The Promise of Palm Grove

GIVEAWAY

GRAY, SHELLEY SHEPARD
THE PROMISE OF PALM GROVE

A young Amish woman finds herself torn between the man she's pledged to wed and the man her heart desires in this heartwarming story of chance, duty, and choice in the face of love—the first volume in beloved New York Times bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray's new Amish Brides of Pinecraft series

Amish bride-to-be Leona is thrilled to be in Florida, on a mini vacation in the pretty town of Pinecraft. Her girlfriends think she's happy because she's away from the stress of wedding planning. They have no idea that Leona's real joy is in being away from her fiancé.

Edmund is a good man and will make a decent husband . . . just not for Leona. The more time she spends with him and his overbearing ways, the less she wants to be his wife. Her cousins are sure Edmund is the right man for her—and their certainty makes Leona begin to doubt herself. But when a chance encounter with a wayward cat brings her face-to-face with a handsome, fun-loving Amish man named Zachary Kaufmann, Leona's faced with two vastly different futures.

Leona must decide: Should she follow the path set out before her? Or take a chance with only the promise of what could be to guide her?

My Review:

Gray is a consummate storyteller and I don't think I will ever get enough of her unique brand of Amish tales. I especially love the setting of this new series since I've long been fascinated by the town of Pinecraft, Florida so I was just a tad shy of giddy when The Promise of Palm Grove arrived on my doorstep. And now that I've read it, I'm in a full blown readerly tailspin over the promise of more.

Once again, Gray has created a memorable Amish community and I'm hoping we will be meeting up with this wonderful cast of characters again and again. Some of the secondary characters in this novel are just crying out for their own story. I certainly hope that Gray gives them a voice.

This book is a celebration of all kinds of relationships. There is so much meat to what, at the core, is a sweet love story. It is a study in contrasts -- between the idyllic camaraderie of youth and the stilted estrangement of friendships past; between the wonder of fresh love and the pain of broken promises. And then there is the complicated dynamics in Zachery's family. So much fodder for a writer to make an emotional impact and Gray does just that, over and over again. Insert blissful readerly sigh here. I was very reluctant to leave Pinecraft when I reached the end. That sunny Florida destination was made all the more alluring by the frigid temperatures and multiple snowstorms buffeting my wee little house while I read. An incredible start to a very promising new Amish series.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of The Promise of Palm Grove please leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you post a comment and add your email address, please use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in the address to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email please remember to put the title in the subject line so that it's easy for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday February 8 2015. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!