The Best People In The World!

Showing posts with label Ruth Reid. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ruth Reid. Show all posts

Friday, January 19, 2018

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:


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. 

Monday, June 5, 2017

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:


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. 


Friday, April 22, 2016

A Dream of Miracles



I can't imagine dealing with the loss of a spouse, especially when you have children and the idea of single parenting becomes a reality. However if you take the idea of having a small child with a lot of health problems and amplify that with a doctor who believes these numerous doctor's visits may be a masquerade for child abuse, you pretty much have the premise behind A Dream of Miracles, the third book in the Amish Wonders series from Ruth Reid.

It takes a typical Amish story line and adds a bit of "House" to the mix. While the signs are all pointing to the fact that Mattie Diener might in fact be more than neglectful in trying to raise two small children just 18 months after losing her young husband in his sleep. When her established family doctor takes a long sabbatical, his replacement is less likely to see things from an Amish perspective and when Mattie fails to notice simple things in her child's illness, she reports her for child abuse.

Now enter Bo Lambright, who has worked for the office of Child and Protective Services for quite some time and experience has taught him that no matter how simple things might look, there is always more than meets the eye, especially in his line of work, where parents will face imprisonment if found guilty, so lying is something he has come to expect from parents. When he is called in to investigate the claims on Mattie, he wonders if perhaps there might just be more than what everyone would expects. He knows that the Amish are very protective of their families and communities, but it doesn't mean they aren't capable of child abuse as well. When his past comes back to him in dreams, God might just be pointing out the truth that is hidden in the dark. It may in fact cost one mother everything in the end if the facts don't come to the light.

I received A Dream of Miracles by Ruth Reid compliments of Thomas Nelson Publishers and Litfuse Publicity for my honest review. I did not receive any monetary compensation, aside from a free copy of this novel, in exchange for my honest and personal evaluation. I really LOVED the premise in this novel and it felt like an Amish episode of the television series, House. It was that great! Just when you think Mattie will be cleared, another issue comes up and she is faced with making the decision to take her child in to the doctors and face losing him, or does she try and find a cure herself and spare having her children taken from her. Well worth every single 5 out of 5 stars. Now I want to go back and read the first two novels in the series, A Miracle of Hope and A Woodland Miracle. There is also a Reader's Discussion Guide included at the end that makes this perfect for book clubs.

For more information about A Dream of Miracle, Ruth Reid or where you can pick up a copy of this novel today, please click on the links below:


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

To read more reviews on A Dream of Miracles, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.


When a suspicious outsider with a shadowy past comes crashing into Amish widow Mattie’s fragile world, can she learn to love again? Find out in Ruth Reid's new book, A Dream of Miracles. When Mattie and Bo cross paths, all signs point to disaster. Yet as they face a crucible of trials and tragedies together, longings begin to stir that seem destined only to end in more heartbreak. Is a miracle possible—not only of healing but of forbidden love? What secrets lie in Bo’s dreams? And will Mattie find the courage to face her uncertain future . . . or will she simply run away?

Ruth is celebrating the release of A Dream of Miracles with a Kindle Fire HD 6 giveaway (details below) and an author chat party on May 3!

dream of miracles - 400 

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • One copy of A Dream of Miracles
  • A Kindle Fire HD 6
Enter today by clicking the icon below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on 5/3. The winner will be announced at A Dream of Miracles Facebook party. RSVP for a chance to connect with Ruth and other fans of Amish fiction, as well as for a chance to win other prizes!

dream of miracles - enter banner

RSVP today and spread the word—tell your friends about the giveaway via FACEBOOK, TWITTER, or PINTEREST and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 3rd!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

The Promise of An Angel


To everyone a measure of faith has been given, but Judith Fischer isn't sure just how large her's is!

Always known for her creative storytelling and her love of children, she spends her time taking care of them when she can. When her family needs to have a barn raised, Judith is placed in charge of the children she loves so much while the men tend to the building of the barn and the women begin the preparation of the food.

She also has the advantage of keeping a very close eye on Levi Plank, the man, she has dreamed of marrying as soon as she turns 19 according to her parents wishes. Even though the Ordinung in which she lives allows for girls to court when they are 17, her parents wanted her to wait. Now while Levi works hard on the roof for the barn, she can glance at him from time to time.

While the women prepare to serve lunch, the group gathers round for prayer from Bishop Lapp, while he prays, Judith is bold enough to glance at Levi, and is stunned to see that her younger sister Martha is flirting with him. What's worse is he is returning her affections! When she glances down at her younger brother Samuel, she notices that he is missing. In horror, she sees he is on the roof of the barn attempting to help mend the roof. As she cries out to him, she sees him fall, and when she is the first to arrive hoping he isn't dead, she finds an English man who is kneeling beside him.

He tells Judith that God is guiding Samuel's steps with the bluest eyes. As he begins to walk away, the family arrives and begins to care for Samuel who is now unconscious. Judith follows him only to see him vanish in the fog in the apple orchard.

When Judith explains what she believes was an angel, the family grows concerned that Judith's stories are becoming too real for her to understand what is real and what is simply a story. Now it's up to her to convince everyone that an angel has appeared and that Samuel will be OK.

In the novel, The Promise of An Angel by Ruth Reid, the reader gets an unexpected surprise in the traditional Amish fiction. God has a plan for Judith and how He works on her will cause her to not only question her feelings for love and marriage but also just how much faith she possesses in the end. This book is highly recommended for those that love the Amish fiction, as it renews our own faith as we read about Judith's struggle not only in trying to convince her community what she saw is real, but also in being a woman who isn't afraid of telling others, despite all that it will cost her.

I received this edition on my Kindle compliments of Tyndale House Publishers through NetGalley for my honest review and LOVED it from the first page. I simply could not put this one down until I finished it. The characters are beautifully created by Ruth Reid as you become part of them in this story. I give this novel a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to read more from Ruth Reid in her Heaven On Earth Series.

For more information on this book, the author, view sample chapters, and where to purchase a copy for yourself, simply click on the links below: