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The Courtship Plan–first love
The Courtship Plan
by Kathleen Fuller
Things aren’t going well for Charity Raber as she looks for a job and a husband in Birch Creek. She was one of many young ladies responding to an ad that said there were a lot of young Amish men in Birch Creek looking for wives. Charity is thin with bright red hair and more freckles than can be counted. Because of a difficult family background, she comes across as…odd. She is too eager, her speech is unfiltered, and she just doesn’t know how to act around her peers. She was even set up with a date as a prank by one brother fooling another. She escapes more embarrassment by moving to Marigold where she is hired as a caregiver to Shirley, a kind English woman. To her dismay, just as she is adjusting well, one of the brothers moves in next door.
Charity wants love and sets out to get a husband with the aid of library books that hold some pretty bad advice and lead Charity into some situations that are very funny. The interactions between Shirley and Charity with their neighbor Jesse are the basis of a good story that is mostly not a fairy tale romance. A fun addition is Shirley’s escape artist dog Monroe. A serious complication is Charity’s relationship with her father and stepmother.
Love and forgiveness are strong themes that move forward an interesting story. Charity is a complicated character with a complicated background. She is the underdog protagonist that you will root for, but a happy ending seems difficult to achieve.
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, Romance
Notes: #1 in the Amish of Marigold Series. This book references a prank that I had also read about in the last book of the Amish Mail-Order Bride Series, but they are really independent series. The reader will get all the information needed right in The Courtship Plan.
Publication: January 17, 2023—Zondervan
Memorable Lines:
He’d called her weird and a pest. He wasn’t the first one to throw those awful adjectives at her. That honor was reserved for her mother.
When he’d told her Shirley cared, her heart leapt. Someone cared about her. She soaked that in like a dried-up sponge sitting in a saucer of fresh water.
She replaced her kapp with a kerchief and tried to bolster her own spirits, like she always had. but she failed. She was tired, so tired of being her own cheerleader.
Her Only Wish–composing a life list
Her Only Wish
by Shelley Shepard Gray
While the first book in this clean, sweet Amish series focuses on Mary and her relationship with Jayson, the reader is also introduced to Mary’s new friends Lilly and Betsy. These three young ladies consider themselves wallflowers because of events in their pasts. We also meet Esther, Mary’s nemesis, along with several young men. All of the characters are Amish, New Order Amish, or Christians who are former Amish.
In this second book in the series, we are back in Pinecraft. Mary and Jayson have welcomed Betsy to stay in their home on vacation for a month. This book centers around Betsy’s “life list.” Betsy explains that her list is not a bucket list—“a list of things to do before you die.” Her life list consists of “things to do to make me feel like I’m finally living.” She has been very sheltered most of her life so her list makes sense as she works at being more independent. As she works on her goals, her “life list” idea catches on and other characters make their own lists.
There are a number of interesting new characters in Her Only Wish. Some have romantic relationships and others are friends. The story also dives into the parent/child and sibling connections. Some of these characters show growth and others demonstrate a stubborn display of ego and selfishness. I found August’s story particularly interesting. He grew up as a missionary kid involved in many cultures and languages. For his parents, their mission work is more important than August. They use love or the withholding of love as a means of control, and they let everyone know how righteous they are because of their works. They put August in a difficult position on more than one occasion, and the reader gets to watch his struggle as he comes to grips with basic decisions about his future. I enjoyed Her Only Wish and look forward to reading more in the Pinecraft series.
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, General Fiction, Romance
Notes: # 2 in A Season in Pinecraft Series. It could be read as a standalone, but the background from #1 in the series is helpful and the book is a good read.
Publication: June 6, 2023—Revell
Memorable Lines:
“That woman is a looker, ain’t so?” “She is.” “She’s as bright as a new penny too. Sweet but with a touch of vinegar.” August chuckled. “That’s a good way to describe her.”
Betsy seemed to be really enjoying herself. She smiled the entire time—kind of the way a puppy looks when it’s allowed to roam on the beach without a leash.
But a part of him was certain that the Lord hadn’t just been at work making golf balls sail through the air…He’d also been working on August’s life. Showing him that he hadn’t been making mistakes by working for his aunt and uncle. He hadn’t been wrong to try to go his own way. The Lord had a path for every person, no matter how important or forgettable.
Her Heart’s Desire–starting over
Her Heart’s Desire
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Mary is a young Amish lady who was bullied almost all through her childhood. She prays about a new start, and God provides her, through her home business of making greeting cards, with the funds to go to Pinecraft, Florida, for two weeks. Never having traveled far from her home area, she bravely makes the long bus trip alone from Ohio to Florida. She meets two other girls traveling solo to the same inn. They are all seeking a new start for various reasons and soon become fast friends. All is going well for Mary until her worst nightmare comes true in the form of an unwanted visitor from her home town.
Most of the characters in Her Heart’s Desire are either Amish or have decided not to join the Amish church but still share their faith in God and many of their beliefs and customs. You’ll like meeting the characters: so many are kind and generous and are helpful to the trio of girls as they work through past issues and grow in their determination to live their new lives. There are chaste romances with some handsome young men and fun times exploring the local beaches and shops.
I assumed Pinecraft, Florida, was a fictional location, but it is not. Wikipedia says it is a “small neighborhood community of approximately 3,000 Amish and Mennonites…in Sarasota, Florida.” It seems that many Mennonites and Amish enjoy the area as a good place for a winter vacation.
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, General Fiction, Romance
Notes: #1 in the Season in Pinecraft Series
Publication: January 3, 2023—Revell
Memorable Lines:
Yep, one could say that his conversation with her had gone as well as a bullfrog jumping into a cement swimming pool.
For a little while, she felt confident, the kind of confidence one gets only when she’s accepted wholeheartedly. It was lovely.
Her former friend’s concerns were twisted, and the things she was concerned about were so silly and so narrow. It was obvious that she wasn’t looking for a change of heart; she simply wanted things to be how they used to be.
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous–greed!
Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous
by Amanda Flower
Where you see zany, flamboyant Lois, an Englisch grandmother who helps out in her granddaughter Darcy’s café, you will probably also find Millie, her Amish best friend from childhood. Millie tries to stay within the rules of her Amish district, but it’s hard when Lois encourages her as the “Amish Marple” to pursue investigations. This time the victim almost literally falls in their laps in a particularly bizarre means of murder.
There are personal complications also as one of Lois’ many ex-husbands shows up in the little town of Harvest with his new bride of two days. What a shock for Lois to see “Rocksino-Guy” again and in her own hometown. The bride is very interested in Amish furniture specially designed with secret compartments. Millie and Lois investigate three local furniture makers to try to discover what the compartments might be used for.
Millie is an unofficial matchmaker, and she is called on by various Amish locals to determine if a match is suitable. She doesn’t go out looking for people to match, but she has a good feeling about whether a couple is compatible or not. If asked she will give her opinion, but she never offers it unsolicited or charges for her service. Even Millie’s matchmaking skills are an important thread in this mystery.
Harvest is always supporting some community event. In this story, it is a Valentine’s Day Spaghetti Supper that is a fundraiser for a drug counseling treatment program. Both the Amish and the Englisch citizens are concerned about the rising drug problem in Holmes County especially following the recent overdose death of an Amish teenager.
Millie and Lois, in their late sixties, find themselves in dangerous situations as their investigations draw them ever closer to discovering the truth. With someone slinking around the widowed Millie’s isolated farm and the discovery of a threatening note, Lois and chief deputy Brad determine to get the district bishop Yoder to allow Lois better phone access for emergencies. Even Ruth Yoder, the bishop’s strict wife, softens up to Lois and encourages the pair in their investigations.
A visit to Harvest wouldn’t be complete without Jethro, the pot-bellied pig, who puts in an appearance. Millie’s mischievous goats have prominent roles and even come to Millie’s rescue. Honeymoons Can Be Hazardous is a good cozy mystery with lots of threads and humor. The series always shows the ways the Amish and Englisch can work together with respect despite their differences.
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: Mystery
Notes: #4 in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series, but could be read as a standalone.
Publication: December 27, 2022—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
What I saw was a man with bloodshot eyes, sunken cheeks, and a heart shattered into a thousand shards.
Even with her zany Englisch ways, my parents welcomed her onto our farm and let her stay as long as she wished. They knew she needed a safe place to go.
“I can speak to bad marriages. They are hard. In fact, I can’t think of anything about the single life that’s as awful as a bad marriage.”
The Story of Love–being Englisch in an Amish community
The Story of Love
by Beth Wiseman
Yvonne moves from her house in Houston to live in Amish country in Montgomery, Indiana. Her friend Eva has been ordered to bed during her pregnancy, and Eva’s father-in-law is confined to a wheelchair leaving the farm management to Eva’s husband Jake. Yvonne, a rare book dealer, had met the couple at their bookstore, and now she steps in to help her friends at their store.
Abraham is a police officer who left the Amish church on friendly terms hoping to be useful as an intermediary between the Amish and the Englisch. He met Yvonne shortly after her fiancé died and hoped that at the right time he would be able to get to know her better.
The Story of Love is a sweet story of two people trying to sort out priorities and relationships. When the tale begins, Abraham is dating a very attractive woman who is as shallow as a mud puddle. With Yvonne and Abraham trying to make honorable choices, it takes a while for the romance in the story to progress. There is the further complication of Abraham’s family’s attitudes toward both women and their continuing discomfort with Abraham leaving the Amish faith. It is a problem for him too. Interesting and important subplots center on a homeless dog and a case of domestic violence.
I really enjoyed reading The Story of Love and am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, Hopefully Ever After, to discover what lies ahead for the characters. It is a gentle book but also has some action and confronts some serious issues. The characters use some Amish terms, and through the plot I learned how the Amish celebrate Christmas and Valentine’s Day.
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, Romance
Notes: 1. #2 in the Amish Bookstore Novel Series. It would be fun to read the first book in the series, but I had no problem jumping into this one.
2. Contains a Glossary of Amish words used in the book.
Publication: October 11, 2022—Zondervan Fiction
Memorable Lines:
Brianna smiled, looking gorgeous, but now that Yvonne had seen what was on the inside, her striking appearance had lost some of its luster.
This was what Christmas was supposed to be. Gifts created out of love. Meals shared with family. And an all-knowing sense that where more than one gathered in His name, He was there.
…if she was honest with herself, she was the problem. She was unlovable, despite her outward beauty that she’d always counted on to get her through life, to land her a good man, and to enjoy the life she thought she deserved. Maybe you had to give love with genuine intent before you got it back.
The Apple Creek Announcement–Valentine’s Day wedding
The Apple Creek Announcement
by Wanda Brunstetter
Bad things can happen when secrets are held close. Wanda Brunstetter focuses on this theme of honesty in relationships in The Apple Creek Announcement. Andrea’s parents have kept a secret from her for thirty-three years. When it is accidentally revealed, it affects her relationship with them as well as with her fiancé. There is another couple with a secret, but they are mature Christians and handle the revelation with prayer and kindness to each other. In fact, praying to God for daily guidance as well as for help in times of difficulties is another theme of this book as God uses some of the characters to share His wisdom with others. They feel like they are called to help others in this way. A third theme is reconciliation and forgiveness while there is still time.
This is a sweet, gentle book. The first part sets the stage. There is a dramatic twist in the second part of the book, and complications take off from there. I liked Andrea and her fiancé
Brandon at first, but less so in their responses to Andrea’s crisis. They truly weren’t listening to each other or being very practical about the problem. Despite this, I really wanted a happy ending for them. The characters and the reader are recipients of a surprise resolution that leaves everyone smiling.
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: Christian, Women’s Fiction
Notes: 1. #3 in the Creektown Discoveries series. Some of the characters recur in the three books, but this could be standalone.
2. Includes discussion questions at the end of the book, but they contain spoilers so you don’t want to read them first!
3. Includes recipes.
Publication: August 1, 2022—Barbour Publishing
Memorable Lines:
Lois had no idea whether her dad had heard anything she’d said to him or not, but even in her sadness, a sense of peace settled over her like a soft blanket. She felt God’s presence, whispering in her ear, “My grace is sufficient for thee.”
“…God knows about whatever problems we may have to face in this life, so the best thing to do when dealing with any kind of situation beyond our control is to pray about it and let the Lord work things out.”
Despondency clung to him like a wet garment, only he couldn’t take it off.
Peanut Butter Panic–complicated, but humorous, mystery
Peanut Butter Panic
by Amanda Flower
I always enjoy the novels in Amanda Flower’s cozy mystery series The Amish Candy Shop Mysteries. Peanut Butter Panic is no exception.
Bailey, an Englisch chocolatier, is co-owner with her grandmother of Swissmen Sweets in the tourist town of Harvest. There is a lot going on for Bailey. Margo, the town event coordinator, has organized a Thanksgiving celebration for the whole area that unifies the Amish and the Englisch in one big celebration. The arrival of Margot’s mother Zara, a fierce retired judge who is remembered for the harsh sentences she passed on Amish defendants, arrives suddenly and is unexpectedly accompanied by a much younger boyfriend. Her appearance throws Margot into a panic as Zara has made it clear that Margot has never lived up to her standards. When a murder occurs at the dinner, both Margot and Zara appeal to Bailey who has a reputation as a successful unofficial sleuth.
Other complications in the plot for Bailey include the intense sales period of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. It is difficult to produce enough sweets for all of these events in addition to the Jethro bars made for tourists in honor of the pot-bellied pig Jethro who has appeared on Bailey’s cooking show. Add in the difficulties of Bailey’s semi-long distance relationship with Aiden who has accepted a position with the Ohio BCI. She is also considering expanding Swissmen Sweets which would be a big change for her and for her grandmother.
There are a lot of twists and turns as hidden relationships and identities emerge. When the book appeared to be at a point of closure, I found myself wondering if I had missed something as I read. I still didn’t know whodunnit! But the last pages hold yet another surprise, the mystery is solved, and some real justice is done.
Characters are vital to this story. The reactions of people to Margot and to her mother Zara speak volumes. There is animal humor in the book as Jethro the polka-dotted pig plays an important role along with Puff the rabbit and a new character, Gator, a rather vicious little purse dog. Another character I enjoy is Charlotte who has a recently decided to leave the Amish way and is gradually transitioning to the Englisch way of life. This is a fun cozy with interesting characters and a good plot. I recommend the whole series.
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: Mystery
Notes: #7 in the Amish Candy Shop Mysteries, but could be read as a standalone
Publication: August 23, 2022—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
Amateur sleuthing required a great deal of balance I realized. Enough meddling to get the answers but not so much as to obstruct justice or negatively impact the prosecution of a criminal.
I did notice that the shouts and cheers for the little bacon bundle were a tad more jubilant than they had been for me. I understood. I wasn’t an adorable little comfort pig. It was difficult to compete with such cuteness.
“…Zara was the kind of person who could have a terrible time just about anywhere. She complained about everything, even when it was done just as she liked it. She found fault with just about everything I did.”
Marriage Can Be Mischief–cold case surfaces
Marriage Can Be Mischief
by Amanda Flower
Millie, a widowed member of the Amish community in Harvest, Ohio, supports her modest lifestyle by making quilts. Her extra talents are matchmaker and sleuth. Lois, her Englisch best friend from childhood who loves being her sidekick, calls her the Amish Marple. The two have some wild and sometimes dangerous adventures in the pursuit of truth.
In Marriage Can Be Mischief, a human skull is found at the bottom of a ravine. This discovery leads to the reopening of a cold case in which forty years ago Samuel Zook, a disagreeable buggy maker, was found dead at the top of that same ravine in his buggy. His wife Galilee had disappeared. As Millie and Lois investigate, they find several people with strong motives for wanting Samuel dead. The sheriff closes the case again when the skull is identified, but Deputy Little and Millie think it is important to pursue it to give justice to the victim.
There is a lot of humor mixed into the story as Phillip and Peter, Millie’s two pet goats, continue their mischievous antics. When Lois inserts references to media in conversations (e.g. James Bond), Millie is totally lost as to the meanings. Media is just not a part of the Amish lifestyle.
Ruth Yoder, the bishop’s very particular and exacting wife, plays a recurring important role in the story. When Millie matches up Phoebe, Ruth’s granddaughter, with Lad Zook who will one day inherit his family’s buggy business, Ruth must insert herself into the relationship. Millie has a love interest of her own when an old flame moves to the area. She has to decide if she is ready for a new relationship. Her husband Kip has been dead for twenty years, but she still loves him.
This is a very busy book, but the parts tie together nicely. I felt like I was in the middle of the community, and I cared about the characters. The contrast of the Amish and Englisch ways, without passing judgement on either, is well done.
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: Mystery, Christian
Notes: This is #3 in the Amish Matchmaker Mystery Series. It would be OK to read this book as a standalone, but it would be worth your time to read the first two for character backgrounds and humor. This also ties in with another Amish mystery series by Amanda Flower which is also set in Harvest, but although some characters from that series make cameo appearances in this one, the two series are independent.
Publication: November 30, 2021—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
…the light was breaking through the trees. I let out a breath. Sunrise was my very favorite part of the day. Each morning offered new opportunity and ways to give thanks to Gott for this life.
She sniffed and patted the white prayer cap on the back of her head as if to be sure it was perfectly in place. Of course it was; a prayer cap would know better than to move on Ruth Yoder.
“Who is your wife’s cousin?” “The sheriff. He’s no friend of the Amish, I can tell you that. If he knew we had an Amish man living on our farm, he would be fit to be tied. Honestly, we don’t talk to him much. He’s a sour person. Life is too short to be around people like that.”
Christmas at the Amish Market–finding the right mate
Christmas at the Amish Market
by Shelley Shepard Gray
Sometimes we forget how stressful being a shopkeeper in the month of December can be. There is no exception for Amish merchants as many customers seek out their wares for unique, special gifts. Wesley Raber has been working at his family’s large Amish market since he was a boy. As a young man he gradually took over most of the operation, but he had never tried to handle it alone until his father had a heart attack.
Jenny, who has a month-long break from her job as a nanny, is called in to help at the market. She stays with Liesl who is actually her niece although they are close to the same age. Wesley has been courting a frustrated Liesl for many years but has never proposed. Liesl is an expert seamstress and through her work has met the widower Roland and his four year old daughter Lilly.
Since Christmas at the Amish Market is a Hallmark book, you can guess where the plot is headed, but as always it is fun to learn more about the characters and their struggles, experience the ups and downs of their lives, and watch as romance develops in a very proper Amish way. The Pinery is a Christmas event center that plays an important role in the story. It attracts tourists and locals to view the magical light displays, sample delicious food and drinks, and get lost in a tree maze.
“For sure and for certain,” Christmas at the Amish Market is a fun holiday read with a quiet Amish background showing people trusting God and seeking his guidance.
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: Romance, Religion, Christian
Notes: The book includes a recipe for Cincinnati-style chili. It is served in an unexpected way, and the reason it is a Christmas Eve tradition for Liesl’s family is shared in the story.
Publication: November 8, 2022—Hallmark Publishing
Memorable Lines:
…while Wesley was kind and sweet to her, he didn’t exactly have as much passion for life—or for her—as she might have imagined. He was more the steady, plow horse type of man. He clip-clopped along at a steady pace but never exactly did anything flashy.
He was currently in between a rock and a hard place with a side of torrential rain added into the mix. It was the holiday season, and he had a slew of customers needing to be served and two parents who were depending on him to not let them down.
“You know as well as I do that our Lord is in charge. Everything happens in His own way and in the right time. Doesn’t do any good to second-guess accidents and whatnots.”
Love in Plain Sight–learning to trust again
Love in Plain Sight
by Kathleen Fuller
Although Love in Plain Sight is an Amish romance, it is not a sugar coated love story. It addresses two cases of physical and verbal abuse in two different Amish communities—how it affected the victims and how they reacted to it. Along the way though, the reader meets some noble and likable characters. They are people with standards, people you would want to meet. The book does not address abuse from a community standpoint, but from an individual one. The abusers have other character flaws or sins that are intertwined with their abuse—a hunger for money and power. They abound in self-interest and don’t care who gets hurt.
The plot is complex as Katharine decides to flee her abusing fiancée and lies to everyone to protect herself and her parents. She is Amish and finds a job at an Amish inn in a distant town where she is surrounded by loving people. One of them was abused by her husband who has been missing for nine years and is presumed dead. The two women recognize the backgrounds they see in each other. It is difficult for both to move on with their lives. Rhoda is still legally married, and Katharine has major self-esteem issues compounded by the stress of never being able to do anything the way her fiancée wants it done. As a result, she gains weight and her acne worsens causing even more criticism from him.
I started the book one evening and couldn’t wait to resume it the next day. The plot moves quickly, and both plot lines have dramatic conclusions. One of the major themes is forgiveness. Another is trusting God to work out things for good.
There is an amusing thread in the story. An ad has appeared in a number of Amish newspapers inviting young Amish women looking for bachelors to come to the little town of Birch Creek. Katharine chooses to “disappear” in that town, not because she wants a husband, but because there will be so many Amish women arriving that no one will question why she is there. The big question locally is the identity of the ad writer, and the surprising answer emerges at the end of the book.
Kathleen Fuller is not a new author, but this book is a first of her works for me. I recommend this book and look forward to reading more in this series and others by this author.
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: Romance, Christian
Notes: 1. #3 in the Amish Mail-Order Brides of Birch Creek Series. Although I have not read the first books in the series, I had no problem reading this as a standalone.
- The abuse is not described graphically.
Publication: May 3, 2022—Zondervan Fiction
Memorable Lines:
Despite decades of practice stuffing down her thoughts and feelings to the point where she was numb, fighting the bitterness edging her heart was getting harder.
To cope with his verbal abuse she disappeared into herself until there was nothing but silence in her head replacing his voice. Blissful silence—
“Make sure that the man you marry is gut, kind, and true. Don’t let love blind you to his faults, and don’t compromise yourself to please him. If you do, you’ll lose the person you are, and you’ll live to regret it.”
education pathways 