Showing posts with label Amish Romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 16, 2022

The Sugarcreek Surprise (Creektown Discoveries #2) by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Title: The Sugarcreek Surprise (Creektown Discoveries #2)

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Pages: 320

Release Date: March 1, 2022

Genre: Amish Romance

Publisher: Barbour Fiction

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of the book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

Welcome to Sugarcreek, Ohio, where the Amish schoolteacher has a determined admirer. Tragically losing her parents as a child, Lisa Miller has grown up being afraid of loving and losing. She dedicates herself to teaching at an Amish schoolhouse and helping the grandparents who raised her, all the while avoiding the advances of newcomer Paul Herschberger. Paul enjoys antiques and meets Orley Troyer while looking for unique old milk bottles at yard sales. Orley and his wife offer prayers and advice as Paul tries to reach Lisa’s closed heart. But when secrets are revealed, will Lisa use them as an excuse to close herself off again?

My review:

This is a delightful Amish romance!

Both Paul and Lisa are very well developed. I felt a lot of compassion for Lisa very quickly after meeting her. She had a lot of tragedy in her childhood and was still carrying the scars from it emotionally. I desperately wanted to see her work through the pain and move on with her life. Paul was also trying to move on from a painful situation. I enjoyed seeing how Paul and Lisa were able to develop a friendship and then use that to heal.

The plot of this story was wonderful. There was plenty of hardship and troubles that Lisa and Paul had to deal with that helped them grow. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how Lois and Orley Troyer, along with older family members, were able to support both of them and encourage them to trust God with what they were going through.

I’m giving this delightful book a rating of 5 stars. I highly recommend it. The main characters from the first book in the series are mentioned, but there is no reason to read it first.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention or review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I have done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

The Beloved Christmas Quilt by Wanda E., Jean, and Richelle Brunstetter

Title: The Beloved Christmas Quilt

Author: Wanda E., Jean, and Richelle Brunstetter

Pages: 400

Year: 2017

Genre: Amish Romances

Publisher: Shiloh Run Press

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

One quilt binds three generations of Amish women in these three stories of family, romance, and Amish faith by bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, her daughter-in-law, Jean, and granddaughter, Richelle.

For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for they name’s sake lead me, and guide me. Psalm 31:3

The scripture embroidered on the back of a beloved quilt brings hope to three generations of Pennsylvania Amish women at Christmastime.

Luella’s Promise

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Luella Ebsersol has been caregiver for a dying woman and her young son. The Dena Lapp gives Luella her favorite quilt, she makes Luella promise to pass it down to her daughter. But Luella isn’t sure she will ever marry if she can’t find someone with maturity and faith like Dena’s husband Atlee Zook.

Karen’s Gift

by Jean Brunstetter

Karen Allgyer and her husband moved to a slow-paced village to raise their children, but Karen longs for the closeness of family to help her through the challenges of managing three girls with one on the way. When life’s pressures rise, will Karen cave to her fears?

Roseanna’s Groom

by Richelle Lynn Brunstetter

When the unexpected happens on the day of her wedding, Roseanna Allgyer can’t help blaming herself, despite not understanding why. Then an old friend returns to town, and she battles feeling for him—afraid of being hurt again.

My review:

This in an incredible set of three Amish romances!

I love all of the main characters in this book. Each of the authors wrote one of the stories. All three of them did an amazing job of developing wonderful characters and great relationships between them.

Each story is a separate romance. They are each very different in the difficulties that the couples face. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that they each center on God and trusting Him to carry them through the hard times.

One of my favorite aspects of this collection of stories is that they all have a family heirloom as a common factor between them.

I thoroughly enjoyed each of the stories in this book. I’m giving it a rating of 5 stars. I definitely recommend it.

Saturday, August 28, 2021

The Brides of the Big Valley by Wanda E., Jean, and Richelle Brunstetter

Title: The Brides of the Big Valley

Author: Wanda E., Jean, and Richelle Brunstetter

Pages: 448

Year: 2019

Genre: Amish Romance

Publisher: Shiloh Run Press

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

In an area of Pennsylvania called The Big Valley, a uniquely blended Amish community thrives in which 3 distinct groups of Amish identify themselves by the colors of their buggy’s top—white, black, or yellow. Join New York Times Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter, her daughter-in-law, and granddaughter in experiencing the stories of three young women who search for faith and love within this special place. Deanna is a widow who sees her second chance of love slipping away. Rose Mary is at a point in life where she must choose the path of her faith and the right man to walk with her on it. Leila is burdened with family responsibilities and wonders when she will ever start a family of her own.

My review:

Three incredible Amish romances!

Each of the three authors wrote a separate story. They are set in the same town though the main characters are in different Amish communities. I was fascinated by seeing the differences among the communities. As I went through the stories I loved the fact that in the latter two there was at least a mention of a character from the previous ones.

All of the authors developed wonderful characters. I loved all of the main ones. The stories are each unique and captured my interest very quickly. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how each person dealt with the difficulties that they faced. Each main character had wonderful people supporting and encouraging them along the way.

I’m giving this wonderful book a rating of 5 stars. I highly recommend it. I’m really looking forward to reading anything else these ladies write.

Thursday, December 10, 2020

The Blended Quilt by Wanda E. Brunstetter & Jean Brunstetter

Title: The Blended Quilt

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter & Jean Brunstetter

Pages: 288

Release Date: November 1, 2020

Genre: Amish Romance

Publisher: Shiloh Run Press

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

Will pursuing Sadie’s dreams mean leaving a romance behind?

Sadie Kuhns has a lot happening in her life. She is creating a unique quilt by blending a traditional Amish pattern with a Hawaiian pattern as a tribute to her time spent in the islands, and she is working on a self-published book. But her relationship with Wyman Kauffman has stagnated after six months of courtship. He can’t seem to commit to a profession that would secure a future, and he is jealous of the time Sadie gives to her own pursuits. Is there really any reason to drag this courtship out? Only time will tell in this new novel from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, writing with her daughter-in-law Jean Brunstetter.

My review:

This is a wonderful Amish fiction book.

I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know both Sadie Kuhns and Wyman Kaufman. They each have some personal problems that they need to work through. At the same time they are trying to figure out how to make a relationship with each other work.

The biggest question that they had to work out individually was sorting out their own priorities. Once they had that answered then they just needed to make each decision they were faced with based on that answer. This is a universal question that everyone has to deal with. I loved watching their growth as they processed it and figured out what mattered most in their lives.

They each have a number of people surrounding them helping them grow. Some of them were only providing listening ears as they wrestled with their problems. I loved seeing the variety of people that were supporting them even while dealing with their own problems. This is truly what being part of a community is all about.

I am giving this incredible book a rating of 5 stars. I definitely recommend it. Though it is not listed anywhere as a series. I think that it should be read after the 2 books in the Hawaiian Series: The Hawaiian Quilt and The Hawaiian Discovery. I wish that I had done so myself.

Thursday, August 6, 2020

The Mockingbird's Song (Amish Greenhouse Mystery #2) by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Title: The Mockingbird’s Song (Amish Greenhouse Mystery #2)

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Pages: 320

Release Date: August 1, 2020

Genre: Amish Fiction / Romance

Publisher: Shiloh Run Press

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

Where is the hope in grief for a young Amish widow?

Sylvia has been nearly paralyzed with grief and anxiety since the tragic death of her husband, father, and brother in a traffic accident. She tries to help in the family’s greenhouse while caring for her two young children, but she prefers not to have to deal with customers. Her mother’s own grief causes her to hover over her children and grandchildren, and Sylvia seeks a diversion. She takes up birdwatching and soon meets an Amish man who teaches her about local birds. But Sylvia’s mother doesn’t trust Dennis Weaver, and as the relationship sours, mysterious attacks on the greenhouse start up again.

My review:

This is a fantastic Amish novel!

I love the main characters in this book. It was great seeing how all of the members of the King family are progressing through the grieving process. Some of the have made more progress than others. This makes the story very realistic.

The acts of vandalism that begin in the first book continue. There are a few people that seem to be likely suspects. That just keeps me guessing. I do tend to get frustrated with Belinda’s refusal to report it to the sheriff. I look forward to finding out who the culprit is in the final book of the series.

I am giving this wonderful book a rating of 5 stars. I highly recommend it. This is part of a true series. You should read the books in order.

Thursday, July 23, 2020

The Crow's Call (Amish Greenhouse Mystery #1) by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Title: The Crow’s Call (Amish Greenhouse Mystery #1)

Author: Wanda E. Brunstetter

Pages: 320

Release Date: March 1, 2020

Genre: Amish Fiction / Mystery / Romance

Publisher: Shiloh Run Press

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

Mysterious events plague a greenhouse in Pennsylvania’s Amish country.

When Vernon King, his son, and son-in-law are involved in a terrible accident, three women are left to cope with their deaths, as they become the sole providers of the family they have left. The women’s only income must come from the family greenhouse, but someone seems to be trying to force them out of business.

Amy King has just lost her father and brother, and her mother needs her to help run the family’s greenhouse. It doesn’t seem fair to ask her to leave a job she loves, when there is still a sister and brother o help. But Sylvia is also grieving for her husband while left to raise two children, and Henry, just out of school, is saddled with all the jobs his father and older brother used to do. As Amy assumes her new role, she also asks Jared Riehl to put their courtship on hold. When things become even more stressful at the greenhouse, will Amy crumble under the pressure?

My review:

This is a wonderful Amish novel!

My emotions were completely caught up in this story before the end of the first chapter. I connected with all of the King family as soon as I met them. Anyone who has had a loved one die will relate with the deep grief they are dealing with. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how the author had the various family members deal with it.

I liked seeing how the mystery developed. It wasn’t resolved by the end of this book so I guess this is going to be an ongoing storyline through the series.

There were a number of community characters that came into the story in a way that I believe this series is set in the same location as The Prayer Jars series, by the same author. I will definitely be reading those books as soon as possible.

I loved this book so much that I have to give it a rating of 5 stars. I highly recommend it.

Monday, September 24, 2018

Priscilla's Escape (The Bishop's Daughters #3) by Diane Craver + A GIVEAWAY

About the Book

Book Title: Priscilla’s Escape

Author: Diane Craver

Genre: Amish Romance, Contemporary

Release date: March 23, 2018

When faith and freedom collide, mistakes made in the past may decide the future.

Twenty-year-old Priscilla King is unsure about joining the Amish Church and wants to use her rumspringa freedom to paint beach landscapes. She’s been offered a two-month-long nanny position in Siesta Key, Florida by an author on a tight writing deadline. The opportunities presented are more than a little tempting for Priscilla, even if it means disappointing her parents and leaving her new boyfriend.

Stephen Hertzler grew up in an Amish family, but, like Priscilla, he’s undecided about joining the church. He loves Priscilla and wants to marry her, though he knows she’s not ready to decide about anything other than her summer plans. His biggest worry is that she’ll meet someone else in Florida and forget him.

When Priscilla’s parents sabotage her part-time job at a local fabric store to dissuade her from following a “worldly lifestyle” in taking the nanny position in Florida, Priscilla is distraught. She knows she would regret not taking this chance. Leaving a note, she sneaks out in disobedience of her parents’ wishes.

Free to paint, dreams she’s never fully envisioned before seem within reach…but at what price?

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Review

This is a charming Amish romance.

I love both Priscilla and Stephen. They are extremely believable. They have very normal questions about their faith and how God wants them to live their lives. I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that they started by developing a friendship based on common interests and an ease in talking things over with each other.

The way that Priscilla’s family came together to discuss the situation when she left home was fantastic. That was a remarkable example of a close knit family working together when faced with difficulty.

There were a number of times that things that happened prior to the beginning of this book were discussed. I felt that many of them may have taken place in previous books about the King family.

This is the first book that I’ve read by this author. I thoroughly enjoyed it and am giving it a rating of 5 stars. I am highly recommending it. I will be reading more of her books.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the Author

Diane grew up on a farm outside Findlay, Ohio, and she often acted out characters from her own stories in the backyard. In high school Diane would read during classes and hide a novel in front of her in a propped-up textbook. After her high school graduation, she attended Ohio State University. Then Diane became a schoolteacher and play director. She met her husband while teaching at an orphanage, and they married three years later. It took her that long to convince him she was the one for him! While raising their family in southwestern Ohio, Diane started writing nonfiction and was published. Later she decided it would be a nice escape to write fiction. Diane was blessed with five daughters and one son. Two daughters were born with Down syndrome and live with Diane and her husband. Their other children live close by in Ohio so that’s wonderful. They also have four precious grandchildren. Diane published through a variety of houses. Several years ago, she decided to self-publish her books, so requested the rights back to her previously published stories. From the beginning, she enjoyed self-publishing her Amish romances. Diane gives thanks to God daily for her many blessings.

Guest Post from Diane

Hello, Reader Friends,

Priscilla’s Escape is Book 3 in The Bishop’s Daughters Series. This story features Priscilla King, and she is the fourth child born to Amos and Lillian King. You may remember meeting Priscilla in my Dreams of Plain Daughters Series. After I finished writing this series, I decided to continue to write about the Amish and English characters living in Fields Corner, Ohio. They became family and real to me.

The King family have six children with only one son. That is like our Craver family because we have five daughters and one son. Through the years, our family has faced certain challenges with two daughters being born with Down syndrome. Although Priscilla doesn’t have any siblings with special needs, she feels overlooked in her family. It’s like she’s invisible to her parents, especially to her father. He doesn’t understand her passion for painting but favors Molly’s talent for quilting. Everyone needs a cheerleader in their corner at times, and Priscilla is no different. Fortunately, her new boyfriend, Stephen, listens to her dream to paint beach pictures. He even understands her desire to wait to join the church.

All families suffer some type of hardships. It does seem like some more than others. A family’s faith in God gives them hope in their daily lives. Whatever the level of the pain, staying close to God and listening to his voice, gives us the strength to survive. The King family have their share of tragedies, but their faith reminds steadfast. When Priscilla leaves their close-knit unit, they all reach out to her by letter and phone calls. Her siblings even tell their father that he needs to share his secret with Priscilla.

I hope you will enjoy reading Priscilla’s Escape. There is a lot happening in the King family, so you can catch up with your favorite romantic couples in this novel. If you love going to the beach as much as I do, I think you’ll love reading about Priscilla’s beach experiences – some are good, and others are not.

Blog Stops

The Becca Files, September 22

The Avid Reader, September 22

Vicky Sluiter, September 23

Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, September 23

D’S QUILTS & BOOKS, September 24

Mary Hake, September 24

God’s Little Bookworm, September 25

Splashes of Joy, September 25

Because I said so – adventures in Parenting, September 26

Inklings and notions, September 26

Maureen’s Musings, September 27

Luv’N Lambert Life, September 27

KarenSueHadley, September 28

Quiet Quilter, September 29

proud to be an autism mom, September 29

Bibliophile Reviews, September 30

Not Enough Time for Books, October 1

Carpe Diem, October 1

Blogging With Carol, October 2

A Baker’s Perspective, October 2

Texas Book-aholic, October 3

Janices book reviews, October 4

Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, October 5

Bigreadersite, October 5

Giveaway

To celebrate her tour, Diane is giving a grand prize that includes a $25 Amazon Gift Card & The Bishop’s Daughters: A Three Book Collection – Amish Baby Snatched, A Plain Widow, and Priscilla’s Escape (paperback or eBook)!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

https://promosimple.com/ps/d35a/priscilla-s-escape-celebration-tour-giveaway

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Thursday, July 12, 2018

Firestorm by Laura V. Hilton + A GIVEAWAY

About the Book

Title: Firestorm

Author: Laura Hilton

Genre: Christian Amish

Release Date: July, 2018

Bridget Behr and her family migrate from the bustling Amish community where she grew up in Ohio to the mostly unpopulated Upper Peninsula of Michigan after a stalker breaks into their home. While her father and brother try to find work in the area, the family is forced to reside in a borrowed RV until the house and barn are rebuilt. While Bridget is hoping for a fresh start, she’s afraid to trust anyone—even Gabriel, the overly-friendly Amish man who lives nearby. Bridget thinks he’s a flirt who serial dates and doesn’t even remember the girls’ names.

Due to not enough construction work in his Florida community to keep him out of trouble, Gabriel Lapp has been sent to Michigan to work. His father is desperate for his son to settle down. When the family walks into Gabe’s home in the middle of a thunderstorm and he discovers their circumstances, he offers to help with construction. For Gabe, the beautiful girl he teasingly calls “the recluse” once he discovers she doesn’t attend youth events, confuses him like none other.

As Gabriel and Bridget grow closer, they realize there is more to a person than meets the eye. Just as Bridget is finally settling into her new life, and perhaps finding love, tragedy strikes. Now Bridget and her family must decide if they should move to another Amish community, or dare to fight for the future they’d hoped for in Mackinac County.

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Review

This is an incredible Amish romance!

From the very beginning I was captivated by Bridget. She is an extremely well developed character with many facets. The fears and conflicted emotions that she has were easy to understand with the background information that is given about her life before moving to the Upper Peninsula.

The development of the rest of the main characters was just as thorough. I feel like I got to know them and the motivations for their actions too. There were so many heavy burdens that were being dealt with it seemed as if it were real life. This book is not a light escape as some are.

I loved the fact that there were strong believers. They were doing all that they could to help Bridget, Gabe and the others who were struggling, to draw closer to God and trust Him more. The journeys that Gabe and Hosea, Bridget’s daed, had to take were very realistic. They were both very understandable for men going on to be strong spiritual leaders.

This book is so wonderful that I have to give it a rating of 5 stars. I am definitely highly recommending it. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in this series when it comes out. I don’t even know the title for it, but it is already going on my to-be-read list.

About the Author

Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning, sought-after author with over twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she’s not writing, she reviews books for her blogs, and writes devotionals for blog posts for Seriously Write.

Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas. One son is in the U.S. Coast Guard. She is a pastor’s wife, and homeschools her two youngest children.

When she’s not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, her favorite holiday is Christmas.

Guest Post from Laura Hilton

I read a series of books a year or so ago by another Amish author who had set her books in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. As a Michigan native, I was curious, and I researched, but found nothing about Upper Peninsula Amish except a notation that one had tried and failed. So I contacted the author. She told me that she’d never been there, and her research had all been hearsay, so with that lack of firsthand knowledge and no trip to the Upper Peninsula planned, no trip to see for myself would be possible. At least at that time.

Then God intervened. My son who is in the United States Coast Guard was stationed in the Upper Peninsula this past summer (2017.) He saw the Amish driving around in their buggies. And he felt like a stalker as he followed one to see where he went and drove through the area. He even sent pictures. (Shhhh.)

Yes, there are Amish in the Upper Peninsula – at least at the time this book was written.

Okay, as a Michigan native, I used some terms that may not be familiar to non-Michiganders. A Yooper is someone who lives in the Upper Peninsula. A Troll is someone from the Lower Peninsula. A pastie is kind of like a Hot Pocket, except it’s a meat pie made with root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and rutabagas. They are so good. And the straits are the area of the Great Lakes connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron.

As for the wildfire, the earliest wildfire I could find any documentation on in the Upper Peninsula was in April. It is generally a snowy area — trust me. I lived near the Muskegon area and saw snow drifts in May. We sometimes had over six feet of snow on the ground at one time. So, to get the wildfire when I wanted/needed the wildfire I used artistic license. Yes, fires really happened in Michigan’s history. Just not in the month mentioned in the book.

I am attaching a meme about Michigan seasons. We’ll call the fire set in “fool’s spring.” My son got married during the “third winter” this year. April 21 and there’s snow on the ground. He and his beautiful bride got married at a water fall (Tahquomenon Falls) very near where the story is set.