Amish Romance at Christmas Time -- Christmas Comes to Morning Star (with EXCERPT and GIVEAWAY)

It's never a bad time to read a good Christmas story, and Charlotte Hubbard's Christmas Comes to Morning Star is definitely a good one to read!

If you have read Morning Star and First Light in Morning Star, you have already met most of the characters in this story and know the history behind the Marketplace where most of them are involved. You can read this book without having read the first two, but I think you will appreciate the story much more if you pick up the others first.

As usual, while Charlotte Hubbard's diligence in her research of the Amish lifestyle shows in her story, she does create communities and characters who stand out from much other Amish fiction. Molly and Marietta, two of the main characters in this story, are strong young ladies who are very vibrant and complex, even as they live within the rules and customs of their community. While romance is an important part of the story, it doesn't happen without its share of challenges. There is a large dose of loss and heartache, as well plenty of love and growth, in this engaging story. It takes a wide range of characters, including a couple of adorable children and an energetic dog, to fill out the plot. And, without giving any spoilers, there is another romance brewing that I'm hoping plays out to a good end in the next book of this series.

I highly recommend Christmas Comes to Morning Star to fans of great Amish fiction. Thanks to Charlotte Hubbard for providing a copy of her book and to Goddess Fish Promotions for allowing me to be a part of this book tour. I am happy to share my own thoughts in this review.

(Be sure to check out the giveaway mentioned at the end of this post for a chance to appear in Charlotte's next book!)

About the Book:

Founded by five unmarried and enterprising Amish maidels, the new Morning Star Marketplace in small-town Missouri is preparing for a joyous Christmas season. But will the holiday also bring unexpected tidings of love?

Twin sisters Molly and Marietta Helfing are eagerly anticipating Christmas, with Marietta fully recovered from cancer and their noodle making business thriving. But Molly clearly misses having former tenant Pete Shetler and his rambunctious dog, Riley, around. Marietta can’t ignore Molly’s feelings for Pete—or the anxiety it stirs within her. Convinced her illness has made her unmarriageable, Marietta wonders what kind of life she’ll have if her sister marries—despite Molly’s promise never to leave her behind. . .

Then a fire destroys the home of Amish neighbors and Molly and Marietta graciously make room for widower Glenn Detweiler, his dat, and his two young boys. When Pete returns to help the family rebuild, Molly relishes her reunion with the handsome carpenter, while Marietta delights in mothering Glenn’s boys—and is surprised by her poignant bond with their quiet, brooding father. Soon everyone is wondering if this season will bring the blessing of a merry double wedding to Morning Star . . .

Read an Excerpt:

When she glanced at her sister, who was placing a strip of noodle dough into the roller, Marietta noticed a rare frown on Molly’s face. “Penny for your thoughts, sister.”           

Molly shrugged. “Sure is quiet without Riley and Pete around.”

Marietta’s eyes widened at her sister’s wistful remark. For several months, Pete Shetler and his golden retriever, Riley, had rented one of their two dawdi hauses. Pete had done some much-needed maintenance around their farm—while his active young dog had mostly dug up Mamm’s flower beds, chewed the belts on their noodle making equipment, and found other trouble to get into.

Pete had moved into his uncle’s house, however. Although Marietta appreciated the return to a quieter routine without their renter, she sensed Molly had secretly adored the muscular blond carpenter and his rambunctious dog.

“Maybe you should pay Pete a visit,” she suggested. “I bet he’d be tickled if you took over a pan of noodle pudding—” 

“Why would I do that?” Molly blurted. “It’s not as though anything would come of a relationship—even if Pete took the hint and asked me out.”

“Why not?” Marietta paused, hoping to express her concerns carefully. “Just because I’ll never marry doesn’t mean you should forfeit a potential romance. Sure, Pete’s clueless most of the time but he seems trainable. And he’s awfully cute.”

“Let’s not forget that Pete refuses to join the Amish church, so a romance would be pointless—even if he knew the meaning of the word,” Molly shot back. “Truth be told, I like Riley better than Pete, anyway. I intend to remain here on the farm with you, sister, like we’ve always agreed upon. We’re turning thirty-five next month, so why would I want to change my life—and my attitude—to accommodate a husband?”

About the Author:

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 50 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

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Click here to see the other stops on the tour.

Giveaway:

Charlotte Hubbard will be awarding a $15 Amazon or Barnes and Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. In addition to the GC, the author would like to select one female reader's name to use in her upcoming book, HIDDEN AWAY AT PROMISE LODGE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Purchasing Information 

Zebra Books •• ISBN-13: 9781420151831 •• ISBN-10: 1420151835

Print: •• Amazon •• Amazon UK •• Amazon Canada •• Barnes & Noble •• Books-A-Million •• Chapters Indigo •• IndieBound ••Kensington •• Target •• The Book Depository ••Walmart 

Ebook: • Kindle •• Kobo •• Google Play •