today’s book: An Unexpected Amish Christmas
Happy New Year’s Eve, and welcome to the last post in our annual blog series spotlighting (over 60 this year) new and recently-released Christmas reads! I have to take a minute to send HUGE THANKS to all of the authors who participated this year, for their posts & excerpts & giveaways – and for the way each one of them extended me abundant grace & compassion when I had to pause the series for two weeks following the death of my father. I wanted to finish the remaining posts because I love this series so much each year, but I never felt pressured to do so. For that I am immensely grateful. These authors are THE BEST, y’all. Not just as writers, but as people and as friends.
The final book in our Christmas Reads posts involves an unexpected romance between two hurting pen pals, and author Rachel J. Good shares an excerpt!
AN UNEXPECTED AMISH CHRISTMAS by Rachel J. Good
SERIES: Surprised by Love #3
GENRE: Inspirational Contemporary / Amish Romance
PUBLISHER: Zebra
RELEASE DATE: October 26, 2021
PAGES: 236
Ten minutes ago, Jeremiah had wheeled himself into the line that snaked around the Esch’s stand and down the aisle, although he was more interested in Keturah than the pretzels they sold. The four girls with strawberry-blonde hair looked enough alike he could tell they were sisters. He’d picked out Keturah as the oldest one immediately. Dressed in black, which emphasized her lovely porcelain complexion, she seemed to be rushing everywhere at once.
The closer he got, though, the more he sensed the heaviness of her sorrow. Despite the Christmas music blasting around her, her whirlwind activity, and her cheery greetings to each customer, he read the sadness in her eyes. But the set of her jaw revealed a determination to hold herself together.
After he gave his order and her cheeks reddened when she realized they were all out of plain, Jeremiah regretted not choosing one of the other pretzels from the warmer instead of embarrassing her. But having to wait gave him a chance to observe all four girls as they worked.
While he sat watching, he’d spotted the impending accident. He’d cried out, but not in time to stop the collision of the broom and the tray that sent pretzels cascading everywhere. That mishap, along with running out of pretzels, had added to Keturah’s frantic motion. She rushed back to help her little sister dip the pretzels in butter, sprinkle salt, or add cinnamon sugar.
The peaceful notes of “Silent Night” drifted around them. Jeremiah prayed God would touch Keturah with the calm and beauty of the song.
When she headed back to the counter, she spotted him and clapped a hand over her mouth. Her cheeks flushed an attractive shade of pink. “Ach, I forgot to keep a plain pretzel out for you.”
“I have nowhere to go.” Now his face flamed. “I mean we won’t be leaving yet, so I can sit here until another batch is ready. I really don’t mind.” That was true. He’d been engrossed in watching her work.
“Neh, I can’t ask you to do that.”
“You didn’t ask me. I offered. It’s no trouble at all.” What could he say to ease her mind? “I enjoy watching how you make pretzels.”
Her face turned a deeper shade of red—almost the color of cranberries. “I’m sure we gave you quite a comedy show. We aren’t normally this disorganized.”
“I understand, and I’m sorry for your loss.”
Her startled eyes met his, and he drowned in their velvety green depths. But they also questioned how a stranger knew about her parents. By speaking the words weighing heavily on his heart, he’d given himself away.
To cover up how much he knew, he motioned to her black dress, her younger sisters’ gray ones. “You’re in mourning.”
“Jah, we lost both our parents a few weeks ago.”
“You’re doing quite well under the circumstances. In addition to dealing with sadness, you have to fill in for your missing parents.”
Teardrops trembled on the tips of her lashes as she nodded, making him want to sweep her into his arms. He scolded himself. Whatever had caused that odd thought to flit through his mind?
“Mamm kept things running smoothly,” she said in a broken voice. “She kept track of all the details. I don’t have her skills.”
“But how can you do her job when you’re so busy with customers?” He gestured toward the line, and it dawned on him that he’d been holding her up. “Can I help with anything?”
The words popped out of his mouth before he realized his question sounded foolish. He’d always been the first to help neighbors and friends, but that had been before the accident.
Keturah stared at him, surprise written all over her face. Her eyes strayed to his wheelchair. “I, um, don’t think so. Danke for offering.”
The pain in her eyes lessened a little, but Jeremiah’s face heated again as she scrutinized him. Why had he called attention to himself? He squirmed. No doubt she wondered what he could possibly do.
At that moment, a tiny spark inside him burst into flames. He had to get out of this wheelchair and walk again. He had to regain the use of his fingers. Whatever it took, he’d never stop working until he accomplished that. He wanted to reclaim his freedom, his ability to be useful to others.
Please, Lord, give me the strength to reach these goals.
A still, small voice spoke to his heart. I have put you here, and this is where I want you. You don’t need to be able to walk to assist others.
More than anything, Jeremiah wanted to help Keturah. But how?
Rachel J. Good, An Unexpected Amish Christmas
© 2021. Used by permission.
Rachel J. Good is offering a signed, print copy of An Unexpected Amish Christmas to one of my readers! (US only. 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 An Unexpected Amish Christmas by Rachel J. Good?
I would love to read this one. Happy New Year 🎈
I love Amish stories and Christmas stories so this has to be great.
How did Jeremiah end up in a wheelchair? And how does this family cope w/ the loss of their parents?
I love Amish fiction books, Christmas books, and Amish fiction authors, so that’s why I want to read this book!
This sounds like a wonderful, heart-warming story, which I’d love to read!
Thank you so much for sharing. I enjoy reading Amish stories. God bless you. Happy New Year.
After reading the excerpt, I want to read about Jeremiah’s success in rehabilitation and Keturah to feel joy again. Amish fiction seems to have been my go-to genre this past year, and An Unexpected Amish Christmas sounds like wonderful story.
It sounds like a really interesting book. Thank you for sharing.
I would like to see if these two becomes friends in person and not just through the mail and how God can heal the pain in their lives.
The blurb sounds good. It’s always good to read about people finding love after surviving a loss of some kind. Thanks for the chance.
I love reading Amish stories and Rachel is a wonderful author.
I Love reading the Amish Books and this one sounds amazing by Rachel !
This sounds like a great book
i have read a lot amish books i would like this
excerpt’s nice
Wonderful story!
A penpal who becomes something more is sweet. I hope Jeremiah recovers to the best of his ability and meets up with the gal.
A lovely cover, synopsis and excerpt make me want to read this story. Thank you for posting about this book