"An Amish Summer" Book Review

An Amish Summer Book Review
Four Novellas
by Shelley Shepard Gray, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller & Kelly Irvin

33027971

A Reunion in Pinecraft by Shelley Shepard Gray

When sisters Sharon and Sherilyn Kramer attend a wedding in Shipshewana, one of them returns with a new penpal while the other returns to her job at the bakery. After sending weekly letters back and forth, Sherry and Graham Holland arrange a reunion in Pinecraft. Upon Graham s arrival, however, he realizes he s been writing to the wrong sister. He decides to use the reunion as a way to get to know both sisters, but can he sort through the confusion in time to turn the worst vacation ever into something truly wonderful?

My Review of A Reunion in Pinecraft:  This novella makes me want to visit the Amish community in Pinecraft, Florida, although I think I would want to go at some time other than summer to avoid the humidity!  This was a cute little story of two sisters who have an attraction to the same young man, which of course will make life interesting.  Graham seems to see the benefits of spending time with the two sisters.  Readers will be anxious to read to see what happens with this romantic triangle.   
        My rating for this novella is 5 *****

Summer Storm by Amy Clipston

Arianna is counting down the days until her wedding to Jesse. They have been friends longer than Arianna can remember, and that friendship turned into love over the past couple of years. But when Arianna s brother Isaac, who happens to be Jesse s best friend, gets them both into trouble, Arianna s father puts an end to her engagement to Jesse. Some summer storms pass quickly, but Arianna is afraid the damage from this one may be too much to repair.

My Review of Summer Storm:  I felt a great deal of respect for Jesse in this novella as he is honorable as he doesn't tell of his friend, Isaac's big mistakes.  But he and Arianna pay the price when Arianna and Isaac's father forbid Jesse to continue his engagement with Arianna.   Readers will want to see how this situation is resolved.  Will Arianna and Jesse ever be able to marry or will their future be forever destroyed by Isaac's errors?  
        My rating for this novella is 5 *****

Lakeside Love by Kathleen Fuller

Esther has always lived in the shadow of her beautiful younger sister Sarah. Even the boy she has known and loved her entire life, Judah, only has eyes for Sarah. But when a handsome young Englischer comes to live with the family for a summer, everything begins to change.

My Review of Lakeside Love:  Wow!!   I felt such empathy for Esther in this novella.   She lives in the shadow of her beautiful, popular sister, Sarah, while they both share an attraction for Judah.   Judah doesn't appreciate the special qualities that Esther possesses while she pines away for him.  When the
good-looking, smart, and kind young Englischer, Rhett, arrives to stay in their home for the summer to learn about the Amish faith, the tables are turned and Esther is the favored sister while Sarah is the jealous sister now.   But Esther only has eyes for one man and it's not Rhett.   Readers will be turning pages as fast as possible to see how this sibling conflict is resolved.   This novella by Kathleen Fuller is my favorite of the four featured in the collection!  
        My rating for this novella is 5*****


One Sweet Kiss by Kelly Irvin

Everybody in little Bee County, Texas, can see the obvious: Jacob King and Martha Byler are meant to be together. Everyone, that is, but Martha. Ever since her mother died when Martha was a young girl, she has taken over the role of caregiver to her large family. And reckless Jacob, who has had a little too much fun on his rumspringa, only seems to add to the list of people to manage. But one summer changes everything, and these two may just find a way to meet in the middle and share one sweet kiss.

My Review of One Sweet Kiss:  What is it about summer and romance?  I felt quite nostalgic reading about this novella set in Texas as I had the privilege of living in Texas for three years.  I didn't realize there were any Amish communities in Texas.  Martha has had to assume a great responsibility for one so young when her mother dies and it is a challenge for her to allow Jacob into her heart.   But he is determined to steal a kiss.  Will they find a way to share a life together or will Martha saddle herself with the task of raising her siblings while forfeiting her own life?  
        My rating for this novella is 5 *****

My overall rating for this novella collection of four Amish romances is 5 stars.  I highly recommend this collection to readers.   I enjoy reading novellas as I can read one quickly when life is busy with so much activity.   
I received an ebook of this collection from netgalley and Thomas Nelson in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.   

About the Authors:

Shelley Shepard Gray

Shelley Shepard Gray lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. A busy wife and mother of two, she spends her days writing and keeping track of her two teenagers. Her two dogs keep her company when she writes in her basement.

Shelley enjoys writing about the Amish and visits Amish communities in Adams and Holmes counties several times a year. When not spending time with her family or writing, she serves on several committees in her church.

She also bakes a lot, loves coconut cream pie, and will hardly ever pull weeds, mow the yard, or drive in the snow.

Shelley also spends a lot of time on line! Please visit her website, www.shelleyshepardgray.com to find out her latest news...or become her friend on FaceBook.


Amy Clipston

Amy Clipston has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her fiction writing "career" began in elementary school when she and a close friend wrote and shared silly stories. She has a degree in communications from Virginia Wesleyan College and is a member of the Authors Guild, American Christian Fiction Writers, and Romance Writers of America. She is the author of the bestselling Kauffman Amish Bakery series with Zondervan, which is part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. An advocate for organ and blood donation, Amy donated a kidney in 2011 at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Through her donation, her husband received a second kidney transplant. Amy and her husband matched another couple and swapped kidneys with them. Amy's memoir, A Gift of Love, will be available in early 2014. She hopes her story inspires others to become organ and blood donors. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, mother, and four spoiled rotten cats. You can find her on the web at www.AmyClipston.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AmyClipstonBooks.

Kathleen Fuller

Kathleen Fuller is a best-selling author of Amish fiction. Also a wife, mother, crafter, coffee addict, football fan, and chocolate aficionado.  Connect with her on her website:  or
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008295153904

Kelly Irvin

Kelly Irvin's newest series, Every Amish Series, began with the debut of Upon a Spring Breeze, in April. The second book, Beneath the Summer Sun, will debut in January 2018. It is a four-book series published by Zondervan/HarperCollins Christian Publishing. This follows the Amish of Bee County series, The Saddle Maker's Son, released in June 2016. It is an ECPA bestseller. It follows The Bishop's Son, and the critically acclaimed bestseller, The Beekeeper's Son, which earned a starred review from Publishers Weekly. The reviewer called it "a beautifully woven masterpiece." The Beekeeper's Son was a finalist in the romance category of the 2016 ACFW Carol Awards Contest.

Kelly has novellas in The Amish Christmas Gift and The Amish Marketplace, both of which were also ECPA bestsellers. She is also the author of the Bliss Creek Amish series and the New Amish Amish series. The first series includes To Love and To Cherish, A Heart Made New, and Love’s Journey Home, published by Harvest House. The New Hope Amish series includes Love Still Stands, followed by Love Redeemed, which was an ACFW Carol Award finalist, and A Plain Love Song.

Kelly has also penned two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine..

The Kansas native is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and ACFW's San Antonio local chapter Alamo City Christian Fiction Writers.

A graduate of the University of Kansas William Allen White School of Journalism, Kelly has been writing nonfiction professionally for thirty years. She studied for three semesters at the University of Costa Rica, learning the Spanish language. As a journalist, she worked six years in the border towns of Laredo and El Paso.

She worked in public relations for the San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department for 22 years before retiring earlier this year. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-eight years. They have two young adult children and have two grandchildren. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories, read books by her favorite authors, and looks forward to visits with her grandchildren.

Connect with Kelly on her website:  www,kellyirvin.com



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Giveaway of "Grace Given" !!!

Giveaway! Jerry Eicher's Missing Your Smile and Following Your Heart!