The Amish Widow's Club --The Unexpected Caller by Shelley Shepard Gray

 Being in the "widows" club, I totally enjoyed reading this sweet book.  After a not so happy marriage with a husband who felt control was the life for them, Leanna has found that she can do well without being an Amish wife.  She becomes independant and learns what is necessary for the new role of being a widow.  She gets invited to a "club" of ladies with similar life experience, she finds friendship, understanding and hope.  She has no children and in her fortys she is sure that won't happen. That hope seems to be out of reach.  Until a certain person comes to her door.  But that is not what she had planned on.  

This is a book that I really enjoyed.  It was well written and held my attention throughout.  It appears that this is a part of a series so I am so looking forward to the next book!  Can't wait.  If you enjoy Amish fiction and romance, you will be very happy that you picked up this book!

I received an ARC copy of this book.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Christmas Promises by Shelley Shepard Gray (A Matchmaker Knows Best Romance Book 2)

This was book 2 of this cute series of the Loaves of Love Food Bank and all that it has in store, besides just bread. I had read the first book and really enjoyed it and was so happy to have the chance to read this one as well!  It was a sweet romance and brings about characters that are familiar from the earlier book, Their Surprise Reunion. Chloe is dating Adam, but are there "other" sparks that might be brewing?  I loved this!  It was so sweet to see the relationships develop and where things are headed.  I think you will really enjoy this book as I did.  I received an ARC of this book.  And I loved it!

B is for Bonnet by Shelley Shepard Gray Book 2 Amish ABC's

I was lucky to read both books of this series.  I knew when I read the first book, that I wanted to keep reading this series.  And glad that I did.  It was a light read and a story of 4 siblings that had experienced  a divorce of their parents prompting them to move to the grandparent's home and considered joining the Amish faith, which was the original faith of their father who "jumped the fence". This was "Jonny's story in which he meets Amish Treva after hearing of news of his health that need addressing by changing his  personal lifestyle.  Forgiving others was a strong thread that carried through the story

The story was sweet and I enjoyed it. It was a good read and I look forward to C is for Courtship!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unforgotten: (Amish Romantic Suspense Story with Forgiveness and Second Chances) By Shelley Shepard Gray

Bethanne has found life hard after an attempted assault.  She lives with the memory and it fills her mind. Her cousin is running for Miss Crittenden County and has a stalker. Its an amazing Amish suspense that keeps you reading because you have to find out who the culprit is.  The characters are great and the storyline is very realistic.  It definitely keeps you on the edge of your seat.  And of course there is romance and so it has all the good stuff! Well recommended!

I received an ARC copy of this book.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Christmas Gathering by Shelley Shepard Gray, Lenora Worth, Rachel J. Good

This book contains three separate stories of  Amish holiday time.  They are sweet stories and each is different than the others.  I enjoyed each of the stories.  The stories were all good and I think my favorite was The Christmas Reunion.  In some ways reminded me of family holiday get-togethers and there is often a "stray" person as a guest.  In this case it was a non-Amish young man and how he related to the family members.  The second story was about a long-standing family feud of two Amish families.  It's interesting how it continues through time until...a new romance blossoms between the feuding families.  The last story was about "Rebel Amish" and the problems that occurred as a group of young Amish youth start a band, which is not abiding by the Amish rules.  I enjoyed all the stories and they were fun holiday reads. 

I received an ARC of this book from one of the authors.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Unforgiven by Shelley Shepard Gray

This was a really well written book.  The characters were believable and understandable.  You knew why they did what they thought they needed to do even though you wish things were different.  It is an emotional story and it really keeps you engaged and wondering what would I do in this situation.  Seth and Tabitha have had past experiences in their lives that have followed them through their days.  The story is one of trust, love, family, community and especially forgiveness which the title shows is not easily coming.  The Christian aspects of the book come through and I enjoy and appreciate that in my reading.

I received an arc copy of this book.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A is for Amish by Shelley Shepard Gray (Amish ABC's book 1)

Four siblings whose parents divorced.  The father formerly Amish, the mother "English".  The siblings have since relied on one another and been close.  They find peace and well-being when visiting their Amish grandparents.  As they discuss things, they decided that they would like to see if they would like to become members of the Amish community of their grandparents.  I really liked this book, because I could see the real possibility of them trying out a new life, one that they found good and hopefully filled with happiness for them.  As Martin and Kelsey start their lives in the Amish community they find friends and acceptance as well as some other interesting characters.  The story leaves you wanting more and I will surely want to read the next book in the series.  I have to know what happens next!  I received a book that I was lucky to win in a giveaway.  All thoughts are my own.

Amish Love Letters by Shelley Shepard Gray, Charlotte Hubbard and Rosalind Lauer

This book consists of four wonderful novellas.  It was such a good book and the three stories were each very different and do not relate to each other.  The novellas were written by very talented authors and I loved each of these stories.  The first deals with a very difficult situation and things which needed to be taken care of.  It was a realistic view of some not so perfect family issues.  

The second story entitled S.W.A.K., takes place in Promise Lodge which there are several books about. I have read the Promise Lodge series and love them.  This story was no exception.  I really enjoyed this story.  I enjoyed how Eddie came to help work on repairs for the Tornado damaged lodge. 

The last story was about a young widow who is navigating life without a husband and wondering what the future will bring as her parents try to set her up with someone.

Each story revolves around love letters written between two people.  This was a very sweet Amish book and the stories are well written and all very engaging.  You won't want to put the book down.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

 

Her Secret Hope by Shelley Shepard Gray (A Season in Pinecraft Book 3)

This is book 3 of the series.  I felt it was a bit slower and it took a while for me to engage. It touched upon adoption and the feelings that go along with that, which is a topic that has touched my life in many ways.  I love the Pinecraft setting and the book makes me want to go see it for myself.  This was a clean and sweet Amish romance.  I enjoyed seeing some of the characters from the previous books in this series.  The book did touch upon forgiveness, and had sweet characters that filled the pages. 

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.  All thoughts are my own.

Her Only Wish (A Season in Pinecraft Book 2) by Shelley Shepard Gray

A very nicely done Amish book. It is a romance for several couples which was nice and added interesting characters to the story lines.  I loved how Betsy was adventurous and wanted to try new things that she had never done before.  She has a "life list" that she hopes to complete on her month long visit to Pinecraft.  This is the story of August and Betsy, both of whom had some struggles with parents who were controlling in different ways and had not given their children very many opportunities to spread their wings.  I enjoyed Betsy's determination and strength and her ability to step out of her comfort zone.   The characters were well developed and believable.

I recommend this book for readers of Amish fiction.  I really enjoyed this book.  I received a complimentary copy from the publisher.  All thoughts are my own.

Once Upon a Buggy by Shelley Shepard Gray (The Amish of Apple Creek Book 2)

I really enjoyed this book.  I haven't read book 1, but I will now.  This book captured my attention from the start. It was a poignant story of a young man, Carl Hilty, who was badly injured in a fire.  The story of Carl, his family and friends will touch your heart.  There is a strong forgiveness theme in this story and how holding bad feelings can ruin many lives.

I really was happy that I read this book!  I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All thoughts are my own.

Sycamore Circle by Shelley Shepard Gray (The Rumors in Ross County Series)b Book 2 of 2

This book was so interesting!  It mixed the Amish genre with a very contemporary theme.  This is a continuation of the storyline of Lincoln's work of rehabilitating ex-cons to be able to handle life on the outside.  It had romance, danger, mystery and suspense and wonderful characters that you can't help but love.  I have to admit, I found myself wondering how I would react to find myself as the interest of a man who had been incarcerated.  How would I deal with the trust issue, etc.! Joy is a very conscientious divorcee and a mother of a teenage whose life is full of events, dance lessons, and her work as a tutor for those who can't read. As these two meet their story begins.  

Joy receives threatening texts and life becomes very insecure for her and her daughter and it appears there is someone with evil intentions.  This book is very good and I really enjoyed it and didn't know who the culprit was until it was revealed.  It was great!  Definitely want more of this series!

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All thoughts are my own.

Her Heart's Desire by Shelley Shepard Gray (A Season in Pinecraft Book 1)

What wasn't to enjoy about this wonderful book?  I loved the Pinecraft vacation theme and the story of 4 friends sharing and caring for each other.  The book talks of forgiveness, trusting that God is leading us in the direction we should follow and making important life decisions.

The storyline tells of second chances and accepting change.  I really enjoyed the book and hope to read the next book in the series.  The book is about coming to be your true self and moving beyond past mistakes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Publisher.  All thoughts are my own.

Coming Home by Shelley Shepard Gray

This is a story of lost love and finding it again, years later.  The separation  after high school's end, left them with hurt feelings and choices that were not the best.  Chelsea finds herself as a single mother, who loves her son and wants to make the right decisions for both herself and for him.  When she reconnects with Anderson Kelly, they both realize there were mistakes made and aren't sure if the feelings they separated with could ever heal.

This is a sweet story and the characters were both caring and thoughtful of the situation they find themselves in.  The book will make you feel good and there are other characters that play an important role in the lives of the main characters.  The story was realistic and I kept reading to see how it played out.  A good book, one that you will truly enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

An Amish Christmas Star (Blog Tour and Giveaway!) by Shelley Shepard Gray, Charlotte Hubbard and Rosalind Lauer

An Amish Christmas Star

by Charlotte Hubbard

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

GENRE: Inspirational Romance (Amish)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 BLURB:

The crisp fragrance of pine trees and the warm spice of fresh cookies aren’t the only blessings that Christmas brings, and no one knows more about happy homecomings than three couples who are celebrating the greatest gift of all . . .

 

STAR OF WONDER by Charlotte Hubbard

When Raymond Overholt comes to Promise Lodge, hoping to sell the barnboard signs he’s painted with stars and Christmas messages, spirited young Mennonite Lizzie Zehr is intrigued. But any courtship between them will face fierce opposition from the bishop of Raymond’s Old Order community—unless someone can convince him that at the heart of faith lies love . . .

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 EXCERPT:

With the girl’s laughter still dancing in his head, Raymond Overholt tried to refocus his thoughts. If he didn’t convince Mr. Kraybill to sell his handmade plaques, his past several weeks of work would be for nothing. He’d have to return home to Coldstream with his tail between his legs, and face a long, dreary lifetime of milking his dat’s cows. Running a dairy was honest, necessary work but Raymond didn’t enjoy spending his early mornings and late afternoons in a smelly barn disinfecting udders any more than the Holsteins liked having him around. Worse yet, if he overslept, his older brothers did the milking and left the hosing down and mucking out of the stalls for him.

       

“If your customers like these plaques, I can make more,” he assured the steely-haired storekeeper. “I—I really appreciate having the chance to sell them here in your new store. Our bulk market in Coldstream is dim and overcrowded with merchandise, and even if the owner there had display space, he wants nothing to do with artwork. It’s that Old Order thing.”

          

Mr. Kraybill smiled knowingly. “Jah, Amish stores don’t usually carry much that appears English even if they have a lot of customers come in from outside their community to shop,” he acknowledged. “But your plaques carry a solid Christmas message—‘Wise men still follow His star’ and the lyrics to ‘We Three Kings’ are meaningful reminders about following our Lord’s holy light. Thanksgiving always kicks off the Christmas buying season, so we’ll give it a shot, Raymond.”

           

He hoped his grateful grin didn’t appear too adolescent—or desperate. Raymond gazed around the store, where a gal in a pleated Amish kapp was stocking shelves in the rear. A few early shoppers were pushing carts into the grocery section. “If you need some extra hands when things get busy these next few weeks, I’d be happy to help, sir,” he offered. “I’ve not worked in a store, but I’m gut at tallying sums and I’m a quick learner.”

           

“I’ll keep it in mind,” Kraybill said with a nod. 

           

Raymond heard probably not in the storekeeper’s words, but he’d dealt with people’s dismissals before. If he’d dressed in dark broadfall pants with a plain shirt and suspenders—and if he’d chosen glasses with conservative frames—Kraybill might’ve taken him more seriously. But until he had no other choice than to submit to Old Order ways and join the church, Raymond was determined to wear clothing he liked.

           

“I’ll be back in a few days to see how my signs are selling,” he said. “Denki for giving me a chance.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

In 1983, Charlotte Hubbard sold her first story to True Story. She wrote around 70 of those confession stories, and she’s sold more than 60 books to traditional or online publishers. A longtime resident of Missouri, she’s currently writing Amish romances set in imaginary Missouri towns for Kensington. She now lives in Omaha, NE with her husband of 40+ years and their Border collie, Vera.

 www.charlottehubbard.com

 Facebook -- www.Facebook.com/Charlotte.Hubbard1

 Buy Links:

 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Amish-Christmas-Star-Shelley-Shepard-ebook/dp/B09PJ348C8

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/an-amish-christmas-star-shelley-shepard-gray/1140825147

Kensington Publishing:  https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9781496734273/an-amish-christmas-star/

 Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/ip/An-Amish-Christmas-Star-Paperback-9781496734259/385381250

 Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/an-amish-christmas-star/id1602867197

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 My Review:

Well, I just really enjoyed this sweet romance.  It was so enjoyable to watch the characters change and grow in the their own respective ways.  Becca had a goal to travel and needed to train a replacement for her job at the Amish Market.  Gideon's father sent him from Texas to Indiana to fill Becca's shoes.  He is missing Texas and his smaller community of Beeville.  As the story continues, the love story starts to bloom. Going from friends to falling in love in a sweet way was fun to see.

It was interesting to read about her plans to join the Mennonite Disaster Services and to find out about what they do to help others.  I love Amish Markets and shops so it was a fun read.

I received a copy of this book from the author and was not required to give a positive review.  All thoughts are my own.

GIVEAWAY INFORMATION and RAFFLECOPTER CODE

Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $15 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

Please have fun and follow the tour and comment on all the blogs to better your chance of winning! Thanks for being here and share the tour links with your friends!

To Follow the Blog Tour please click here

To enter the Rafflecopter:

Enter Here!

An Amish Christmas Star by Shelley Shepard Gray, Charlotte Hubbard, Rosalind Lauer

 

An excellent set of three Christmas novellas written by three excellent Amish authors.  I really enjoyed them all, despite the fact, Christmas is still a few months away! These stories will definitely set the mood for happy holidays.

Each story was different from the others and it is hard to see the stories end.  These would all be great characters for their own novel.

The first story is about two Amish people needing to get to certain destinations and their various rides give them definite problems along the way.  As they travel together, despite many setbacks, they find their way.

The next story was about Raymond and Lizzie whose relationship is hindered by a Bishop whose own personal feelings cause problems for his congregation, including Raymond and Lizzie, of course.

The final story is about a newlywed couple whose life is disrupted by a job which keeps them apart from one another. 

These are all great stories and so enjoyable to read.  loved them all!

I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All thoughts are my own.

Amish Jane Doe by Shelley Shepard Gray

I was enthralled.  This book will hold your attention throughout.  The characters are wonderfully created and I love how they help one another in this cold case!  The book makes you read it straight through without stopping.  You will not be able to put it down.  The twists and turns will keep you wondering what happens next???  Yes, this one is a page-turner!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author.  All thoughts are my own.

Edgewater Road by Shelley Shepard Gray (The Rumors in Ross County Series)

This book was not at all what I normally have read from this author, that being lots of Amish books.  It was about Jennifer Smiley, a young woman who inherited a house from her grandmother and finding out family secrets and that all is not always as it appears.

Jennifer finds new friendships and then is concerned when she finds out about these new friends that are not what she would have expected.  It's a most interesting book and the storyline is new and different.  There is a touch of Amish here as well!  The book is about forgiving, moving on, and acceptance of those people that have made past mistakes and are trying to repair the past.  And that love is not always perfect.

Such a good book.  I really enjoyed this page-turner.  And I am enjoying how this author is branching out into different styles of writing. I highly recommend this well-written book.

I received an ebook copy from the author.  All thoughts are my own.
 

Widow's Secrets by Shelley Shepard Gray

I was lucky to receive this book gifted to me by the author!  It was fun and interesting to read a contemporary book with mystery and some romance and a touch of Amish life.  I am very used to reading this author's Amish books, and loved this one too.

The main character, Liana, suffered for years at the hands of her abusive husband.  Suddenly he is gone without a trace.  And ten years later, a police officer takes on this cold case.  Will the results be devastating in Liana's life or bring the closure needed for her?  

There is lots of intrigue and hints of what might have happened, yet I wasn't sure until the end how things would work out.  It was a good read and kept me guessing!

An Amish Quilting Bee By Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller, Shelley Shepard Gray

When was the last time you read a story that made you smile and just feel good at the end?  That's what this book did for me. The book contains three unique and different stories that revolve around a quilting theme.  The stories were of different characters, different locations and all were sweet romances.  These were written by some very talented Amish writers that I have been familiar with for many years.  They have kept me reading and enjoying Amish fiction for a very long while.

After I finished the last story, I felt happy and I realized that in each of the stories, there was no super amazing thing that happened, they were all stories of ordinary people doing ordinary things, but written so that the stories were interesting and captivating and made me smile.  It was a very pleasing book and if you want to read an enjoyable and relaxing book, this book is for you.  

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive review.  All thoughts are my own.