The Farmers' Market Mishap by Wanda and Jean Brunstetter -- a sweet sequel!

The Farmers'  Market Mishap easily picks right back up where The Lopsided Christmas Cake left off, which will be a delight for all Wanda and Jean Brunstetter fans!  Twins Elma and Thelma now live across the street from each other, since Thelma's wedding to Joseph.  As Thelma and Joseph begin their lives together and start to build a family, Elma lives alone in the farmhouse they once shared, and at times, feels understandably lonely.  She deals with the very real human emotion of envy -- wondering if she will ever be married and raising a family.  But we also see that Elma has grown a bit more mellow --  to the point of letting a few pets share her home.  Her pets quickly become dear companions to her, another bit of proof that Elma's demeanor is softening.  As Elma goes about the daily tasks of running the general store, could she be rekindling an old relationship -- or is there someone new in her life who will win her heart?  As readers, we are left guessing right up until the very end!  Another treat for the reader are the recipes that follow the story, at the end of the book.  Another wonderfully heartwarming read by the writing team of Wanda and Jean Brunstetter!

 I received an advanced copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

The Seekers (Amish Cooking Class , Book 1) by Wanda Brunstetter

The Seekers by Wanda Brunstetter is the story of a group of strangers brought together with a common goal of learning how to cook authentic Amish meals, in the home of Heidi Troyer.  It is reminiscent of Ms. Brunstetter’s earlier series,   The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club, and, in fact, it is the niece of Anna Miller, the main character of that series, who offers cooking classes in The Seekers.  Characters in The Seekers seem to have an extra layer of depth added to them – they each have some issue facing them in their lives, and these issues seem a bit edgier in this book – a widow and widower navigating life without a partner; a young, expectant mother, estranged from her family; an engaged woman facing interpersonal conflict; and a Vietnam War veteran who suffers from the effects of flashbacks and bad decisions. The depth these characters possess is apparent, as Ms. Brunstetter skillfully takes the reader deep into the lives, inner thoughts, and struggles each character faces.  Each character is realistically portrayed, which leads to a more complete and satisfying experience for the reader – you cannot help but relate to the plights of each one, because you’ve either been there yourself, or know someone who has.  Under Ms. Brunstetter’s careful craftsmanship, characters and readers alike are taken from the highest of highs to the depths of despair, as each storyline unfolds.  Through it all though, Ms. Brunstetter delicately weaves threads of hope – hope for fresh starts, new beginnings, and redemption, as well as the offer of the eternal love of a forgiving God. Ms. Brunstetter’s books remain the gold standard of authenticity for the Amish fiction genre.

I received an advanced copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Review: The Lopsided Christmas Cake by Wanda Brunstetter and Jean Brustetter

The Lopsided Christmas Cake, by Wanda Brunstetter and Jean Brunstetter

Published: September 1, 2015

Meet Elma and Thelma Hochstetler, two 30-something Amish women who just happen to be unmarried twin sisters, to boot.  When their grandparents tragically die, the Hochstetler twins are left an old farmhouse in need of dire repair, and a general store in barely better shape.  To make matters worse, the house and store are 4 hours away from the only home they've ever known.  Their father is all for the move, thinking it will be good for the girls....their mom? Not so much.


As you might expect, the twins are total opposites in terms of personality and temperament. Kind hearted animal-lover Thelma is the perfect foil for her abrasive, no-nonsense sister, Elma. As the story unfolds, we see one sister's newly emerging romance threatened by a childhood promise, while the other sister finds that she is strong enough to to stand on her own two feet. 

This is a slightly new twist on the standard Amish romance, as the reader sees two young Amish women step out of their more traditional roles to embrace new adventures and new challenges while they remain true to their beliefs and themselves.

At the end of the book, the recipe for the cake that plays a central role in the story is provided.  A nice touch!

Review: The Struggle by Wanda Brunstetter

The Struggle is the third installment in the Kentucky Brothers series by Wanda Brunstetter, and follows the story of Timothy Fisher and his wife, Hannah, as they pack up and leave their home in Paradise, Pennyslvania, and move to Christian County, Kentucky.

From the start, Hannah is against the move and fights Timothy all the way – verbally, as well as emotionally.   As we witnessed in Book 2 of this series, Hannah is very close to her mother, to the point of spending all her time at her home, instead of in her own home, leaving Timothy to feel that he has no choice to save his struggling marriage, but to pick up and move away, separating his wife and mother in law.

There are several “mini” struggles occurring in the storyline, but by far, the major struggles in this book revolve around Hannah, first as she tries to adjust to her new home; later as she struggles to find forgiveness in the face of tragedy – forgiveness for her husband, and ultimately, for herself.  

All in all, a very engaging read.

*This book was provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.  I was not required to provide a positive review.

Review: A Season of Love by Amy Clipson

Review: A Season Of Love by Amy Clipson
Release Date: June 19, 2012

In A Season of Love, the final installment in the Kaufman Amish Bakery series by Amy Clipson, best friends, Lizzie Ann, Katie and Lindsay are reunited, after Lindsay returns from Virginia Beach, where she’s spent the summer taking care of family friend/pseudo Aunt Trish, who was recovering from a broken leg.

Back in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, everything is going well with the trio of friends, until Lizzie Ann becomes engaged to Katie’s brother, Samuel, and Lindsay begins a courtship with Matthew Glick. These events leave Katie feeling left out, until she begins to see Jake Miller, a Mennonite carpenter who works in the family furniture making business, in a new light.
Over time, Katie and Jake grow closer, but a series of mishaps and misconceptions lead to trouble for them – and especially for Katie – trouble that could lead to serious consequences, unless hearts and attitudes change, and the truth comes out.
All of the different storylines flowed nicely together, were easy to follow, as well as believe. Ms. Clipson really did a nice job weaving them all together at the end of the book.

I received a copy of this book free from the publisher in return for my honest review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own. I was not compensated in any other way, and was not required to give a positive review.

Review: The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda Brunstetter

Maybe I'm getting spoiled, but I've come to expect that warm-fuzzy-in-the-region-of-my-heart feeling whenever I pick up one of Wanda Brunstetter's Amish-based fiction offerings. The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club was no exception.

I must admit, though, to feeling a bit apprehensive as I picked it up and feasted my eyes on the cover: a mismatched group of would-be quilters surround a serene looking Amish woman -- and if it was any other author but Wanda Brunstetter, I might have put it back down without even reading a page. But in due course, not only did I grow to know, but actually like each of these characters: Star, the tattooed young woman, yearning to be loved and appreciated by her family; burly biker-dude, Jan Sweet (who, but Wanda Brunstetter could come up with a moniker like that for a hard-living, gruff biker (who is really a soft, squish, teddybear in disguise!); tired, disappointed and discouraged marrieds, Pam and Stuart; young, grieving dad, Paul Rodriguez; and disillusioned minister's wife, Ruby Lee; and finally, Emma Yoder, who takes them all under her wing, like a mother bird. Is there anyone Emma doesn't like??? Well, there was Lamar, a nice Amish widower who seems to always find a way under Emma's skin, but even that works out!

Each individual "dilemma" faced by the characters in this book is well thought-out and written. What amazed me, time and time again, is how the author was able to switch gears and effectively write with each character in mind, from their dialogue to their thought processes.

Ms. Brunstetter weaves compassion, understanding and humor into this story, and in the end, you can't help but feel like you've just met a new group of friends. A new group of friends that this reader was sorry to see go. But that's the mark of a good story, ain't so?

Review: Leaving Lancaster by Kate Lloyd

From the start, Leaving Lancaster is a dizzying experience. The author switches from first to third person between the two main characters (mother and daughter, Esther and Holly Fisher) with no warning. I found myself having to re-read passages more slowly than usual to figure out who was speaking. Also, there seemed to be no sense of passing time in this book. I still have very little concept of how much time actually passed during the storyline, which, again, makes some of the developments hard to believe. It was interesting to me what the author decided to dwell on and explore, and what she left open ended (Mommy Anna's diagnosis, for one thing, Samuel's MIA status and Nathaniel's wife's disappearance, for others). Those who like the answers spelled out for them can only hope that there is a sequel to this book. I found it unrealistic that Nathanial would profess his love for Esther after briefly seeing her again after 30-odd years....enough so to propose marriage, and she seriously considered it! Add to that the fact that these two never had a relationship to begin with, 30 years ago. Suddenly they are declaring their love for one another, but the author spent zero time developing a relationship between them. If we are expected, as readers, to delve into fanciful notions like this, I would have much rather seen Samuel Fisher return from Vietnam, safely back into the arms of his family. I kept expecting either a) Nathaniel's long-lost wife to pop up on his doorstep; or b) Nathaniel to turn out to be Samuel, in some bizarre case of amnesia. By contrast, the relationship between Zach and Holly was a little more believable. The fluctuating emotions -- anger, fear, more anger, displayed by both mother and daughter made me kind of sick of both of them. I would expect behavior like that from adolescents, but not a 37-year-old college graduate, and her 50-something mom. I bought this book because it was offered for 99 cents. If I had paid $14 for the book, I might be disappointed. There were too many loose ends left untied, too many personality or background aspects left unexplained. Having said all that, I've read worse books. But I've read better books, as well, no offense to the author. If a sequel were written, I would read it, hoping that loose ends would finally be tied, and resolutions found.