"The Beloved Christmas Quilt" Book Review

The Beloved Christmas Quilt:  Three Stories of Family, Romance, and Amish Faith

by Wanda E. Brunstetter, Jean Brunstetter, & Richelle Brunstetter

One Quilt Binds Three Generations of Amish Women
Enjoy the gift of a brand new romance from New York Times bestselling author Wanda E. Brunstetter, along with stories by her daughter-in-law, Jean and granddaughter, Richelle.


Book Description:  
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Psalm 31:3
The scripture embroidered on the back of a beloved quilt brings hope to three generations of Pennsylvania Amish women at Christmastime.
 
Luella’s Promise
By Wanda E. Brunstetter

Luella Ebersol has been caregiver for a dying woman and her young son. When Dena Lapp gives Luella her favorite quilt, she makes Luella promise to pass it down to her daughter. But Luella isn’t sure she will ever marry if she can’t find someone with maturity and faith like Dena’s husband Atlee Zook.
 
Karen’s Gift

By Jean Brunstetter

Karen Allgyer and her husband moved to a slow-paced village to raise their children, but Karen longs for the closeness of family to help her through the challenges of managing three girls with one on the way. When life’s pressures rise, will Karen cave to her fears?
 
Roseanna’s Groom
By Richelle Lynn Brunstetter

When the unexpected happens on the day of her wedding, Roseanna Allgyer can’t help blaming herself, despite not understanding why. Then an old friend returns to town, and she battles feeling for him—afraid of being hurt again.

MY REVIEW:   Wanda Brunstetter, along with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter, have created a world that spans three generations just as they represent three generations in their own family.  The three lovely stories are woven together with an Amish quilt made by Dena Lapp and as she prepares for her impending death, she gives it to Luella.  She begs a huge favor of Luella as she lays dying.  Luella promises to care for Dena's husband and young son.  She does indeed continue to work for Atlee after serving as Dena and her little boy, Daryl's caregivers while Dena needs help in her final days.  The verse Dena embroidered on the quilt, For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me. Psalm 31:3,  becomes important and encouraging to each of the young women in the three stories, Luella, Karen, and Roseanna.  

         Readers will enjoy the Christmas themed stories any time of year.  Following along with the three generations made me feel quite sentimental and will likely give readers similar feelings.   I highly recommend this book. 

         I rate this book 5 stars.

         I received an ebook of this book from netgalley and Shiloh Run Press in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own.

About the Authors:

Three generations:  Jean Brunstetter (daughter-in-law), Richelle Brunstetter (granddaughter), and Wanda Brunstetter (grandmother).  

Wanda Brunstetter is an award-winning romance novelist who has led millions of readers to lose their heart in the Amish life. She is the author of almost 90 books with more than 10 million copies sold. Many of her books have landed on the top bestseller lists, including the New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, CBA, ECPA, and CBD. Wanda is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre, and her work has been covered by national publications, including Time Magazine and USA Today.

Wanda's fascination with the Amish culture developed when she met her husband, Richard, who grew up in a Mennonite church, and whose family has a Pennsylvania Dutch heritage. Meeting her new Mennonite sister-in-laws caused Wanda to yearn for the simpler life. In their travels, she and her husband have become close friends with many Amish people across America. Wanda's desire to explore their culture increased when she discovered that her great-great grandparents were part of the Anabaptist faith.

All of Wanda's novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read and trusted by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs.

Wanda's primary attraction to the Amish is their desire to live a devout Christian life that strives to honor God, work hard, and maintain close family ties. Whenever she visits her Amish friends, Wanda finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties, which is in stark contrast to the chaos and busyness that plagues so many modern "Englishers." Time and time again, Wanda loses her heart in the Amish life, and she hopes her readers will, too. For more information, visit: www.WandaBrunstetter.com

Jean Brunstetter

Jean Brunstetter is the daughter-in-law of Wanda Brunstetter.  She enjoys writing and visiting with her many Amish friends.  She lives in Washington state.  

Richelle Brunstetter

Richelle Brunstetter lives in the Pacific Northwest and developed a desire to write when she took creative writing in high school. After enrolling in college classes, her overall experience enticed her to become a writer, and she wants to implement what she's learned into her stories. Just starting her writing career, her first published story appears in The Beloved Christmas Quilt beside her grandmother, Wanda E. Brunstetter, and her mother, Jean. Richelle enjoys traveling to different places, her favorite being Kauai, Hawaii.