Life, Love and Books

A Life Once Dreamed by Rachel Fordham This is my first time ever reading a book written by Rachel Fordham, I truly love getting to read new to me authors. The first thing that draws me to this book is the cover which portrays an genre that I have loved since I was a little girl, the genre historical.  As you open to the first page you are drawn back to a time when things were very different than they are know. A time when things were more simple, but also women  only had some many choices of what they could do in their life. Our heroine Agnes Pratt has a deep secret that sent her running away from the life that she had dreamed of. It has led her to the small  town of Penance, where she has established herself as the beloved schoolteacher of the their kids. Life has settled into a rhythm for Agnes and she has built friendships in the six years in her new home. But when her life is upset by the arrival of her childhood friend, things turn upside d...

An Amish Christmas Bakery by Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller and Kelly Irvin Sorry I am a little late on sharing this review, but I think we need a little Christmas Cheer at the beginning of this new year.  Cookies and Cheer by Amy Clipston Alyssa Byler has amazing ideas for the bakery store display window, for this Christmas season she comes up with the idea of a Sugar cookie Nativity scene. She reaches out to the local blacksmith's son, Kyle Smoker to make the much needed cookie cutters. When the display brings in more customers than the bakery can handle, Alyssa starts to put in more hours at work then she has time for. While Kyle is starting to feel overwhelmed by the amount of orders that are coming in for the cookie cutters. Will Kyle and Alyssa be able to put aside the craziness of the holiday rush to see what it is right in front of them? Will they be able to see the beauty of Christmas and the love it bring to us?...

Protecting Tanner Hollow By Lynette Eason Lynette Eason brings four suspense filled novellas in one book. From a old flame returning home, a witness to a murder, a mother on the run to protect her children and a forensic supervisor with a target on her back. Each of these stories interconnect thru out the book, bringing it to the end with the last story.  You do not feel as if you are left wanting to know where the other couples have went in life, they each have a cameo in the next novella till the end. This is something I loved about this book, Lynette gives you glimpses into the lives of the couples. This book will keep you turning the pages till the end of the book. "I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by the publisher. A favorable review was not required, all views expressed are my own." 

Listening to Love by Beth Wiseman   In the second installment of the Amish Journey series, we find englischer Natalie Collins and Lucas; the older brother of Levi Sheltar having friday night suppers together. As time passes, the two have become very much best friends to the concern of their family and dear friends Levi and Mary. The opinions of those around them, starts to frustrate Natalie, who adamantly says that it is friendship only. But deep down she is realizing that her feelings have grown toward love for Lucas.  Lucas loves getting to talk with Natalie in the late night hours, but time has come that he has to face the truth of the struggle between their two ways of life. To leave would cause so much pain for his family. Also he knows that asking Natalie to walk away from her plan to become a veterinarian, would break her heart. But the more time they spend together the truth starts coming out that they have feelings for each other When Natal...

An Amish Homecoming: Four Stories Stories about homecoming are very heartwarming and stir us toward hope for all. Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Shelley Shepard Gray and Kathleen Fuller come together to bring us this wonderful book.  No Place Like Home Amy Clipston Estranged from her parents, Eva Dienner has been staying with her in-laws. since she lost her husband. Now she feels it is time for her son to meet his maternal grandparents. Upon arriving back at her parents, she finds that the neighbor has been doing a lot of the work on the farm. Unsure of how she feels about this situation and how to put her past behind her? When Love Returns Beth Wiseman Sarah Zook is forced to move back to her parents, when the Hurricane Harvey destroys her home. Her return raises feelings that Abram King thought was buried forever. One look at Sarahs daughter tells him the truth, that he still loves Sarah. Now they need to find a way to face the past to b...

Love Bears All Things (An Amish Secrets Novel) by Beth Wiseman In the second installment of the An Amish Secrets series, we find Charlotte Dolinsky needing time to recover from a bad breakup with her boyfriend. When suddenly the answer to her troubles shows up on her doorsteps in the form of her Amish friend's brother. Turning away from all of her life issues, she focuses on helping this young man in his time of struggle. In the midst of all the things going on. Charlotte chooses to be very deceptive of what is going on. But she is not the only one that is hiding secrets from their friends. Daniel Byler lives with a struggle to heal every day in his beloved Amish community, after being betrayed by his fiance. Now his pain has turned to fear after he discover's that another of his family members is in danger of being shunned.His only hope is to turn to the most unlikely person for help, an  Englisher, Charlotte Dolinsky. As the two spend time together,...

Shine like the Dawn by Carrie Turansky Carrie Turansky brings us a very beautiful story that is set in time of  Edwardian Northern  England, Margaret Lounsbury life was uprooted four years ago when tragedy struck in the form of a boating accident taking the lives of her parents and older sister. Her grandmother took in Margaret and her younger sister providing them with a roof over their head and food on the table. Their days are spent with Margaret working in her grandmothers Millinery Shop, while she helps to raise her younger sister. Even though she is willing to do anything to protect her sister, her heart still weighs heavy with the loss of her parents and sister.  When Nathaniel Harcourt receives news from his stepmother telling him of his father's illness. He returns  back home to Morningside Manor in time to say his last goodbyes to his father. Now he is the heir to the partial control of his father's engineering company and the duty of repaying ...

Fraying at the Edge by Cindy Woodsmall With the second installment of The Amish of Summer Grove, we return to find the lives of Ariana Brenneman and Skylar Nash turned all upside down. Both girls have found out that they had been switched at birth and now are to spend a whole year living with their birth families. With only one link to there old lives, each of these girls have to take another look at the world around them. Each from very different worlds now having to take another look at their lives and decide what is the next step to take.   Cindy Woodsmall has brought us another very heartwarming series, that reaches out to each one of us and pulls us in. The story line is about two babies switched at birth, that both come from two very different backgrounds. It is not easy to be uprooted from all you ever known and be placed in a total opposite lifestyle. The way Cindy takes each of the families and intertwine each of their stories, while keeping us turning each ...

Where Two Hearts Meet by Liz Johnson Return to the beautiful Prince Edward Island in the newest arrival from Liz Johnson. We briefly met Caden Holt in the first book of the series as the baker at her fathers shop. Now we find her in the position of executive chef at the Red Door Inn. Being able to do the her favorite thing in life, baking and making meals for others. When word comes that a travel writer is coming to visit the Inn, Caden is placed into a position she does not want. Her boss is concerned about the lack of profit coming in and the promise of a travel writer brings hope in their dire situation. Caden is their best hope at entertaining the writer and showing him the sights while selling the red door inn as a choice for a travel site. Liz Johnson has written another delightful read based on the Prince Edward Island; also the home to the Anne of Green Gables series. I love getting to read about a different area then where I live. Caden reminds me of myself, wan...