Book Review (and a Giveaway!): A Christmas Home by Marta Perry

A CHRISTMAS HOME
SERIES: The Promise Glen #1
GENRE: Inspirational Amish Romance
PUBLISHER: Berkley
RELEASE DATE: October 8, 2019
PAGES: 304

National bestselling author Marta Perry captures the spirit of Christmas in this first novel of her all new series set in the quaint Amish community of Promise Glen.

After ten years spent keeping house and raising her younger siblings, Sarah Yoder returns home to Promise Glen determined to make a fresh start. Her new job with neighbor Noah Raber’s furniture business seems promising—until she and the woodworker clash over everything from the best way to reach new costumers to how to raise his mischievous six-year-old twin boys.

Though Sarah longs for a home of her own, she fights the appeal of this ready-made family, resolved to maintain a professional distance. But when she and Noah both agree to help with the school’s annual Christmas program, Sarah finds her heart touched by the motherless boys and Noah’s quiet strength. Thrown together at work and at the school, their feelings continue to grow, and Sarah struggles to keep Noah at arms’ length.

Loving Noah may seem impossible, but with faith, love, and a little help from their close-knit community, there may yet be a Christmas home for them both.

A Christmas Home is everything you want in a Christmas read, Amish or not. Snowy days, family, faith, friends, yummy food, adorable kids, falling in love. The fact that it is set in Amish country adds even more charm to this heartwarming story.

Sarah Yoder is a tenderhearted young woman with an intuitive wisdom and a nurturing heart. This makes her the perfect choice to step in and help Noah Raber with the business side of his furniture side – but an even more perfect choice to capture his heart – and that of his precocious (and motherless) twin boys. The story isn’t as predictable as you might guess, though – one pretty insurmountable obstacle stands in their way and it’s a doozy. I loved that Noah and Sarah were both people of strong faith and integrity but also that they struggled realistically with the complications of life and their growing feelings for each other.

I thought I knew how it would probably play out – and I was right – but the process of getting there kept me second guessing my initial predictions. Along the way, I fell in love with all of them – Sarah, her grandmother, her cousin & his young family, Noah, his boys (especially tenderhearted Mark), and even his parents. I’m delighted that this is a series because I hope to see glimpses of all of the above in future books, too.

Perry’s writing is engaging and immediately draws you in to the setting, the plot, and the characters. If you’ve never read one of her books before, you’ll readily see why she’s such a popular writer. I never felt that the story lagged or that my attention waned – especially because I wanted to see how this potential romance was going to be possible.  It’s a fairly quick read, perfect for a wintry evening (or a warm late autumn night that you wish were wintry) or weekend.

Bottom Line: Grab a mug of your favorite hot beverage and a handful of homemade cookies, and settle in for this delightful story of love, faith, and the holiday spirit. The gentle theme of knowing when to forgive, when to stand up for yourself, and when to accept help is woven organically throughout the story – along with flawed but endearing characters who win your heart. Really enjoyed this sweet romance! Looking forward to another visit to Promise Glen in the (hopefully) near future.

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

My Rating: 4.5 stars / loved it!

KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion

Marta Perry is the author of more than 50 inspirational romance novels, including the Pleasant Valley series and the Keepers of the Promise trilogy. A lifetime spent in rural Pennsylvania and her own Pennsylvania Dutch roots led her to write about the Plain People who add to the rich heritage of her home state.

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Other Books by Marta Perry

Berkley is offering a print copy of A Christmas Home to one of my readers! (US only) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.

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What about you? What interests you most about A Christmas Home?