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An Amish Christmas Star—three Amish Christmas stories
Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Ellie Coblentz is called back from vacation to help her Grandmommi. John Miller receives a phone call that his father, from whom he has been estranged for almost fifteen years, is on his deathbed. John needs to travel quickly if he wants to get to the nursing home before his father passes, something he is not sure he wants to do. It is a few days before Christmas when the two meet at a bulletin board searching for ways to get from Pinecraft, Florida, to Holmes County, Ohio, in bad weather. As strangers, they make for unusual travel partners, but God has a way of bringing them together under the difficult travel circumstances as they find themselves stranded several times along the journey. In addition to some crazy hired drivers, they also encounter some very kind and helpful people who think helping others is a wonderful way to celebrate Christmas. This is a sweet Christmas story that I think I would enjoy rereading.
Star of Wonder
by Charlotte Hubbard
Lizzie Zehr is a young Mennonite woman with a flamboyant, creative flair. Raised by her two sisters, first one who passed with MS, and then the other who was a talented, but perfectionist baker, Lizzie has felt stifled by them. She finds freedom in a job in a new bulk store in Promise Lodge. A lot of the Old Order Amish have moved there to be away from a mean-spirited Bishop.
Raymond Overholt is another creative who travels from Coldstream to Promise Lodge. His goal, however, is to sell art he has created from barnboard wood decorated with Christmas messages and stars. He just doesn’t enjoy or fit in well in his family’s dairy farm. So when offered a seasonal temporary job at the store in Promise Lodge, he accepts.
If Lizzie and Raymond have a future together, there will be a lot of opposition to overcome arising from the Amish leaders in Coldstream and Raymond’s family. It will take a change of heart by the leadership there and perhaps a change of circumstances. It will take a Christmas miracle!
Starlight Everlasting
by Rosalind Lauer
Rachel and Luke Coblentz began courting when they were quite young. They kept putting off their wedding in hopes that Rachel’s mother would recover from cancer and be able to be a part of the ceremony. Unfortunately, she passed away, leaving the family with seven children and a mountain of medical bills. As young marrieds, they feel an obligation to pay off the debts, but Luke is unable to find a job in the town of Joyful River. He gets a low paying factory job in Maple Run, but that means he and Rachel must live apart 5 days out of the week. This becomes a crisis for the young couple when Luke is required to work on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Meanwhile, Rachel has restored an abandoned Christmas store in Joyful River. It is doing quite well, and she is able to help with the care of her younger siblings, but she misses Luke so much! They reach out to God and rely on him to give them the wisdom and faith required to help them through this difficult season.
Truman is one of Rachel’s young siblings, and I came to love him as much as Rachel does. As Rachel describes him, he is “odd.” He doesn’t understand social signals, but he “has a good heart.” Although bullied, he doesn’t retaliate. He is very smart and memorizes things quickly.
I enjoyed all of these novellas. They were able to tell a whole story in less space than a novel, and I didn’t feel that anything was missing.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: These novellas offer the reader the Christmas spirit relying on the story of Christ’s birth as well as the cultural decorations and themes that are celebrated by non-Amish.
Publication: September 30, 2025—Kensington
Memorable Lines from Buggies, Trains, and Automobiles:
When she looked back for Kramer, he was gone, and the truck was too. “I didn’t hear Kramer’s truck leave. Did you?” John stopped and stared. “It was like he vanished. That sure was strange, ain’t so?” “Usually I would agree, but I’m starting to think that he was our own guardian angel,” Ellie said.
Memorable Lines from Star of Wonder:
Best of all, though, she had a new circle of friends who shone as brightly as one of Raymond’s gold stars when the morning sunlight hit it. And for that, Lizzie felt extremely blessed.
Memorable Lines from Starlight Everlasting:
Gott had guided the wise men with a star. It seemed simple and yet profound. Gott was guiding all of his believers each and every day. And that was what had led Luke here tonight. Faith.
Christmas K-9 Patrol—suspense
Two audio novellas in the Dakota K-9 Unit series:
Deadly Christmas Trap
by Lynette Eason
narrated by Cindy Kay
An attempt to kidnap tech analyst Cheyenne Chen begins the excitement in Deadly Christmas Trap. Her previous training as a police officer may be what keeps Cheyenne alive when a bounty is put on her head. With the help of Officer Jack Donadio and his K-9 partner Beau, Cheyenne tries to figure out who is behind the hit. What has she done that would cause someone to pay to have her killed? This is a story with a lot of tension but also includes a developing romance between Cheyenne and Jack.
Dangerous Holiday Manhunt
by Lenora Worth
narrated by Callie Beaulieu
Standing on its own is another good K-9 story. In Dangerous Holiday Manhunt, US Marshal Lorelai Danvers has recently transferred from Savanna, Georgia, to North Dakota. She and her Australian Shepherd Bixby experience a terrific snowstorm as they follow a deadly fugitive who returns to Drake’s ranch. What is his motive—does he seek revenge or something else? The fugitive shows that nothing is too horrific for him as he treks through blizzards and wreaks havoc along the way. If you like action, you will certainly find it in this story along with a little romance and some spiritual inspiration.
I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Christian, Romance
Notes: 1. Books # 9 & 10 From Harlequin’s Love Inspired Suspense: Dakota K-9 Unit series with themes of courage, danger, and faith.
2. Good as standalones.
3. Clean
4. Good narrators
Publication: November 25, 2025—Harlequin Audio
The Party Line–life changing secret
The Party Line
by Carolyn Brown
Once upon a time, phones had no dials or buttons. To place a call, you spoke to an operator who made the connection. To be affordable, several people shared the same phone line—and could stealthily listen in on neighbors’ conversations. What a way to spread gossip! That was the birth of the “party line.” What could happen if someone overheard something confidential never meant to be disclosed? Gracie, at fourteen, heard a secret that changed her life forever.
Gracie grew up to be a strong, independent woman of means. She shared her life and love with Sarah whose own parents kicked her out when she became pregnant out of wedlock. Gracie helped Sarah raise her daughter Lila and became a grandmother to her in every way except by blood. When Gracie passed away, she left her home and much of her fortune to Lila whose life was changed as she tried to live up to Gracie’s example and expectations in the little town of Ditto. She also devoted a lot of time to discovering Gracie’s secret.
The first chapter left me floundering a little trying to orient myself within this story. I gradually became more comfortable as history caught up with the present and the characters were somewhat sorted. Along the way, we are introduced to Sarah (Lila’s mom), Jasper (Gracie’s 90 year old best friend), and Connor (Lila’s love interest).
I didn’t enjoy this novel as much as other books by Carolyn Brown. She seemed to be searching for herself to understand ghosts, what happens to a person’s spirit after they die, and communicating with the dead. There was a lot going on in the book which could be viewed positively as a variety of plot threads or negatively as an inability to focus on the important points of the story. Although most of the characters were likable enough, none of them were particularly interesting to me. The premise of the book, a secret, was good, but not well executed and not surrounded with any tension.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: clean
Publication: November 5, 2024—Montlake
Memorable Lines:
“ ‘Ladies do not dance around like heathens in the rain. What would people think?’ ” Then her tone softened, and she smiled at me. “Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you can’t dance in the rain.”
“Sometimes our choices determine our fate. Sometimes we just follow where we are led and are amazed when we find happiness,” Connor said.
“Do you think this secret stuff will ever completely die down?” “Someday,” she said. “The next generation won’t be interested in something that old any more than they are interested in their grandmother’s crystal and silver.”
An Unexpected Christmas Helper–support dog
An Unexpected Christmas Helper
By Lee Tobin McClain
This book checks off lots of boxes for me, especially:
Thanksgiving
Christmas
Support Dog (Snickers)
Inspirational Romance.
When Evan’s ex-wife drops off a toddler he didn’t know he had, he heads to Chesapeake Corners to get advice from Gramma Vi who raised him. Unfortunately, she is in the hospital. Her caregiver Vanessa and her son Declan live with Gramma Vi. There is immediately conflict because Vanessa had broken Evan’s heart when they were in high school. They now have some troubled waters to navigate as they try to coexist in Gramma Vi’s house.
Both Vanessa and Evan had troubled homes as children that caused trust issues as they became adults. Vanessa is caring, kind, and a good mother to her son Declan. Evan is smart and generous and wants to be a good dad to his neglected daughter Lily. They are both Christians, but that doesn’t mean they are perfect. Sadly, Vanessa’s past causes self-worth issues, and Evan has a judgmental streak. They need to work on individual issues before they can have a successful relationship.
The dog Snickers and the two children, Declan and Lily, are key characters throughout the book. All three are delightful and realistically portrayed. Both Vanessa and Evan make their children’s well-being a priority in all of their decisions. This is a great read (or listen) for the holiday season.
I received a complimentary copy of this audio book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance, Fiction
Notes: 1. #38 in the K-9 Companions series which seems to consist of standalone books dealing with K-9 companions.
2. Narrated very well by Tanya Eby
Publication: October 28, 2024—Harlequin Audio
Lessons in Love at the Cornish County Hospital–many faces of love
Lessons in Love at the Cornish County Hospital
By Jo Bartlett
This series is the fictional account of several of the workers at St. Piran’s Hospital. It focuses specifically on two couples: Gary, a staff nurse, and Wendy, the head of housekeeping; and Danni who works in emergency medicine and her boyfriend Charlie, a children’s book author. Working on the fourth book in this series, Jo Barlett presents a lot of background about the various characters. Sometimes I felt like I had been dropped into the middle of a soap opera; and at other times, I admired Barlett’s handling of characters and situations that are serious.
Wendy had been married to Mike, unquestionably a philandering, narcissistic jerk who was the father of her two young adult girls. Now he is in a relationship with the much younger Chloe. Wendy struggles with doing the right things for her daughters as they form bonds with Chloe who is pregnant. Danni is also pregnant and is carefully cared for medically as an older mom with a first child. Both Gary and Charlie are caring and loving mates, but the women take the stage in this novel.
With relationship and medical issues, there is both trauma and drama for Chloe. Eating disorders affect several characters. Wendy struggles with jealousy over Chloe even though Wendy no longer loves or is attracted to Mike. It hurts that her daughters see Chloe as the fun “mom.” Meanwhile Chloe suffers from a deep seated and unfulfilled desire to be loved.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. #4 in the Cornish County Hospital series, but could be read as a standalone.
2. Only 6 instances of swear words and no open bedroom doors.
Publication: October 3, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
…borrowing tomorrow’s trouble was a sure-fire way to suck all the joy out of life.
If death could come from a thousand small cuts, so could the death of a relationship and it felt like that day was getting closer and closer.
Everything they’d been through had taught her that love really could be found in the most unexpected of places. There was no such thing as loving too many people, or being loved by too many people in return.
Before We Were Us–romance in New Hampshire
Before We Were Us
by Denise Hunter
From the moment Lauren Wentworth arrived at Pinehaven Resort and met Jonah Landry, they were at odds with each other. Lauren was hired to temporarily manage the small resort of eight cabins to help out the owners for 9 months as they transition into retirement. It is an opportunity to prove her worth to Olivia, the owner of Glitter, a top of the line corporate event planning organization in Boston.
Lauren, a product of the social services foster system, had a hard life growing up and feels she has a lot to prove. She is creative, a hard worker, and talented. Jonah is the son of the resort owner and is finishing a college degree in business with an eye to take over the resort when his parents retire. He has personal baggage also as his former girlfriend broke his heart to move to New York City. He sees Lauren as another “princess,” but is surprised to find her quite capable and unafraid to get her hands dirty.
An accident waylays their growing romance as Lauren loses her memory of four months of her life and their relationship. Jonah has to begin wooing her again.
A strong character-driven romance, Before We Were Us, moves back and forth between current events and what happened in the relationship before the accident. The reader is invited along as Lauren and Jonah struggle to find the compromise that will lead them both to a happy future. Will it be together or will Lauren pursue her dream job in Boston while Jonah manages Pinehaven Resort in New Hampshire preserving his family’s heritage? Does either one of them have sacrificial love for the other?
A nice touch and integral to the story is the renovation of an old barn on the property that Lauren wants to turn into an event center for weddings and other events. Imagine a rustic barn with fresh paint, fairy lights, and tulle. The barn project is just one of many successful ideas Lauren has to bring more money into the resort. Another fun part of the book is Lauren’s adopting of a stray dog, part Jack Russell. She names him Graham (Cracker) and he adores her.
I enjoyed this book and wanted the best for Lauren and Jonah. At times Lauren and Jonah seem “hard” and unfeeling, but there are reasons for their distancing themselves. There are certain plot lines that I would have enjoyed the author exploring more—Lauren’s mother; Carson, an intern at the hospital; and the community opening of the barn event center on New Year’s Eve.
Also, both characters have friends who support them, and it would be interesting to learn more about them.
Jonah proves himself to be a great listener and uses that skill in choosing gifts for Lauren. Have as much patience as Jonah and in the epilogue you will discover the sensitive meaning behind the book’s title.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Fiction, Romance, Women’s Fiction
Notes: standalone; clean
Publication: September 10, 2024—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
What if she was no good at this job? At life? What if she wasn’t meant for anything more than the trailer park from which she’d come? What if all the people who’d told her she wouldn’t amount to anything had actually been right?
“Sweetheart…we need to talk.” A weight dropped like a cement block in her stomach. Nothing good ever began with those words. She should’ve known better. This thing between them was too good to be true.
The feelings roiling through her were as powerful as a riptide. But undertows were dangerous and so was love. It was seductive and spellbinding. It held the power to drag you away from what mattered most.
Miss Plum and Miss Penny–love in a small village
Miss Plum and Miss Penny
By Dorothy Evelyn Smith
Miss Plum arrives in the little Yorkshire village of Greeth in a state of despair. When the main character of the story, Miss Penny, an unmarried woman, takes compassion on her, rescuing her from suicide by duck pond, she finds herself responsible for a woman who seems unable to accomplish anything and typically reacts to challenges, major or minor, by breaking down into tears. Somehow outside the government social system, Miss Plum has no one and nothing to her name. As Christmas approaches, Miss Penny and her friends find themselves unable to charitably rid themselves of the problems that daily accompany Miss Plum.
Miss Penny celebrates her fortieth birthday as the story opens. She is active in the village and content with her life. Romance for her is limited to a yearly birthday card from George, a commonplace beau she was forbidden by her parents to marry as a young lady. Her stalwart housekeeper and cook Ada is also her confidant and friend hailing back to her childhood. Miss Penny has two friends, a retired banker, and a vicar. Thoughts of a romantic relationship float about, but none of them take it seriously.
As Miss Plum, somehow attractive to men, stumbles from one disaster to another, the village moves on with skating on the frozen Tarn and engaging in Christmas caroling. Although a romance, Miss Plum and Miss Penny is very different from a modern love story. Character driven, this novel brings you into Alison Penny’s cozy home “The Laurels” and out into the wet and cold with galoshes, cardigans, and overcoats. The characters include a live-in housekeeper with various skill levels for Miss Penny and each of the two men. Clearly a marriage would disrupt the delicate balance of two households; good housekeepers are not easy to find!
There is a lot of humor in this charming novel. Not the “laugh out loud” kind, but the “smile and turn the page to see what the characters will do next” type. Imagine yourself curled up by the fire enjoying each page; that is the kind of book Miss Plum and Miss Penny is. The descriptions and writing style are enchanting. I liked the resolution as the book concluded, but was sorry to say goodbye to these delightful characters.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: This was a book club selection this fall, and not everyone in the book club enjoyed it as much as I did. Several members did not think there was enough character development or growth. Others pointed out that the characters did not change but did find contentment in their circumstances. These reactions are a prime example of not every book being the “right book” for every reader.
Publication: 1959—Robert Hale
August 3, 2020—Dean Street Press
Memorable Lines:
“Love isn’t safe,” he said heavily. “Love is a blinding flash in the dark. It is a leap over a cliff. It is a breathless dive to the bottom of the ocean…”
Love should be gentleness and tolerance and a sweet cherishing. That was the only kind of love she could ever have given—or accepted.
Women accepted sorrow and defeat. The cruel wind battered at them and they bowed to the wind; and when calmness came again they lifted their heads, bruised but unbroken. Not so men, who stormed and argued and kicked against the pricks, and often went to pieces altogether.
A Love Letter to Paris–lost art of correspondence
A Love Letter to Paris
by Rebecca Raisin
Lilou has been through several devastating romantic relationships as have some of her friends. Looking for a better way to connect, she anonymously founds Paris Cupid which matches people and enables correspondence which could result in a friendship and possibly a slow burn romance. Her day job is her own shop selling antique diaries and love letters in the Paris Market.
There are, of course, complications with both of her jobs. Through social media there is an outcry for transparency for Paris Cupid when a movie star sings its praises. Lilou has three handsome men at the Paris Market whom she suspects of secretly liking her. She visits with one of her antique dealers in a cemetery where some homeless cats hang out; their affection for the cats turns into a plot thread. Lilou is fluent in both English and French so the author throws in some French phrases that require no translation; the meaning comes from the context.
A Love Letter to Paris had no appeal for me through the first half. Then my interest picked up and was maintained throughout the second half of the book. The characters never came to life for me, however, and I didn’t like any of them. The resolution was apparent early on in the book, but the journey to the conclusion did not contain events that could have made it a page turner. Other books by Rebecca Raisin, especially those in the Travelling Shops series, have been delightful, but this one missed the mark for me despite my personal love of Paris and the French language.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 3/5
Category: Fiction, Romance
Notes: Clean language except for the occasional use of “merde,” the most common French swear word. No inclusion of intimacies.
Publication: July 8, 2024—Boldwood Books
Memorable Lines:
The market is like a petri-dish when it comes to gossip, and left unattended it grows, multiplying until everyone hears an exaggerated version of the story that just isn’t true.
They’ve taken information directly from the Paris Cupid website, saying it’s a small affair dedicated to matching the lost, the weary, the broken hearted, or the just plain romantic, using the medium of love letters.
The perfume of old books: earthy, musty nuttiness with hints of vanilla and sweet almond is like a drug.
B is for Bonnet–reconciliation
B is for Bonnet
by Shelley Shepard Gray
After I finished reading A is for Amish, I listened to an audio version of B is for Bonnet. I had already decided which of the characters introduced in A is for Amish would be the protagonists in this second book in the series, and I was so wrong! Although all four of the siblings considering returning to their Amish roots show up in the next book (#2), the focus is on Jonny, the youngest boy, and their father Matt.
A lot of B is for Bonnet deals with reconciliation and forgiveness. Two new female characters are introduced for romantic interest. Treva (Amish) owns a coffee shop and Kennedy (English) is a house/pet sitter. Both English and Amish characters and ways of life are at the forefront as they deal with what it means to “live Amish” and face decisions about their future. The return of an ex-boyfriend, a health scare, and an accident are events in the book that move the plot along.
Callie Beaulieu is the narrator for the audio version. I’m sure it is hard transferring from male to female voices, but I was usually able to recognize which character was speaking.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: 1. #2 in the Amish ABCs series. It could be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading A is for Amish first to get a solid base for the characters.
Publication: January 21, 2025—Kensington
A is for Amish–converting to Amish
A is for Amish
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Four siblings raised together in a dysfunctional way. Four siblings searching for where they really belong. This quartet unites to discover if they could not just survive, but thrive, for a year in the Amish community of their grandparents with whom they spent a lot of time growing up. Their parents had given up the Amish way and gotten divorced. Then they funneled most of their attention into finding their own happiness with another spouse. The children went back and forth between Mom, Dad, and grandparents. Martin, the oldest at twenty-five, assumed the role of protector and guide for the others, Beth, Kelsey, and Jonny.
Each at their own crossroad, they travel together from Cleveland to discuss moving in with their grandparents to learn the Amish way. Because Mommi and Dawdi are overwhelmed with the idea of training four adults at the same time, the young adults decide that just two of them should stay. Martin and Kelsey are the volunteers who remain. Martin, with a very successful career in finance, finds the transition more difficult; he just wasn’t used to working with his hands. Kelsey immerses herself in helping her grandmother and learning Pennsylvania Dutch. Other than conflict with a bossy hen, she has less trouble adjusting.
While Martin and Kelsey are dealing with the restrictions of Amish life, new cultural norms, and issues of faith, they are generally accepted into the community. Martin is enchanted with Patti, his grandparents’ neighbor, who was bullied as a child because of a port-wine birthmark on her neck. Spunky Kelsey captures the heart of Preacher Richard who is trying to help her assimilate. Martin and Kelsey are keenly aware of the need to separate their romantic feelings from the decision to become Amish. Not an easy task.
I had a lot of fun with this Amish novel. The characters are likable—except the one who shouldn’t be. Even his actions and attitude are interesting, moving the story along as he reveals his true nature. In my reading of previous Amish novels, there was usually a Bishop as there is in A is for Amish. This book mentions the selection process for a preacher: “even putting one’s name into the lot was stressful. Discovering the marked Bible was sometimes seen as both a blessing and a curse. No man accepted this fate easily—especially if he was chosen by the Lord to be a preacher at such a young age.” There is a lot of character growth in this novel, but not resolution for everyone. With four young adults as the focus, you can expect a “hook” to draw you into other books in the series about the various siblings.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian, Religion, Romance
Notes: 1.#1 in the Amish ABCs series
2. I did a brief Internet search on Amish bishop versus preacher/minister. It was interesting, and I unsurprisingly, as there are various Amish orders, found conflicting information on the role and selection process.
Publication: June 25, 2024—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“Now I understand. You’re not afraid of giving up your life…you’re afraid that even after doing all this, you still won’t be happy.”
“We do,” Kelsey said in what she hoped was a gracious tone. “We have more than enough. I, for one, would be delighted if you joined us.” Of course the moment she said those words, she wished she could take them back. She sounded like a spinster in the middle of a Jane Austen novel.
“We’re all scarred one way or another, child. We live on earth, not heaven. But you mustn’t forget that our Lord doesn’t make mistakes. You were meant to be special because He sees all of us that way.”
education pathways 