An Amish Christmas Love by Beth WisemanAmy ClipstonRuth ReidKelly Irvin
Published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing on September 12th 2017
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Clean & Wholesome, Fiction, Romance
Pages: 400
Source: BookLook Bloggers, Netgalley
A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Booklook Bloggers. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. All opinions are my own.
Purchase: Amazon|Barnes&Noble|Goodreads
Winter Kisses by Beth Wiseman
Three generations of Stoltzfus women are all living under the same roof. At twenty-five, Naomi has never been married, and both her mother, Barbara, and her grandmother, Ruth, have recently been widowed. Each nursing broken or lonely hearts, they also each have potential suitors. When a storm on Christmas Eve forces the three couples to take shelter in the basement of the Stotlzfus homestead, secrets are revealed, hearts are opened, and all three potential grooms drop to their knees for very different reasons a proposal, a prayer, and an epiphany.
I loved this story so much! Many times you have a love story that involves a young woman but rarely do you have a love story involving an elderly woman! In fact, this is a sweet three-for-all with a quirky old grandma, her daughter in law and her granddaughter all finding love. Grandma Ruth was a hoot. I had so many laughs with this one!
The Christmas Cat by Amy Clipston
Emma Bontrager is spending her first Christmas alone after her husband of 45 years, Henry, passed away in July. Although the Amish don t normally allow animals in their homes, a big, fat, orange barn cat keeps coming into Emma’s house. She shoos the cat away, but it continues to appear in her house, settling on Henry s favorite wingchair. But the cat isn’t the only Christmas visitor: a group of young people help bring the Christmas spirit to Emma, reminding her that love and hope abide.
Ahh! Amy Clipston hit it out of the park with this one! I was totally expecting this sappy love story involving a cat. I mean, not that there is anything wrong with a sappy love story. But, I loved that this one wasn’t really a romance so much as a memory. It had such a sweet, cozy vibe. I seriously wanted to curl up with one of my cats and watch Christmas movies after reading this!
Snow Angels by Kelly Irvin
As a young man enjoying his rumspringa, David Byler gave his heart to an Englisch girl, but he eventually realized he couldn’t give up his Plain faith and family for her, so he let her go. He s found a new love in his Bee County Plain community, Molly Shrock. Molly has been patient, waiting for the man she loves to love her back. Just as he is ready to propose, David makes a startling discover: Bobbie McGregor, his Englisch love, is back. Will Molly’s prayers for a Christmas love be answered?
This was a sweet story of love and redemption but I also felt like it was slightly rushed. I wanted to like the characters but David fell from love to lust and then back into love faster than I had time to really process. I’m unsure of how David could work through his confusion so fast. He was clearly attracted to Bobbie and I don’t think it’s so easy to turn your feelings. At least, not so fast. Otherwise, I appreciated imperfect characters finding love and grace in this story.
Home for Christmas by Ruth Reid
When a misdirected GPS sends Ellie Whetstone to the wrong address, she inadvertently finds herself breaking into the home of Amish man, Ezra Mast. Ellie hopes to fix up the house left by her aenti and sell it quickly, but a series of run-ins with Ezra and his young daughter have her questioning whether a hasty sale is the right move. Could this new place with its slower pace be the right home for Ellie?
I loved this story too much. Usually I hate it when there is instant love in a book but within a novella you have to give a little. I love that Ruth included a child with a disability in this book. I don’t often see that in Amish books but she tugged at my heart. I so wanted Ellie and Ezra to fall in love so that they could parent his daughter together. I was slightly disappointed that I didn’t find out what was causing Allison’s seizures. I really hope that Ruth includes these characters in another book sometime. I need to know that she is okay!
About Beth Wiseman:
Award-winning, bestselling author Beth Wiseman is best known for her Amish novels, but she has also written several successful contemporary novels, set primarily in her beloved Texas, including Need You Now and The House that Love Built. Both have received glowing reviews. Beth’s The Promise is inspired by a true story.
About Amy Clipston:
Amy Clipston is the bestselling author of A Gift of Grace and A Promise of Hope in the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series. She lives with her husband, Joe, and two sons in North Carolina.
About Kelly Irvin:
Kelly Irvin is the author of the Every Amish Season and Amish of Bee Countyn series. The Beekeeper’s Son received a starred review fromnbsp; Publisher’s Weekly, who called it “a delicately woven masterpiece.” A former newspaper reporter and retired public relations professional, Kelly lives in Texas with her husband, photographer Tim Irvin. They have two children, two grandchildren, and two cats. In her spare time, she likes to read books by her favorite authors.
About Ruth Reid:
Ruth Reid is CBA and ECPA bestselling author of Amish and Christian fiction, including the Heaven on Earth series, the Amish Wonders series, and several novellas. She works full-time as pharmacist and resides in Florida with her husband and three children. When attending Ferris State University School of Pharmacy in Big Rapids, Michigan, she lived on the outskirts of an Amish community and had several occasions to visit the Amish farms. Her interest grew into love as she saw the beauty in living a simple life.
Ooh!! I loved this collection!! I think the last one was my favorite