years growing up feeling like part of the family. Only the one thing that hasn't changed is his feelings for Christina go deeper than brotherly affection. But how can he find a way to court her while still living under the same roof where her family views him as more of a brother to Christina than a suitor?

Christina spends her time working as a server at the Sugarcreek Inn ran by Jana Kent. It's the promotion she's been waiting for and Jana is hoping to make some changes in her own life. Running the restaurant since her husband's death has left her with virtually no time for anything else except wondering how she will make ends meet. She doesn't even have time to visit her now grown children, since there is no one else to help her manage it. Her friend Pippa suggests that she might be ready to find a partner to share the burden of running the restaurant as well as give her some extra time for a life outside of her job. It seems like the ideal suggestion especially when she notices the attention of Ross Capshaw, the newest officer to join the police force in Sugarcreek and it seems he is just as interested in her as well.

Judith Knox has been dreaming of being a mother since she married Ben but it seems as it God has other plans. When she finally comes to terms with not being able to conceive, Ben suggests that they consider adoption. Just when she thinks all the pieces are going to fall into place and their social worker, Bernie finds them a child, she learns that he is only available to foster. The baby's mother is serving time in prison and she needs to find someone to care for him as soon as possible. Just as soon as Judith and Ben agree they are in for another surprise, the baby Bernie has in mind for foster is an African American baby named James. Judith had hoped she wouldn't have to answer any questions about her decision to foster over adopt and now it's going to be quite apparent that the baby isn't Judith and Ben's. But a mother's love shows that love goes beyond the color of our skin!

I received Thankful from Shelley Shepard Gray compliments of Avon Inspired Books, a division of Harper Collins Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I absolutely love the theme of thankfulness appearing in uniquely different ways through these three situations with the characters in Sugarcreek. It reminds us that we need to take time in our busy lives to be truly grateful for all our blessings, even the not so perfect ones as Shelley reminds us. Life is simply too short to think we will be granted with the possibility of a tomorrow and God reminds us that thankfulness is something that we should practice more often throughout our day. Shelley also includes a recipe for Peanut Butter Pie and a Reader Discussion guide at the conclusion as well as a sneak peek into book three coming soon. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to go back to Sugarcreek again soon!

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

Thankful by Shelley Shepard Gray

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

To read more reviews on Thankful, please visit the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour page.


In Thankful, New York Times bestselling author, Shelley Shepard Gray captures the beauty, devotion, and warmth of Amish life in this engaging tale of family, commitment, trust, and love set in the beloved community of Sugarcreek.

Enter to win the first two books in Shelley's Return to Sugarcreek series, Hopeful & Thankful. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fearless Hope

Life sometimes offers us a different path than the one we wanted for our lives. Sometimes we are forced to face some of those challenges head on and wait to see what the outcome will be believing of course, that God knows best. In the latest novel from Serena B. Miller, Fearless Hope, offers the readers a different way of looking at hope in the most challenging of situations.

For Logan Parker who lives in New York as a best selling author, he has come against the proverbial and dreaded writer's block. Known for his suspense novels, he has been struggling since the loss of his wife and can't see to find the light beyond the end of the bottle. His publisher has given him the last ultimatum since turning in less than stellar best sellers in his last two novels, either find where you got off track or you won't have a contract with his publishing firm in the future. He has a deadline to complete a novel and if it isn't along the lines of what they have been expecting, he will be fired.

When he takes a trip to the Amish country of Holmes County, Ohio with his financèe, an interior designer looking for quality furniture, he happens upon a home for sale that provides him with an unknown serenity. As if he has been there before. Thinking it would offer him a respite from the rigors of New York and hopefully provide a break to his writer's block, he purchases the house. He can't understand why he feels as if he has been there before, but his fiancèe Marla, a strikingly beautiful women whose only focus is on what she can get out of life thinks it's a complete waste of time.

Logan buys the home against Marla's wishes and while he opts to stay in the house in Ohio, she heads back to New York. Left with an empty house in need of filling, Logan begins to shop around town for things to fill the home. While browsing a local store, he finds Hope Yoder, who is looking for work as a housekeeper. She is struggling to find her own sense of purpose sense losing her husband Titus in a farming accident that has left her with two young children and pregnant with her third child. She is hoping to find something that will allow her to bring her children to work and one that will allow her to work until she has the baby. Logan is willing to give her a job seeing as he is in need of someone who can cook for him while he tries to find himself. They both understand that nothing can come between the two of them since Logan is English and Hope is Amish. Hope is more than surprised to learn that Logan has bought her father's house and farm and it more than excited to help bring it back to it's former glory. But either of them be able to keep their hearts from finding a path different than the one they have in mind?

I received Fearless Hope by Serena B. Miller compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions expressed are strictly my own. I love novels that combine different genre's and in this case, it's contemporary romance alongside Amish romance. I love seeing how Logan and Hope try to work around the differences in their faith while trying to get past their own stages of grief having both lost their spouses. What inspires me most about Hope's character is that her actions speak louder than anything she says and it's true what the Bible states that we can be won over by our actions rather than our words with others. What an inspirational story of hope among loss that is geared to encourage us all that life doesn't end when we think it should and God has a plan in mind for all of us. .This one easily rates a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about Fearless Hope, Serena B. Miller or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

Fearless Hope by Serena B. Miller

You can also find Serena B. Miller on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on Fearless Hope, please visit Howard Books website.

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!

The Letters

Welcome to a place of unconditional love and unexpected blessings.

Welcome to The Inn at Eagle Hill in Stoney Ridge Pennsylvania. Rose Schrock has to find a way to earn her own income now that her husband Dean, has passed away from an apparent drowning after she learned that he lost all the investments of both English and Amish customers with Schrock Investments. It seems like the phone calls and letters from investors who have lost everything will never end, asking when she will return the money they have invested. They have already lost their home and have moved back in with Dean's mother, Vera who has suffered from a series of strokes needing someone to be able to care for her. It wouldn't be so difficult if Vera was easy to please and offered a kind word every now and then. But Vera was a hard bitter pill for Rose to swallow every day.

Opportunity suddenly presents itself when Rose overhears a conversation in the local market from an English couple looking for a hotel to stay the night in while waiting for a sudden storm to pass. Rose offers them a stay in their home and suddenly realizes that the basement space beneath their home might offer a way to make a living while still enabling Rose to be at home. If only she could find a way to convince Vera that this is just what they need in order to try and make a come back from the financial nightmare Dean has left her to deal with.

Delia Stoltz is about to have the worst day ever. When she receives news from her doctor that she has cancer, she returns home to find her husband is packing his belongings in his car and tells her that he isn't in love with her any longer and is leaving, for good. Not knowing what else to do, Delia deals with it the way I believe most women would. After a good lengthy cry, she picks herself up, heads to the doctor for a lumpectomy and decides to take a long drive. What she doesn't plan on is running into the Inn at Eagle Hill. Yet something about this place just tells Delia she needs to stay and heal. A place where she can find solitude away from the things in her life that are causing her stress so she can clear her head and make some hard decisions about her future. It this a divine intervention?

In the latest novel from Suzanne Woods Fisher, The Letters is the first novel in the Inn at Eagle Hill series. I received this wonderful, heartwarming story compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Revell Publishers for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review. I absolutely LOVED this delightful novel. It shows how wonderful and healing forgiveness can be when applied in the correct Godly context. Rose will need to come to terms with the financial crisis that is keeping her bound to her husband's past decisions and Delia will need to decide how she will move forward in working things out with her husband Charles. I read this one in a single sitting and can't wait to read the next novel in this wonderful series. I am completely addicted to this one and can't wait to see where Suzanne will pick up next. There are some great discussion questions included in this one as well as a recipe for Blueberry cornbread I can't wait to make and have with some hot tea. I rate this one hands down a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information about The Letters, Suzanne Woods Fisher or where to pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher

You can follow Suzanne Woods Fisher on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

To read more reviews on The Letters from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour, please click here.


Suzanne Woods Fisher is celebrating the release of the first book, The Letters, in her new series by giving away 2 iPads, 2 Kindle Fires and 2 Nook HDs! Wow!

Two grand prize winners will receive:

• An iPad
• The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Four second place winners will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HD or a Nook HD - winner's choice!
• The Letters by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 17th. All winners will be announced August 19th at Suzanne's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 19th to see if you won one of the great prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

The Promise Box

Lydia Wyse left home at 16 and never looked back. She couldn't bear the thought that she wasn't wanted and was simply given up. It was something she had difficulty coming to terms with. Growing up Amish but learning that she was adopted. Her birth mother gave her up since she was a product of rape and didn't want the reminder to  face every day after she was born. To her Amish mother who remained unable to have children, Lydia was a blessing from God. Feeling like she would never have the opportunity to love a child that belong to her, she was more than thrilled to adopt Lydia. In fact to her, Lydia was a promise from God.

Now called back home for her Amish mother's funeral, Lydia begins to experience more than just home sickness and grief when she arrives home. She feels remorse for all the years she spent away from her Amish mom, hoping to find some answers for where she fit into the world, and now returning to her hometown in West Kootenai in Montana, she wishes she had one more day with her Amish mother to tell her how much she appreciated all her love that she took for granted. She helps her father process his own grief now that he is growing older and no longer has anyone but the Amish community to care for him, he hopes Lydia might find it in her heart to come home to live once again, but he's not about to suggest or pressure her in anyway.

The one thing Lydia's Amish mother has left behind for her is a small, wooden box handcarved by her father in which she has kept the promises that she believes God has provided since before Lydia was born. It is a legacy of sorts that contains personal notes and letters to Lydia beginning from before she was born until her final days of waiting to see if Lydia would ever some home again. Her heart simply gave out waiting but her love still goes on and is waiting to be discovered as Lydia cherishes this personal time with her mother through her written promises.

Now if Lydia can find it in her heart to come home to stay once again. Her employer believes that Lydia has it within her to write the next best-seller about what it's like to leave and return to the Amish community and has agreed to provide her with enough time to do just that. While Lydia spends time in prayer considering her options of staying in Seattle or returning to her Amish roots in Montana, a handsome Amish man, Gideon Hooley, who spends his time whispering to wild horses might just be the thing that tames her wild roots after all and bring her home to stay.

In the latest novel from the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors Series, Tricia Goyer once more takes readers into the heart of the Amish community in Montana in The Promise Box. In this novel Lydia has to come to terms with both her past in the English and Amish life as well as deciding for herself just what God's purpose is for her in this world. It is a hard place for her to be, and deals with many conflicting emotions between two entirely different lifestyles, but as with all of Tricia Goyer's novels, she will capture you heart and soul.

I received The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer compliments of Zondervan Publishers and Litfuse Publicity Book Tours for my honest review. I love how Tricia wrote about Lydia's struggles in coming to terms with her Amish lifestyle and her English birth. She just didn't rush in and resolve whatever issues Lydia had in dealing with her adoption and the reasons behind it. I love Gideon Hooley, the Amish Horse Whisper, who lovingly chooses to interact with Lydia even though she has left the Amish community and has now returned. Every single time they were with one another, you could feel the chemistry and sparks flying but Tricia gave just enough turmoil to keep them from falling in love right away. They each has pasts to deal with before they could contemplate dealing with an unknown future with one another and that's why I'd rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars in my opinion. I can't wait to begin creating my own Promise Box. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review and can't wait for the next book in the series. Even though this novel is part of a larger series, you can pick this one up and read it as a stand alone. The first book in the series is The Memory Jar.

For more information about The Promise Box, Tricia Goyer or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:

The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer

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

To read more reviews from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour, please click here.

Tricia Goyer is celebrating the release of her lastest novel, The Promise Box (Zondervan), by hosting an Amish Baking Box giveaway and connecting with readers during her June 12th Book Chat Party!




One "promising" winner will receive:

Apron, hot mitts, and kitchen towels


Amish baking items (rolling pin, pie plate, etc...)

Sherry Gore's Simply Delicious Amish Cooking

The Memory Jar and The Promise Box by Tricia Goyer 

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on June 11th. Winner will be announced at the "The Promise Box" Facebook Author Chat Party on June 12th. Connect with Tricia for an evening of Amish fun - book chat, trivia, laughter, and more! Tricia will also share an exclusive look at the next book book in the Seven Brides for Seven Bachelors series and give away books and other fun prizes throughout the evening.








So grab your copy of The Promise Box and join Tricia on the evening of June 12th 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 12th!

Accidentally Amish

"Annie pulled her phone out and touched the screen. The three text messages she ignored the night before were now seven.

DON'T BE A FOOL, ANNIE.
YOU'RE THROWING EVERYTHING AWAY.
THIS IS NOT OVER. " (pg. 22)

Technology software creator and designer, Annie Friesen learns that her boyfriend/lawyer, Rick Stebbins and her business partner, Barnett Paige are attempting to steal her latest software launch and take away her business, she knows she has to do something to protect her investment. She puts up multiple firewalls to prevent Barnett from hacking into the software while she plans to beat them at their own game. What she didn't realize is how desperate they would become to stop her. When Annie makes plans to disappear from Rick, the plans backfire and she finds him attempting to stop her. She manages to jump into the back of a pickup truck just before it departs leaving Rick attempting to find her on foot.

When the truck arrives at its destination, she learns she has arrived at the Amish farm of Rufus Beiler. Hiding in the barn hoping she can make new plans in the morning, she doesn't plan on the barn animals giving away her hiding place. When Rufus discovers her, he allows her to stay in the barn until morning, and offers her a ride into town the next day. When they arrive to meet with Tom, the owner of the pick up truck she stowed away in, she learns that someone has slashed all four of his tires. She discovers through overhearing a conversation between Rufus and Tom, that they believe it's the work of Karl Kramer, a local English contractor that wants to put Rufus out of business because he believes Rufus is a threat to his business. But Rufus refuses to pursue legal action against Karl because that is not the way of the Amish. He believes God will take care of him.

Annie believes that she can help Rufus but he refuses even her offer of help. While she attempts to stay hidden in the town of Westcliff, Colorado, a very small town, until she can locate an attorney who can help her salvage her business from Rick and Barnett, she finds that perhaps there is something to be said for small town life compared to her own busy one. Will she find more than the solution to her business problem in the heart of this small town? Does she in fact have a tie to the Beiler family through her own family history? You'll have to read Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport to find out.

I received Accidentally Amish compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Barbour Publishers for my honest review. This is the first book in the Valley of Choice series and honestly, Olivia had my attention from the very first page. Part suspense fiction and part historical romance, this is a perfect blend of genres to create something that you will want to immerse yourself in and hope the book never ends. To me that's the sure sign of a great book, especially a first in the series. It's like a rich decadent dessert you want to last so you take your time and savor every bit of the story! I easily rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and this is a keeper in my personal library and is on my watch list for upcoming sequels in this series.

For more information about Accidentally Amish, Olivia Newport and where you can pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Accidentally Amish by Olivia Newport

You can also find Olivia Newport on Facebook by clicking here. 

To find more reviews from the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance Tour, please click here.

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Barbour Books (October 1, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616267127
• ISBN-13: 978-1616267124
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1 inches

Her Restless Heart

Sometimes the words we speak can hurt people worse than any physical pain we can inflict on them. That's just what is happening to Mary Katherine. Finding solace and a place to heal her emotions and her heart and find the love she needs from family, she works for her Grandmother Leah at her store, Stitches in Time, along with her cousins Naomi and Anna. Her father is more than just mean and abrasive to her, he's also been that way to her mother. No longer able to tolerate his unkind words, and avoiding speaking out against her father, she leaves. She's the only child of her parents and finds it difficult that her father can treat her so cruel.

Perhaps that's why Mary Katherine has been avoiding falling in love with those Amish boys who seem to gather around her, most recently Jacob, a young man she grew up with and went to school with. However, Mary Katherine can only see him as the friend she grew up with even though it's obvious to everyone else that Jacob has more than friendly feelings for her. Yet with Mary Katherine still undecided on whether she wants to commit to the church just yet, she spends some time getting to know what she really wants out of life.

Her best friend is an English girl named Jaime, whose outrageous hair and clothing styles, have most of the Amish church community frowning. Thinking that this will only encourage Mary Katherine to leave the Amish community, more and more of the elders and bishop continue to pressure her to make a decision and soon. They are even going so far as to criticize her weaving creations and quilts for sale at Stitches In Time saying she is moving away from the Amish traditions.

In her latest series of Amish books, Stitches in Time, Barbara Cameron is introducing the readers to a new cast of characters in the first book, Her Restless Heart. In this book, all three girls are seeking the love and attention of men in their lives and it seems like only Grandmother Leah has just the right advice to dispense over a cup of hot tea. Ah how we all wish we had a grandmother like her. Unwilling to push and pressure to make the woman face their difficult choices ahead, Leah merely provides a willing ear to listen while they pour out their feelings. Deep down inside she can only pray they will come to make the right decision in the end.

I received Her Restless Heart compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and I can see why so many readers are now her fans of her Amish series. She writes them so well readers can not only relate to the characters but more importantly to the story and issues the characters are dealing with. I, myself, can completely relate to Mary Katherine, having an emotionally abusive father growing up. I can relate to her feeling less than worthy and dealing with a lifetime of self esteem issues never seeing herself as good enough, even in God's eyes. I found healing in hearing not only the advice from Leah but also in Jacob's kindness as her friend. This book does provide needed healing to restless hearts everywhere and I highly recommend this one with a 5 out of 5 stars!

For more information on Her Restless Heart, Barbara Cameron and even where you can purchase this book, please click on the links below:

Her Restless Heart by Barbara Cameron

You can also find Barbara Cameron on Facebook by clicking here.

Abby Finds Her Calling

Abby Lambright is the envy of so many within her Amish community. She has the wisdom of someone beyond her years and is responsible and very organized. Perhaps that is why her family felt she could run her own sewing shop alongside the families mercantile. Abby has a knack for putting back together what seems to fall apart in the lives the people in Cedar Creek, Missouri. She just wishes she had a knack for helping herself find a way to heal her broken heart, when the man she grew up loving, James Graber, decides to marry her sister Suzanna instead.

On the day of the wedding with preparations in full swing, family members arriving from all over including out of state in Ohio and Pennsylvania, the bride vanishes. Leaving in the middle of the night on the eve of her wedding, to avoid having to deal with explaining things to her family, Zanna cuts her wedding dress to pieces and vanishes without anyone hearing anything. Now it's up to Abby to tell James that he doesn't have a bride to marry and for once she doesn't know what to say to the man that still owns her heart.

In the novel, Abby Finds Her Calling, by Naomi King, the reader is introduced to the first book in a brand new Amish series, Home at Cedar Creek. Here we are introduced to the Lambert and Graber family's and how they are intertwined in a wedding that has failed to take place. Now turmoil ensues when Zanna returns home to face the music of not only her family, friends and James, but also the consequences of defiling the church with her actions. At only 17, Zanna has more on her mind that just her explanation of why she left but now having the deal with the talk of her community.

Abby once again takes up the role as the mender and wise counselor to her torn family. Her mother is distraught at not knowing quite what to do with Zanna, her older brother Sam who now has stepped into the role of the man of the house when there father died is beyond angry at not only the expense he had to pay but now answering to the elders of the church for Zanna's actions. James will not escape unscathed when he learns just why Zanna couldn't marry him. Will he finally see the qualities in Abby that he's been blind to before, or will Abby spend the rest of her life simply being a maidel?

I received Abby Finds Her Calling by Naomi King compliments of Pump Up Your Book Tours for my honest review. I LOVE it when a book will take you on a journey and make the characters in the book truly come alive. A different view is offered from the Amish point of view when Zanna's character goes against her moral and spiritual beliefs and makes the reader ponder just what would they do if faced with similar circumstances. A wonderful new series that I can wait to finish and get to know more of the characters that live in Cedar Creek as Naomi King continues with her upcoming books. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!!!

If you want more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

Abby Finds Her Calling by Naomi King

You can also find Naomi King on her Facebook page by clicking here.

To find more reviews on this book tour, click here.

An Uncommon Grace

Grace Conner is serving as a nurse practitioner in Afghanistan as the war around her rages on. Struggling to determine whether or not she should reenlist again for two years, she prays to God to give her a definitive sign one way or another. Upon opening her email, she sees an email message telling her that she is needed to come home and that her grandmother Elizabeth has had a heart attack. Taking this as a definitive sign from God, she returns home to help her grandmother heal.

Levi Troyer was heading home from selling his baskets early one morning and was surprised to see that his house was unusually quiet for this time of day. When he called out and got no answer, and seeing laundry still sitting on the back porch and spilled water, he knew something was wrong. When he rushed to the porch, the pile of laundry was his step father who lay in a puddle of blood and was dead. Hurrying inside, he finds his mother, 8 months pregnant, shot but still alive. If only his family had a phone nearby, but since his family is part of the Swartzentruber Amish, they aren't allowed.

He grabs his horse and heads to his neighbors house and prays that the woman named Grace is at home. When she opens the door, Levi tells her what has happened and she immediately grabs her medical bag and drives over to his home. Barely alive, she calls for an ambulance and cares for his mother Claire until help arrives. Had it not been for Grace's quick thinking, his mother would have died along with his stepfather. Now it's up to Levi to care for his brothers and sister, while his mother and baby fight for their lives.

In the latest novel by Serena B. Miller, An Uncommon Grace, immerses the readers into the lives of a different order of Amish believers, the Swartzentruber, who are very strict in their lifestyles, besides no phone shanty's, no indoor plumbing, they aren't even allowed the safety features of a simple reflective triangle to attach to their buggy's so they can be seen by English drivers at night. This is a wonderful story that Serena draws her readers into from the first page. Not only is there a murder to be solved but also learning how an English woman and an Amish man can learn to be friends at least while romantic feelings slowly begin to develop.

You can't help but love the characters of Grace and Levi but also the setting of the story is so vivid in rich detail, as you read this, you can imagine the warmth of the hay in the sun, the rich deep smell of the earth as they garden and even the beauty of the afternoon thunderstorm. I received this book compliments of Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster for my honest review and LOVED it. I rate this novel a perfect 5 out of 5 stars and now I sit on pins and needles waiting for the next book to come out by Serena that will once more captivate the readers so much that they will not be able to put it down until they turn that final page.

For more information on this book, the author and where to pick up a copy of this book, please click on the links below:

An Uncommon Grace by Serena B. Miller

You can also find Serena Miller on Facebook by clicking here.

Operation Bonnet

Twenty-year-old, Nellie Monroe has things most people her age can only wish for. She has the perfect college GPA, a job working for a man named Tank at a golf course, a boy name Matt who loves her but can't bring himself to tell her, parents that are wealthy and want her to take a year off and travel, all expenses paid of course and a desire to become to world best private investigator.

The only problem is in the small tiny Ohio town she lives in there isn't a big demand for private investigators, so when an Amish boy named Amos finds a job building a mini golf course for Tank, he confesses to Nellie that he wishes to hire her. His need is to find out whether the love of his life, Katie from the old order Amish is going to marry a man named John Yoder.

The problem is for any Englisher that Amish don't like outsiders in their homes. When Katie finds out her college professor is working on a research paper that involves her working with an Amish family learning to cook, Nellie believes she has found that open door of opportunity.

Nellie however has to find a way to keep her grandmother, Nona well enough to prevent her from being put in an old folks home. She keeps forgetting where she is and who Nellie is.

I received the novel Operation Bonnet by Kimberly Stuart compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review and once more fell in love with the characters of the story. This one rates a perfect 5 out of 5 stars for the romance and love you will find nestled between the pages that will warm your heart.

Here's even more great information about the book, the author and a first chapter glimpse that is guaranteed to have you wanting to read this amazing story.

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Operation Bonnet David C. Cook; New edition (February 1, 2011) by Kimberly Stuart

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kimberly says:

I am a writer of comedic fiction, and would like to suggest that you laugh regularly when reading my books. Let’s also try for one to two teary moments. If you are crying more than that, you don’t understand my sense of humor and should move on to another author.

I grew up in a book-loving home. Actually, that’s not entirely accurate. My mom loves books. My dad loves to read the first chapters of books and then make us all listen as he recites his favorite passages. I, however, enjoy reading books in their entirety and came into writing as a result of book-love. After earning two fancy degrees in education and Spanish, I promptly let the thinking part of my brain take a breather and instead became pregnant. (I’m sure a lot of other things happened between early literacy and pregnancy but I don’t really remember any of that. If you also have shared your uterus with another human, you understand.)

In an effort to author a book that would entertain my sassy, irreverent, breast-feeding/drooping friends, I wrote my first novel, Balancing Act. People were so nice to me after that, I decided to continue with writing. Also, I can’t craft, knit, or scrapbook, so what else was a nice, Christian girl to do?

In addition to writing books to make my friends laugh and cry, I observe the chaos at the home I share with my unfailingly supportive husband and three offspring. We’re doing our best and so far, no one’s been to prison.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Twenty-year-old Nellie Monroe has a restless brilliance that makes her a bit of an odd duck. She wants to be a private investigator, even though her tiny hometown offers no hope of clients. Until she meets Amos Shetler, an Amish dropout carrying a torch for the girl he left behind.

So Nellie straps on her bonnet and goes undercover to get the dish. But though she’s brainy, Nellie is clueless when it comes to real life and real relationships. Soon she’s alienated her best friend, angered her college professor, and botched her case.

Operation Bonnet is a comedy of errors, a surprising take on love, and a story of grace.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Operation Bonnet, go HERE.

The Silent Order

What happens when you mix a story of mystery and crime alongside a bit of Amish romance?

You have the perfect ingredients for a new novel, The Silent Order by Melanie Dobson!!!

In this action packed thriller, you are taken back to the late 1920's at a time when the Prohibition period was going on. Italian mobster families were in competition to see who could make the most money selling corn sugar to make alcohol. Only like all good old fashion mob style books, one family will always be trying to take out the other.

It's been Rollin Wells, a detective for the Cleveland police force whose primary goal has been to eliminate both the Cardano's and the Puglisi's and once again make the streets of Cleveland safe once more. However when the love of his life, Liz Cardano is murdered, revenge seems to be his motive now over justice.

Katie Lehman and her 9 year old son, Henry have loved living in the quiet Amish town of Sugarcreek for quite some time. Her latest problem has been dealing with Jonas Miller and his recent proposal of marriage. She isn't quite sure that marrying him is the ideal reason for someone to get married but thinks he would make a great father for Henry.

However one day when visiting her friend Ruth, they discover something in Ruth's barn that will weave the lives of Katie and Rollin together and uncover some secrets in both of their lives that have remained hidden for too long.

I received this wonderful novel compliments of Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for my honest review. This is a first for me blending a Mafia crime scenario along side your traditional Amish romance but it worked out very well. With Melanie Dobson doing such an extensive bit of research into both of this storylines, you have a well mixed masterpiece and one that anyone would love to read. This one is a perfect 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and even a first chapter peek, then you will want to read on!!

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing The Silent Order Summerside Press (November 1, 2010)by Melanie Dobson
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Melanie Dobson is the award-winning author of The Black Cloister; Love Finds You in Liberty, Indiana; and Together for Good.

Prior to launching Dobson Media Group in 1999, Melanie was the corporate publicity manager at Focus on the Family where she was responsible for the publicity of events, products, films, and TV specials. Melanie received her undergraduate degree in journalism from Liberty University and her master's degree in communication from Regent University. She has worked in the fields of publicity and journalism for fifteen years including two years as a publicist for The Family Channel.

Melanie and her husband, Jon, met in Colorado Springs in 1997 at Vanguard Church. Jon works in the field of computer animation. Since they've been married, the Dobsons have relocated numerous times including stints in Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Colorado, Berlin, and Southern California. These days they are enjoying their new home in the Pacific Northwest.

Jon and Melanie have adopted their two daughters —Karly (6) and Kinzel (5). When Melanie isn't writing or entertaining their girls, she enjoys exploring ghost towns and dusty back roads, traveling, hiking, line dancing, and reading inspirational fiction.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Rural America - 1928. After the murder of his partner, Detective Rollin Wells hides away in an Amish home near Sugarcreek, Ohio, to find out who in the police force is

collaborating with Cleveland’s notorious mob. While Rollin searches for answers to his partner’s death, he befriends an elusive young Amish woman named Katie and her young son. As Rollin learns about Katie’s past, he’s shocked at the secret Katie is hiding - a secret that has haunted Rollin for eight years.



If you would like to read the first chapter of The Silent Order, go HERE.