An Amish Winter (Love Inspired) by Vannetta Chapman and Carrie Lighte

Book Description:

Can love warm their hearts?

Snowstorms and babies bring couples together

in these two sweet Amish novellas.

In Vannetta Chapman’s Stranded in the Snow, widowed single mother Faith Yoder and her baby find temporary refuge from a snowstorm with Elijah King’s generous help. And in Caring for the Amish Baby by Carrie Lighte, after her trip south for the winter is delayed, Amish spinster Leah Zehr must work with Jonathan Rocke to care for her sick friend’s baby.

From Harlequin Love Inspired: Uplifting stories of faith, forgiveness and hope.

My Thoughts:     Two Wonderful Novellas

Stranded in the Snow by Vannetta Chapman

Elijah King has set a very important plan and timeline for himself. When he meets Faith Yoder, he is pretty sure she will play a part in his plans. However, our plans don't always turn out the way we expected, especially since Faith and Elijah see eye to eye on very little. This fact just may put a slight damper on Elijah's plans. 

Caring for the Amish Baby by Carrie Lighte 

Leah Zehr has her entire vacation mapped out and she can’t wait for it to begin. However, Leah has just a slight detour that she needs to take before her long awaited vacation begins. That’s the plan, or rather it was the plan. One thing is for sure.  Leah is absolutely certain that Jonathan Rocke is most definitely not part of the plan.

An Amish Winter is comprised of two novellas that share quite a few common threads. First, the pacing was just right. Neither story felt rushed, and the characters and plots were well developed. Second, they each have romance, humor, sadness, as well as a message of faith, and these themes are well balanced throughout the stories. Third, each story brings up how no matter what our plans are, we need to always seek God’s will. When we do that, we will find that His plans will always be far better than anything we could ever think or imagine. The authors have each created beautiful stories that will entertain you and bless you making these two wonderful novellas that you won’t want to miss.

****I received a copy of this book, but I was not required to write a positive review. All comments and opinions are my own. 

The Amish Christmas Gift (Hidden Springs Book 2) by Laura V. Hilton

 Book Description:

Past relationships and close quarters stir up old emotions, making Christmas the perfect time for a magical connection in this heartwarming second chance Amish romance.

Elsie Miller has witnessed -- and experienced -- Levi Wyse's forgetfulness too many times to count. But even after they broke things off, Elsie never forgot the handsome Amish toymaker or her love for him. So when Levi's sister asks her to help keep him organized for the busy Christmas season, Elsie agrees. But she didn't expect working alongside Levi to reignite those old feelings.

Secretly, Levi's heart will always belong to Elsie. But she deserves a better man, one who isn't so absentminded . . . or responsible for a terrible tragedy. Now, she's at his workshop every day and as Christmas draws near, his reasons for staying away become harder and harder to remember. Will the spirit of Christmas heal past hurts and give Elsie and Levi the greatest gift of all: a future together?

About the Author:

Laura V. Hilton is an award-winning author with more than twenty Amish, contemporary, and historical romances. When she's not writing, she reviews books and writes devotionals for Seriously Write.

Laura and her pastor-husband have five children and a hyper dog named Skye. They currently live in Arkansas.

When she's not writing, Laura enjoys reading, and visiting lighthouses and waterfalls. Her favorite season is winter, and her favorite holiday is Christmas.

To learn more about Laura, read her reviews, and find out about her upcoming releases, readers may visit:

lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com

www.familyfiction.com/authors/laura-v-hilton

www.amazon.com/Laura-V.-Hilton/e/B004IRSM5Q

booksbylaura.blogspot.com

My Thoughts:  A Heartfelt Story

I love happy endings.  So just about every book I read is predictable in the sense that there will be a happy ending.  Quite frankly, if I didn’t think that would be the end result, I wouldn’t bother reading it.  Even though I know the story I’m reading will have a happy ending, I look forward to the journey in getting to that happy ending. That’s what makes a story, and that is something that Laura Hilton is a master of in her writing.

The journey that Elsie and Levy take is inspiring, romantic, fun, surprising, and moving.  I love how the author entwines a spiritual message in her stories.  In this case, the faith based messages involved Levy’s struggle for forgiveness and Elsie’s struggle to trust God’s will.  Between the funny moments, the romantic moments, and the surprising moments that were snuck into the story every so often, there were reflective moments where I was able to identify with Elsie and Levy’s feelings and struggles of what God wanted for them.  

The story also includes a variety of interesting supporting characters.  They were integral to the story and added much to the fun and romance.  Although they enhanced the story, they did so without overshadowing the main characters.

Ms. Hilton has again written an entertaining and inspirational story where entertainment and inspiration are well balanced. There isn’t too much of one or too much of the other.  The combination is just right making The Amish Christmas Gift a wonderful heartfelt story that will entertain you, bless you and inspire you to try out some new recipes that are included in the story. Enjoy!

The Amish Christmas Secret (Indiana Amish Brides Book 6) by Vannetta Chapman

 Book Description:

All she wants for Christmas is the truth.

A struggling Amish woman. Her mysterious new neighbor.

And a secret that could change everything…

Becca Schwartz’s curiosity is going to be a problem. When Amish secret millionaire Daniel Glick moves to Shipshewana for seclusion, he doesn’t expect his pretty new neighbor to ask so many questions. Or to be so generous, despite her family’s poverty. As Daniel falls for Becca, his secret looms between them. This Christmas, can he finally give her the truth…and his heart?

About the Author:

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She is the author of over twenty novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series, and Plain and Simple Miracle series. Vannetta is a Carol award winner, a Christy finalist, and she also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She currently writes Christian suspense, Amish romance, and Amish mystery. She was a teacher for 15 years and resides in the Texas hill country. For more information, visit her at: 

webpage -- www.VannettaChapman.com 

blog -- http://vannettachapman.com/blog

facebook -- www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks

pinterest -- http://pinterest.com/vannettachapman

instagram -- https://instagram.com/vannettachapman

twitter -- https://twitter.com/VannettaChapman

My Thoughts:

A book that teaches me a lesson or leaves me thinking about it long after I’ve finished reading it are just two of the qualities I enjoy when I read a book. And those are just a few of the characteristics that made“The Amish Christmas Secret” so enjoyable for me.  

The main characters, Becca Schwartz and Daniel Glick, each has their own  ideas about limited finances and privacy. While Daniel works at embracing all that would indicate that he has very limited financial resources, Becca is always looking for ways to help her family’s limited financial situation.  While Daniel desperately desires privacy, Becca desperately desires to know all there is about Daniel Glick, so much so that she eventually hatches a plan to find out all she can about Daniel.  

I pause at this point, because this brings me to the first thing that I enjoyed about the book; it taught me a lesson.  What lesson you ask?  Well, I really did not like Becca very much.  I found her annoying.  She was consumed with the desire to know all there was about Daniel and just wouldn’t back down.  What did I learn from this?  Author Vannetta Chapman taught me that first impressions could be wrong and that we should not be judgmental especially when we don’t understand where the person is coming from.  While I know this in real life, I forgot to apply it to the story.  The author flawlessly helped me see Becca’s behavior through Daniel’s perspective, and that was the switch that turned off annoying Becca and let me see her as a sweet  and loving young woman that just wants the best for her family.

Along with the lesson I learned, the story was very entertaining.  Some of the entertainment came from Becca’s dad and his jokes.  They put a smile on my face every time.

“Who was the smartest man in the Bible?  Abraham.  He knew a Lot.”

Along with her dad’s jokes, Becca and her creative efforts at entrepreneurism also kept me smiling.  The story also has romance along with messages of forgiveness, encouragement, faith and new beginnings all of which make the story so uplifting.  

“…even when we have trouble believing, even when our faith fails, Gotte is faithful…It’s a thing that pricks our hearts and eases the burden on our shoulders…so Gotte does for us…if we are willing to let Him carry that which troubles us.” 

And that quote brings me to the other quality that I like in a book. It left me pondering many things long after I had finished reading it, so much so that I think I just may adopt Daniel’s habit of what to do with those ponderings.  What habit is that you ask?  Well, I guess you’ll just have to read the book to find out. 

 

****I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All comments and opinions are my own.

An Amish Husband for Tillie (Amish of Pontotoc) by Amy Lillard

 Book Description:

For the Amish of Pontotoc, Mississippi, all roads lead to faith, family, and tradition, even when the path is unconventional—especially at Christmas . . .

 

Tillie Gingerich is so in love with Melvin Yoder that she agrees to leave her conservative Amish home to live with him in the English world. But when the struggle to make ends meet leads to conflict, and reveals troubling weaknesses in their relationship, Tillie returns to Pontotoc—pregnant and unmarried. Her loving family accepts her, but to convince the rest of the community, they must turn to the bishop. Distraught, Tillie runs away on Christmas Eve—only to get as far as an isolated house on the edge of town.

 

Levi Yoder, Melvin’s upright distant cousin, is grieving the loss of his wife and wants to be alone. He is hardly pleased to open his door and find a pregnant woman––a painful reminder of all he’s lost. But with an ice storm approaching, he can’t turn Tillie away. Yet as morning nears, the miracle of Christmas brings unexpected challenges, opportunities—and promises for

the future . . . 

About the Author:

Amy Lillard is an award-winning author of over forty novels and novellas ranging from Amish romance and mysteries to contemporary and historical romance. Since receiving a Carol Award for her debut novel, Saving Gideon (2012), she has become known for writing sweet stories filled with family values, honest characters, a hometown feel and close-knit communities. She is a member of RWA, ACFW, NINC, and the Author's Guild. Born and bred in Mississippi, she now lives with her husband and son in Oklahoma. Please visit her online at www.AmyWritesRomance.com.

My Thoughts:

I often read reviews where one of the comments used over and over again is, “The story was so predictable.”  Generally when this comment is used, it is used in a negative connotation, as in, “Don’t read it.  Don’t waste your time.”  However, that isn’t my way of thinking.  I feel that even when I can predict that all will end with a happy ending, the fun in reading the story is in the “how” it’s going to end up with a happy ending.  What is the sequence of events that will take the story from point A to the “predictable” ending? This turns the predictable to unpredictable, and that’s what makes a story so enjoyable, the unpredictable how. Such is the case with An Amish Husband for Tillie. 

This is one time where I feel that giving details about the story will spoil the main characters’ journeys.  Therefore, I refuse to go down that rabbit hole.  What I can say is this.  Tillie and Levi’s journeys will have you turning pages to see what is happening next.  It will draw you into the story in a way that will feel like you’re there experiencing everything with them.  There are funny parts and sad parts.  There are times where you’ll become frustrated, yet other times where you’ll feel happy and hopeful.  Through the emotional roller coaster ride that the story will take you on, what comes through over and over is a story of 

hope, forgiveness, trust in God, and new beginnings.  Enjoy the ride.

You won’t be disappointed. 

*****I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All comments  and opinions and are strictly my own.*****

Romancing Nadine (A Wells Landing Romance Book 10) by Amy Lillard

Book Description:

In this heartwarming series from Amy Lillard, three generations of women find the Oklahoma Amish community of Wells Landing a heaven-sent opportunity to take new leaps of faith . . .

 Wife, widow, mother, and grandmother—sixty-something Nadine Burkhart is everything a sensible Amish woman is supposed to be. She’s moved to Wells Landing to give her daughter and granddaughter a fresh start—not herself. So as far as she’s concerned, good-hearted farmer Amos Fisher should find something better to do than try to draw her out, be there when she needs help—and make her believe in love for the first time …

A friendly but solitary man, Amos is realizing there’s more to life than work. Although he hasn’t courted in years, Nadine’s honesty makes him long to know her better—and understand her standoffishness. But when everything he tries fails to soften her stubbornness, he’ll just have to trust his heart that real, true, and utterly impractical love will prevail—for a lifetime…

About the Author:

Amy Lillard is an award-winning author of over forty novels and novellas ranging from Amish romance and mysteries to contemporary and historical romance. Since receiving a Carol Award for her debut novel, Saving Gideon (2012), she has become known for writing sweet stories filled with family values, honest characters, a hometown feel and close-knit communities. She is a member of RWA, ACFW, NINC, and the Author's Guild. Born and bred in Mississippi, she now lives with her husband and son in Oklahoma. Please visit her online at www.AmyWritesRomance.com.

My Thoughts:

Romancing Nadine is another installment in Amy Lillard’s Wells Landing series.  One of the things I love about this series is that each story is unique.  Also, it’s fun catching up with characters from the prior books in the series.  That being said, although it’s part of a series, it can be read as a standalone. 

So, what makes Romancing Nadine unique?  For one, Nadine and Amos are not your typical characters found in a story about romance.  The reason?  Their ages.  Both are in their 60’s.  It is such a rare occurrence to find a romance story involving characters in this age bracket, and I absolutely loved it!  Most stories are about younger characters, but Romancing Nadine reminds us that love has not age limit.

Although Nadine and Amos are both in their 60’s, Nadine has been married twice, while Amos has never been married. And therewith lies the issue.  Amos falls in love with Nadine, but has to work long and hard to convince Nadine that she needs to give love another chance and that they are meant to be together.  Convincing her is no easy feat, but it is very entertaining.  

Watching Nadine and Amos interacting with each other and discovering things about each other was so much fun.  One minute I was laughing and the next I wanted to bop Nadine upside the head and knock some sense into her.  While I understood her thinking and why she felt the way she did, she could also be very frustrating with how she was with Amos.  However, Amos was not one to give up. Through it all Amos kept his trust in God and what he felt God wanted for Nadine and him. 

Romancing Nadine isn’t just a romance story.  It is fun, entertaining, and has a strong message of faith and how we need to always trust God.  It reminds us that romance is ageless and that God has a plan for our life.  All we need to do is have faith and trust in Him.   

*****I received a complimentary copy of this book.  All comments  and opinions and are strictly my own.*****

High Noon (Cyber Division Book 4) by Vannetta Chapman

Book Description:

Nora Brooks and Randall Goodwin face their toughest assignment yet as they follow a cyber terrorist into the canyons of Zion National Park.

A dozen EMP attacks have been planned to occur on the same day at the same time—high noon. Nora Brooks is going to need all the technical expertise her partner possesses, as well as the rappelling skills of National Park Ranger, Tom Anderson. Together the three might be able to stop the attack in Zion, but even if they do there’s no guarantee that the other eleven attacks won’t proceed as planned.

Hiking and rappelling on one of the hottest days of the year, a hiker left for dead, a gunshot wound, drones, and a rocket set to launch destruction…in this final episode of Chapman’s Cyber Division series, Nora Brooks will confront terrorism as well as the mortality of both her and her partner. Will trusting Tom Anderson turn out to be the worst decision she’s ever made? Or the one decision that just might save their lives?

About the Author:

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She is the author of over twenty novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series, and Plain and Simple Miracle series. Vannetta is a Carol award winner, a Christy finalist, and she also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She currently writes Christian suspense, Amish romance, and Amish mystery. She was a teacher for 15 years and resides in the Texas hill country. For more information, visit her at: 

webpage -- www.VannettaChapman.com 

blog -- http://vannettachapman.com/blog

facebook -- www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks

pinterest -- http://pinterest.com/vannettachapman

instagram -- https://instagram.com/vannettachapman

twitter -- https://twitter.com/VannettaChapman

My Thoughts:

High Noon is the fourth and final book in Vannetta Chapman’s Cyber Division series.   Just as with the prior books from this series, I was immediately drawn into the story right from the start.   I really enjoy the relationship between partners Nora and Randall.  As I got to know each one a little bit better, I was once again reminded of what a great team they are and how each of their abilities complement each other so well.  

I am always blown away by the details that the author adds to the story.  They are vivid, well researched, and they help to draw the reader in.  I felt like I was in the story seeing and experiencing everything first hand. 

The suspense factor in the story did not disappoint.  I kept thinking I knew what was coming next, but it never happened the way I thought.  The story kept me in suspense up to the last second.  Along with the suspense, the author threw in just a touch of romance, as well as elements of faith and trust, all of which fit perfectly into the story and made this final episode of the series that much more special. 

Each book in this series can be read as a standalone, however, I strongly urge you to read them all.  Trust me.  You won’t be the least bit disappointed.

I was given a copy of this book.  All comments and opinions are my own.

Daybreak (Cyber Division Book 3) by Vannetta Chapman

Book Description:

Nora Brooks and Randall Goodwin are hot on the trail of a new cyber-terrorist. This time the target is Seattle as well as the lucrative cruise ships docked there. They fear that daybreak will bring unprecedented destruction.

Who was nursing a vendetta against the largest city in the Pacific Northwest as well as the tourist industry?

Nora Brooks has dealt with many different kinds of cyber criminals, but she's never come across one whose motive and method she couldn't grasp at all. They'll have to rely on her instinct as well as her partner's coding skills. Randall Goodwin might be the only one who can save the day. For the people of Seattle, their very lives could depend on it.

Daybreak is book three in Vannetta Chapman’s Cyber Terror series. The journey begins with Fading Into the Night and continues with Midnight Strike.

About the Author:

Vannetta Chapman writes inspirational fiction full of grace. She is the author of over twenty novels, including the Pebble Creek Amish series, Shipshewana Amish Mystery Series, and Plain and Simple Miracle series. Vannetta is a Carol award winner, a Christy finalist, and she also received more than two dozen awards from Romance Writers of America chapter groups. She currently writes Christian suspense, Amish romance, and Amish mystery. She was a teacher for 15 years and resides in the Texas hill country. For more information, visit her at: 

webpage -- www.VannettaChapman.com 

blog -- http://vannettachapman.com/blog

facebook -- www.facebook.com/VannettaChapmanBooks

pinterest -- http://pinterest.com/vannettachapman

instagram -- https://instagram.com/vannettachapman

twitter -- https://twitter.com/VannettaChapman      

My Thoughts:

I must confess that I am a fan of mystery and suspense, but dystopian? Not so much.  That genre is out of my comfort zone.  Totally.  However, author Vannetta Chapman writes dystopian/suspense in a way that blew my comfort zone right out of the water.

Daybreak drew me in from the very beginning.  I loved the banter between Nora and Randall.  They make a great team and complement each other so well.  On the one hand you have Nora with her no nonsense attitude and on the other hand you have Randall with his nerdiness and amazing computer skills.  Yup, they make a great team indeed.

Another part that drew me in was the details.  It is evident that the author did a ton of research.  The details were just enough to help the reader understand everything that was important to the story without being overwhelming or redundant. 

But the most important piece that drew me in was the element of suspense.  I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire story, and it kept me guessing until the very end. 

While my prior list of reading genres did not include any dystopian books, Vannetta Chapman’s Daybreak has caused me to rethink my list. This story of intrigue and suspense was so amazing that it has me anxiously awaiting the next story in the series.

I was given a copy of this book.  All comments and opinions are my own.