Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary (A Sunflower Café Mystery Book 1) by Amy Lillard

Book Details:

Title:  Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary

Series:  A Sunflower Café Mystery Book 1

Author:  Amy Lillard

Publisher:  Kensington

Pages:  277

Release Date:  June 28, 2022  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Description:

Looking for a fresh start, advice columnist Sissy Yoder heads to small-town Yoder, Kansas, to help in her aunt’s café. But when a milkman is murdered, the newcomer becomes the prime suspect . . .

After Sissy’s rodeo cowboy boyfriend turns out to be more of a rodeo clown, she packs a bag; picks up her Yorkshire terrier Duke; and leaves Tulsa, Oklahoma, bound for her parents’ former hometown. There are still plenty of Yoders in Yoder, Kansas, including Sissy’s aunt Bethel, who owns the Sunflower Café but recently broke her leg. It’s a homecoming of sorts as Sissy arrives to help in the café and reunite with her pregnant cousin Lizzie. Plus she can continue to secretly write her newspaper advice column as seventy-year-old “Aunt Bess.” But it’s Sissy who could use some advice when she finds the milk deliveryman out behind the café with a knife in his back. As the sheriff’s prime suspect, it’s up to Sissy to catch the backstabber herself—before someone else gets creamed . . .

About the Author: Amy Lillard

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:  Loved It!

What can I say about author Amy Lillard's wonderful writing talents that hasn't already been said? Not much, but repeating it doesn't hurt anything.  Ms. Lillard's talent for writing cozy mysteries never disappoints! And what does Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary offer? Mystery, laughs, romance, nuggets of advice and so much more. 

Getting to know Sissy Yoder and following her to a new town, a new job, and new friends was so much fun. When you add in a cute little Yorkie, a murder and being the prime suspect, that just kicked the story up a few more notches. As Gavin Wainwright joins forces with Sissy to investigate the murder, a special bond forms between them. Where this all goes can only be found out by reading Dairy, Dairy, Quite Contrary for yourself, and I definitely recommend that you do just that. 

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

The Warmth of Sunshine (Amish Blessings Book 2) by Kelly Irvin

Book Details:

Title:  The Warmth of Sunshine

Series:  Amish Blessings Book 2

Author:  Kelly Irvin

Publisher:  Zondervan

Pages:  380

Release Date:  July 5, 2022  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Description:

Abigail’s Amish life has always followed a certain path . . . until an Englisch woman disrupts all she’s known to be true.

Growing up Amish, Abigail Bontrager often felt like a square peg in a round hole. Her pie crusts always turned out tough. Her stitches always ran crooked. She was clumsy. Not ideal for an aspiring Amish wife and mother, but her faith and love of her family, which are so much more important, are solid. Plus, her relationship with the attractive and kindhearted Owen Kurtz is moving in the right direction.

Owen is part dreamer, part entrepreneur. His friendship with Abigail has gradually blossomed into a sweet and loving courtship. Inspired by the hope of a future with the girl of his dreams, he decides to take the next step in building a business of his own—in the promising new industry of growing sunflowers.

When an outsider claiming to be Abigail’s birth mother abruptly enters her life, Abigail’s world comes crashing down. Confused and upset, she is determined to discover who she really is. Her journey of discovery leads to the possibilities of a new life waiting for her in the Englisch world. But is this new life really worth giving up everything and everyone she’s known? How can Abigail and Owen follow their hearts—and God’s plan—when these new paths now lead them into the unknown?

In this second book in the Amish Blessings series, bestselling and award-winning romance novelist Kelly Irvin shares an inspiring story of following your heart while trusting God to lead you into your future.

About the Author: Kelly Irvin

Kelly Irvin is a bestselling, award-winning author of over twenty novels and stories. A retired public relations professional, Kelly lives with her husband, Tim, in San Antonio. They have two children, three grandchildren, and two ornery cats. Visit her online at https://www.kellyirvin.com/; Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kelly_irvin/; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Kelly.Irvin.Author/.

My Thoughts:   Square Peg

Abigail Bontrager has always felt a little out of place. Having grown up Amish, she's always felt that there are things she should be better at, such as making a great pie crust. However, that does not have any affect on her faith, her love of family, or her blossoming relationship with Owen Kurtz.  Owen also has a strong faith and love of family.  As his relationship with Abigail continues to blossom and as he looks toward a future with her, Owen  works toward beginning a business of growing sunflowers.  All seems to be going in the right direction until an outsider claiming to be Abigail's birth mother completely shatters everything.

First of all, I have to say props to Ms. Irvin for how well she dealt with this sensitive topic. I can only imagine what it would be like to find out that your parents are not your biological parents.  It brings in a slew of questions, a whole new family to get to know, and in this case, an entirely different culture, faith and way of life.  That had to be very difficult, not just for Abigail, but also for her family and Owen.  However, Ms. Irvin flawlessly handled the topic.  

Abigail's walk in the English world had some happy moments, but also challenging and sad moments.  While she tried new things in her new environment, she would ask herself so many questions about everything.  Heather, her bio mom, and Eric, her bio dad, sometimes said things that were encouraging to her, but other times, they came across as not wanting her to continue to follow her faith. This made Abigail feel even more like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. Such a difficult walk for Abigail and for Owen as he waited for Abigail's return. 

Another thing I have to say is that I struggled with this story, not because there was anything wrong with it, but because I had a very close personal connection to it. Through the years I've witnessed many baptized church members completely walk away from the faith and their belief in God. Having seen that and made me feel so much more connected to Abigail's story, and that was painful.  That being said, the author took the topic and wove it into a beautiful story. 

I can say so much more about this wonderful story, but the only real way to appreciate Abigail and Owen's story is to read it for yourself.  Just be prepared for the emotional rollercoaster and enjoy the ride.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

His Amish Sweetheart (The Petersheim Brothers Book 3) by Jennifer Beckstrand

Book Details:

Title:  His Amish Sweetheart

Series:  The Petersheim Brothers Book 3

Author:  Jennifer Beckstrand

Publisher:  Zebra Books

Pages:  325

Release Date:  June 28, 2022  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Description:

Fondly nicknamed “The Peanut Butter Brothers,” Andrew, Abraham, and Austin Petersheim skillfully run one of Wisconsin’s most cherished family businesses. But their mischievous younger twin siblings have a talent all their own—for matchmaking . . .
 
Between work and keeping his little brothers out of trouble, Austin Petersheim barely has time to think, much less court the most popular maidel in town. But if he can establish a local market to direct-sell his family’s goods, he’ll stand out as a potential husband. He’s so grateful for the help of his longtime friend, Hannah Yutzy, who has such practical ideas—and is so easy to talk to . . .
 
While Austin embarks on his plan, his siblings have a plan of their own: to give Austin and Hannah a little nudge to show them they’re made for each other. When their antics wreak havoc with a rival family emporium, Hannah must help Austin set things right.  And as she does just that, Austin is stunned to realize his best friend could be his perfect wife. Now he’ll just need the courage and faith to find out if she agrees . . .

About the Author:  Jennifer Beckstrand

Jennifer Beckstrand is the RITA-nominated and award-winning author of the Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill and The Honeybee Sisters series, as well as a number of novellas. Novels in her Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill series have been RITA® Award and RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award finalists. Huckleberry Hill won the 2014 LIME Award for inspirational fiction and Huckleberry Hearts was named a Booklist Top 10 Inspirational Fiction Book of the Year. Jennifer has always been drawn to the strong faith and the enduring family ties of the Plain people. She and her husband have been married for thirty-three years, and she has four daughters, two sons, and seven adorable grandchildren, whom she spoils rotten. Please visit her online at www.JenniferBeckstrand.com.

My thoughts: Fun and Entertaining

Hannah Yutzy and Austin Petertsheim have been friends since childhood.  Hannah knows she feels more for Austin than just friendship, but he only sees her as his easy to talk to friend. To top it off, Austin only has eyes for Priscilla Lambright, the most popular girl in town.  However, courting Priscilla means that he has to have viable financial means for the future. In order to meet that goal, Austin looks to begin a business. As Hannah encourages him, he finds that she has some great ideas that can help make the business a reality.  While Austin works at getting the business ready to go, he also has the task of taking care of his little brothers, twins Alfie and Benji, who can be quite a handful, but add so much to the story.

I greatly enjoyed His Amish Sweetheart, which I found to be very entertaining. Much of it was due to the twins' antics. However, when a few young ladies joined forces with the twins, that made it all the more entertaining. As for the others, I loved Hannah. She was sweet, funny, and so caring.  Austin, on the other hand, had me wanting to shake him on more than one occasion with his over the top dedication to Priscilla, who I so did not like. Her whininess and her obsession with her "organic" recipes quickly put her in the unlikeable category. However, when you put together characters you love, characters you want to shake, and characters that you just don't like, along with some hilarious antics of the littles, you have a great combination that makes a fun and entertaining story that you're sure to enjoy.

*I received an advanced copy from NetGalley.  All comments and opinions are strictly my own.

Her Amish Springtime Miracle (Hope's Haven Book 2) by Winnie Griggs

Book Details:

Title:  Her Amish Springtime Miracle

Series:  Hope's Haven Book 2

Author:  Winnie Griggs

Publisher:  Forever

Pages:  353

Release Date:  May 24, 2022 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Description:

In this delightful and heartwarming novel, an orphaned baby brings together an unlikely couple who learn the true meaning of family.

When Hannah Eicher discovered sweet baby Grace in her barn last spring, the adorable infant seemed like the answer to her prayers. The young Amish baker has always wanted a familye of her own and now that she’s fostered Grace for nearly a year, her adoption application is almost certain to be approved. But an unexpected visitor to Hope’s Haven could change everything…

Englischer paramedic Mike Colder is only returning to his childhood hometown to locate and adopt his late sister’s baby. But when the trail leads to Hannah and Grace, Mike’s determination falters. With Hannah, the simple life he left behind suddenly seems appealing. Despite their wildly different worlds, can Mike and Hannah give each other—and Grace—the greatest gift of all: a life together?

About the Author:  Winnie Griggs

Winnie Griggs grew up in south Louisiana in an undeveloped area her schoolmates considered the very back of beyond. With her two younger siblings and another family of three siblings for playmates, she spent many an hour exploring the overgrown land around her home, cutting jungle trails, building forts and frontier camps, and looking for pirate ships on the nearby bayou.

Once she 'grew up' she found other outlets for dealing with all those wonderful, adventurous, imaginary friends by filling notebooks with their stories. And somewhere along the way, those scribblings gave way to full length books.

Eventually she found her own Prince Charming, a rancher whose white steed takes the form of a tractor and whose kingdom is situated in a small rural community that she loves to call home, and together they've built their own storybook happily-ever-after. Their lives together expanded to include four now grown children who share Winnie's vivid imagination and her husband's steadier influences and are now out in the world pursuing their own adventures.

You can learn more about Winnie and her books, past and future, at www.winniegriggs.com

My Thoughts: A Charming and Enjoyable Read

This was such a charming and enjoyable read. The way the story evolved had me completely connecting with the characters, especially Hannah. The way God answered her prayer in the form of baby Grace and Hannah's love for her was so endearing. Author Winnie Griggs did a wonderful job of developing the characters and the relationships. It had me on an emotional roller coaster when one minute I'd feel Mike's frustrations and heartache while the in the next minute his ways had me frustrated to no end.

What made the story so charming and endearing was how love and commitment, as well as faith and trust in God prevailed over all of the situations that Hannah and Mike were faced with. It is definitely well worth the read.

**I received a complimentary copy of the book via NetGalley. All opinions and comments are completely my own.

The Sweet Life (Cape Cod Creamery Book #1) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

 Book Details:

Title:  The Sweet Life

Series:  Cape Cod Creamery Book 1

Author:  Suzanne Woods Fisher

Publisher:  Revell

Pages:  312

Release Date:  May 3, 2022 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Description:

Dawn Dixon can hardly believe she's on a groomless honeymoon on beautiful Cape Cod . . . with her mother. Sure, Marnie Dixon is good company, but Dawn was supposed to be here with Kevin, the love of her life (or so she thought).

Marnie Dixon needs some time away from the absolute realness of life as much as her jilted daughter does, and she's not about to let her only child suffer alone--even if Marnie herself had been doing precisely that for the past month.

Given the circumstances, maybe it was inevitable that Marnie would do something as rash as buy a run-down ice-cream shop in the town's tightly regulated historic district. After all, everything's better with ice cream.

Her exasperated daughter knows that she's the one who will have to clean up this mess. Even when her mother's impulsive real estate purchase brings Kevin back into her life, Dawn doesn't get her hopes up. Everyone knows that broken romances stay broken . . . don't they?

Welcome to a summer of sweet surprises on Cape Cod--a place where dreams just might come true.

About the Author:  Suzanne Woods Fisher

Suzanne Woods Fisher loves stories worth telling about people worth remembering. With over a million copies of her book sold worldwide, this bestselling, award-winning author of more than 30 books is always on the lookout for the unsung hero with an untold story.

Readers are invited to stop by Suzanne's website at: www.suzannewoodsfisher.com

My Thoughts:  A Sweet Story

Dawn Dixon is a planner.  Her favorite quote is, "I adore spontaneity, providing it is carefully planned." She thought she knew what lay ahead in her well planned life. However, it all fell apart when her fiancé, Kevin Collins, called off their engagement. Now she's heading to her would be honeymoon spot in Cape Cod with her mother, Marnie, instead of Kevin.  

Dawn and Marnie are like night and day. While Dawn is a planner, Marnie is a spontaneous risk taker.  Unfortunately she doesn't look ahead to the big picture of her risk taking and spontaneous decisions. Consequently, she often ends up overwhelmed with her spontaneous decisions, the latest one being to open an ice cream shop in Cape Cod. 

The Sweet Life is a very sweet (pun intended) story. It is a story of self-reflection, healing, love, and faith. Some of the healing and self-reflection occurred between Dawn and Marnie, and some occurred between Dawn and Kevin. In each relationship, both parties went through a lot of self-reflection that resulted in a new understanding of themselves as well as a new understanding of the other person.  Watching Dawn, Marnie and Kevin going through this process had me reflecting as well.  It brought to mind that while we see things from our perspective and point of view, we need to also see it from the other person's perspective. Doing so will help us gain a better understanding of ourselves and them, which can bring our relationships to another level. Such was the case with Dawn, Marnie and Kevin, and watching them go through this process is what made this a wonderful and sweet story that I highly recommend. 

****I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Love in Plain Sight (An Amish Mail-Order Bride Novel Book 3) by Kathleen Fuller

Book Details:

Title:  Love in Plain Sight

Series:  An Amish Mail-Order Bride Novel Book 3

Author:  Kathleen Fuller

Publisher:  Zondervan

Pages:  320

Release Date:  May 3, 2022 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Description:

In the town of Birch Creek where the only danger is getting swept off your feet, Katharine Miller hides the secrets of her past . . . until she meets Ezra Bontrager and is forced to face the greatest risk of all—opening her heart to true love.

After fleeing her hometown, Katharine finds peace and anonymity while working at Stoll’s Inn and keeping to herself. As long as her guard is up, she can protect herself and others from her past, with the hope that one day her family will forgive her for leaving.

Ezra Bontrager has never shared a love of farming with his brothers and father, and when he takes a job at Stoll’s Inn, he quickly finds even more reason to come to work every day. Although he has no intention of marrying anytime soon, Ezra can’t help but want to learn more about the quiet and mysterious newcomer who doesn’t appear to have come to Birch Creek looking for a husband, as so many have done after the want ad that advertised Birch Creek’s many bachelors.

As Katharine and Ezra continue to cross paths, Katharine feels her defenses lower, and Ezra no longer scoffs at the idea of marriage. Just as they start to hope for the future, the past comes roaring back—not just for Katharine and Ezra but for the entire community of Birch Creek. Confronting that past won’t be easy, but it brings the opportunity for love and grace to abound.

About the Author:  Kathleen Fuller

With over a million copies sold, Kathleen Fuller is the USA TODAY bestselling author of several bestselling novels, including the Hearts of Middlefield novels, the Middlefield Family novels, the Amish of Birch Creek series, and the Amish Letters series as well as a middle-grade Amish series, the Mysteries of Middlefield. Visit her online at https://kathleenfuller.com/; 

Instagram: @https://www.instagram.com/kf_booksandhooks/; 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WriterKathleenFuller; 

My Thoughts:  Loved It!

Love in Plain Sight takes us once again to Birch Creek, an Amish community with the dilemma of too many bachelors and not enough wife candidates. It's also where someone has taken the issue into their own hands by sending out an advertisement in search of young women looking for husbands.  The advertisement has been working just fine so far. However, when Katharine Miller arrives in Birch Creek, although others think she's on a husband search, that is actually the furthest thing from her mind.  All she wants is peace and quiet and to be left alone which just might be a bit of a challenge if Ezra Bontrager has anything to say about it.

Ezra is just like Katharine in his thoughts about marriage.  Unfortunately that idea is bit of a challenge with the single women, one in particular, that are greatly interested in having him take the marriage plunge.  However, Ezra also just wants to be left alone. That is all good and well until he realizes that Katharine is one single woman that has absolutely no interest in him. Although that should make him happy, it actually piques his interest to where he finds himself wanting to spend more time with her. 

I was captivated from the very start of the story and absolutely loved it! Katherine Fuller has done a fantastic job of weaving some very sensitive topics into the story. She did so in a way that made me vividly see things through the characters' eyes and feel what the characters were feeling. My heart went out to Katharine, and I loved how she grew and was able to move forward with God's help and the love of those around her. As for Ezra, it was such a joy to watch him and his determination of trying to get to know Katherine better and figure her out.  I loved watching their relationship evolve from strangers, to friends, and how it developed into such a special bond between them. Seeing how some well-meaning matchmakers threw in a helping hand to make it happen had me smiling more than once.

Katharine and Ezra's story is a very beautiful one. It is a combination of romance, humor, faith, forgiveness, trust, God's will, and overcoming the past. All of these characteristics made this a truly inspirational story that I highly recommend.

****I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Amish Twins Next Door: An Uplifting Inspirational Romance (Indiana Amish Brides Book 9) by Vannetta Chapman

 Book Details: 

Title:  The Amish Twins Next Door 

Series:  Indiana Amish Brides Book 9

Author:  Vannetta Chapman

Publisher:  Love Inspired

Pages:  231

Release Date:  April 26, 2022

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book Description:

Two little matchmakers could change everything…in this novel by USA TODAY bestselling author Vannetta Chapman.

Falling for a pretend suitor

could cause real complications… 

Amish single mom Deborah Mast is determined to raise her seven-year-old twin sons her way. But when neighbor Nicholas Stoltzfus takes the rambunctious boys on as apprentices on his farm, she’ll learn the value of his help with more than just the children. And when the two little matchmakers hatch a plan of their own, Deborah could also discover how to reopen her heart…

About the Author:  Vannetta Chapman

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 Wonderful and Endearing Story

Deborah Mast's twin boys are the center of her world, and there isn't anything she wouldn't do for them.  Yes, the almost seven year olds can be a little active and curious, but Deborah has her way of raising them and no one can tell her otherwise. However, Nicholas (Nick) Stolzfus did not get that memo.  He thrives on structure and planning both of which go out the window when he finds out that working with his neighbor will include Deborah and her energetic twins.  However, Nick comes up with a plan which involves a structured way of keeping the twins under control while helping them funnel their energy.  Nick is convinced that Deborah will agree with his plan, which she does, but not until he agrees to a surprising plan of her own. And that is the beginning of a series of events which will take Deborah and Nick on an unexpected and interesting journey. 

There is so much that makes this such a wonderful and endearing story. It piqued my curiosity and drew me in right from the start kept me there all the way to the end. The characters were absolutely delightful and charming. Their interactions kept me laughing and smiling, especially the banter between Deborah and Nick and the well-meaning antics of the twins. The story pacing was perfect and was key in Deborah and Nick getting to know each other which included how their pasts played a part in their growing relationship.  I also enjoyed how the elements of humor, romance, faith and trust flowed flawlessly throughout the story and kept me completely connected to the characters.  

The Amish Twins Next Door is an awesome fun and endearing story. It is a definite must read that you will want to check out for yourself. And although it's a standalone in Chapman's Indiana Amish Brides series, I highly recommend you read the rest of the series as well.  You won't be disappointed.

****I received a complimentary copy of the book.  All comments in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.