Saturday, July 21, 2018

An Amish Hope

GIVEAWAY
WISEMAN, BETH
REID, RUTH
RULLER, KATHLEEN
An Amish Hope

Three novellas:

A Choice to Forgive by Beth Wiseman (also published in An Amish Christmas) -- After Daniel disappeared that long ago Christams Eve, Lydia built a life with his brother. But now she's a widow and Daniel has reappeared, asking for forgiveness. Can she go back to her normal life with her long-lost love as her neighbour?

Always His Providence by Ruth Reid (also published in An Amish Miracle) -- Widow Rosa Hostetler has one month to pay her delinquent taxes before the county auctions her farm. She's prepared to sell whatever is necessary to pay the lien, but she isn't willing to request money from the community's widow fund. She's embarrassed and refuses to admit she needs help. Rosa depends on income from selling eggs, but when that income is threatened, only a miracle can help Rosa accept the kindness of a neighbour.

A Gift for Anne Marie by Kathleen Fuller (also published in An Amish Second Christmas) -- Anne Marie and Nathaniel have been best friends since they were kids. Now things are evolving...in ways everyone else predicted long ago. But when her mother suddenly decides to remarry in another state, Anne Marie's new chapter with Nathaniel looks doomed to end before it begins.

My Review:

A Choice to Forgive first published in 2009
Always His Providence first published in 2013
A Gift for Anne Marie first published in 2014
Thanks to my public library for providing me with an array of retro reads.

I have to admit to being utterly confused and a tad miffed by Zondervan's decision to republish novellas in different collections. It's so frustrating trying to figure out whether you have read them before. As it happens, I had read two out of the three in this collection. Thankfully I got the book from my library so I'm not out of pocket for it but still....Gah!!!! (strangled befuddled groan.)

And it seems like they are all coming from the same collections only mixed up instead of just re-releasing the novellas in the original collections so it would be easier for a reader to know if she has them already. I get that they are appealing to the regular market (aka not Christian) with the smaller trade paperback size in the hopes of cashing in on the popularity of Amish fiction and I'm all for our Christian publishers being innovative to compete with the mass market industry but...I dunno...this feels kinda sneaky somehow.

So -- BUYER BEWARE -- you may have these novellas already in your collection under different titles so I suggest doing your research before buying.

Even though I'm wee bit disgruntled at the publisher, that's no reflection on the authors or the quality of their work. This is an excellent collection -- I mean, how can it not be with contributions from Beth Wiseman, Ruth Reid and Kathleen Fuller?! Each novella has the depth and characterization associated with longer works. The plots are rich, the writing polished and each story is a joy to read....or re-read as the case may be. :-) These writers know how to deliver heartwarming and faith infused love stories that will always leave me coming back for more.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of An Amish Hope, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca.  If you add your email to a comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it's easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday July 22 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

20 comments:

  1. That is confusing but I still want to read the novellas! Pretty cover.
    pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, I love the cover too. This 'new' series of re-packaged novellas all have really pretty covers. Good luck, rubynreba.

      Delete
  2. I have just been in Amish country so I would love to read this collection. mauback55 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's exciting!!!! You can pretend you're still on holiday while reading these novellas. Good luck, Melanie.

      Delete
  3. I am like you and understand the business/marketing behind this, but it is confusing for those of us who are avid readers. I am trying to remember....but think I have read the first novella, the earliest published of the three, but not the others. It is an outstanding mix of authors, and I wonder if in trying to republish the original book, they might have authors under different contracts now or some related legal constrictions. The first novella collection had Barbara Cameron with two of these authors. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Who knows? I can't imagine how confusing it would be to mix and match all these novellas up. And why choose one over another from the same original collection? It makes my head hurt just thinking about it. lol Good luck, CC.

      Delete
  4. I agree ~ especially when I come back to Bird-in-Hand and have definitely read it before! I have not read this collection. Would like to be entered for these novellas. Kathleen ~ Lane Hill House lanehillhouse[at]centurylink[dot]net

    ReplyDelete
  5. Some great authors. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love the collections. teshawATsbcglobalDOTnet

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are great when you want a short read. Good luck, Tammie.

      Delete
  7. I am disgruntled about this, too..Kav! I agree with CC...us avid readers get confused by this. (:-
    (don't enter me)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And readers don't like to be confused....unless it's over a suspense plot point or an intriguing hero or heroine we are just getting to know.

      Delete
  8. Thanks for the warning on these novella sets, it helps me to know if I've already read these or have these on my shelf. If I see a collection like this, I do my research to see if they appear somewhere else so I'm not re-reading a novella.

    I'm happy to say, I don't have these on my shelf! It's so rare that I don't and I'm excited to know these would be new-to-me :-) Count me in!

    teamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay -- you're their target audience, Trixi! lol Good luck!

      Delete
  9. I find these confusing also being repackaged . I start reading and think I’ve read this before. Thank you!
    leliamae54(at)aol(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  10. I agree with you! The first thing I thought was, have I read these? Turns out, with this book I haven't, but it's kind of sneaky for them to do that.

    ReplyDelete