The Choice (Lancaster County Secrets #1) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

With a vibrant, fresh style Suzanne Woods Fisher brings readers into the world of a young Amish woman torn between following the man she loves--or joining the community of faith that sustains her, even as she questions some of the decisions of her elders. Her choice begins a torrent of change for her and her family, including a marriage of convenience to silent Daniel Miller. Both bring broken hearts into their arrangement--and secrets that have been held too long.

Filled with gentle romance, The Choice opens the world of the Amish--their strong communities, their simple life, and their willingness to put each other first. Combined with Fisher's exceptional gift for character development, this novel, the first in a series, is a welcome reminder that it is never too late to find your way back to God.

........................................................................................................................................

Editorial Review

From Publishers Weekly
The newest entry to the growing ranks of bonnet fiction writers is Fisher, who has written Amish nonfiction (Amish Peace). This Lancaster County tale centers on Carrie Weaver, who marries an Amish man for convenience though her heart is committed to another. Carrie struggles to care for her hemophiliac younger brother as she lives with the consequences of her own choices. The outline is promising, but the execution flawed. An intriguing heroine shows the author's potential, but major problems compromise the book's overall merit. The plot creaks too loudly; a few too many characters die to complicate the action, and the character who poses the biggest threat is more a caricature than credible villain. Minor characters—an oversized lovable ex-con, a harpy stepmother—likewise mostly serve plot rather than populate a convincingly drawn world. The language can get adjective-laden and trite (The air had grown thick and heavy). Bonnet fiction devotees might be able to overlook some problems, but this is not a strong new offering in the subgenre. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Back Cover

Lancaster County has always been her home--but where does her heart belong?
One moment Carrie Weaver was looking forward to running away with Lancaster Barnstormers pitcher Solomon Riehl--plans that included leaving the Amish community where they grew up. The next moment she was staring into a future as broken as her heart. Now, Carrie is faced with a choice. But will this opportunity be all she hoped? Or will this decision, this moment in time, change her life forever?
A tender story of love, forgiveness, and looking below the surface, The Choice uncovers the sweet simplicity of the Amish world--and shows that it's never too late to find your way back to God.

"Fisher's writing brings that Amish sense of peace into your own world. The Choice brings an entirely new perspective to the Amish way of life. You will love it!"--Kristin Billerbeck, author of What a Girl Wants

"A story of endearing characters. . . . Fisher writes with a fresh mix of humor and depth, splashing raw emotion onto the pages. I guarantee your heart will be touched."--Ginger Kolbaba, founding editor of Kyria.com, former editor of Today's Christian Woman, and author of Desperate Pastors' Wives

........................................................................................................................................

About the Author

Suzanne Woods Fisher's interest in the Anabaptist cultures can be directly traced to her grandfather, W. D. Benedict, publisher of Christianity Today magazine. Suzanne's work has appeared in many magazines, including Today's Christian Woman, Worldwide Challenge, ParentLife, Christian Parenting Today, and Marriage Partnership. She has contributed to several nonfiction books and is the author of Amish Peace and two novels.

........................................................................................................................................

Book

Tittle:	:	The Choice
		Lancaster County Secrets Book 1
Author:	:	Suzanne Woods Fisher
Language	:	English
Buy the Book	:	The Choice by Suzanne Woods Fisher
KINDLE	:	FREE KINDLE BOOK from Amazon
FREE EBOOK	:	---

The FREE items posted here are FREE at the time of posting. Items are FREE for a limited time and limited to certain geographic regions.

read more...

The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena B Miller

The Civil War has ended, but in Katie Calloway's Georgia home conflict still rages. To protect herself and her young brother from her violent and unstable husband, she flees north, finding anonymity and sanctuary as the cook in a Northwoods lumber camp. The camp owner, Robert Foster, wonders if the lovely woman he's hired has the grit to survive the never-ending work and harsh conditions of a remote pine forest in winter. Katie wonders if she can keep her past a secret from a man she is slowly growing to love.

With grace and skill, Serena Miller brings to life a bygone era. From the ethereal, snowy forest and the warm cookstove to the rowdy shanty boys and the jagged edges of the saw, every detail is perfectly rendered, transporting the reader back to the time when pine was king, men were made of iron, and rivers were choked with logs on the way to the sawmills. Readers will have a hard time leaving the Northwoods when they turn the last page.

........................................................................................................................................

Editorial Review

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover
Her heart seeks sanctuary in the deep woods. But will trouble find her even here?

"With fascinating historical detail and heartfelt characters, The Measure of Katie Calloway captivated me from the very first line. Great storytelling, coupled with a unique north woods setting, will carry your heart from one vivid scene to the next. Miller writes the kind of rich historical fiction I love--with a plethora of romantic twists and turns to keep you reading far into the night. Not to be missed!"--Laura Frantz, author of The Colonel's Lady

"Serena Miller's charming characters leap off the pages and straight into your heart, and her setting feels so real you'll wonder why you don't hear trees falling in the forest and bacon sizzling on the woodstove."--Emilie Richards, author of Sunset Bridge

"Fascinating history. Fabulous characters. The Measure of Katie Calloway is a fast-paced story with a generous measure of romance that will have readers cheering on Katie Calloway as she conquers one trial after another. If you like stepping back in time and sharing an adventure with great characters, this is the book for you."--Ann H. Gabhart, author of Angel Sister

........................................................................................................................................

About the Author

Serena Miller is the author of Love Finds You in Sugarcreek, Ohio, as well as numerous articles for periodicals such as Woman's World, Guideposts,Reader's Digest, Focus on the Family, Christian Woman, and more. She lives on a farm in southern Ohio.

........................................................................................................................................

Book

Tittle:	:	The Measure of Katie Calloway
Author:	:	Serena B Miller
Language	:	English
Buy the Book	:	The Measure of Katie Calloway by Serena B Miller
KINDLE	:	FREE KINDLE BOOK from Amazon
FREE EBOOK	:	---

read more...

Paradise Valley (The Daughters of Caleb Bender #1) by Dale Cramer

An Amish settlement in Ohio has run afoul of a law requiring their children to attend public school. Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the children's home.

Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. And since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation.

Caleb's daughters are thrown into turmoil. Rachel doesn't want to leave Jake. Her sister, Emma, who has been courting Levi Mullet, fears her dreams of marriage will be dashed. Miriam has never had a beau and is acutely aware there will be no prospects in Mexico.
Once there, they meet Domingo, a young man and guide who takes a liking to Miriam, something her father would never approve. While Paradise Valley is everything they'd hoped it would be, it isn't long before the bandits start giving them trouble, threatening to upset the fledgling Amish settlement, even putting their lives in danger. Thankfully no one has been harmed so far, anyway.

........................................................................................................................................

Editorial Review

From Booklist
Cramer follows his acclaimed novel Levi’s Will (2005) with another inspiring and honest look at the Amish community in the opening volume in the Daughters of Caleb Bender trilogy. In 1920s Ohio, Amish fathers are taken to court and imprisoned when they refuse to allow their children to attend public school. Matters escalate when the Amish children are removed from their parents’ homes, stripped of their plain appearance, and forced to live in a children’s home while they attend public school. This incident inspires Caleb Bender to move his entire family to Mexico. Faced with rebuilding a homestead while battling bandits, Cramer’s characters dig deep to find the forgiveness and the strength it takes to truly love one’s enemies. Cramer’s ability to develop characters with genuine struggles sets this Amish novel apart from the rest, especially because it’s based on Cramer’s great-grandfather’s experiences as an elder statesman of the colony Paradise Valley, Mexico. Fans of historical fiction will find enough here to spur further research, and for followers of Amish fiction, this is a must-read. --Elizabeth Ponder

........................................................................................................................................

About the Author

Dale Cramer, bestselling author of the critically acclaimed novel Levi's Will, was the second of four children born to a runaway Amishman and a sharecropper's daughter. True to his Amish ancestry, he skipped college and became an electrician, yet the thought was never far from his mind that someday he would like to write. Dale lives in McDonough, Georgia, with his family.

........................................................................................................................................

Book

Tittle:	:	Paradise Valley
		The Daughters of Caleb Bender Book 1
Author:	:	Dale Cramer
Language	:	English
Buy the Book	:	Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer (Paperback) Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer (Hardcover)
KINDLE	:	FREE KINDLE BOOK from Amazon
FREE EBOOK	:	---

read more...

The Pursuit of Lucy Banning (Avenue of Dreams #1) by Olivia Newport

Lucy Banning may live on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago's rich and famous, but her heart lies elsewhere. Expected to marry an up-and-coming banker from a respected family, Lucy fears she will be forced to abandon her charity work--and the classes she is secretly taking at the newly opened University of Chicago. When she meets an unconventional young architect who is working on plans for the upcoming 1893 World's Fair, Lucy imagines a life lived on her own terms. Can she break away from her family's expectations? And will she ever be loved for who she truly is?

Readers will love being swept away into a world of mansions, secrets, and romance as they follow Lucy through the streets of the Windy City during one of the most exciting times in the city's history. From opulent upper-class homes to the well-worn rooms of an orphanage, Olivia Newport breathes life and romance into the pages of history--and everyone is invited.

.......................................................................................................................................

Editorial Review

Review

“Hats off to Olivia Newport. Her characters are compelling, and Chicago’s history comes alive on each page. Readers will feel like they’ve been transported back to 1892.”
—Andrea Boeshaar, author of the Seasons of Redemption series

“Lucy Banning is my kind of heroine, pushing against the strictures of her times of the 1890s. Her love and caring wrap around your heart. A fine read.”
—Lauraine Snelling, author of the Red River of the North series and the Wild West Wind series

“Newport brings to life historical Chicago with fascinating insight into the wealthy families of Prairie Avenue. She gives us a worthy heroine who struggles to break free of the constraints of her time and offers grace to those less fortunate. The Pursuit of Lucy Banning is a beautiful and sweet romance that will touch readers’ hearts.”
—Jody Hedlund, award-winning author of The Preacher’s Bride and The Doctor’s Lady

"With attention to historical detail and an artful sense of place, Olivia Newport gives readers a fascinating glimpse into the way the wealthy interpreted the 1893 World's Fair--and the roles of women in the world. The Pursuit of Lucy Banning is a compassionate coming-of-age romance with a spunky, determined heroine and a Happy Ever After that's satisfyingly sweet."--USA Today, Happily Ever After blog

"In a new historical series, Avenue of Dreams, readers head to the Chicago World's Fair of 1893 where they will be treated to the grandeur and charm of the wealthy and the not-so-wealthy. In this story thick with secrets and lies, Newport's characters are by turn charming, conniving or trying to be true to themselves in spite of what society expects of them."--RT Book Reviews

From the Back Cover

She has a secret to keep. But will she give her heart away?

Lucy Banning may live on the exclusive Prairie Avenue among Chicago's rich and famous, but her heart lies elsewhere. Expected to marry an up-and-coming banker from a respected family, Lucy fears she will be forced to abandon her charity work and squeeze herself into the mold of the well-dressed wife who spends most of her time and money redecorating.

When she meets Will, an unconventional young architect who is working on plans for the upcoming 1893 World's Fair, Lucy imagines a life lived on her own terms. Can she break away from her family's expectations? And will she ever be loved for who she truly is?

Get swept away into the lavish world of Chicago's high society as Olivia Newport brings to life an age of glitz and grandeur, stark social contrasts, and one woman who dares to cross class lines for what she believes.

"Hats off to Olivia Newport. Her characters are compelling, and Chicago's history comes alive on each page. Readers will feel like they've been transported back to 1892."--Andrea Boeshaar, author of the Seasons of Redemption series

"Lucy Banning is my kind of heroine, pushing against the strictures of her times of the 1890s. Her love and caring wrap around your heart. A fine read."--Lauraine Snelling, author of the Red River of the North series and the Wild West Wind series

"Newport brings to life historical Chicago with fascinating insight into the wealthy families of Prairie Avenue. She gives us a worthy heroine who struggles to break free of the constraints of her time and offers grace to those less fortunate. The Pursuit of Lucy Banning is a beautiful and sweet romance that will touch readers' hearts."--Jody Hedlund, award-winning author of The Preacher's Bride and The Doctor's Lady

........................................................................................................................................

About the Author

Olivia Newport's novels twist through time to discover where faith and passions meet. Her husband and two twenty something children provide welcome distraction from the people stomping through her head on their way into her books. She chases joy in stunning Colorado at the foot of the Rockies, where daylilies grow as tall as she is.

........................................................................................................................................

Book

Tittle	:	The Pursuit of Lucy Banning (Avenue of Dreams #1)
Author	:	Olivia Newport
Language	:	English
Buy the Book	:
KINDLE	:	FREE KINDLE BOOK FROM AMAZON
Free ebook	:	--

read more...