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| GIVEAWAY |
A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS
The rustic beauty of a country Christmas fills the Simple Gifts crafts shop, while the Amish residents of Willow Ridge pull together in uncertain times -- and in the face of an unexpected homecoming.
Nora Hooley's shop is abuzz with preparations for the holiday open house, and Rosalyn Riehl is handcrafting wreaths from everygreen boughs, pinecones, and other natural materials. The work is a welcome diversion for the only unmarried daughter of Cornelius Riehl: her gruff dat has been receiving envelopes marked Past Due, leaving dutiful Rosalyn to manage the household's inexplicably shrinking budget. Then another distraction swaggers into Simple Gifts -- blue-jeaned and leather-jacketed, with a reputation that precedes him.
Marcus Hooley hightailed it to Willow Ridge on a wing and a prayer -- not that he's the praying type. He rejected his Amish roots long ago. But behind the bad-boy attitude is a gifted horse trainer who's counting on some bent-but-not-broken family ties to throw him a lifeline. He can't erase his past, but a sparking attraction with strong, spirited Rosalyn holds the promise of a second chance...and of shedding light on shadowy secrets to build a bright tomorrow.
My Review:
Our regularly scheduled Retro-Read is preempted by some seasonal literary cheer.
A Simple Christmas is anything but as this prodigal son story morphs into so much more. Plenty of angst and drama and complications galore. I wasn't enamored with Marcus in the beginning. He's pretty brash and intolerable but it isn't long before the good folk of Willow Ridge work some Christmas magic on him -- along with some much needed tough love! And the lure of Rosalyn Riehl goes a long way towards smoothing some of Marcus's rough edges. This is the kind of love story that pulls at your heartstrings and surprises a reader with unexpected twists and turns.
A Simple Christmas is the third book in the Simple Gifts series and I think it's best if you read the books in order. I didn't, and while I enjoyed the story, there were times I floundered a bit as a few plot points have been carried over from previous books. Plus, there's an extensive list of secondary characters to get acquainted with all at once. I still enjoyed the read though --- a sweet seasonal love story guaranteed to deliver some holiday cheer.
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Simple Christmas, 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 November 11 2108. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!
Awe!
ReplyDeleteA Sweet Amish Christmas 🎄 Book 📖 Thank You 💗
iamabho AT gmail DOT com 💖😘💖
You're welcome, Linda. Good luck!
DeleteLove a good amish Christmas theme book. cheetahthecat1986ATgmailDOTcom
ReplyDeleteAmish and Christmas is a fantastic combination. Good luck, Kim.
DeleteCharlotte's books are the best! Thank you for hosting this giveaway.
ReplyDeletewfnren at aol dot com
You're welcome, Wendy. Good luck!
DeleteThere is something about the cover that is very appealing and makes one want to open the book/door - cozy and welcoming, I suppose. I don't think I have yet read any of her books. Thank you for the review and the opportunity to participate! Know you are relieved to be back to more of a normal week/routine with the laptop. Are there still postal challenges?
ReplyDeleteIt's an enchanting Christmas cover, isn't it? Still postal disruptions. They are doing rotating strikes through major cities so I think things are a bit slower and we've only had two days where we haven't had mail delivery here. Actually got book deliveries this week. Woot! Good luck, CC!
DeleteChristmas and Amish, yes please! :-) Would love to add this to my Christmas book reading pile, which is stacking up fairly nicely.
ReplyDeleteteamob4 (at) gmail (dot) com
Christmas reading pile? Oooohhh, that sounds promising. Some lovely books out there. Good luck, Trixi.
DeleteLove this author's work. teshawATsbcglobalDOTnet
ReplyDeleteGood luck, Tammie!
DeleteDo you find that this book is similar to that of a Shelley Shepard Gray Amish book that is within a series? I find that Gray's have so many POV's and interconnecting characters and story lines (which I really enjoy) that they are best read in order. I haven't read any in this series of Hubbard's, but I do own the first one, so I'm putting my name in the hat. tlhcoupon(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteHmmm...no, I think Shelley Shepard Gray does a better job of making her books more standaloneish? If that makes sense. This one reads kind of like it's a continuation...like you're plopped into the middle of a situation that's carried over from the book before and there isn't a lot of catch-up so you just feel your way through until it makes sense. It's only in a few plot threads but if you can, I think it's best to read them in order. This is my first Charlotte Hubbard book so I don't know if all her series are like that. Good luck, Terrill.
DeleteThis series makes me want to visit the Simple Gifts crafts shop. turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteIt sounds so divine! Crafts and fellowship all under one roof. Good luck, Jana Leah!
DeleteThank you for your review on "A SIMPLE CHRISTMAS" by Charlotte Hubbard and the wonderful chance to win a cpy of the book.
ReplyDeleteLove Amish stories! Love Christmas stories! Love this author's books! Love the cover! I've had this book on my TBR list since I was first told it was coming out.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
You’re welcome, Kay. Good luck!
DeleteWould love to read.
ReplyDeleteleliamae54(at)aol(dot)com