An Amish Book from the Heart Land--Washington County, Iowa, Amish

Excerpt from The Amish Baker: Caleb's chest tightened, he rubbed it to ease the stress. You're a fool Caleb Brenneman. You should have asked her to marry you. Now it is too late. She was excited about her new job as a pastry chef. You can't burst her dream.

 
 



The setting in Iowa is some of the loveliest in the whole Midwest.

Iowa Amish bakers and quilters are some of the best in the country.

The Amish Baker - Cover Reveal

A child brings them together...
     Will their differing Amish
     belief pull them apart?

Available for Pre-order!   

 

Blurb

 

When his son breaks one of baker

Sarah Gingerich's prized possessions,

widower Caleb Brenneman insists the boy

make amends by doing odd jobs in her bake

shop. A childless widow, Sarah can't help

falling for the boy...or his farmer father.

But Caleb is progressive New Order Amish

while Sarah holds traditional beliefs.

Though they're worlds apart, are

they a perfect match?






Welcome!

Thanks for visiting my official webpage. I'm a Christian author of Amish, contemporary, and historical novels, and children's picture books. I invite you to look around, get to know me better, and leave a comment or follow me to keep in touch and get my latest release dates and blog updates.

My first Amish book release, The Amish Baker, scheduled for March 2019 release from Harlequin® Love Inspired®, is the first in my Washington County, Iowa, series. For my debut book release, come celebrate with me. There will be lots of fun drawings, contests, and give away. Be sure to sign up to follow me and get the latest contest dates. Below is a sample of the prizes that some lucky contest winner will take home.

There will be authentic, hand woven baskets that are adorable, and all made by Iowa Amish hands. Their craftsmanship is durable, they are beautiful, and practical. I am a basket collector and I love these. So don't miss out.

                             There will be cute little coasters and other things to cherish.

A painting of an Amish home

             and

                     much

                                much

                                          more!

Book Review: Love by the Number by Laura V. Hilton

Love by the Numbers     (Buy Now)

Laura V. Hilton

Feb. 6, 2018

Kindle, paperback

Whitaker House Publishing

After her fiancé dies in a buggy accident, Lydia Hershberger is invited to Jamesport to manage her Mennonite aunt’s gift shop while her aunt and uncle are on a mission trip. While there, Lydia gets acquainted with her aentie’s best friend, Bethel Bontrager, and her grown son, Caleb. Lydia is surprised to find herself drawn to handsome clockmaker, Caleb Bontrager. But in spite of an instant flame of attraction between them, he doesn’t seem interested. In fact, pesky Caleb treats her like he doesn’t even like her.

 

Bright and sparkly. That’s Caleb’s first impression of Lydia. He’s always been attracted to sparkly things. In fact, his affinity for those things, and the trouble they can cause, are exactly why he’s determined to change his ways and settle down. With Lydia’s aentie gone, he is handling the books for the gift shop and forced to spend time in Lydia's presence.

When God offers Lydia a second chance at love and family, will she take it? Or will the secret Caleb harbors cause her even more heartbreak? 

Love by the Number by Laura V. Hilton, won this reviewer's heart from the very first page, and from there, the story turned into a terrific read. Ms. Hilton is a wizard at matchmaking her hero and heroine and making their courtship a spectacular read. The characters are well developed and their problems to overcome are relatable.

For more information about Larua V. Hilton and her books, visit her at:

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Twitter: @Laura_V_Hilton

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Purchase Laura's books at:

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Book Review: Sweet Charity by B.J. Bassett

 

Sweet Charity (Buy now)

by B.J. Bassett

Kindle

May 10, 2018

Desert Breeze Publishing




Sweet Charity by B.J. Bassett is a delightful Christian fiction read about forgiveness, hope, and love.

Hope Warner waltzed into Dr. Nancy St. John’s medical office one day and announced that she was the daughter whom Nancy gave up for adoption twenty years earlier. As a teenager, Nancy became pregnant at a time when young girls found themselves whisked away in shame to have their babies. Nancy was sent to live with an aunt in Chicago, but before she gave her baby away, bought two matching gold-heart necklaces, and had the baby’s gold heart engraved with “God has a plan for your life.” Now twenty years later, Nancy recognized the necklace that Hope wore and recognized the facial features staring back at her.

Hope understood why her teenage mother had to let her go, but she wanted to know about her father and if he wanted her. Nancy explained that Skip, the girl’s father, had entered the military academy, shipped overseas, and never learned of his unborn child.

Hope, now with advanced leukemia, needs a bone morrow transplant, but Nancy is not a match. The only solution: find Skip.

This reviewer found herself in tears by the end of the second chapter. Ms. Bassett is an emotional and lovely writer. Her eye for detail enhances the experience of the story. I think you’ll enjoy the story as much as I did. (Disclosure: I was given a copy for my honest opinion. All comments are my own.) 

For more information about B.J. Bassett and her books, visit:

www.bjbassett.com

http://bjbassett.wordpress.com

http://www.facebook.com/bunnybassett

  Book Review: Return to Walhalla by Laura Hodges Poole

Return To Walhalla

by Laura Hodges Poole

Kindle, paperback

March 28, 2018
Lighthouse of the Carolinas

 

 

When financier Penny Ruskin returns to Walhalla, South Carolina, she has one purpose—to settle her grandmother’s estate and sell the Victorian house she grew up in. Not an easy task with the downturned economy. What she doesn't count on are all the roadblocks thrown in her path. 

Walhalla is Tommy McAllister’s life. Between his family’s feed-and-seed store and the bank he’s vice president of, he’s stretched thin trying to survive the recession. But when a girl he hasn’t seen since high school breezes back into town, he’s ready to push himself even further to help her feel at home—and convince her to stay. He reaches out to Penny, but the last thing she wants is to be trapped in a small town that holds painful memories—one dark secret in particular.

The town matchmaker and bank manager, Miss Betty, a motherless teen Emma who lives down the lane from Penny, and the church ladies of Walhalla’s First Baptist Church add both heartwarming and challenging moments to Penny’s life. With the past dogging Penny’s steps, dredging up painful memories she’s tried to outrun, relatives threaten the future she has begun to hope for…But somewhere deep inside her, a spark of hope remains. Tommy isn’t the only one praying for a miracle.

My thoughts: Return to Walhalla is a well-written, delightful story about a young woman who has run from the past only to return to Walhalla and must face the demons she once tried to escape. Miss Betty extends a greeting and invitation to Penny, something Penny couldn’t refuse. And sometimes, that’s all it takes for a life-changing experience.   

Author Bio

Laura Hodges Poole is a freelance writer with dozens of articles, devotions, and short stories in publication. She is the author of five published books and has contributed to two others, all available on Amazon. Laura is the 2016 ACWC Badge of Honor winner, a 2014 ACFW Genesis semi-finalist, and a 2012 RWA Emily finalist. As an editor and member of The Christian PEN, she enjoys mentoring and helping other writers polish their work.  Laura is also a non-fiction ghostwriter/collaborator. Her passion is encouraging others in their Christian walk through her blog, "A Word of Encouragement." When she’s not writing, you might find her hiking, playing the piano, or being crafty. A mother of two, Laura lives in South Carolina with her husband and son.

Website: http://laurahodgespoole.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Laura_Poole
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/LauraHodgesPoole
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/+LauraPoole#
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lhpoole/