Amish fiction with a different direction -- Amish Promises

Leslie Gould's Amish Promises goes a little different direction from typical Amish fiction.  The fact that there is a strong military element presents an interesting and unexpected tension to the story.

There are several strong characters in the story, with a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.  The struggles both the English and Amish individuals experience provide a very intriguing story, with several twists and turns that keep the interest level high.  Friendship, faith, and true love are important themes throughout.

The story contains many difficult moments and at times moves a little slowly.  And it takes a little effort to get to know and keep up with all the characters and their place in the big picture.  But all in all, it is a very good story that I would recommend to fans of Amish fiction or Christian fiction in general.

Thanks to Leslie Gould and Bethany House for providing a copy of Amish Promises in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

Journey Down a Quiet Lane in Lancaster County Where Love and Heartache and Friendship and Healing Meet

When Joel and Shani Beck arrive at their new home, they're looking for peace. Shani is thrilled to have Joel back from Iraq, but he needs time to heal, and the quiet of Lancaster seems just the place. They can't imagine any trouble with their Amish neighbors, the Lehmans, but things get off to a rocky start when their son is involved in an accident that injures one of the Lehman boys.

Eve Lehman has run her brother's household ever since the death of his wife, but Tim's a stern patriarch. Despite his protests, she's drawn to the new neighbor, Shani, and the two begin to form a strong friendship forged on faith and family. Things seem like they've quieted down until Joel's single and handsome army friend Charlie catches Eve's attention--a man unlike any Eve has ever met. Suddenly life for both families becomes more complicated than any of them could have ever imagined.

About the Author

Leslie Gould is the author of the bestselling Courtships of Lancaster County series and coauthor, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 bestselling The Amish Midwife. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct professor. She resides with her family in Portland, Oregon.

The best "Huckleberry Hill" story yet -- Huckleberry Harvest

As I've said in previous reviews -- you can count on a Jennifer Beckstrand "Huckleberry (anything)" book being a great read.

Huckleberry Harvest is the best yet of Anna and Felty Helmuth's adventures in matchmaking for their unsuspecting grandchildren.  Anna's cooking, knitting, and scheming, along with Felty's subtle cunning provide the setting for a touching story that mixes deep feelings with a healthy dose of humor. 

Jennifer has taken a common premise through five books, but has kept the story fresh each time. Her creativity is evident as her continuing matchmaker characters change little from story to story even as their methods of operation vary as needed for the moment.

The strength of this story -- and what I think made it my favorite -- is the deep look into the challenging experiences and feelings of the main characters, Mandy and Noah.  In this book Jennifer tackles a very difficult subject -- but she does it with care and sensitivity, showing her ability to write entertaining fiction while keeping things real.

I highly recommend Huckleberry Harvest to fans of Amish fiction or to anyone looking for a delightful story.  Thanks to Jennifer and her publisher for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

Mandy Helmuth doesn’t like Noah Mischler. Not one little bit. First he breaks her best friend’s heart, and then he has the nerve to chastise her for being a busybody. She feels quite justified in her dislike until Noah does something heroic, like save her life, and she’s forced to bestow her grudging respect even as she determines to keep her distance. But when she unwittingly stumbles into his family troubles, she catches a glimpse of the person Noah so successfully hides from others. Will Mandy be able to look past Noah’s rough and unyielding exterior to see the man she is destined to love?

Much to Noah Mischler’s annoyance, uppity Mandy Helmuth thinks she has the right to tell him how to live his life. If he weren’t helping Mandy’s grandfather install a stove and fix his roof, Noah wouldn’t be within a mile of Huckleberry Hill or that nosy girl who gives him a lecture every time she opens her mouth. But when Mandy discovers the horrible truth about his father, Noah is forced to reveal humiliating secrets that he’s never shared with anyone. He trusts her with his secrets, but can he trust her with his heart?

About the Author:

Jennifer Beckstrand is the bestselling author of The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series set in beautiful northern Wisconsin. The first four books in the series are now available in stores and online: Huckleberry Hill, Huckleberry Summer, Huckleberry Christmas, and Huckleberry Spring. Huckleberry Harvest comes out May 26. Jennifer has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people and loves writing about the antics of Anna and Felty Helmuth, the two scheming Amish grandparents who try to help their grandchildren find suitable mates in Huckleberry Hill. Who would ever suspect two elderly Amish folks of mischief? 

Jennifer has a degree in mathematics, which comes in handy when one of her six children needs help with algebra. After twenty-five years of being a chauffeur, cook, maid, and nurse, she embarked on a writing career. Jennifer is a member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers and is represented by Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency.

She and her husband have been married for thirty years, and she has four daughters, two sons, and three adorable grandsons, whom she spoils rotten.

Find out more about Jennifer and her books:

jenniferbeckstrand.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jenniferbeckstrandfans

Twitter: @JenniferBeckst1

Sweet Romance -- Whenever You Come Around

Whenever You Come Around is a sweet romance set in the midst of the beauty of Kings Meadow, Idaho.  In typical fashion, Robin Lee Hatcher creates rich characters with deep emotions who interact through an engaging plot filled with just the right amount of tension and intrigue.

The promise of budding romance is pretty obvious from the first pages. And the story goes deeper into the realm of forgiveness (especially for one's self) and healing of deep, long-held wounds. The story has a contemporary setting with some current issues that all come together in a warm tale of faith and love.

I highly recommend this very enjoyable read from a great author.

Thanks to Booklook Bloggers for providing a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

About the Book:

Just when Charity's wild imagination failed her, a flesh-and-blood hero walked into her life.

Best-selling author Charity Anderson returns to her hometown of Kings Meadow to defeat a bad case of writer's block. She imagines she'll spend a lonely summer writing and then return to her home in Boise. She soon finds herself caring for Buck Malone, a wilderness guide-and the object of her unrequited teenage crush. But what else can she do? Her dog Cocoa caused the accident that left Buck with a broken ankle and wrist, taking him off the trail for weeks of prime tourist-season work.

Buck and Charity have gone different ways since high school, and at first it seems they have little in common. Buck loves the simple, low-key life he's made for himself in the mountains of Idaho, and she's a woman accustomed to the faster, bustling pace of the city. But spending so much time together has Buck hoping to change her mind about staying in the small town she thought she'd left behind for good.

It's a summer for discovering that young love is a spark not soon extinguished.

About the Author:

Robin Lee Hatcher is the bestselling author of 70 books. Her numerous awards include the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction, the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance, and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. Robin and her husband currently reside in Idaho. For more information, visit www.robinleehatcher.com.