Book Covers That Remind Me of Christmas

This post originally appeared as a Top Ten Tuesday at The Book Connection. I thought it would be neat to revisit it here at this blog. 

I loved this book! It's the story of Santa Claus. 

Hubbard has such great Christmas covers. They make me want to spend Christmas with her characters.

One of my favorite Christmas book covers and a fabulous story.

This story has nothing to do with Christmas, but the town being shut down by a blizzard in this cover really reminds me of Christmas. 

Small towns and snow always remind me of Christmas.

Wouldn't this be a pretty place to spend Christmas?

Clever to have the main characters inside a Christmas ornament.

I have to ask why orange on this cover? The Grinch is what reminds me of Christmas, but orange? 

Scrooge carrying Tiny Tim means Christmas.

This cover shows the true meaning of Christmas. 

Book Review: Christmas at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard

A splendid story of love, faith, and healing awaits you in Christmas at Promise Lodge by Charlotte Hubbard.

The joy the residents of Promise Lodge feel over their community's first wedding is marred by the bishop's narrow-minded sermon. Mattie Schwartz believes marriage and family aren't the most important of God's gifts, even if she does still carry feelings for Preacher Amos Troyer.

Amos still hopes Mattie will change her mind about taking another husband. But when an accident threatens to change the course of his life, Amos wonders what the Lord has planned for him and his beloved Mattie.

This is such a wonderful story. Like all of Hubbard's books, it's built around a community of people. The main focus of this novel might be Mattie and Amos, but the reader is treated with how the lives of others intersect, especially in light of Bishop Floyd Lehman taking some of the community to task at the wedding.

What I feel Hubbard has always done well is shine a light on Plain communities and, through her characters, made them more relatable to others. Their work ethic, their strong faith, and their human failings are all hallmarks of her novels. Promise Lodge is a community I would love to visit...even if I can only do that in my mind.

Christmas stories tend to be my favorite, so I enjoyed the seasonal aspects of this novel. Those great recipes at the end of the book will be fun to try.

Christmas at Promise Lodge is the perfect inspirational romance of the season. Though I highly encourage readers to start at the beginning of the series, this is a stand-alone novel that can be read by itself.

I don't have the space to keep many books these days, but I'll find room for this one.

EXCERPT

Mattie smoothed her apron, hoping her bad mood would dissipate as she stepped into the doorway of the dining room. What a sight it was! The long tables covered in white cloths gave the large hall a simple elegance. Every seat was filled with friends and family members who visited happily as they ate their meal. The aromas of baked chicken, stuffing, and warm bread soothed her as she gazed from table to table, trying to locate Amos. She hoped he hadn’t given up on her. He’d be disappointed if she didn’t join him for dinner.

Her gaze lingered on the raised eck table, where her younger son sat with his new bride. The sight of them sitting so close, lost in each other’s gazes, made Mattie’s heart overflow with a special love. It’s their happiness that matters, she reminded herself. They’re the future of Promise Lodge no matter how things work out—or don’t—with Floyd Lehman.

Mattie wondered why Roman was returning to his place at the wedding party’s table with a secretive smile, appearing slightly out of breath. He waved off Noah’s teasing question, squeezing his younger brother’s shoulder as he sat down beside Laura Hershberger—his cousin and Deborah’s closest friend. What a blessing that her boys were so close, and that they remained so connected to Christine’s girls, as well. Once again, as she gazed at their earnest faces, she wondered how those four kids—and Deborah—had reached young adulthood already.

If your sons are twenty-four and twenty-one, there’s no denying how old that makes you, Mattie realized wistfully. Maybe Amos has it right. Maybe you should accept his proposal, for who knows how long he’ll keep asking a middle-aged widow to make her home with him? Roman’s building a house now, so he’ll have a home to offer the right young woman when she comes along. Do you want to grow old alone?

Series: Promise Lodge
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Zebra (September 27, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420139436
ISBN-13: 978-1420139433

This post first appeared at The Book Connection. I received a free copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: The Christmas Cradle by Charlotte Hubbard

Welcome back to Willow Ridge with the latest book in Charlotte Hubbard's Seasons of the Heart series, The Christmas Cradle.

Lena Esh and her boyfriend Josiah Witmer get lost in a storm while on their way to Higher Ground. When they arrive at Ben and Miriam Hooley's doorstep, they are welcomed with open arms. Not a surprise considering the faithful and friendly Hooleys, who are awaiting the birth of their first child together.

As they rally the town together to help the young couple, Ben's mind is also on the instructions given to him by the bishop that Miriam give up her Sweet Seasons Cafe and stay at home. And of course, former bishop Hiriam Knepp keeps poking around to keep things lively.

What a wonderful series this is. I've loved it since the beginning, and with each new addition I enjoy it more and more. The complexity and growth of the characters--or lack of growth as sometimes happens; the talent of the author who has masterfully crafted an entire community of people who seem as real to me as my own family; the delicious recipes and the fabulous themes that run throughout each book all captivate me completely.

If there were one author I could highly recommend this year, Charlotte Hubbard would definitely be the one. You simply must read her books to appreciate them.

Series: Seasons of the Heart (Book 6)
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Zebra (September 29, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 142013311X
ISBN-13: 978-1420133110

This review first appeared at The Book Connection. I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Spotlight: Christmas at Rose Hill Farm by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Bess Riehl is preparing Rose Hill Farm for her Christmas wedding, but her groom isn't who she thought it would be. Billy Lapp is far away from his Amish roots working as a rose rustler for Penn State and wants nothing to do with Stoney Ridge, his family, or Bess. And that suits Bess just fine. Why should she think twice about a man who left without a word, without any explanation? It's time she moved on with her life, and that meant saying yes to Amos Lapp, Billy's cousin and best friend. But as Bess and Amos's wedding day draws near, her emotions tangle into a tight knot. She loves Amos. Yet she can't forget Billy.

When a "lost" rose is discovered at Rose Hill Farm, Billy is sent to track down its origins. Get in, identify the rose, and get out. That's his plan. The only catch is that he's having a hard time narrowing down the identity of the lost rose, and he can't get those tropical blue eyes of Bess Riehl out of his mind.

As the history of the lost rose is pieced together, it reminds Bess and Billy--and Amos, too--that Christmas truly is the season of miracles.

Join bestselling, award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher for an Amish Christmas to remember. Filled with heart-twisting moments amid the sweet anticipation of love, this story will charm readers into the holiday spirit.

Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Revell (September 2, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0800721934
ISBN-13: 978-0800721930

Purchase here!

Book Review: Winter of Wishes by Charlotte Hubbard

Winter of Wishes is another heartwarming story in the Seasons of the Heart series by Charlotte Hubbard.

Rhoda Lantz is feeling a bit left out. Her widowed mother is about to remarry, and her twin sister Rachel is a busy newlywed traveling the countryside visiting relatives to pick up wedding gifts. For the first time in her life, Rhoda will be living alone.

Andy Leitner's wife left him and their two children behind for the better life she desired. As a stretched thin nursing student, Andy, an Englischer, is also the caregiver for his mother.

When Rhoda answers Andy's ad looking for someone to take care of his family while he's away, it seems God has given her a meaningful new direction for her life. Falling for Andy could lead to her being shunned by her community. Is Rhoda wishing for things she can't have or will she remember that everything is possible with God?

I think I have found a new favorite Charlotte Hubbard book. I've truly loved all the books in this series, but this one is outstanding. I stayed up late--way too late--reading it and would sneak moments in during the day to read a few pages.

The wonderful thing about Amish fiction is that sense of community they bring; so while Rhoda and Andy's story is the focus of Winter of Wishes, the reader is also brought up to date on the Hooley brothers, their aunts Jerusalem and Nazareth, Preacher Tom, the shunned bishop Hiram Knepp, and other members of Willow Ridge. In addition, we see other familiar characters, like Rhoda and Rachel's sister Rebecca and the banker, Derek Shotwell. A new twist with this story is how it leads in perfectly to Hubbard's and Naomi King's crossover book, An Amish Country Christmas. The seeds are planted in this book for folks from Willow Ridge to visit Cedar Creek.

Lovers of Amish fiction and inspirational romances will enjoy Hubbard's Winter of Wishes.


Series: Seasons of the Heart
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra (September 3, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420121715
ISBN-13: 978-1420121711

This post first appeared at The Book Connection. I received a copy of this book from the author. This review contains my honest opinion, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Book Review: An Amish Country Christmas by Charlotte Hubbard and Naomi King

An Amish Country Christmas by Charlotte Hubbard and Naomi King is two romantic seasonal tales wrapped in a beautiful cover.

In "The Christmas Visitors," Nate and Bram Kanagy arrive in Cedar Creek to pick up their new sleigh and courtin' buggy from James Graber. While in town, they catch sight of Martha Coblentz. They soon learn she has a twin sister named Mary. The boys are smitten with the Coblentz twins right away, and the girls invite them to stay at their parents' house to help them celebrate their birthdays. When the girls create a bit of trouble for the Kanagy boys, it will take a heap of grace and some unexpected intervention to put things right.

Then in "Kissing the Bishop," as the season's first snow arrives in Willow Ridge, the residents are in a time of transition. Dealing with the fallout of Hiriam Knepp's actions and his excommunication leaves them considering a new bishop.

Luckily, Nazareth Hooley and her sister, Jerusalem, have agreed to help Tom Hostetler host the bishops' meeting. Preacher Tom enjoys their company, especially Nazareth's; but he knows the laws won't allow him to remarry after his wife left him for another man. Nazareth and Tom's dream of a life together seems out of reach, but perhaps faith and love can bring them a miracle.

Even after I finished the book last night, I was unsure what this review would look like. I love this author's work under both her names, so I signed up for all three of her book tours (she has three new releases this fall--2013). With all the books I read and review these days, I usually donate most of them. But these ones I keep because I want to make sure I have both of the complete series. Can you tell I admire her work?

While in most ways this book featuring two crossover short stories remains true to the Amish fiction genre, I also feel the author took a bit of a risk with the content. The physical attraction of these characters to each other plays a more significant role than one may be used to seeing. It is handled within the confines of the genre and not offensive in any way, but it caught me off guard. That said, they are spectacular stories; true displays of what faith, patience, and love can mean to people's lives.

I feel Hubbard/King excelled in portraying very different age groups in one collection and holding it together by that hope for the future. The Kanagy boys and the Coblentz twins are just starting out in life. Bram hasn't even made a commitment to the church yet. In "Kissing the Bishop," however, Nazareth and Jerusalem Hooley are in their fifties, Tom has married children, and Vernon Gingerich is a widower who has known Tom since their younger years. It's nice to see these two age groups alongside each other. I don't feel there are enough romance novels written about Tom and Nazareth's age group, and the ones surrounding characters in their late teens and early twenties can focus too much on the physical side of a relationship.

Though I've read this book out of the chronological order of both the Cedar Creek and Seasons of the Heart series, An Amish Country Christmas did nothing but make me eager to read Winter Wishes by Charlotte Hubbard and Amanda Weds A Good Man: One Big Happy Family by Naomi King even more than I did when I requested them. If you enjoy seasonal romances, you'll want to get your hands on this one, too.


Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Zebra (October 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1420131885
ISBN-13: 978-1420131888

This post first appeared at The Book Connection. I received a free copy of the book from the author. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

First Chapter Review: A Simple Amish Christmas by Vannetta Chapman

TITLE:   A Simple Amish Christmas

AUTHOR: Vannetta Chapman

BLURB: Annie Weaver always planned to return home, but the 20-year old RN has lived in Philadelphia for three years now. As her time of rumschpringe is about to come to an abrupt end, bringing for Annie an overwhelming sense of loneliness. She returns home and finds herself face-to-face with a budding romance with an Amish farmer and Annie has several important choices to make.

COVER:  I love this cover! It's why I picked up a FREE copy of this book when it was available. The buggy, the snow covered grounds, and the red barn in the distance make me think of a simpler time. The touch of holly gives it a Christmas feel, and I like the fonts they used.

FIRST CHAPTER:  Now, I am someone who reads prologues, so I dove into that first. Annie Weaver is almost seventeen when she leaves home to live with her Englisch cousins. Chapter One opens three years later in December 2009. Christmas is coming and Annie is feeling homesick. Now an RN, she is making her early morning rounds when her supervisor tells her she has an emergency phone call.

KEEP READING:  Definitely! Since I enjoy exploring different cultures and faiths, I like Amish fiction. I don't read a lot of it, but I've read enough to be familiar with many of the terms used in these novels. I have to admit, I was a bit confused at the very beginning because it seemed like Annie and her best friend Jenny were at school, when actually, they are in the employee area of a hospital where there are lockers. This was further compounded by Jenny being an Amish schoolteacher. It wasn't until Jenny asked about Annie's nursing cap, scope and I.D. that I knew what was going on.

The introduction of a young cancer patient that Annie visits that morning adds a sentimental touch, but it's the superb cliffhanger ending of this chapter that makes me want to read on.


Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Abingdon Press; Original edition (October 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1426710666
ISBN-13: 978-1426710667


This review first appeared at The Book Connection. I received no monetary compensation for this review.