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!)

The Revealing

Things are finally coming to a close for the characters at Stoney Ridge in the Inn at Eagle Hill series, in Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest novel The Revealing. An appropriate title since so many of our questions,  for readers who have been faithfully following the series, will finally have answers and closure. At the heart of the entire series has been the investment scandal of Schrock Investments, a company created and ran by Rose Schrock's former husband Dean. When Dean died due to a believed drowning, embezzlement charges rose to the service that those who worked for the firm were stealing money from the investors.

Since Dean is dead, it leaves behind Jake Hertzler and Tobe Schrock. Jake has left and gone into hiding while Tobe is still serving a prison sentence. All believe that Jake knows more, but since no one can locate him, the questions remain. As we pick up in the Revealing, Rose is still struggling to make ends meet by running the Inn at Eagle Hill. Business has been picking up since people believe miracles happen to those that stay so she is thankful for that. Galen King has his heart set on convincing Rose to marry him, but she feels it's simply too soon with so many unknowns, wondering what will become of Tobe when he is released and how she will get out of the debt the scandal has cost her.

Galen's sister Naomi is hiding her own secrets, with secretly visiting Tobe in prison. She can't let anyone know especially her overprotective brother, because according to Tobe, once he is released from prison, he will be revealing more than anyone knows. He promises that he will right all the wrongs that he believes Jake is responsible for. The mystery still continues with why Jake has been so bent on finding the ledger books that are missing that shows someone was responsible for faking the account totals while skimming money. When two unexpected visitors arrive at the Inn, things will never be the same and more will be revealed than anyone thought that will involve both the King and Schrock families.

I received The Revealing 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 contained here are strictly my own. I love the way Suzanne didn't rush to fill in all the missing pieces of the puzzle that has been surrounding this scandal and in the end, we get the closure and endings we had hoped for. I can only hope this is not the end of my favorite characters from Stoney Ridge and that they will resurface in others series in the future. I would love to know how things work between some of the couples that eventually find happiness in the end in their own novels. I easily give this one a 5 out of 5 stars and includes a delicious recipe for lemon blueberry squares along with a discussion guide for readers at the end.

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

The Revealing 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 from The Revealing, please visit Litfuse Publicity's Book Tour Page.


In The Revealing, the riveting conclusion to the Inn at Eagle Hill series, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher pulls out all the stops with a fast-paced tale of deception, revelation, and just the right dose of romance.

Suzanne is celebrating by giving away THREE iPads!

  THREE grand prize winners will receive:

• An iPad
• PickPocket Tablet Accessory Pouch (A stylish storage pouch designed to hold all your tablet accessories. Info.)
• The Inn at Eagle Hill series (The Letters, The Calling, and The Revealing)

Five second place winners will receive:

• The Inn at Eagle Hill series (The Letters, The Calling, and The Revealing) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 20th. All winners will be announced July 21st at Suzanne's blog. AND ... if you're looking for more in the Inn at Eagle Hill series, be sure to pick up the ebook novella, The Rescue, for just $1.99!

BUT WAIT! THERE'S MORE!
Suzanne is also giving away two 10-book mystery prize packs! 
One of the major themes of The Revealing is learning to trust your intuition and instincts. These are God-given qualities that we sometimes are too timid or unsure of to act on. For a chance to win one of the 10-book prize packs, leave a comment on this blog and share about a time when your intuition or instinct saved the day—or a time you ignored it and missed an opportunity. 

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 21st 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 Calling

Sometimes when you read such a great story about a fictional place, you find yourself wishing that the places, people and settings are real so you could visit. Much is the same for the Inn at Eagle Hill. Suzanne Woods Fisher created just the place in her series, The Inn at Eagle Hill. It's a B & B located on the Amish farm of Rose Schrock and she is trying to find a way to earn a living after the recent death of her husband which also left her under scrutiny of the SEC for Schrock Investments. A company that was owned and ran by her former husband and his business partner Jake Hertzler. Only Jake has disappeared along with her son Tobe and now they are being investigated. Only Rose doesn't know where either of them have run off to, and she is doing everything she can to keep going in spite of all the debt that Schrock Investments now has to pay for their investors.

Bethany is trying hard to forget Jake and the idea that she ever saw anything in him to begin with. Now they they had broken up and Jake has left town, she is trying to find someone to keep her thoughts off of her past and focused on her future. It seems that she can't seem to make any good decisions lately. In fact even though she is tempted by Jimmy Fisher, her neighbor, who is more than interested in her, Bethany feels that she is just one of many girls that Jimmy is interested in. And based on her most recent relationship with Jake, she doesn't believe she is meant to be with anyone at all right now.

While she spends her time trying to help her mother with the guests that are staying at their Inn, she also has a part time job assisting a group of five Amish sisters who are in desperate need of organizing their home. They are what you would call Amish horders and since the Amish are supposed to rotate house for Sunday services, the Bishop has told the Sisters that they have to host as soon as they can get their home ready. That is the reason they have hired Bethany. She isn't attached to anything the Sisters want to hold on to and she could use the money to help her mother. Everything is going along fine until Bethany finds a chest of bones located in the basement and believes the Sisters are murderers. Will she ever be able to go back?

In the novel The Calling, the second book in the Inn at Eagle Hill series from Suzanne Woods Fisher, we are once more taken back into further detail with the Schrock family. In the first novel The Letters, we got an inside look into Rose's life and the establishment of the Inn. Now in The Calling, her daughter Bethany is the focus and we get a chance to see how her past relationship with Jake is complicating matters with helping her family dealing with the investments issues with the SEC. While the novel focuses on the lives of Bethany and Jimmy, we are also introduced to Naomi King, Galen's sister who is married to Rose. Naomi has had a crush on Tobe Schrock since she was a child and now that he has come home to face the music of his dealings with Schrock Investments and Jake Hertzler, Naomi finds her crush has turned into true love. But what will happen when Tobe meets with the SEC investigator. It may mean a life altering choice for Bethany and Naomi.

I received The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Revell 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 can't wait to see how this all plays out and I will have to wait until The Revealing is released to know. However I loved so many of the Amish proverbs that are woven through this story that my poor novel has been ear marked to death. Couple that with an amazing recipe for Rose's Blueberry Buckle that is already calling my name and a Book Discussion Guide that is perfect for book clubs you have it all in one amazing novel. This one is well worth all 5 out of 5 stars!

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

The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

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

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



Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher is celebrating her newest book, The Calling, by giving away TWO iPads, TWO Kindles, and TWO Nooks!
 

Two grand prize winners will receive:

• An iPad
• The Letters and The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Four second place winners will receive:

• A Kindle Fire HDX or a Nook HD—winner's choice!
• The Letters and The Calling by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on February 8th. All winners will be announced February 10th at Suzanne's blog.

Don't miss a moment of the fun; enter today and be sure to visit Suzanne's blog on the 10th 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 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!)

A Big Year for Lily

Lily Lapp is nine and for a young Amish girl there are as many challenges for her as any nine-year-old girl. Her first and foremost issue is dealing with Aaron Yoder, a boy that thrives on teasing Lily whenever the opportunity becomes available. When her pencil rolls off the desk and she bends over to retrieve it, he holds his hand over her head while the rest of her class laughs. Her only hope this year is that her Cousin Hannah is joining her. Perhaps dealing with Aaron with an ally by her side won't be so bad after all. But when Hannah soon finds that Aaron isn't as bad as Lily claims and even finds herself wondering if Aaron likes her, Lily is literally at wit's end. Could this year possibly get any worse?

In the latest novel, A Big Year for Lily, by authors Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher, The Adventures of Lily Lapp continues in book 3. Geared for children 8 and up, this makes a wonderful chapter book to get your child started in loving a different kind of life as an Amish child. Most of the time, there are very few differences between any nine-year-old. There are sibling rivalries as Lily is the only girl in a houseful of boys, there is the bossy classmate, Effie, who thinks all the things Lily is interested in are simply things a girl should never participate in, even calling a climb in the apple tree a sin, which Lily proudly proclaims is not. Only to her horror, she jumps from the tree and rips the backside of her dress causing her to be more than a little embarrassed.

There are so many wonderful adventures that Lily participates in, from having finally achieved her own bedroom in the attic only to discover at night that bats are getting in somehow, to baking her mother a wonderful birthday cake which turns out hilarious. There are also some wise bits of Amish wisdom tucked away in some of these charming stories one of my favorites being the time Lily and her father were painting a sign for their mom and a bumble bee lands in the wet paint on the sign. He begins to wander around the green sign with white little feet and Lily is upset over the how the insect has ruined the perfect sign. Her father reminds her that each time she sees the sign it will remind her to focus on the good in others instead of seeing all their faults.

I received A Big Year for Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Revell Publishers for my honest review. I received no monetary compensation for a favorable review. I am super excited to share this latest novel with my niece who inhales chapter books as fast as I do novels. I can't wait to hear what she thinks of Lily's life growing up Amish and how it compares to hers. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait for A Surprise for Lily coming soon. There is a great discussion guide at the end that helps parents explain to their children just what some of the concepts are in the Amish way of life and even a recipe for Lily's favorite Sweetheart Pudding which is served at Amish weddings.

For more information about A Big Year for Lily, Mary Ann Kinsinger, Suzanne Woods Fisher or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

A Big Year for Lily by Mary Ann Kinsigner and Suzanne Woods Fisher

You can also find Mary Ann Kinsinger on Facebook to stay up to date with all her latest novels.

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

To read more reviews on A Big Year for Lily from the Litfuse Publicity Book Tour, please click here.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is celebrating the release of A Big Year for Lily, book three in the beloved Adventures of Lily Lapp series, with a giveaway extravaganza!











 
One winner will receive:




• An iPad Adventure Pack (includes a fun stand and an art kit) 

Twelve winners will receive:

• Special prizes specially picked by Lily (something new each day)! Suzanne will announce the winners on July 29 on her blog!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on July 27th. All winners will be announced July 29th at Suzanne's blog.






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 fun prizes! (Or better yet, subscribe to her blog and have the winner announcement delivered to your inbox!)

The Lesson

Mary Kate Lapp is a bit like George Bailey from It's A Wonderful Life. Filled with dreams of exotic places and all she desires is the right time to set out on her journey. But at nineteen, she's still struggling to find her place in the world. She's a bit impulsive, over-active, and what some would call a bit of a busy body. Still she sees nothing wrong with her flittering in and out of people's lives around her. Until they seem to lead to trouble when she least expects it. Yet Mary Kate or M.K. as her friends and family refer to her, is more than smart. She's determined, a bit strong-willed and persistent. Since adventure has yet to find her, she's making plans for something more.

As luck would have it, adventure happens when and where she least expects it. While riding in her buggy one afternoon she hears a loud boom and when she investigates, it leads her to find a sheep farmer who has been murdered. M.K. takes a personal responsibility to find out who the murderer is before they kill in her small Amish community once again. But the police are less than pleased with M.K.'s offer to help solve the crime. So she does what any determined young women with a curious mind would, she sets out to find clues on her own.

While in the process she runs in to quite literally, Alice Smucker, who is the town's local drama queen. When she insists that she is going to die and requests that M.K. summons an ambulance, fate intervenes. Now that Alice is out of commission, the town needs a substitute teacher and the board has just the right person in mind. That's right, M.K. After all she spent the last eight-years under Alice's schooling and isn't the slightest bit pleased when they want her to fill in for the next three weeks. She doesn't have the slightest clue how to teach a class and her room full of students is about to unleash their worst on poor M.K. Adventure has indeed come to town.

In the novel, The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher, we find ourselves at the concluding book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series. In this one, the story revolves around M. K. or Mary Kate Lapp who seems to always be right in the middle of everything when she least expects it or when people would rather have her any place else. But besides adventure has she grown up enough to perhaps find someone to share in her spirited adventures or will she simply be too busy to notice what is right in front of her eyes. Just who is the new stranger that has moved into town and just why does he seem to keep to himself all the time. Is he in fact hiding something? Could it be that M.K. has found the murderer after all right beneath her nose the whole time? Well, you will need to pick this one up for yourself to find out.

I received The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Revell Publishers for my honest review. Having read the previous books in the series, The Keeper and The Haven, I was super excited to see how Suzanne would bring all this to a closure. It can be read as a stand alone but to really get to know the characters of Stoney Ridge, you will want to pick up the other two books. This is a delightful end to the most animated character in this series and one I could relate to quite a bit with my own version of M.K. in my youngest daughter. It has allowed me to see her a bit differently than I did before and like the ending of the book, it all comes full circle when you can see where it has all been going before. For fans of Christian Amish Romance with a bit of mystery attached, you will want to place this one on your must read list! I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars!

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

The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher 

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

To read more reviews on The Lesson from the Litfuse Book Tours, please click here. 


Celebrate the release of The Lesson with Suzanne Woods Fisher by entering to win one of TWO iPads!







Two winners will receive:

• A brand new iPad


• A $15 gift certificate to iTunes

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on January 20th. Winner will be announced on 1/22/13 at Suzanne's Blog.








Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning.

Life with Lily

I've been a huge fan of Christian Amish Fiction for many years now and sometimes it was hard to be able to relate to my youngest daughter how incredible the stories are and what life is like for the Amish people. It's a simple life, one free from complications that arise when you have too much going on in your life or with technology overload. So when the opportunity came along to review, Life with Lily, the first book in The Adventures of Lily Lapp series by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher, I knew this was the answer I was searching for to get my daughter involved with the love of reading about the Amish through the eyes of a young Amish girl, Lily Lapp.

This is a beautifully illustrated chapter book designed for your child from 3rd grade reading and up to see what Lily Lapp's life is like as she goes through her day. The book is 270 pages designated into 39 easy to read chapters that would make for a perfect bed time story to read to your child. There are chapters that deal with Lily's birthday, how the Amish celebrate Halloween and Christmas, first day at school, what life on an Amish farm is like, the chores Lily has to do and how she deals with farm animals, new friends and interesting people she meets along the way.

For me one of my favorite chapters was "An Unwanted Schoolhouse Visitor" where the school's superintendent, Mr Wilt comes to visit to see what the children are doing. Since Lily's in first grade, she is working on her Learning Through Sounds book in which she is cutting out pictures and gluing them beside the letters that begin with the sound, something she really enjoyed while trying hard not to get distracted by Mr. Wilt as he walks around their one room school house. He had come to ensure that each of the children were learning what they should at their assigned grade levels which Lily passed with flying colors but not all the children did as well as she did. In fact, what Mr. Wilt wanted them to learn wasn't something that the Amish agreed with such as learning about evolution. You'll have to pick up this book to see what happens when the Amish learn about what has been going on at the school.

I received Life with Lily compliments of Litfuse Publicity and Revell Publishers for my honest review. I am absolutely thrilled that my daughter has enjoyed reading this with me and it gives us an opportunity to talk about the lifestyles that some families have that are different from ours. It allows us to interact more and show how truly educational reading can be and how it really brings us together as a family. After we finished, my youngest daughter realized that while something may be different, Lily is a lot more like her than she first thought. They like the same things and they both still have to deal with school! I rate this book a 5 out of 5 stars and can't wait to continue the series with my daughter. It's almost like a Little House on the Prairie series but dealing with an Amish girl named Lily instead! It's a heartwarming and charming book to get your child interested in the love of reading.

For more information about Life with Lily, Mary Ann Kinsinger, Suzanne Woods Fisher, or where to pick up a copy of this book today, please click on the links below:

Life with Lily by Mary Ann Kinsinger and Suzanne Woods Fisher

You can find Mary Ann Kinsinger on Facebook by clicking here. 

You can find Suzanne Woods Fisher on Facebook by clicking here. 

“Based upon Kinsinger’s own childhood, it’s reminiscent of the Little House on the Prairie books.” —Romantic Times


Celebrate with Suzanne and Mary Ann by entering their contest and RSVPing to the “Life with Lily” Facebook Author Chat Party on 10/16!

Two fortunate winners will receive:

• Either the new Kindle Fire or new Nook HD


• Signed copy of Life with Lily for you and a young reader in your life.  

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on October 15th. Winner will be announced at the Life with Lily Author Chat Facebook Party on 10/16. Connect with authors Suzanne Woods Fisher and Mary Ann Kinsinger for an evening of book chat, Q&A about Mary Ann’s Amish childhood, trivia, and fun! There will also be gift certificates, books, and other fun prizes!

So grab your copy of Life with Lily and join Suzanne and Mary Ann on the evening of the October 16th for a chance to connect with the authors and make some new friends. (If you haven’t read the books – 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 16th!

The Haven

Welcome back to Stoney Ridge! Spring usually signals the rebirth of life and the end of a long winter. Hope returns and there is beauty to be found everywhere. Now that spring is here, I want to introduce you to a few new friends!

Sadie Lapp, she lives in Stoney Ridge on Windmill Farm and today is her first day back after being away in Berlin, Ohio, and helping her sister Julia, and her brother in law, Roman settle into Roman's childhood home. While she was there she spent every day learning from a healer, an elderly Old Order Amish women, Deborah Yoder, in hopes she can bring some of that back to her home and the people who live here. But Sadie shows up at her family's farm with an unexpected bundle in her basket, a baby. How will she ever explain this to her father?

Will Stoltz, has now been assigned a task to baby sit a family of Peregrine Falcons who have made their home on Windmill Farm. Being an endangered and rare species to bird lovers everywhere, game warden Mahlon Miller wants to endure they remain that way. Since Will was suspended from the university, his father has worked out an arrangement with Mahlon that Will be permitted to intern as a game warden and babysit the falcons until the babies have hatched and are ready to leave the nest. Will isn't exactly thrilled with this new assignment and makes arrangements to stay in a cottage on the Lapp's farm to avoid causing the family any undo hardship having him there in exchange for helping out around the farm. But Will always made it a point to dodge physical labor - academics were more to his liking. Oh, this wasn't good. not good at all. But will he be able to keep his mind on his work? Maybe this was a gift in disguise.

Gideon Smucker is the newest school teacher this year at Twin Creeks School house and can't wait to teach all the kids from town this year. However he has a school boy's crush on Sadie Lapp and has since they went to school together. Now if he can only keep his mind on school work in between writing letters and sharing books with Sadie when she was in Ohio. Seems like life is about to get very interesting this spring! Hope you'll decide to join us and pick up a copy of The Haven to find out just what is going to happen next!

I received The Haven by Suzanne Woods Fisher compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and since haven't read The Keeper, the first book in the Stoney Ridge Season Series, I couldn't wait to see where Suzanne would take some of her characters in this sequel. If you haven't had a chance to read The Keeper, Suzanne does a great job at catching you up in the first chapter with where the characters have come from before this story picks up, but trust me, this one is so good, you'll want to pick up The Keeper to get the back story on all the details! I have to say, I can't wait for the next one in this series and rate, The Haven a 5 out of 5 stars.

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

The Haven by Suzanne Woods Fisher

You can also find Suzanne Woods Fisher on Facebook by clicking here.

To continue to read more reviews from The Haven book tour, please click here.

Celebrate the newest book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series with Suzanne by entering her 4 eReader Giveaway and Facebook Party and RSVPing for the Live Video Chat on 8/30!

See what folks are saying about The Haven!

Four grand prize winners will receive:

• A Brand new Kindle Fire or Nook Color


• $25 Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble.com Gift certificate

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends on August 29th. Winner will be announced at Suzanne's Live Author Chat Party on 8/30. Suzanne will be hosting an author chat (party will start on Facebook AND then be Live from her website) and giving away books, gift certificates and several Burt's Bees® Nourishing Radiance Kits!!

So grab your copy of The Haven and join Suzanne on the evening of the August 30th for a fun chat (both on Facebook and via Live Video), trivia contest and lots of giveaways.

Don't miss a moment of the RSVP today. Tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 30th!

The Keeper - Review and Giveaway

The Lapp family needs more help than they are willing to admit. Amos Lapp is slowly dying and with that, he is the last parent Julia has to rely on for help. Being the oldest, she has been trying to run the families produce stand, take care of the house and farm and raise her siblings, Sadie, Mary Kate and their special needs brother Menno. Amos has a bad heart and despite trying to heal from a recent heart attack, his heart isn't mending like he would have thought, and he's resolved to accept God's will that his life is now limited.

Julia Lapp was hoping for her wedding in November but since the arrival of the Bee Man, it seems as though all the eligible promised men are now having a change of heart and reconsidering the long term commitment marriage offers. Now her plans to wed Paul are being postponed for yet a second time. While Julia tries to think up a way to win back Paul's affections, she has many more personal problems dealing with her family and farm. There simply doesn't seem to be enough time in the day to take care of all their needs, not to mention dealing with her Uncle Hank who borders on childlike whims whenever he feels like it. This may be the very reason that Paul has called off the wedding. Who would want to marry Julia knowing what lies in their future dealing with her family?

The Bee Man, whose real name is Roman Troyer, has dedicated his life to roaming the Amish communities offering the services of his bees to help the farmers with their crops. His lonely life as some see it, offers very little in the way of putting down roots and having a real home, but its one that he loves. Little does anyone know the real reason behind while he travels so much, but as long as he stays on the move, he won't have to face his past. That is, until it shows up in the most unlikely of places on the Lapp farm. His past is now coming around full circle.



In the newest novel by Suzanne Woods Fisher, The Keeper is the first in the Stoney Ridge Series and a delightful way to introduce some amazing characters. Julia is the oldest and therefore all the responsibility is weighing heavily on her shoulders, even though she desires love and a family all of her own. Then there is Roman Troyer who finds that running from his problems will eventually catch up to him, no matter how far he goes. This is such a delightful book that shows that God can use any circumstance to bring about good, it just takes a matter of perspective to see things from His vantage point.

I received The Keeper compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and anxiously await the second book in this series to come. It feels like the Lapp family is one we'd all love to get to know and be willing to become a part of their lives. I rate this one a 5 out of 5 stars and love the message found between the pages, that sometimes we can't always see things when we are too close, sometimes we simply need to take a couple steps back and see it from God's eyes.

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

The Keeper by Suzanne Woods Fisher

It’s a “Honey of a Giveaway” from Suzanne Woods Fisher!

Suzanne is hosting a "honey of a giveaway"during the blog tour for The Keeper! During 1/3-1/17 you can enter to win an iPad2 from Suzanne and connect with her on January 17th at The Keeper Facebook Party!

During the giveaway one Grand Prize winner will receive a Prize Pack valued at $600:

• A brand new 16 KB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi


• A $25 gift certificate to iTunes


• A copy of The Keeper

But wait there's more! Just click one of the icons below to enter, then on 1/17 join Suzanne for The Keeper Facebook Party! During the party Suzanne will announce the winner of the "Honey" of an iPad Giveaway and host a fun book chat and give away some fun "honey" inspired prizes - It'll be 'sweet"!



RSVP early and tell your friends!

Don't miss a moment of the fun. RSVP today and tell your friends via FACEBOOK or TWITTER and increase your chances of winning. Hope to see you on the 17th!

A Lancaster County Christmas

Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband, Sol, the Christmas gift they have both longed for - news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big Amish family isn't likely to become a reality. Will those empty chairs at the table ever be filled?

Then a winter storm raging outside blows an impatient young woman and her husband into the Riehl home on Christmas Eve - and into a much slower pace of life.

Both couples are about to find out if they can weather the storm - and if miracles still happen at Christmas time. (excerpt from inside cover).

In the latest novel by Suzanne Woods Fisher, A Lancaster County Christmas, takes you into two families that are experiencing a pull in their marriages, for the Riehl family, Mattie and Sol are experiencing the heartache that comes from wanting a much larger family and for now, God has different plans. After another miscarriage, Mattie begins to question her own self-worth at being able to provide the children her and Sol discussed in the beginning of their marriage. Now she isn't sure why they have only been able to have Danny, their only son, but due to this, Mattie fears letting him become more independent and instead keeps an ever watchful eye over him.

For Jaime and CJ Fitzpatrick, they are struggling to find a way to bridge the growing distance that has entered their marriage. Jaime has recently reconciled with her estranged father, who now seems to want to have a daughter in his life. While CJ spends his working hours juggling a teaching position and a volunteer role as a Search and Rescue handler, he has noticed that the marriage between him and Jaime has grown cold. Using his faith to aid him in trying to discover the issue, Jaime has used God as the excuse for allowing her mother to die.

As a winter storm of the century draws near, God has a way of using both couples to help one another work out their differences in a very unique way. Only this Christmas will be life changing for both of them.

I received A Lancaster County Christmas compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review, and once again have to applaud Suzanne Woods Fisher for bringing home a classic Christmas story with a twist of faith. This book will reunite the reader with what is most important during the holiday season, it isn't about what we can buy, but the people we share it with no matter how different they may be. I rate this one a perfect 5 out of 5 stars! For more information about this book, the author or where you can pick up a copy of this for your own collection, please click on the links below:

A Lancaster County Christmas by Suzanne Woods Fisher

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

Amish Values for Your Family

I've been a huge Amish fan for quite some time and even my family knows if given the opportunity, I would gladly give up what I have now, and live the Amish lifestyle as difficult as it may be to leave technology and certain lifestyles behind.

I think the one thing I love most about their lifestyle over anything is their love for the community. Whenever anyone is in need, they don't turn the the government, they turn to their neighbors and no one is too busy to say no! They all work together to make their communities better, they don't believe they are owed anything except to be great stewards of the land God has given them. They are self sufficient and work hard. They don't have the issues we have in our society with our children being disrespectful or lazy, and they are up when most of us are still asleep to begin their days.

So when I was asked to review the book, Amish Values for Your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher, I jumped at the chance. We were asked to go through the book and find one simple value in the book and share how it has impacted my family. It was difficult, not because I couldn't find anything to share, but because I had to pick only one, but it's the one profound one my family would say is one that stays on our mind all the time.

It's to put God first in our lives and I love the Amish proverb that accompanies the section titled, Our Daily Bread.

If God is not first in our thoughts each morning, he will be last in our thoughts all day.

How true, and how simple this truth is. Too often we have a tendency to bargain away our time with God over pressing daily issues, like our kids, chores, work, making dinner, dealing with issues with family and friends, that so often we only take the time for God when we are in crisis mode. We fail to thank him in the most simple of times, for the rising of the sun, the hot water for our showers, clean water to drink, a roof over our heads, because we are simply too busy.

But the first thing the Amish do before starting their days and ending their days is giving thanks to God for everything. For blessing their meals before they eat, to praying for a great harvest, for healing over sick friends and family and the best example of all, is even in accidents involving the Amish buggy's that claim the life of one of their children, they simply say it's God's will.

They don't sue the drunk driver that hit them because he shouldn't be driving, hoping it will at least compensate them for the loss of the child. They gather together as a family, as neighbors and as a community and work together to heal. That's what I respect the most and what my family is been doing differently these past weeks. The change has been extraordinary! By starting our day off with a simple Bible devotion and prayer, our days are more peaceful, less fighting, less stress and best of all, we are doing what is right and it shows.

We are laying down a solid foundation for our kids that is working. They can see the results. I would encourage you to go back to a more simple life. A life where neighbors unite, where communities are working together instead of simply waiting for what you feel you deserve.

This book is filled with amazing ideas to get back to simple basics and a much more peaceful life. I received this book compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and I refer to it each day along with my Bible to simplify my own life and set an example I hope my family will follow! Hands down this is an exceptional book and one I highly recommend! I award it 5 out of 5 stars!

If you would like to know more about the book, the author and where to pick up a copy and get started on what you can learn from the simple life, click on the links below:

Amish Values for Your Family by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher is thrilled to announce the release of Amish Values for Your Family, her latest non-fiction release. "It offers loving ways to bring your fractured home back to life-Amish style. Read it and apply generously! It’s a beautiful book-funny, charming, soulful, and beautiful." -Mary Ann Kirkby

Read the reviews here.

To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, Suzanne has teamed up her publisher Revell Books to giveaway a Kindle, and with Bill Coleman (the amazing photographer used on Suzanne’s book covers) to give away a signed Bill Coleman original.

One Grand Prize winner will receive an Amish Values Prize Package (valued at over $200) and includes:

* A brand new KINDLE
* A Signed Bill Coleman original
* Amish Values for Your Family (for KINDLE)




Click on one of the icons to enter. Winner will be announced on 9/2 at Suzanne’s blog. Be sure to stop by the blogs on Suzanne’s blog tour – many have copies of Amish Values for Your Family to give away.

But, wait there's more! Suzanne is running a Bill Coleman caption contest during the month of August on her blog. Title one of Bill’s gorgeous photos for a chance to win a print from Bill’s Amish Photo site and/or a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

The Search - Giveaway and Review

Bess Riehl is taking a long, hot journey to visit her grandmother who lives in Stoney Ridge, Pennslyvania. She sent word to her son, Jonah, that she desperately needed the help after suffering through a female surgery, and could he send Bess.

Bess, who is now 15 can't imagine just why she would want to spend the entire summer with her grandmother, but feeling like she needed to do the right thing despite how she felt, she made arrangements with her father to take the bus to her grandmother's farm.

Carrying only a picnic basket filled with her cat, Blackie, and a small snack, she wonders what awaits her when she steps down from the bus. When she looks around for her grandmother, Bertha, she catches the sight of her buggy veering around the corner. The buggy was tipped over so far, Bess worried that is might topple over.

Bess hadn't seen her Mammi in three years, and when she stepped out of the buggy, she was even bigger than the last time she saw her. When Bess inquires as to her health on the buggy ride home, Mammi mentions all she had done was have her teeth pulled. It isn't until then, that Bess realizes, that the mission of mercy she believed she was her to do, was all a lie. She was merely going to be another pair of hands for the summer and pick roses.

Yet when Bess meets a strange, tall, broad-shouldered boy with dark,roguish eyes, she suddenly saw here summer plans looking up.

In the latest book, The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher, we are taken into the lives of Bess Riehl and a new cook in town called Lainey O'Toole, who believes God has brought her into the town of Stoney Ridge to discover how her decision about her past has impacted so many.

I received this book compliments of Litfuse Publicity for my honest review and have to say this book will not disappoint the reader. You are drawn into the simple life of Bertha and how this summer will change the lives of so many in the town of Stoney Ridge. This book rates a 5 out of 5 stars.

For more information on this book, the author and where to purchase a copy of the book, please click on the link below:

The Search by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest installment of the Lancaster County Secrets, The Search, is just out and to celebrate Suzanne is hosting The Search iPad Giveaway!

One Grand Prize winner will receive an iPad Prize Package worth over $500 and includes:

• A brand new iPad (16KB with Wi-Fi)


• Signed copies of all three Lancaster Country Secrets books (The Choice, The Waiting, & The Search)

To enter, simply click on the icons below to fill out the entry form/s, then tell 5 or more friends about the contest. Oh, and enter soon! Winner will be announced on February 3rd at Suzanne's Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party. (Did you know The Search takes place on a rose farm?)

Facebook Party:

Join Suzanne for the Everything is Coming Up Roses Facebook Party on February 3rd! She’ll be announcing the winner of the The Search iPad Giveaway, hosting a book club discussion of The Search, giving away copies of all three books and HEAPS of other readerly prizes! Including roses delivered to your door for three months for you AND a friend! Be sure to join us on Thursday, February 3rd at 5:00 PM PST (6:00 MST, 7:00 CST & 8 EST) at Suzanne’s Author Page.