Building Her Amish Dream

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BROWN, JO ANN

BUILDING HER AMISH DREAM

They can't change the past...but they can choose their future

Opening a new farm shop on Prince Edward Island with her little sister is Mattie Albrecht's chance at a fresh start. But avoiding her past becomes impossible when Benjamin Kuhrns -- her old secret crush -- offers to help with repairs. As they work together to renovate the shop, the new beginning they're searching for could be right in front of them...

An Amish of Prince Edward Island tale

My Review:

You know, when I read a news article several years ago about a group of Ontario Amish moving to Prince Edward Island to start a community, I was all kinds of fascinated. And I actually thought at the time, 'somebody needs to write a story about this,' but nobody did....until now!

Eeeeppppp!!!! Amish in Prince Edward Island!!!! I might have hyperventilated myself into an epic Anne-girl swoon when I read the back cover. 

I really love how Brown has set things up for future stories in this first book. it's chock full of captivating characters and a real sense of the Island. And she doesn't hold back on the angst! Oodles of layers to wade through in both Mattie and Benjamin's back stories which made for a compulsive pager-turner of a read.

Now I'm stoked for the next book in the series...sure hope we don't have long to wait!

Goal Update: #5 Diversify my reading -- Canadian setting, #7 Start new-to-me series

 GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Building Her Amish Dream, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday March 12 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

A Promise of Forgiveness

GIVEAWAY

BROWN, JO ANN

A PROMISE OF FORGIVENESS

Every little secret is a chain to the past...

For Amish widow Naomi Ropp, moving back to her parents' Bliss Valley home -- with her boisterous twin toddler boys -- is a chance to start over and bury the painful secrets of her marriage forever. But her life is turned upside down once again when she learns she's not the only one hiding things. The parents she believed were always open and honest have been keeping a secret her whole life. And now her only confidant is her father's new employee -- a handsome Amish man who was once her childhood tormentor.

Samuel King knows more than anyone should about mistakes -- and the way he treated Naomi is at the top of his list. But the shock of seeing her pretty face again is quickly overshadowed when they find a slumbering boppli abandoned on his porch. Caring for the sweet newborn together is finally bringing some peace to their feelings as they start to look toward the future. Samuel must find a way to convince Naomi to trust the man he's become...and the promise of new love.

My Review:

Back in Bliss Valley with more emotion and angst in the mighty fine storytelling style of Jo Ann Brown. Love how she wrestles an issue to ground and makes her characters face their demons...and conquer them. :-)

So, we have an enemies to lover trope with a very prickly, unyielding heroine who understands her Amish teaching of forgiveness but can't quite  apply it to the tormentor of her youth. Naomi still comes across in an engaging way though, and that's because we get insights into her past up front so I was all on pins-and-needles feeling her pain. 

Gah, but she's endured a lot!!!!! And just when she has no other recourse but to return to her father's house with her adorable (and extremely mischievous) toddlers in tow she walks straight into the catalyst that started it all. Not only does Samuel work with her dat but he lives on the property!

For his part, Samuel is a reformed man -- by way of some very harsh life lessons -- but Naomi isn't willing to accept that he has changed. She wants him gone but her dat needs his help in this buggy repair shop so they are at loggershead from the get go. Honestly, sometimes I wanted to shake some sense into Naomi and other times I just wanted to give her a big ol' comforting hug. Samuel feels pretty much the same way too. :-)

And as if life isn't complicated enough, an abandoned baby ends up in their care and...well, I won't say what else happens because it's not in the synopsis and I don't like to post spoilers. Let's just say the ensuing read (er...listen, for me) was unstoppable!

This is the second book in Brown's Secrets of Bliss Valley series (and oh my -- those secrets!) but I think it would read well as a standalone as well. There's a bit of a carry over secondary plot thread but it's explained enough to make things clear. (If you have read the first book, you'll be happy to catch glimpses of Adam and Lauren in this one. )

 GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy.

If you would like a chance to win a , leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. 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 Saturday March 5 2022. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

A Wish for Home

GIVEAWAY

BROWN, JO ANN

A WISH FOR HOME

Caught between who she is...and who she was

Lauren Nolt hasn't forgiven the Amish community of Lancaster County for shunning her parents. But returning as a successful Englischer working for large developers is just what she needs to get a promotion and give her parents the life they deserve. Coming face-to-face with her childhood bully, Amish widower Adam Hershberger, is the last thing she wants. Yet when her world's shaken by a shocking discovery, Adam's the only one she can confide in...

Adam's never forgiven himself for the part he played in Lauren's past, nor what drove him to do it. But as developers threaten his great-grossdawdi's farm, she's the only one who can help. And with his little girl determined to bring him and Lauren together at every turn, keeping his distance is impossible. Now they must learn to trust each other -- even as their secret feelings grow stronger. But is love enough to bridge the gap between their very different worlds?

My Review:

I have Tracey (intrepid biblio-reporter that she is) to thank for bringing this new Love Inspired Trade line to my attention. Absolutely love that they come out in audiobook format as well as ebook. (Sorry no paperback though.) And all types of genres will be included...even historical!!!! Woohoo! So, think all of the inspirational goodness that the Love Inspired lines already deliver only with more complex plots because of the longer word count. Can it get any better than that? I think not!

A Wish for Home is chock full of emotional heart-tugging thrills along with some unexpected angst-riddled plot detours. I knew everything would turn out alright in the end (that's a LI given) but the bumps along the way made for some riveting, tummy-knotting reading. :-)

There's so much I want to say about this story -- like just what Lauren's shocking discovery is and how it affects her personal journey and the reason Adam was such a bully and how he got past that...but wait, did he totally? Aaaghhh, you just have to read this book to find out because I'm not going to post any spoilers. The way Jo Ann Brown weaves these complicated threads (and so many more) into such a satisfying, inspirational story is storytelling magic.

And the plot keeps on giving -- especially when it come to some very intriguing secondary characters ( definitely see some of them as future stars in their own novels.) And Lauren's Gross Aenti deserves a cameo appearance in every book, I think, because of her gentle patience and unfailing wisdom. "Forgiveness is something you give. It says so right in the middle of the word." 

I listened to the audible edition performed by Susan Boyce who has become one of my favourite narrators. Definitely enhanced my 'reading' enjoyment tenfold.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway for an ebook copy -- sorry, this book is only published in ebook or audible format

If you would like a chance to win a copy of A Wish for Home, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 winners announced on Saturday April 10  2021. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

An Amish Holiday Family

GIVEAWAY

BROWN, JO ANN

AN AMISH HOLIDAY FAMILY

Becoming a guardian to three children wasn't part of her plan...

When Mennonite midwife Beth Ann Overholt went to Evergreen Corners to help rebuild after a flood, she didn't expect to be taking in three abandoned children. But the bigger surprise is having Amish bachelor Robert Yoder by her side. Soon she can't help but wish this temporary Christmas arrangement could turn into the loving family she never thought she'd have.

A Green Mountain Blessing Novel

My Review:

This is Jo Ann Brown's fourth book set in Evergreen Corners, Vermont and I absolutely love the unusual setting (for Amish fiction) and the town back story. This is a community in recovery from a catastrophic flood. It's still very much in the rebuilding stage with an influx of Amish and Mennonite volunteers who have come to donate their time...and maybe find love along the way. :-) Each book reads well as a standalone, so no worries if you've missed the first few books in this series.

As with the other stories, the hero and heroine have intriguing pasts. Definitely not your typical Amish novel. Love the depth that brings to this heart tugging tale of a rag tag little family in need of help and the community that rallies around them. Beth Ann and Robert are at the center of it all -- providing care and the beginnings of stability for three abandoned children. 

This is a 'mature' love story -- in Amish terms -- as both heroine and hero are in their thirties with a whole lifetime of past troubles and hurts that have shaped them into the romance-wary people they are today. Love the their awkward first steps toward friendship and the way they come to depend on each other as they care for the children. 

A well-paced plot balancing laughter and angst make this a heartwarming holiday tale.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a gently read paperback copy

If you would like a chance to win a copy of An Amish Holiday Family, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 Saturday December 19 2020. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck! 

An Amish Mother's Secret Past

GIVEAWAY

BROWN, JO ANN
AN AMISH MOTHER'S SECRET PAST

Can an Amish widow's past cost her a future filled with love?

Widow Rachel Yoder has a secret: she's a military veteran trying to give her children a new life among the Amish. Though she's drawn to bachelor Isaac Kaufman, she knows she can't tell him the truth -- or give him her heart. With her forbidden past, Rachel can never be the perfect Plain wife he's looking for.

A Green Mountain Blessings Romance

My Review:

I love the setting for this series (Green Mountain Blessings). Vermont is an unusual location for an Amish novel and Evergreen Corners is unique because it's a community in recovery from a catastrophic flood. An influx of Plain folk came to help rebuild   and some have chosen to stay. So we have a fledgling group of interesting characters with intriguing pasts.

Like an Amish military veteran heroine. Not your usual female lead in an Amish romance! Loved Rachel's story! Her struggle with coming to grips with her past while determined to create a new life for her young daughters. And she has the misguided notion that keeping her past a secret is the only way they'll be accepted among the Plain people. Especially strait-laced, everything-needs-to-be-perfect Isaac Kaufman. Of course, that leads to plenty of complications -- especially since the air fairly crackles with electricity whenever these two are together and a romance seems inevitable.

Loved the ebb and flow of their story. Lots of page time spent with Rachel's girls which was sweet and funny and exasperating and oh so toe-curling when Isaac sets out to befriend the little family. Eva adores him on sight (smart girl) but her older sister, Loribeth, exudes defiant dislike. But Isaac is up for the challenge -- even when Rachel's past comes hurling into their present, threatening to up end all his carefully laid out plans.

Heartwarming with a bit of a kick. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of  An Amish Mother's Secret, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 Saturday August 22 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

The Amish Christmas Cowboy

GIVEAWAY
RANDOM RETRO READ DAY

BROWN, JO ANN
THE AMISH CHRISTMAS COWBOY

A cowboy for Christmas...or another year in the Amish Spinster Club?

Nanny Sarah Kuhns has her hands full with kinder, her overbearing brothers and her big dreams. And it only gets worse when she takes on the care of an injured cowboy. For Amish traveling horseman Toby Christner, tight-knit Harmony Creek represents everything he's run from. Until he heals, he can't leave...but will falling for Sarah make him want to stay?

My Review:

published in 2018

A cowboy for Christmas? Yes please! Even though it's July. Toby can rustle up a happily every after any time of the year as far as I'm concerned. :-) He's such an interesting Amish hero -- reluctant and wounded and living Amish in the Englisch world. He's used to keeping himself apart but when a work-related injury forces him to stay put for two months, his practiced reserve slowly crumbles. Thanks to Nanny Sarah's unorthodox bedside manner and her mischievous  charges. So many wonderful, heartwarming moments in this story. And laugh-out-loud funny ones. A charming light-on-Christmas  sweet romance.

I listened to the audible version of this book partly because Susan Boyce is the narrator and her delivery is spot-on when it comes to Jo Ann Brown's storytelling style. A great pairing -- and I see that they've partnered for the whole series. Eeep!

So, yes, this is the second book in the Amish Spinster Club series but they can all be read as a standalone. I read the third book first and then this one and I had no issues connecting with either story. Love that the series is based on four single friends who have formed a tongue-in-cheek spinster club in a new Amish settlement.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

Winner's choice of EITHER an ebook OR a print 2-in-1 copy of The Amish Christmas Cowboy paired with An Amish Wedding by Carrie Lighte

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Amish Christmas Cowboy, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 Saturday July 25 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck

An Amish Christmas Promise

GIVEAWAY

BROWN, JO ANN
AN AMISH CHRISTMAS PROMISE

Secrecy kept her family safe...will she risk it all for a chance at love?

Carolyn Wiebe discarded her Amish roots to hide her niece and nephew from their violent father. Yet when a hurricane crashes into their isolated Mennonite life, she can no longer keep the world at bay. With Christmas approaching, Amish carpenter Michael Miller wants to help her rebuild her home. But can their burgeoning love withstand the rising storm of her secrets?

Green Mountain Blessings

My Review:

An Amish romance with more than one unique twist. Love the unusual (for Amish stories) locale of Vermont. And I found the inner workings of disaster relief organizations like Amish Helping Hands and the Mennonite Disaster Service absolutely fascinating. Brown really captures the trauma and heartache that comes after a natural disaster -- in this case a flood that destroyed most of the town. She portrays the stark reality through the eyes of both victims and volunteers with vivid imagery.

This is a romance fraught with obstacles that even includes a bit of suspense drama towards the end. Carolyn and Michael are drawn together during challenging times and I love the gentle pacing of their romance. Carolyn's niece and nephew add some heart-tugging and grin-inducing moments. Particularly loved little Rose Anne's unique grasp of the English language. :-)

This is the first book in Brown's new Green Mountain Blessings and she's created a captivating community filled with tantalizing characters -- including a few I've pegged as deserving of their very own stories. Can't wait to see what's up next -- and who will get their chance at a happily ever after!

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a gently read copy of  An Amish Christmas Promise leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you add an email to your 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 Saturday December 7 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Amish Christmas Blessings

GIVEAWAY

PERRY, MARTA
BROWN, JO ANN
AMISH CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

Holiday greetings from Amish Country

The Midwife's Christmas Surprise by Marta Perry

Three years ago, the man Anna Zook hoped to marry left her and their Amish community for the English world. Now devoted to proving her abilities as a midwife, Anna has given up on marriage and children for herself. But when Benjamin Miller returns, now a changed man, can delivering a Christmas baby reunite these two hurting hearts?

A Christmas to Remember by Jo Ann Brown

When a little girl leads shop owner Amos Stoltzfus to an Amish woman in distress, he rushes them to his family's farm. "Linda" has no memory and doesn't know if the sweet child is her daughter or even her kin. As Christmas arrives and Linda's identity is revealed, will Amos be able to claim his holiday guests as his own?

My Review:

The Midwife's Christmas Surprise by Marta Perry - Delightful prodigal love story enhanced by a Christmas backdrop. Love Ben's courage to return and admit his mistakes. But Anna is wary even as she strives to extend forgiveness. A sweet, uplifting romance that embraces the true meaning of Christmas.

A Christmas to Remember by Jo Ann Brown -- A touching story with a bit of mystery. Love Amos the protector -- kind, steadfast, unflappable. And Linda is so confused and vulnerable. Not the ideal circumstances for a romance to brew but Christmas magic is in the air and the result is a sweet love story that will warm your heart.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

 If you would like an opportunity to win a copy of  Amish Christmas Blessings 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 November 13 2016. Offer open to international readers. Good luck!