Tuesday, May 31, 2016

A BOOK REVIEW OF THE AMISH FIREFIGHTER BY LAURA V. HILTON


This book, The Amish Firefighter (Whitaker House) by Laura V. Hilton, is a real barn burner of a novel.  Was that too corny of a joke?  Sorry but hear me out - this novel has all the clean but steamy heat that a good romance should have.  And I loved every page of it!  You will enjoy getting to know Sam and Abigail as well.  

Sam and Abigail are flawed individuals with secrets and a strong attraction between them.  Laura V. Hilton writes romance beautifully and intertwines the most inspirational messages and scriptures.  Putting young love and God's good word together makes The Amish Firefighter an irresistable read.  The Amish Firefighter was published May 3, 2016.

I found Laura V. Hilton's biography interesting so I copied it below for her readers to see as well.  As you can see, Laura has written many Amish novels and has Amish grandparents.  No wonder her books are so authentic!

AUTHOR BIOLaura V. Hilton
Amish fiction lovers responded positively and immediately to Laura V. Hilton’s debut novel, Patchwork Dreams, when she burst on the scene in 2009 with her unique series, The Amish of Seymour, set in the tiny town of Seymour, in Webster County, Missouri. Fans of the genre immediately recognized Hilton’s insider knowledge, not only of the Webster County community, but Amish culture in general. Her natural speech and writing patterns, she says, are uniquely “Amish,” acquired from her Amish maternal grandparents. Her first series with Whitaker House, The Amish of Seymour, includes Patchwork Dreams, A Harvest of Hearts, and Promised to Another. A Harvest of Hearts was the 2012 Laurel Award winner, placing first in the Amish Genre Clash, then winning the top award from the pool of winners in other genres that year. Her second series, The Amish of Webster County, is comprised of Healing Love, Surrendered Love, and Awakened Love. A stand-alone title, A White Christmas in Webster County, was released in September 2014. The Birdhouse concluded Laura’s 2015 series, The Amish of Jamesport, which also included The Snow Globe and The Postcard. She is co-author, with Cindy Loven, of Swept Away, one of Abingdon Press’ Quilts of Love series. Previously, she published two novels with Treble Heart Books, Hot Chocolate and Shadows of the Past, as well as several devotionals. Laura is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and a professional book reviewer. Laura and her husband, Steve, have five children, whom Laura homeschools. The family makes their home in Arkansas.

For more about Laura, her latest book, the books she’s written and those she’s reviewed:
Laura Hilton’s Website: lauravhilton.blogspot.com

Laura’s Book Review site:  http://lighthouse-academy.blogspot.com/

The Amish Firefighter: whpub.me/amishfirefighter

Friday, May 27, 2016

A BOOK REVIEW OF PROMISE LODGE BY CHARLOTTE HUBBARD


Charlotte Hubbard has begun a new Amish series with Promise Lodge (Kensington Publishing).  It is a shame that the book and place is fictional as I would love to visit Promise Lodge.  What a wonderful place Charlotte has created and the inhabitants of Promise Lodge are priceless!  These are the characters that I would want to be my neighbors - so caring, loving, and, well, perfectly neighborly.

But don't misunderstand, there are plenty of conflicts and trouble within the pages of this novel. The love, warmth, and potential romantic matches jump off the pages and before you know it, the conflicts are settled and God's perfect path is fulfilled.

Another interesting aspect of Promise Lodge are the delicious meal descriptions that the ladies cook up for themselves and guests.  Author Hubbard must know her way around the kitchen because she gives her readers eleven recipes at the end of the book of Amish dishes served at Promise Lodge.  What a great bonus in addition to the story!

Promise Lodge was published February 23, 2016.  I sincerely look forward to future books in this series.  Try it and I think you will fall in love with Promise Lodge too (and let's get a group together to visit these lovely people this summer!).

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

A BOOK REVIEW OF AMISH SWEETHEARTS BY LESLIE GOULD


What a wonderful Amish novel I just finished reading!  Amish Sweethearts (Bethany House) by Leslie Gould spoke to my heart and soul.  This is a beautifully written tale of star crossed friends set in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

The cast of characters are real and lovable.  Not everyone is perfect, mistakes are made that have real consequences.  But isn't that like real life?  Life can be messy and we have to work with the dumb choices we make at times.

Amish Sweethearts is a book I feel confident in recommending.  It's appeal is broad and is far from the typical Amish novel.  Fair warning, there are scenes from the war in Afganistan that could be troubling to some sensitive people.  However, to me, they provided clear insight into what goes on in a war zone and really added to the realism of this book.  Leslie Gould does not sugar coat the horror of war.

I look forward to the next installment of this series, Neighbors of Lancaster County.  I've come to love this cast of characters!  Amish Sweethearts was published February 2, 2016.