5-Star Review of "Sweet as Honey"

Review of Sweet as Honey

The Honeybee Sisters #1

by Jennifer Beckstrand

Smart, kind, and good-hearted, the three Christner girls are affectionately known as The Honeybee Sisters in the beloved Wisconsin Amish community where, under the care of their aunt, they've grown into skilled beekeepers--and lovely, sought-after young women. . .

Though she has blossomed into a beauty, Lily Christner doesn't really believe it. Deep down, she still feels like a lonely, gawky teenager. Maybe that's why she's all but promised herself to Paul Glick, the one boy who never teased her in her awkward girlhood--unlike Dan Kanagy, whose creative name-calling left her in tears many a time. Now he's back in town after two years away--and being surprisingly sweet, suspiciously attentive--and making Lily unsettlingly yet deliciously nervous. It seems Dan wants Lily's forgiveness--and her heart. But can he convince her--not to mention her protective schwesters and aendi--that despite the past, her future lies with him?... 

MY REVIEW:  Everyone knows that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar and the Christner sisters have plenty of honey.  But who's the fly they catch and who's the fly they really need to catch for Lily?  Paul Glick has already been caught in the honey, but is he the right one?   He might just be a bad fly...full of insults and hurtful remarks to his girlfriend, Lily.  Dan Kanagy returns to the Wisconsin Amish community after two years away, but Lily has never forgotten him.  All through their school years, he called her names that hurt her feelings.  Unfortunately, he's still using these same names.  Paul Glick was the only one who befriended Lily at school when Dan picked on Lily, and he's not very happy with Dan returning to town and hanging around his girlfriend.  Lily's sisters and Aendi (Aunt) aren't too sure that they like Dan either, but he sure becomes helpful on the honeybee farm.   Will Dan endear himself to the Christner sisters and Aendi Bitsy or will she marry Paul even though her heart isn't quite feeling happy around him?   

               The Christner sisters are so sweet and they deserve the very best.  I fell in love with these sisters and their Aendi and felt badly for the way the community treats them.   Their own grandparents didn't treat them as I would have wished.    This book drew me into the story and made me root for the girls.  I wanted the best for them and felt like they were my own best friends instead of characters in a book.   It was very interesting to learn so many facts and details about the bee keeping and honey making business and the author had obviously researched this extensively.   Many Amish facts are presented as well which will be informative to readers who are new to the Amish faith and ways.  

             I rated this book 5 stars and am already anxious to read book two in the series.   

             I received a copy of this book from netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

About the Author:

I grew up with a steady diet of William Shakespeare and Jane Austen. After all that literary immersion, I naturally decided to get a degree in mathematics, which came in handy when one of my six children needed help with homework. After my fourth daughter was born, I started writing. By juggling diaper changes, soccer games, music lessons, laundry, and two more children, I finished my first manuscript—a Western—in just under fourteen years.

I have always been fascinated by the Amish way of life and now write Inspirational Amish Romance. I am drawn to the strong faith of the Plain people and admire the importance they put on enduring family ties. I have visited and studied Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin where I met with a bishop and a minister as well as several Amish mamms, dats, and children. It has always impressed me at what salt-of-the-earth people they are. My interactions with these kind people have been some of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I have a dear Amish friend with whom I correspond in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She helps me keep my facts straight and gives me inspiration for my stories.

My goal is to write uplifting, inspiring stories with happy endings and hopeful messages. If my books make readers want to give themselves a big hug or jump up and down for joy, I’ve done my job. I am a member of Romance Writers of America and American Christian Fiction Writers and am represented by Mary Sue Seymour of The Seymour Agency.

There are three Amish romances in the Forever After in Apple Lake Series (Summerside/Guideposts). Kate’s Song, Rebecca’s Rose, and Miriam’s Quilt are all now available.

I have six Amish Romances in the works with Kensington Books. The first and second books, Huckleberry Hill and Huckleberry Summer, are now available in stores and online. The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill is set in northern Wisconsin Amish country.

The series, The Matchmakers of Huckleberry Hill, is about an elderly Amish couple who try to find suitable mates for their grandchildren. What could be more fun than throwing two young people together to see if sparks ignite? No one would ever suspect two octogenarian Amish folks of mischief.

Romantic Times gave Huckleberry Hill 4 1/2 stars and chose Huckleberry Summer as a TOP PICK.

I have four daughters, two sons, three sons-in-law, and two adorable grandsons. I live in the foothills of the Wasatch Front with my husband and one son still left at home.