Review: A Christmas Haven by Cindy Woodsmall, Erin Woodsmall

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

For fans of holiday romances and Amish life comes a new Christmas tale of surprising expectations and discovering miracles.

Old Order Amish Ivy Zook is wrestling with her need to shed her community's ways so she can grow the business of her dreams: planning parties. As long as she's stuck living without modernization, she can barely get her business on its feet. But if she leaves too soon, she'd cause trouble for her sister, Holly, who is planning her wedding to Joshua Smucker. All of their plans become twice as complicated when an old car crashes into the storefront of Greene's Pharmacy, carrying a Swartzentruber (ultra-conservative sect) Amish man, Arlan, and his very ill sister.

The Zooks take in Arlan and Madga, tending to the woman's illness and Arlan begins helping around the family farm. Ivy and Arlan are on different tracks, one wanting to leave her community and the other to return to his. But both young people are trying to discover what God has in store for their futures and what miracles might lie around the corner this Christmas season.

My Review

I loved how this book continued the story of Holly and Joshua from the first book as a subplot! The main character is Holly's sister, Ivy, who is struggling to balance her past and future while she is attempting to make a major life transition. Also in limbo are Arlan and Magda, young adult siblings who are on the run from their family. I was surprised by the differences between the Amish and Swartzentruber Amish and the prejudices each have about the other. I enjoyed that Ivy and Arlan spoke plainly and unapologetically with each other about their disagreements, but still developed a friendship based on mutual respect. It was interesting to see how the more time they spent with each other, the less they disagreed and the more they re-evaluated their priorities and choices. A sweet romance set in a lovely place during a festive time of year!

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

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Don't miss the first book in An Amish Christmas Romance series . . .

Read my 4 star review here

Synopsis

When an Old Order Amish woman takes a job at a small-town pharmacy struggling to survive in a world of "big box" stores, her motive is to help her Plain community. But the advent of the holiday season brings an unusual mystery to the surface--and possibly love.

Twenty-four-year-old Holly Zook lives a unique life for a young Amish woman. Years ago, her bishop allowed her to continue her education and become the lead technician for Greene's Pharmacy, an old-timey drugstore that looks out for the Amish community--a group largely without secure healthcare plans. She knows she can't marry and hold onto her professional job. She's Amish, and she can only have one or the other, so she spurns love and works toward addressing treatable diseases--like the one that claimed her father's life.

As long as Holly continues to avoid Joshua Smucker, the one man who draws her like a warm hearth in winter, she should be fine. When something unexpected threatens Greene's Pharmacy, Holly and Joshua must work together to unravel what's happened and find the "missing" patient before the Board of Pharmacy shuts them down. As the snows of December arrive, with Christmas in the air, will Holly succumb to the generous spirit of the season?

Review: The Christmas Remedy by Cindy Woodsmall, Erin Woodsmall

My rating: 4 stars / I really liked it

Synopsis

When an Old Order Amish woman takes a job at a small-town pharmacy struggling to survive in a world of "big box" stores, her motive is to help her Plain community. But the advent of the holiday season brings an unusual mystery to the surface--and possibly love.

Twenty-four-year-old Holly Zook lives a unique life for a young Amish woman. Years ago, her bishop allowed her to continue her education and become the lead technician for Greene's Pharmacy, an old-timey drugstore that looks out for the Amish community--a group largely without secure healthcare plans. She knows she can't marry and hold onto her professional job. She's Amish, and she can only have one or the other, so she spurns love and works toward addressing treatable diseases--like the one that claimed her father's life.

As long as Holly continues to avoid Joshua Smucker, the one man who draws her like a warm hearth in winter, she should be fine. When something unexpected threatens Greene's Pharmacy, Holly and Joshua must work together to unravel what's happened and find the "missing" patient before the Board of Pharmacy shuts them down. As the snows of December arrive, with Christmas in the air, will Holly succumb to the generous spirit of the season?

My Review

This is a sweet Amish story with a mystery to be solved. I thought it was sad that Holly felt like she had to sacrifice marriage and a family in order to have a fulfilling career that would be so beneficial to the members of her Amish community. I liked Joshua and how he helps Holly, even after he discovers he has no hope with her. The element of light suspense kept the plot moving forward and I liked seeing how interconnected the Amish families are and how they were all happy to help. There is a definite warm feeling despite the snowy setting, and I was satisfied with how everything all worked out.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)

Review: Seasons of Tomorrow by Cindy Woodsmall

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis from goodreads.com

As love restores Rhoda, a sudden tragedy is the test of faith she never saw coming...
More settled in her heart than ever before, Rhoda Byler feels a newfound confidence living in the Old Order Amish settlement she helped establish in Orchard Bend, Maine. Though it has been almost a year since one brother left, Rhoda is happy to be working alongside the other brother as they tend and nurture the settlement's orchard. Time has helped to heal Rhoda's wounds, and she finds that even her unusual gift of profound intuition is less of a burden as she continues to seek God's wisdom and purpose for her life.
But when an Englischer friend's grandchild is taken deeper into hiding from her grandmother, can Rhoda's gift make a difference or will it simply be a catalyst to another season of doubt and misunderstanding? As she resolves to stay on course, suddenly a shocking tragedy challenges the young settlement like never before, threatening to uproot Rhoda's peace and the future of everything she holds dear.

My Review

This is the fourth and final book in the Amish Vines and Orchards series. The first three are on my to-read list, but since I had the opportunity to read and review this one, I just started with it. At the beginning there is a synopsis of each of the previous books with pertinent information to help readers understand the relationships and events in this book, which I definitely appreciated... but it also contains spoilers, so if you plan on reading all the books, I'd recommend reading them in order.

The novel is told from several characters' points of view, so there are many themes and story lines to follow. The author weaves them in and around each other seamlessly, and they complement and tie together wonderfully. There is such richness and fullness to her writing- the characters are thoughtful and contemplative with their hopes and struggles, and there is also enough drama and change going on to keep the pace moving forward. While I missed seeing Rhoda and Samuel fall in love (which happens in book three I believe), it was just as sweet to experience their courtship. Jacob's story was probably my favorite, since he was working on overcoming anger, accepting, and forgiving. The friendship he develops with Esther is unique and special, and their banter is enjoyable. Seasons of Tomorrow is a fabulously well-written book, but I would recommend reading the whole series to get the fullest satisfaction of this saga.

(ARC provided via Blogging for Books for unbiased review)