Book Review (and a Giveaway!): His Pretend Amish Bride by Rachel J. Good

HIS PRETEND AMISH BRIDE
SERIES: Unexpected Amish Blessings #2
GENRE: Amish Romance
PUBLISHER: Zebra
RELEASE DATE: June 30, 2020
PAGES: 352

In a small Amish town like picturesque Lancaster, Pennsylvania, one solution to an indiscretion is to make a good marriage. Or perhaps, fake a respectable engagement . . .
 
Priscilla Ebersol has a fulfilling life teaching special needs children—until her boyfriend’s humiliating betrayal ruins her reputation and threatens her job. Ostracized for something she didn’t do, Priscilla throws herself into a project on the benefits of camel’s milk for autism. Her research leads her to a fledgling local camel farm, where she discovers far more than she bargained for . . .

When a pushy Englisch company shows interest in shy, handsome Gabriel Kauffman’s camel farm, he struggles to get out of a sticky negotiation. Lovely, well-spoken Priscilla appears at the perfect moment, and defends Gabe’s business so well that she is mistaken for his wife. It’s a ruse the two quietly continue, all the while secretly wishing it could be true. But though their bond deepens, Priscilla’s heart is still wounded, and Gabe battles with a troubling secret. And when a misunderstanding comes between them, it will take faith, honesty, and trust in the future to overcome the past—and allow their partnership to blossom into something more . . .

Other Books In This Series

If you’re like me, you may not have noticed the camel on the cover of His Pretend Amish Bride right away. In fact, I didn’t notice it until I was putting this post together, after I’d read the book. But let me assure you that you aren’t seeing things – that IS in a fact a camel on the cover, and camels do factor prominently in this sweet Amish romance set in Pennsylvania. I also had never really heard of camel farming or all the benefits of camel milk before I read Good’s latest novel, and now I’m fascinated!

I loved Priscilla and Gabe together! Their instant connection deepens into a tender friendship that just made my heart smile. And while the more overt focus is on Priscilla being the perfect helpmeet for Gabe, even before they address their growing affection for one another, I enjoyed watching Gabe fill that role for Priscilla too in slightly more subtle ways. The fact that each of them are facing a ruined reputation for separate reasons – caused by other people’s betrayals – drew some interesting parallels that I also thought Good did well. And oh how I fell in love with both of these characters along the way!

Bottom Line: His Pretend Amish Bride surprised me (pleasantly) in several different ways – from a camel farm in Amish country to a faith thread that came from an unexpected (but delightful!) source to a bit of a sucker-punch twist that I really did not see coming and even to the way the title factors into the story differently than I originally thought it would. This kept the reading experience fresh and intriguing for me and had me turning the pages, fully absorbed in the story, from start to finish. Great characters that avoid becoming stereotypes or one-dimensional, a quaint & somewhat unique setting, and engaging writing make this a must-read for fans of Amish fiction. Very much looking forward to the next book!

(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 / love it!

KissingBook Level: 3+ / will forget to breathe on occasion

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USA Today bestselling author RACHEL J. GOOD writes life-changing, heart-tugging novels of faith, hope, and forgiveness. She grew up near Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the setting for her Amish novels. Striving to be as authentic as possible, she spends time with her Amish friends, doing chores on their farm and attending family events.

Rachel is the author of several Amish series in print or forthcoming – the bestselling Love & Promises, Sisters & Friends, Unexpected Amish Blessings, Surprised by Love (2021), and two books in Hearts of Amish Country – as well as the Amish Quilts Coloring Books. In addition, she has stories in many anthologies, including Love’s Thankful Heart, Love’s Christmas Blessings, Plain Everyday Heroes, Love’s Truest Hope, and the forthcoming Amish Christmas Twins (September 2020) with Shelley Shepard Gray and Loree Lough. She is also the coauthor of the Prayerful Author Journey: Inspirational Yearly Planner.

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Other Books by Rachel J. Good

A few years ago, I passed Amish camel farm in Bird-in-Hand, PA. As an author, seeing anything new or different always piques my interest, so I went for a visit. Not only did I explore the farm and store, I bought camel’s milk to drink. I think it’s important to do in-depth research for the settings and information I include in my Amish novels.

I was fascinated to discover camels usually bond to one milker, only give a little milk each day, and are extremely expensive to buy. All of those are reasons why camel’s milk is so expensive. It costs $15 for a pint. Much pricier than cow’s milk.

And if you’re wondering how camel’s milk tastes, the best way I can think of to describe it is a slightly salty version of powdered milk. It’s more watery than cow’s milk.

Because I grew up drinking powdered milk during my early childhood years when we lived in Africa, I’d always vowed never again to drink it once we moved back to the United States. A vow I’ve kept. That was never a problem living in Pennsylvania, where there’s plenty of farmland, cow, and Amish, of course.

The camel’s milk was enough like powdered milk to make me gag. But because I want to be sure my books are authentic, I drank it. So, readers, now you know how much I care about you.

My concern for you also extends to more than just getting factual information correct. I pray for each and every one of you as I write my stories. I hope that they will touch your heart and bring you closer to God.

To celebrate her tour, Rachel is giving away the grand prize package of an autographed copy of the book and $25 Amazon gift card!!

Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.

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This giveaway is hosted by Celebrate Lit, not RimSP
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What about you? What makes you want to read His Pretend Amish Bride by Rachel J. Good?