The Christmas Visitor : an Amish Dreams on Prince Edward Island Novella

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RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

GROCHOWSKI, AMY

THE CHRISTMAS VISITOR : AN AMISH DREAMS ON PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND NOVELLA

Every so often, first love lasts a lifetime -- and what seems impossible is made possible with God.

Mattie Beller is confident God's plan for her life does not include marriage. Her poor health has kept her an outsider, even in her close-knit Amish community. But when a visitor comes to the New Hope church district for the Christmas season, Mattie's ideas about her future are turned upside down.

Amid a growing concern over her twin brother's choices, even as her own heart tugs in two very different directions, Mattie learns that love comes in unexpected ways and can be a truly wonderful things.

My Review:

published in 2020

Eeeepp -- I was so excited to get back to PEI and this fledgling Amish community! I read the first book, 'Forever Home', a few weeks ago and about squealed the house down when I discovered there's a follow up Christmas novella. Different main characters, but we get glimpses of Lydia and Joel from the first book. That being said, you could definitely read this novella out of order. It takes place about a year after the first book. And it features another school Christmas performance which was fun.

Despite the shorter word count, Grochowksi has managed to deliver a complex, emotionally charged and captivating read. She captures the stuttering starts of romance with all the insecurities and emotional ups and downs. Loved the way this hero and heroine complement each other...even if they don't see it right from the start. :-) And it leaves the Beller family in quite a conundrum at the end so I'm hoping for more books in the series as we have left some of the characters with dangling story threads! No worries though, Mattie and her beau enjoy a divine happily-ever-after ending.

Goal Update: #2 Catch up on a series I'm behind in

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- Winner's Choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Christmas Visitor, 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 November 26 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.

Forever Home

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RANDOM RETRO READ

GROCHOWSKI, AMY

FOREVER HOME

A Canadian Amish farmer, a Lancaster Amish businesswoman, a Prince Edward Island foster child...

Providence brings together a mismatched family, giving all three a second chance for love. Only love may never had had such a tough job.

Lydia Miller is an anomaly among her Amish people -- a single woman in her thirties, running her own store, determined to forge a life on her own. But when Joel Yoder comes into town to sell his property, Lydia suddenly finds all of her hopes and dreams crumbling around her and a new opportunity placed in her lap.

Joel has his own problems. Recently jilted by his fiancee, Joel has seen his own dreams of moving to a newly-established Amish community begin to falter. The new community welcomes married couples only. With his dreams quickly slipping from his fingers, Joel suddenly sees the only option he thinks he has -- a marriage of convenience for both of them.

As the new couple begins life in a new settlement, they are even more surprised when a foster child in need of a home finds her way to them. Yet what will happen when the English world and the Amish world collide?

My Review:

published in 2020

This was an unexpected find at my library! A new-to-me author in the Amish genre and it's set in Prince Edward Island! That right there is enough to send me into a bibliophile swoon. But there's another draw too -- the marriage of convenience trope -- Eeeeeeeeeppppp!

I don't know why I am so drawn to marriage of convenience stories because, on principle, the idea is atrocious, but my romance loving heart also finds it soooo romantical...in fiction, mind you. :-) And this one is written so well. Really beautifully crafted and emotionally engaging.

We start out in Ohio but move on to Prince Edward Island pretty quickly and then the fun really begins! And by fun I mean angst. There's so much for Lydia to come to grips with -- not the least of which is having a husband! They go from wary truce to friendship but stubbornly stop at developing deeper feelings -- or at least acknowledging that deeper feelings are developing. Joel makes some missteps, Lydia harbours old hurts and they are just so achingly vulnerable it stirred me into a page-turning reading frenzy to get them past the rough spots.

And then there's the added drama of throwing a foster child into the mix. Talk about pulling at heart strings -- little Samy adds so much to the story.  And there's a wonderful fledgling Amish community who welcome (mostly) Joel and Lydia into the fold. And, woohoo, this is the first book in the 'Amish Dreams on Prince Edward Island' series. Off to hunt down the next one now.

Goal Update: #3 Read more debut authors, #5 Diversify my reading, #7 Start new-to-me series

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

This giveaway is for a paperback or ebook copy -- winner's choice.

If you would like a chance to win a copy of one of the  Forever 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 winner announced on Saturday November 5 2022 . Offer open to International Readers.