An Amish Christmas Gift by Amy ClipstonRuth ReidKelly Irvin
Published by Harper Collins on October 6th 2015
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Fiction, General, Romance
Pages: 400
Format: Paperback
Goodreads
As I shared with you in the book review for A Reluctant Bride by Kathleen Fuller, my mom LOVES Amish stories. She enjoys stories about the simplier times and the clear priorities of faith and family that define the Amish lifestyle. We decided that if any opportunities come up for book reviews on Amish books, she would gladly read them and help me out. Below is my mother, Gloria’s review of the Amish Gift by Amy Clipston, Kelly Irvin and Ruth Reid:
This special novella is a collection of three sweet, holiday romances that are sure to delight and are perfect for getting us in the mood for Christmas. I’ll share about each book separately:
Naomi’s Gift by Amy Clipston
This story takes place in Bird-In-Hand, Pennsylvania where Naomi had faced two different recent heartbreaks. Thinking that she isn’t meant to find love, Naomi had given up on children and marriage. As Christmas was soon arriving, Naomi believed that her old-maid life will be spent helping the family’s quilting business and taking care of her siblings during this special time of family, faith, and hope. Through a chance meeting with Susie Schmucker, Naomi met Caleb, a widower with a 7-year old daughter, and she might receive more than she ever hoped for this Christmas. Could this be Naomi’s “Christmas Miracle”? (No spoilers here.)
An Unexpected Joy by Ruth Reid
Talkative Abigail Kemp (aka Gabby Abby) was sure she would be an old maid and was saving money to buy a horse so she can have happiness in her life and gain some independence. Abigail’s “gift of gab” has driven most of the men in the district who were future prospects away from Abigail.
Abigail led by example of sharing her money, food, clothing, showing kindness, and her belief that God loves everyone no matter their circumstances.
Micah Zook needed a caretaker for his grandmother and Gabby Abby needed a new job because the store would no longer sell her baked goods. Micah and Gabby Abby seemed to be butting heads right from the beginning, but Micah’s mother liked Abigail and found ways to put them together. In this story, the author had readers wondering if Micah could get past Abby’s “gift of gab” and see her for who she really was. (Again, no spoilers.)
As an aside, this was my favorite of the three stories contained in this book. This is a well told story about Amish love and their traditions of celebrating Christmas Day at home by reading the birth of Jesus from the Bible, sharing a special meal, and exchanging small gifts mostly handmade and heartfelt. On “Second Christmas,” which is December 26th, the Amish travel and spend the day visiting family and friends.
A Christmas Visitor by Kelly Irvin
Fannie Mast’s parents sent her to Bee County, Texas to live with her aunt, Abigail, and her new husband, Mordecai, in an attempt to get her away from an English man’s influence. A visitor from her past, Richard “Rocky” Sanders, shows up one night unexpectedly having followed Fannie all the way from Missouri.
Fannie and Rocky are in love. He was not part of the Amish community, but Rocky intended to be part of Fannie’s life despite being “English”. Rocky then decided that he loved Fannie and would do anything to show his commitment to Fannie – even giving up the convenience of being “English”. In this story, the author had readers wondering if Rocky could prove himself Bishop and Uncle Mordecai and the Amish community and show them he had changed? (You got it, no spoiler here.)
About the Authors:
Amy Clipston is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. Her novels have hit multiple best-seller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at www.AmyClipston.com, on Facebook or on Twitter.
Ruth Reid is a CBA and ECPA bestselling author of the Heaven on Earth series. She’s a full-time pharmacist who lives in Florida with her husband and three children. When attending Ferris State University School of Pharmacy in Big Rapids, Michigan, she lived on the outskirts of an Amish community and had several occasions to visit the Amish farms. Her interest grew into love as she saw the beauty in living a simple life. Visit Ruth online at www.RuthReid.com, Facebook or Twitter.
Kelly Irvin is the author of The Beekeeper’s Son, the critically acclaimed first novel of the Amish of Bee County series. Kelly is also the author of several Amish series including the Bliss Creek Amish series, the New Hope Amish series, and the Amish of Bee County series. She has also penned two romantic suspense novels, A Deadly Wilderness and No Child of Mine. The Kansas native is a graduate of the University of Kansas School of Journalism. She has been writing nonfiction professionally for thirty years, including ten years as a newspaper reporter, mostly in Texas-Mexico border towns. She has worked in public relations for the City of San Antonio for twenty years. Kelly has been married to photographer Tim Irvin for twenty-seven years. They have two young adult children, two cats, and a tank full of fish. In her spare time, she likes to write short stories and read books by her favorite authors. Visit Kelly online at www.kellyirvin.com, Twitter or Facebook.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publishers and Fiction Guild in exchange for this post as part of the Fiction Guild Amish Team Challenge, which is my honest review and unbiased opinion.
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