{Book Blog Tour - Review} An Amish Country Christmas by Charlotte Hubbard & Naomi King

ISBN #: 978-1420131888

Page Count: 352

Copyright: October 1, 2013

Publisher: Zebra

Book Summary:

(Taken from Amazon)

In Willow Ridge, Missouri, the Christmas season is a time when faith brings peace, family brings warmth and new romance brings sparkling joy. . .

Twins For Christmas

For spirited Martha Coblentz and her twin Mary, the snow has delivered the perfect holiday and birthday present to their door--handsome brothers Nate and Bram Kanagy. But when unforeseen trouble interrupts their season's good cheer, it will take unexpected intervention--and sudden understanding--to give all four the blessing of a lifetime. . .

Kissing The Bishop

As the year's first snow settles, Nazareth Hooley and her sister are given a heaven-sent chance to help newly widowed Tom Hostetler tend his home. But when her hope that she and Tom can build on the caring between them seems a dream forever out of reach, Nazareth discovers that faith and love can make any miracle possible. . .

About the Author:

Charlotte Hubbard sold her first historical romance in 1990, and she's been a slave to her overactive imagination ever since. As she writes, her stories invariably take on a life of their own, different from the way she proposed them: unforeseen characters and plot twists come along, and they keep her guessing right along with her readers!

Charlotte has lived in the Midwest most of her life. When she's not writing, she loves touring historic homes, trying new recipes, crocheting, and playing with her Border Collie, Ramona. She's a Presbyterian deacon, sings in her church choir, and plays in the percussion ensemble. She's married to a fine man who--bless him--has never once suggested she get a real job!

Mandy's Review:

I loved this intermingling of the two series (characters from Naomi's Home at Cedar Creek series and from Charlotte's Seasons of the Heart series) in this book. It's nice to see some of the usual background characters come to the forefront so the readers can get to know them better.

In Twins for Christmas the matchmaking and falling in love did happen pretty fast, even for a short story, but when things just fall into place like God's own hand is on the situation, well then it'd be pretty silly not to pay attention, ain't so? (I just HAD to go Amish on that one!)

Mary and Martha are some troublemakers, for sure and for certain, but they're well-intentioned. They let their human nature win out over their Amish faith occasionally, but they usually see how they did wrong and set things right. They're just so lovable and kind-hearted that it's easy to see how Nate and Bram fell in love with them so quickly.

As far as Kissing the Bishop, well that just sounds outright brazen for a title concerning an Amish story, but it's well past time for it to be happening. I've grown fond of Tom as I've been reading the Willow Ridge series. He's extremely kind, yet fair, and rules the people with a gentle hand as opposed to the iron fist they were used to with their former Bishop. He's also a man whose wife left him, and the Amish faith, to be with an Englischer. According to the Ordung, Tom cannot marry again until his current wife is deceased, even though she's with someone else. Personally, I don't know if I'd be able to follow that rule but as a Christian I can kind of understand where they're coming from.

Nazareth came to Willow Ridge with her sister Jerusalem for a wedding about a year ago and they've stayed on ever since. Both sisters have declared themselves maidels since a wedding for them didn't seem to be any nearer to them now than when they were in their courtin' years. As Nazareth and Jerusalem have been helping Tom with his housekeeping, Nazareth has grown rather fond of Tom (and vice versa) even though both know there's nothing they can do about it ... until a rather important letter arrives.

It's nice to read about the younger generation falling in love and starting families, but there's something extra sweet about watching two older people navigating the romantic waters as well. I am happy for both Tom and Nazareth.

I'm telling you, if you're a fan of Christian fiction, you need to pick up Charlotte Hubbard's and Naomi King's books. They just make you feel wonderful-gut after reading them ... and maybe a little bit Amish. =)


*An ARC of this book was provided by the author for the purposes of this tour and in exchange for an honest review.