The Amish Cookie Club

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RANDOM RETRO READ DAY

PRICE, SARAH
THE AMISH COOKIE CLUB

Every other Friday, Edna Esh and three of her childhood friends meet to bake sugar cookies for their respective church districts on worship Sunday. It's a time to give to the Plain community -- and give support to each other as they share their joys and fears.

Edna's friend, Vera Bontranger, has a problem. Her outspoken twenty-year=old daughter, Myrna, has been fired from her job. Again. Myrna's family really needs her to hip in, but she's clearly unsuited to customer service == not to mention that her sharp tongue scares away any boy who might come courting. But Edna has an idea -- and his name is Ezekiel Riehl.

A widower with four young children, Ezekial needs help. His house and his brood are a mess; his demeanor is gruff. It's no surprise Myrna takes an immediate dislike to him. Yet she has no choice but to take on the challenge -- and soon she starts to create order out of chaos. In fact, the kids begin to depend on Myrna -- and so does Ezekial. The truth is, she's fallen in love with him. But if he's to prove he's not looking for a marriage of convenience, he'll have to convince her of what's in his heart...

My Review:

published in 2018

What a fun concept to build a series around! Amish matrons, who have a handle on all the goings on of their community, meet together to bake for the greater good. And in the process, they tackle problems on their home-fronts. In this first book of the Amish Cookie Club series, the ladies conspire  to help Vera's challenging and opinionated daughter.

The story switches back and forth from the cookie club group to young Myrna's challenging adventure into childcare and home management for a beleaguered widower. And romance! Loved the mystery shrouding Zeke and the way the author builds to the big reveal. A vivid lesson on the far-reaching effects a 'little bit' of gossip can have.

A wonderful blend of humour and angst in this hope-in-second-chances romance. Plus, the author even includes some recipes at the end of the book and they all look yummy!

Alternate cover image:



GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of  The Amish Cookie Club, 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 April 18 2020 . Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

The Amish Christmas Letters

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RANDOM RETRO READ DAY!

DAVIDS, PATRICIA
PRICE, SARAH
BECKSTRAND, JENNIFER
THE AMISH CHRISTMAS LETTERS

With Christmas around the corner, it's time for Amish families to include holiday greetings in their circle letters, each writer adding to a growing collection as it travels on to the next. In this delightful trio of stories, three cousins scattered across the country share their blessings -- and reveal news of romantic surprises...

Marybeth's Circle Letter by Patricia Davids: To win a friendly annual competition, matchmaker Marybeth Martin must bring one more couple together by Christmas. Her only prospect is a man more interested in a nanny than a wife -- until his little girl shows him the light.

Love Delivered by Sarah Price: Struggling farmer's daughter Katie Mae Kauffman discovers that she and a local widower and father of four can harvest more crops -- and more profits -- together than separately. But she'll have to put pride aside for unexpected love.

Sealed With a Kiss by Jennifer Beckstrand: Corralling an unruly brood of seven is not babysitter Carolyn Yutzy's first choice for celebrating the season -- but the sparks between her and their unsentimental yet irresistible uncle may be a gift neither was counting on.

Now, one by one, each resourceful young woman will have a holiday to remember -- and to write home about.

My Review:

published in 2018

I'm enamoured with anything Patrica Davids so when I saw her name on the cover of this Christmas novella collection I just had to have it! (And isn't that cover so cheery and inviting?) I also enjoyed becoming more familiar with Sarah Price and Jennifer Beckstrand's storytelling. Love that aspect of novella collections -- the chance to be dazzled by new-to-me (or in this case, fairly-new-to-me) authors. Each brings their own unique style to this collection.

Davids and Beckstrand told humourous tales that had me laughing out loud while Price's contribution had a more serious undertone with a kind of Taming of the Shrew retelling. They all kept me spellbound and Susan Boyce's narration of the audible edition was a delight to listen to -- though she did leave me in a quandary over the pronunciation of 'danke.' Would you say dank (as in tank) ee or dunk-a? I've always thought it was the latter but the narrator pronounced it like the first example. Let's take a poll. :-)

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Amish Christmas Letters, 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 October 19 2019. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Sadie : an Amish Retelling of Snow White

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PRICE, SARAH
SADIE : AN AMISH RETELLING OF SNOW WHITE

Sarah Price delivers a delightful retelling of a beloved classic, featuring a young Amish woman who turns to faith as her guide even in the darkest times.

Sadie Whitaker is determined to be a good daughter, but her stepmother, Rachel, has made no secret of her overwhelming jealousy -- or her desire to get Sadie out of her life. Rachel's latest plot involves marrying Sadie to a widower in need of a mother for his unruly children 00 and she has convinced Sadie's beloved father to agree.

Left with no choice, Sadie flees her small Amish hometown of Echo Creek, stumbling across a house that belongs to the seven Glick brothers. All outcasts from the Old order community of Echo Creek, they agree to let her stay -- and for the first time in ages, Sadie feels safe and needed, keeping home for them as any good Amish woman would do. Until, that is, the Glicks' handsome cousin comes to visit. For though he awakens her heart's desire, she can't risk revealing her true identity, until love and faith give her the courage to take a chance on happiness.

My Review:

This is the third book in Sara Price's Amish fairy tale retellings but each book can be read as a standalone. In fact, if you've been reading the books in order, this one might have you doing a double take since it backtracks in time where Belle (book one) has just gotten married and Ella (book two) doesn't have a beau in sight. Not as confusing as it sounds, but in book two there's talk about Sadie's mysterious disappearance though she's present and accounted for in Echo Creek at the beginning of this one. Kinda threw me for a loop but forewarned is forearmed so just dive into this story with that time shift in mind and all will be good.

I get such a nostalgic thrill  when I read fairy tale retellings -- experiencing flashes of cozy contentment from familiar childhood favourites -- the very stories that opened the magical world of books to me! And the author stays true to the Amish culture while finding innovative ways of incorporating familiar details into her retellings. I got such a kick out of spotting them as I read Sadie!

A brilliant addition to Sarah Price's Amish retellings and I am really hoping there are many more to come!. 

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Sadie, 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 Sunday December 9 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Ella : an Amish retelling of Cinderella

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PRICE, SARAH
ELLA : AN AMISH RETELLING OF CINDERELLA

In Sarah Price's heartwarming Amish version of this best-loved fairy tale, a hardworking, overlooked young woman is rewarded in unexpected ways. 

"Be kind and have faith." Ella Troyer strives to abide by her mother's final words, although life in the small Amish town of Echo Creek isn't always easy. Her new stepmother, Linda, treats her coldly, and her two stepsisters, Drusilla and Anna, delight in gossip and laziness. After her father's death, Ella stays at home to manage the household chores, rarely seeing another soul. Until, one day, while running an errand, she has a chance meeting with a young Amish man from a nearby town.

Drusilla and Anna are full of admiration for charming, affluent newcomer Hannes Clemens, and Linda hopes to ensnare him as a husband for one of her girls -- while keeping Ella out of the way. As for Hannes, he longs to catch another glimpse of the mysterious young woman who can sing so sweetly and bake the most delicious pie he's ever sampled. Now, with a little help from some unlikely sources, Ella dares to hope she might find her heart's dearest wishes -- for love, family, and a home of her own -- coming true at last.

My Review:

Sheer brilliance! I get giddy just thinking about this Amish fairy tale series. We've had Beauty and the Beast and now Cinderella and Snow White coming out in the fall. I truly hope that this series is as endless as the number of fairy tales out there! It's so much fun to spot the similarities to the original tales while marveling at the unique Amish twist Price brings to each story.

"Be kind and good, no matter what happens, for God has a plan for you." Ella has lived by the wise counsel of her dying mother in the midst of the most trying times. Clearly I am not as sweet natured as our plucky heroine, because I seethed in fury at the odious Linda's horrid behavior and loudly encouraged Ella to be anything but kind and good. Ha! I love getting riled at the villains in a fairy tale -- especially since I know justice will be served in the end. :-) And the way this familiar tale plays out is pure magic. This author is beyond clever and I want to say so much more but you really need to discover all the delightful nuances yourself. A truly sublime read that will make you happy.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like to win a copy of Ella : An Amish Retelling of Cinderella, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoreadATyahooDOTca. If you leave your email in 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 15 2018. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!

Belle : an Amish Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

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PRICE, SARAH
BELLE : AN AMISH RETELLING OF BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

In author Sarah Price's fresh and inspirational retelling of a beloved classic, a dutiful young Amish woman agrees to marry a notorious recluse for her family's sake -- but the consequences are more than either bargained for...

To most townsfolk, he's known simply as The Beast. Annabelle Beiler has little interest in gossip, but she;s heard about Adam Herschberger's scars and his gruff, solitary ways. Though he sounds like a character from one of Belle's treasured books, the man is real and, it turns out, just as unreasonable as the rumors claim. When a buggy accident wipes out the last of her daed's money, forcing him to sell their farm, Adam buys it. Then he offers Belle a deal -- marry him, and her family can keep their home.

Everyone is shocked by Belle's decision, but she's determined to be a good fraa, cleaning Adam's rundown house and tending the overgrown garden. Breaking through her new husband's icy reserve will be another matter. Belle's courage and strength are abundant, but it will take true faith to guide Adam back to the heart of his Amish community -- and to the loving marriage they both deserve.

My Review:

True confession: I'm a tad shy of giddy over this new series -- and beyond grateful to whoever brought it to my attention during one of my Reader's Choice Weeks.

First off -- I adore fairy tale retellings -- I'm kind of compulsively crazy about them so I get butterflies in my tummy whenever I discover one in the Christian Fiction genre. But to add Amish into the mix? Be still my heart. It won't stop yoyoing around in an ecstatic frenzy because that combination is sweet perfection.

Love the seamless way Price has woven inspiration throughout the story. There are many stop-dead-in-your-tracks-and-ponder-that-thought moments. I love how both Belle and Adam grow as they dare to live their faith bravely. And it takes a lot of courage to banish past heartache and face the thoughtless cruelty of townsfolk who should definitely know better.

While the author stays true to the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast, she has also created a unique romance -- Belle and Adam's love story is fresh and poignant, even funny in places. And she does an amazing job with the 'beastly' qualities Adam brings to the story. While Belle's gentle kindness coupled with a good dose of pluckiness keeps her 'beast' off kilter. So much fun to read -- and to pick out the fairy tale elements along the way.

This is the first book I've read by Sarah Price but it sure won't be the last. Especially since she's set up the next two books in the series so perfectly...at least, I think she has. Definitely a Cinderella retelling is coming out next -- there's a sweet peek of it at the end of Belle. But there's also another character, Sadie, who is a bit of a mystery and I'm thinking her story might just be a Snow White adaptation, but that's just my wild guess.

GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:

If you would like a chance to win a copy of Belle, 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 easier for me to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Sunday November 26 2017. Offer open to International Readers. Good luck!