today’s book: More Amish Christmas Miracles
Happy Tuesday! We are continuing our annual blog series spotlighting (over 60 this year) new and recently-released Christmas reads! Christmas is only 18 days away, so… snuggle in, grab your fave hot beverage and comfiest blanket, turn on some Christmas tunes and continue your bookish Christmas list! Oh… and did I mention there are GIVEAWAYS with EACH POST in this series??!! (Because authors are awesome!)
Today’s first featured book is a collection of Amish romances, and I’m sharing my review!
MORE AMISH CHRISTMAS MIRACLES
AUTHORS: Rachel J. Good, Serena B. Miller, Jennifer Beckstrand, Mary Alford, Dana R. Lynn, Jennifer (J.E.B.) Spredemann, Adina Senft, Susan Lantz Simpson, Ashley Emma, Loree Lough
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary/Amish Romance collection
PUBLISHER: Blessed Publishing
RELEASE DATE: November 9, 2021
PAGES: 725
Discover more miracles in Amish country! Curl up in front of the fire, wrap yourself in a fluffy blanket, and treat yourself to this collection of romantic Christmas stories by some of your favorite Amish fiction authors. Whether it’s a snowy lane in the moonlight, a sleigh ride across the glistening snow, or a cozy Christmas celebration next to a crackling fire, you’ll find yourself believing in Christmas miracles. This second collection of Christmas stories is brought to you by USA Today bestselling authors Jennifer Beckstrand, Jennifer Spredemann, Rachel J. Good, Serena B. Miller, Ashley Emma, Susan Simpson, Dana R. Lynn, Adina Senft, Mary Alford, and Loree Lough.
The Amish Cowboy’s Christmas by Adina Senft
In the beginning, there was no Circle M ranch. Thirty years ago, there was only the girl next door and the boy who was too shy to tell her he loved her…For Reuben, showing Naomi he’s the right man for her will take all the courage and love in his heart—and maybe even a Christmas miracle.Snowflake Wishes by Mary Alford
Widower Tobias Weaver has no idea his twin daughters have decided he needs a new bride for Christmas until he “accidentally” finds himself in the company of Hannah Stoll, the community’s pretty new schoolteacher.The Sweetest Gift by Susan Lantz Simpson
Sometimes the unexpected gifts are the sweetest. There seems to be more in the air than snowflakes and excitement over the school program as Christmas approaches. Will a little girl be the catalyst to bring about healing and love for the two obstinate adults in her life?Hosea’s Christmas Miracle by Ashley Emma
On the outside, Gomer seems like a lovely, sweet, young Amish woman, but she’s hiding a scandalous secret. Hosea will need God’s help, a spirit of forgiveness, and a Christmas miracle to bring his family back together before the holiday.Made to Order Christmas by Dana R. Lynn
Tess is brokenhearted when her childhood sweetheart marries another. As she works in her aunt and uncle’s bakery, she begins to find that God’s plan is much better than what we want for ourselves. Joseph finds a job for his rebellious daughter at the bakery, but Joseph doesn’t expect to find love again.The Christmas Letter by Loree Lough
Ben thinks Christmas is too commercialized, but it’s Beth’s favorite holiday. Can friends—whose combined business skills have improved both businesses—overcome their differences? Or will the disagreement cost them money . . . and love?Joseph’s Christmas Box by Serena B. Miller
His Amish marriage is in trouble. Will Joseph find a way to repair it?No Room at the Inn by Rachel J. Good
Volunteer firefighter Philip Troyer finds refuge at Amish Valley Inn during a blizzard. After rebelling during Rumschpringa years ago, he has no intention of returning to the Amish. Will Katie Stoltzfus’s kindness and acceptance show him the way back to his faith and the real meaning of Christmas?Huckleberry Hill Secret Santa by Jennifer Beckstrand
Elmer Yoder can’t stand Rosie Herschberger, but when she asks for his help creating a special Christmas for the gmayna, he reluctantly agrees. Will Rosie learn to care about more than just herself? And will Elmer start to care about Rosie?Unlikely Singing by Jennifer Spredemann
The moment Christopher Stoltz met the mysterious young Amish woman at his cousin’s wedding, he knew there was something special about her. There’s one little problem. She’s already in a relationship with a minister’s son. Christopher seems to be everything Judy Mishler has dreamed about, but is Christopher a genuine hero, or is he just a pretender? Will it take a Christmas miracle for them to find their happily ever after?
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If you were around here last year, you likely already know how much I loved the Amish Christmas Miracles collection, so I was beyond excited when I found out there would be a More Amish Christmas Miracles collection this year! As with its predecessor, this collection is full of sweet, heartwarming romances that remind us of the Greatest Love that we celebrate. It’s a lovely way to get a taste for each new-to-you-author’s style and cozy up to a touching story from your already-faves.
No Room at the Inn by Rachel J. Good
What a great way to start off this collection – this story has it all. A blizzard, a romance, a touching parallel to the first Christmas, and a heartfelt reminder of the Reason for the season. I especially enjoyed the plot to this novella, as my family and I were once stranded in a hotel for Christmas during a blizzard and I could relate to several of the emotions reflected in the various characters. There’s a certain bittersweet emotion when Christmas is ‘different’ from how it’s always been, isn’t there? The author did a great job of capturing that mood and adding meaningful touches to help the characters – and the readers – find joy in spite of the circumstances.
Unlikely Singing by Jennifer Spredemann
We’ve all seen the movies where two characters lock gazes across the room and something just connects in their respective hearts. But they can’t connect in person for whatever reason and then the storyline follows from there as they try to track down ‘the one’. I always love stories like this, so I definitely enjoyed the way Christopher & Judy’s romance began. What I also appreciated was that the reconnection is both realistic and not the end of the story. Their journey to happily-ever-after is, of course, not without its obstacles, and the author uses those bumps in the road to give the characters more dimension and to keep their story authentic. It’s also a gentle reminder that God still works miracles when we let Him write the narrative.
Huckleberry Hill Secret Santa by Jennifer Beckstrand
I adore Jennifer Beckstrand’s books, her way with words, her humor, and her heart – and the way that all comes through on every page. I also adore Anna and Felty from the Huckleberry Hill series so I was especially excited that we get to hang out with Anna’s brothers, particularly Elmer, circa 1958, in this story. I loved seeing his occasional perspective on Anna & Felty’s relationship (and Anna’s unique cooking style), and I chuckled often at his general observations on the events around him. Elmer is a perfectly delightful hero in his own right, but the star of this story is Rosie. Her character growth is the icing on the cinnamon roll, so to speak, and I loved the gentle notes of grace and redemption we see played out as she begins to think of others.
Snowflake Wishes by Mary Alford
I am still grinning at the sheer adorableness of Norie & Neva, the precious twin daughters of our hero, Tobias. The grieving threesome is still adjusting to the tragic death of their wife/mother last year, but as their guest cottage is playing host to the new schoolteacher Hannah (who is also hurting) and her mother they all just may find the healing they need. I loved the interactions between Norie, Neva & Hannah – and Tobias’ response to watching his girls blossom under her freely-given affection. While I of course loved the romance that develops between Tobias & Hannah, it was the warmth that radiated from this story that delighted me the most.
The Amish Cowboy’s Christmas by Adina Senft
The first thing I loved about this story from Adina Senft is that it’s set in Montana – we don’t get many Amish stories set on the Western side of the US, so it was fun to sorta shift gears from farming to ranching. The Montana landscape in winter is an added bonus! I also loved that this is a prequel to her Montana Millers series, the origin story, if you will, of the Circle M Ranch and the love story that accompanies it. While I haven’t yet read those books, I want to now for sure! This story is a girl-next-door romance with layered characters and an overall sweetness to the tone that warms the heart.
Joseph’s Christmas Box by Serena B. Miller
Not everybody’s Christmas is full of cheer – sometimes grief, regret, and tragedy mar the celebration. Miller’s contribution to this collection takes us through a range of heartwrenching stuff and allows the characters and the readers to process the emotions involved, but don’t mistakenly think that it’s too heavy of a story. Because it also reminds us that there is always some measure of joy to be found – most often when we put someone else’s needs ahead of our own. I loved the way the various threads in this novella come together for a tender ending of generosity and hope that leaves us wanting to spend more time with these characters. I’m definitely going to be picking up Bertha’s story too because I’m very intrigued by her subplot.
The Sweetest Gift by Susan Lantz Simpson
A young man who suddenly becomes a father to his best friend’s orphaned little girl. A young widow trying her best to provide for her children & keep them happy & healthy. Elijah & Lydia’s ‘meet-cute’ is really more of a clash lol, but the way that Lydia and her children (especially her daughter) befriend adorable Ruby soon melts readers’ hearts as well as Elijah’s. I really enjoyed watching these two little families become friends, the perfect gift for each other at just the right time, blending their hearts into something more permanent as Elijah and Lydia fall in love. I’m also glad to know that Esther (a character you’ll love too) has her own book, one that I will for sure be checking out. A very sweet story with plenty of chances to smile!
Made-To-Order Christmas by Dana R. Lynn
Tess, recovering from a humiliating breakup, travels to help her ailing aunt and uncle with their bakery and ends up working with a hurting young adolescent who is on the cusp of rebellion. I think many women will see themselves in both Tess and Catherine, at different stages of our lives – at the least, we can relate to their feelings. The chemistry between Tess and Joseph (Catherine’s widowed father) is immediate and intense. You can feel the sparks zinging back and forth across the pages, and they were my favorite romance in this collection!
The Christmas Letter by Loree Lough
Ok so I know I just said that Joseph & Tess were my favorite romance but I actually think they’re tied with Ben & Beth in Loree Lough’s story. I loved their differences – especially about Christmas – because it added some great layers to their characters and to the story. One of the subplots hit a bit close to home for some grieving I’ve been doing lately so in that aspect it was a difficult read for me in places BUT it was nonetheless done with grace and warmth. And the tone of the story never gets too heavy – the sweetness & light of Ben & Beth’s relationship shines joy throughout.
Hosea’s Christmas Miracle by Ashley Emma
The final story in this wonderful collection is a loose retelling of the Biblical account of Hosea and Gomer. I was really intrigued to see how this touching story would play out in an Amish setting, and I think the author did a great job of reimagining the various elements in ways that made sense but still pointed back to the main themes of grace and restoration. The story is one that can be enjoyed on its own, even if you’re not familiar with the Biblical basis for this retelling. The characters are layered and the emotions are authentically drawn. I would love a follow-up to this story, set some years down the road, to see how their lives have changed in the meantime.
Bottom Line: Ten fabulous authors. Ten heartwarming stories. Ten sweet romances. Ten gentle reminders of the true meaning of Christmas. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a great way to introduce yourself to new authors & revisit your faves. If you’re looking for a book to curl up with this season, More Amish Christmas Miracles is an excellent choice!
My Rating: 5 stars / loved it!
KissingBook Level: 3 / may forget to breathe on occasion
click the author’s photo to go to her website
Jennifer Beckstrand is offering an ebook copy of More Amish Christmas Miracles to one of my readers! (Void where prohibited by law or logistics.) This giveaway is subject to Reading Is My SuperPower’s giveaway policies which can be found here. Enter via the Rafflecopter form below.
What about you? What makes you want to read More Amish Christmas Miracles by these ten fabulous authors?
I love reading Christmas stories year round, and live in Amish country, (often pass Amish buggies!) & enjoy reading about their culture.
This book sounds totally appealing!
Sounds great!
I love reading Amish stories and Christmas ones and this book combines both . Two of my favorite things together.
Looks wonderful. Thank you for sharing.
I love Amish stories, Christmas stories, and anything by Jennifer Beckstrand!