An Amish Heirloom by Amy Clipston, Beth Wiseman, Kathleen Fuller, and Kelly Irvin

Various Authors

ISBN: 9780310351887

A Legacy of Love by Amy Clipston

"Surely all married couples fell into that comfortable relationship eventually.
Didn't they?"

Publisher's Synopsis:

Local volunteer fire fighter Leon King agrees to repair his ex-girlfriend Susie Bontrager’s grandparents’ antique rocking chairs for her future home with her fiance and is forced to acknowledge that his feelings for her have not quite gone away. As Susie spends time with Leon, she begins to recognize she is marrying the wrong man for all the wrong reasons.

MrsK's Review:

For Leon, Charlie's funeral served as a reminder that life is fragile and just how alone he really was. It had been a few years since he had seen Susie and she was still just as beautifully sweet as when they had been teens. With a request to fix her grandparents rockers for her soon-to-be home, Leon is sure he can do the work as a wedding gift. Yet, in his noble offer of friendship, love begins to find a way to replace loneliness with hope. 

Susie is sure that just "checking in" with Leon every week is all about her grandparent's rockers. After all, she has begun sewing the wedding dresses. Planning a wedding provides many opportunities to be in town and stop by to see the progress Leon is making, but it also becomes a time for a heart to begin recognizing that maybe she isn't ready to marry the man she thought she loved.

With characters that have been woven in and out of previous Lancaster legacies, this story sweetly reminds the reader that our friends, families, and communities are like gems with facets that work together to illuminate God's will and the brilliant glow of hope.

Meet the Author:
   Hi, I’m Amy Clipston. I am an author of Amish and Christian fiction with HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Most of my books focus on the Amish community, faith, and love. I also write romance novels and young adult inspirational stories.

The Cedar Chest by Beth Wiseman

"I do not know God's plan for my having stumbled upon you by the 

river, but I can be certain there always is a plan.

Our Father sees to that." 

Publisher's Synopsis:
Decades after inheriting her great grandmother’s cedar chest, Emma Fisher decides to pry it open only to discover a beautiful love story in the form of letters between her great grandparents. But as Emma immerses herself in their story, family secrets are revealed, and she must decide whether to share them to preserve family history or honor her great grandparents’ decision to leave them hidden.

MrsK's Review:
What does a legacy mean? For Emma it's a blessed childhood with parents that knew how to cherish each other. As a mother, when your child is showing signs of disquiet your heart seeks guidance and solace from your faith. Could a cedar chest and it's box of letters bring her daughter's hidden worries to the surface. Would she be given a chance to be a gentle support while they spend time reading the private letters of her grand parents? Will her daughter discover strength and wisdom to find a living spark of hope?

For Catherine, her relationship with her husband appears to be falling apart. How could Abram become so distant? Is there a way to stop the festering bitterness that is threatening their hope? As God's timing becomes an opportunity, it will require a willingness to accept that God's will is rarely revealed all at once. On the day that Catherine and her mother are in search of a box of books, they discover the cedar chest. With determination, Catherine is driven to pry the chest open. What has been lovingly packed inside will usher in a journey of discovery. 

If only... I wonder how many of us would love to discover a hidden chest from our bloodline? I know that it would have been a blessing for my mother and I to have made a discovery like Catherine's and Emma's. Both women will find a legacy of love, hope, and God's plan.

"... when a kindness is done to a person,

that person needs to carry it with him until he sees fit to

double the kindness for someone in need."

Meet the Author:
 Beth Wiseman
"I wish I had the time to review books and chat with you here, but my writing deadlines just don't allow it. Please like my Fans of Beth Wiseman Page on Facebook where I try to post any news and interact with readers." Beth is the best-selling and award winning author of the Daughters of the Promise series - Plain Perfect, Plain Pursuit, Plain Promise, Plain Paradise, and Plain Proposal. She is contracted with HarperCollins Christian Publishing. Her other series--the Land of Canaan Novels--begins with Seek Me With All Your Heart, then The Wonder of Your Love and now, His Love Endures Forever. Seek Me With All Your Heart is the first Amish fiction book selected as a Women of Faith novel in 2011. Beth has also written three contemporary Christian fiction novels, Need You Now published in 2012 and The House That Love Built in 2013. In The Promise, (2014) Beth jumps way outside the box. This story takes readers far away from Amish Country and small Texas towns to a dangerous place on the other side of the world. Inspired by a true story, Beth believes this is the book she’s been working toward for a long time. 2015 brings Beth back to the Pennsylvania Amish with her new series, Amish Secrets.

The Treasured Book by Kathleen Fuller
"Her life was at a standstill.
Working with Shane those six months had been a splash
of excitement."

Publisher's Synopsis:
For the past two years, Shane Broyles has felt God leading him to join the Amish. He’s staying with his friends Noah and Ivy Schlabach in Birch Creek, OH, where he is reunited with Lucy Fisher, an old friend of Noah’s family. Shane and Lucy have never revealed their feelings for each other, but when they stumble upon an antique Bible at a flea market, they feel drawn to each other and to the mystery of the contents found within.

MrsK's Review:

Lucy has been sent to Cervilla's in Birch Creek. It will be a good chance to spend some time helping her great-aunt's friend recover, and yet, she is burdened with leaving her parents even for a short span of time. Upon her arrival, she never expected to hear the voice of Shane.  Why was he in Birch Creek? Why was he sent to pick her up? Struggling to take courage by trusting in God, Lucy reminds herself that everything will be okay, it will be okay!

When Shane's friend Noah mentioned that he had to arrange for a taxi to pick up Lucy, Shane 
"jumped at the chance to see her again." Since those months they had been working together, he began recognizing that Lucy had an inner strength that profoundly witnessed to his need for a life changed and renewed. Now that his life is on a new path, he will discover that a leap of faith means letting God lead you. Once lead, Shane becomes determined to trust that God will allow Lucy to be a part of his renewed life.

This novella is the sweetest tale about two sojourners. It is filled with moments of truth, hope, tenderness, and wit. Conversations between Lucy and Shane are seamless. It will be a satisfying discovery that inspires a spring to your step. Sometimes plans change, sometimes we can live blessed.

"...sometimes plans change."

Meet the Author:

  Kathleen Fuller

Best-selling author of Amish fiction. Also a wife, mother, crafter, coffee addict, football fan, and chocolate aficionado.

The Midwife’s Dream by Kelly Irvin
"Until you're ready."

Publisher's Synopsis:

Iris Beachy serves as a midwife in her district where she longs for a family of her own. When her friend’s brother Mahon Kurtz seeks her help in delivering the baby of two young teenagers who have sought refuge in their town, they begin to see each other in a different light. Unprepared for parenthood, the young couple leave their baby girl behind in an antique crib quilt resembling the one destined for Iris when she becomes a mother. Mahon and Iris come together to take care of the baby as they try to find her parents, and they begin to see new possibilities for their future.

MrsK's Review:

Iris is a midwife and with the arrival of her best friend's newest baby, Iris is reminding herself that this is a time to be joyful. A time in which she must call upon her inner strength to celebrate their blessing. Yet calling upon that type of strength has become a trial to accept contentment and turn over her deepening sense of a life that isn't complete. Does she really have plenty of time left for her longing, for God's timing?

Mahon is not exactly a pleasant man. He can be terse, yet a straight shooter and honest. His passion is in his drawings. Putting his pencil to paper is a passion that Iris can share for her passion has always been spending her quiet time with a book. In is own way, Mahon will become the pillar of  strength for Iris, especially since the unexpected newborn has become a gift for the time being.

When Iris agrees to help deliver a baby to a young couple, she wasn't prepared for God to answer her prayers for a child. Especially if the child could be reclaimed by either parent. Yet, when God brings a blessing into your life you muster up the strength to take each day as a gift and walk by faith into your tomorrows.

This story has an elegance woven within its characters. The story line is poignant, tenderhearted, and refined with style. The best dialogues come between those in whom life has veiled their feelings, for Iris and Mahon their hearts will discover more than the little blessing that has placed them on the path to joy in the fullest measure. 

"To open herself up to Mahon, to trust him, was to trust God.

God was waiting for her too."

Meet the Author:

  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.

Just what a reader needs... some time away from the hustle and bustle.
All four of these quick tidbits will rejuvenate any frazzled day. 
Sweet Retreats!

"I received this book from the Fiction Guild for this review."

If I Live by Terri Blackstock

Terri Blackstock

ISBN: 9780310332541

Publisher's Synopsis:

Casey is hiding again—in Memphis this time—but it’s different now. She knows without a doubt that Dylan believes her and is doing all he can to help bring Brent’s killer to justice. He’s become an unexpected friend . . . and even, maybe, something more. Hope makes everything more bearable.

Casey makes a deal with the DA to turn over all the evidence she and Dylan have gathered against Keegan and Rollins—only to discover that the DA is in league with them too. After a desperate escape, who can they possibly turn to now?

Time is running out for Casey, but master suspense writer Terri Blackstock will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the last, utterly satisfying page.

"When I stand, my image in the mirror startles me,

as if someone I don't know is in the room with me."

MrsK's Review:

Casey Cox is on the road, running from law enforcement. Being on the run is getting tiring, yet she can not afford to bring any more death to those connected to her. It wasn't the smartest move to flee the scene of her friend, Brent, but she was in shock and knew there were too many questions about the "who" killed Brent.

Dylan Roberts quickly changes his hunt for Casey once he discovers someone in law enforcement isn't exactly working with him. Could Casey's case not be on the up and up? With the help from Dex, Dylan begins an investigation board while taking a step in faith that Casey will be killed unless he can get to her first.

With "page-turning" intensity, Casey's run will leave you breathless and sleepless. Each character is well defined and crucial to the unraveling of Brent's murder. How can so many be so corrupt? Well in today's world evidently more than we could imagine. Yet, for Casey the end of her journey will be determined by her grit, determination, quick thinking, and a "blink of an eye" timing.

Completely consuming... be ready for a sleep-deprived race against time,
MrsK

"No! You have to get out of there,"

 "A chilling series that keeps you running out of time!"
   
Series link

Meet the Author:

Terri Blackstock is a New York Times best-seller, with over six million copies sold worldwide. She is the winner of two Carol Awards, a Christian Retailers Choice Award, and a Romantic Times Book Reviews Career Achievement Award, among others. She has had over twenty-five years of success as a novelist.
Terri spent the first twelve years of her life traveling in a U.S. Air Force family. She lived in nine states and attended the first four years of school in The Netherlands. Because she was a perpetual “new kid,” her imagination became her closest friend. That, she believes, was the biggest factor in her becoming a novelist. She sold her first novel at the age of twenty-five, and has had a successful career ever since.

"I received this book from the Fiction Guild for this review."

Where the Fire Falls by Karen Barnett

Karen Barnett

ISBN: 9780735289567

Publisher's Synopsis:

Stunning Yosemite National Park sets the stage for this late 1920s historical romance with mystery, adventure, heart, and a sense of the place John Muir described as "pervaded with divine light."

Watercolorist Olivia Rutherford fashioned her image as an avant-garde artist to appeal to the region's wealthy art-collectors. When she lands a lucrative contract painting illustrations of Yosemite National Park for a travel magazine including its nightly one-of-a-kind Firefall event, she hopes the money will lift Olivia and her sisters out of poverty.

After false accusations cost him everything, former minister Clark Johnson has found purpose as a backcountry guide in this natural cathedral of granite and trees. Now he's faced with the choice of becoming a National Parks Ranger, but is it his true calling?

As Clark helps open Olivia's eyes to the wonders of Yosemite, she discovers the people are as vital to the park's story as its vistas-- a revelation that may bring her charade to an end.

"Following Frank into the gallery,

she glanced around at her paintings---

as though her heart was on display for everyone to see."

MrsK's Review:
Beginning in July of 1929, Olivia Rutherford is preparing for the gallery showing of her latest painting. Having changed her name, Olivia is hopeful that her painting will provide enough money for her Aunt to provide for her younger sisters. Sometimes living in the art world of California is taxing, a facade is required and can be extremely wearisome.

Frank Robinson is Olivia's art dealer. He is a man of action and a man who takes many risks. Even though he knows Olivia's art has a quality of light that is rare, he is very active in making decisions for Olivia that aren't in her best interest. 

The art show begins an insightful journey for Olivia. At the show, she is introduced to Sophie and Marcus Vanderbilt. At the show she finds out that she will be traveling to Yosemite National Park, for a month! Scenic Magazine has requested her illustrations for an upcoming article. Even though this is a "gig" that her career needs, Yosemite is the last place Olivia ever wanted to paint. It is not a situation that she is ready to confront.

Clark Johnson is the guide that has been hired to lead Olivia around the park as she paints the majestic views. Within a minutes of meeting Olivia, Clark knew that she was opinionated, demanding, and too much like a minx. What is she thinking that he could be her model?

Perhaps Olivia could add a bit of "class" to her paintings by adding Sophie to her landscapes. She is sure that Clark Johnson would work well in some of the scenes. His words had an unnerving "touch" within Olivia's plans or was it someplace deeper within Olivia?

With delightful conversation, Olivia's visit to Yosemite becomes a nightmare. Even though her painting is inspirational, some one is either playing games or is setting her up for an extreme step over a cliff. Beautiful landscapes are revealed, park history is expertly woven with in Olivia's story, and a few hints of romance between villainous scenes provides delightful reading.

If you enjoy National Parks, being outdoors, and history... this series is perfect for any moment of escape,
MrsK

"Perhaps Yosemite could return everything her father had stolen."

An adventurous outing... Delightful!

MrsK's Review for The Road to Paradise

Meet the Author:

  Karen Barnett is the award-winning author of the Golden Gate Chronicles (Out of the Ruins, Beyond the Ashes, Through the Shadows) and MISTAKEN. She lives in Oregon with her husband, two kids, and a bevy of furry friends. 

"I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review."

Imperfect Justice by Cara Putman

Cara Putman

ISBN: 9780718083489

Publisher's Synopsis:

THE POLICE SAY THE WOMAN WAS A MURDERER. EMILIE WESLEY KNOWS THEY CAN’T BE TALKING ABOUT HER CLIENT . . . CAN THEY?

To the world it seems obvious: Kaylene Adams killed her daughter and then was shot by police. Attorney Emilie Wesley knows a different story: Kaylene would never hurt anyone and was looking for a way out of a controlling, abusive relationship. Her death shakes Emilie’s belief that she can make a difference for women in violent marriages. Self-doubt plagues her as she struggles to continue her work in the wake of the tragedy.

Reid Billings thought he knew his sister—right up until he learned how she died. He discovers a letter from Kaylene begging him to fight for custody of her daughters if anything should happen to her. No attorney in her right mind would support an uncle instead of the father in a custody case, but Kaylene’s letter claims Emilie Wesley will help him.

Thrown together in a race to save Kaylene’s surviving daughter, Emily and Reid pursue the constantly evasive truth. If they can hang on to hope together, can they save a young girl—and find a future for themselves in the process?

"Your client's name is Kaylene Adams?"...

"She won't be meeting you at court.

She's headed to the morgue, and suspected of shooting her daughters."

MrsK's Review:

Attorney Emilie Wesley knows first hand what is to fight against abusive oppressors. Legally, she fights for her clients in every way possible to ensure her clients are set free from their abuser. She believes in what is known as "justice," yet she knows that deception is a cunning manipulator.

Just as she is ready to go before the judge, her client Kaylene Adams ends up dead. With every ounce of experience, instinct, and determination, Emilie begins a twisted journey of investigation that tests her endurance level, survival skills, and faith.

Reid Billings numb with disbelief. Who wouldn't be! How could he have missed what was going on with his sister Kaylene. What is happening with his surviving niece? How can he help when Kaylene's husband is unwilling and blocking him from any contact? He knows he has to make contact with those who were working with Kaylene. Her attorney might be the key he needs to move forward and forgive himself for not taking the time for his sister.

Emilie quickly discovers that Kaylene's youngest daughter knows the truth about that fatal morning. If she recovers, Kaylene must speak with her before she leaves the hospital with her father. Nothing seems right, especially when a video shows her client and daughter fleeing out of the front door... bleeding! Haunted by that video, Emilie's instincts are in overdrive, every day she is growing more uncomfortable about someone watching her. As if her days aren't filled with enough paths to follow, now her faith is being tested. When you hold onto an investigative rope of unknowns, it leads to an end that is frayed, unraveling, and dangerously close to pushing uncertainty into every area of your life. Emilie might be holding on, but will there be enough rope to make a difference?

Written with perfected twists and turns this novel will keep you reading with your own guesses, tension that causes you to put the book down and walk away, and determination to stick with Emilie, Reid and Kinley.
MrsK  

"Justice might have been imperfect..."

Fascinating investigations!

Meet the Author:

Cara C. Putman lives in Indiana with her husband and four children. She’s an attorney and a teacher at her church as well as lecturer at Purdue. She has loved reading and writing from a young age and now realizes it was all training for writing books. She loves bringing history and romance to life.
An honors graduate of the University of Nebraska, George Mason University School of Law, and Krannert School of Management, Cara left small town Nebraska and headed to Washington, D.C., to launch her career in public policy.

Cara is an author chasing hard after God as she lives a crazy life. She invites you to join her on that journey. She's currently writing her 26th & 27th books with more on the way.

"I received this book for free from the Fiction Guild for this review."

Diary of a Snoopy Cat by R.F. Kristi

R.F. Kristi

ISBN: 9781979036085

Publisher's Synopsis:

Read the hilarious and breathtaking antics of Inca and her family of furry friends as recorded through the eyes of Inca a Siberian Kitty. Inca decides to start a Diary! A heart-pounding saga unfolds as she keeps the reader thrilled recording her detective exploits. When Inca and family move to London from Paris, they make a whole new set of friends, including Monk, a Blue Russian cat and Terrence, a Golden Retriever who ably and bravely assists his world-famous detective owner, Solo. Inspired by the adventures of her new friends, Inca sets herself the task of becoming the world's best cat detective and begins to keep a diary of her exploits. When Monk arrives one evening, with news of a meeting to take place later that night, Inca is excited and can't wait to attend. She is told of a perilous journey that must be undertaken by Solo and Terrence, who are to travel to the Himalayas, to search for the missing Raoul, a friend who had failed to return from an expedition. The departure of Terrence means that Inca can take on her first proper job; the baffling incident of Mr. Finchley's missing will. But does the young cat have what it takes to crack the case and save the tormented and ferocious Rottweiler - Boss? And can she do it without the help of the wily old Retriever?

MrsK's Review:
Meet Inca a Siberian kitty who has no challenge with proclaiming her strengths, as well as her intelligence. One December morning, Inca begins a journey writing about her family, friends, and what she has accomplished during her day. Yes, she is writing about her daily life! And, it is a good thing that she is because the "bully" of the neighborhood is in need of help. 

Imagine spending every waking moment terrorizing the neighborhood, keeping them from coming close to your space and suddenly learning that your owner is about to lose everything because some human has absconded with a piece of paper that could save all that belongs to his owner.

Inca is determined to become the "world's" smartest cat detective, so when the "bully" of the neighborhood was in need it meant that she would be needed. Since she was the best detective, she would lead Solo's detective agency in recreating the night when Boss' will went missing.

Written with much humor, strong characterizations, and many escapades this story will delight many beginning readers. The font is perfect for those adventuring into chapter books. The illustrations provide the "unwritten" clues into the personalities of each character. The settings and story line has a realistic mood which will provide the right combination for reader engagement and desire to experience another mystery with Inca.

A definite addition to any 2nd grade classroom shelf,
MrsK

"Are we real detectives now?" asked Polo."

Great fun for any beginning detective...

Inca's website

Meet the Author:

R.F. Kristi, the author of the Inca book series is a former professional of the United Nations Children’s Fund and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. She holds a doctorate in economic development and has traveled and lived in various countries of the globe. With a deep commitment to animal rescue efforts, Kristi has a keen interest and love for animals. She created the Inca Cat book series for younger readers up to age 8 or 12 and also animal lovers. Kristi currently resides in Colombo, Sri Lanka.