Winter Kisses by Beth Wiseman
Three generations of Stoltzfus women are all living under the same roof. At twenty-five, Naomi has never been married, and both her mother, Barbara, and her grandmother, Ruth, have recently been widowed. Each nursing broken or lonely hearts, they also each have potential suitors. When a storm on Christmas Eve forces the three couples to take shelter in the basement of the Stotlzfus homestead, secrets are revealed, hearts are opened, and all three potential grooms drop to their knees for very different reasons—a proposal, a prayer, and an epiphany.
The Christmas Cat by Amy Clipston
Emma Bontrager is spending her first Christmas alone after her husband of 45 years, Henry, passed away in July. Although the Amish don’t normally allow animals in their homes, a big, fat, orange barn cat keeps coming into Emma’s house. She shoos the cat away, but it continues to appear in her house, settling on Henry’s favorite wingchair. But the cat isn’t the only Christmas visitor: a group of young people help bring the Christmas spirit to Emma, reminding her that love and hope abide.
Snow Angels by Kelly Irvin
As a young man enjoying his rumspringa, David Byler gave his heart to an Englisch girl, but he eventually realized he couldn’t give up his Plain faith and family for her, so he let her go. He’s found a new love in his Bee County Plain community, Molly Shrock. Molly has been patient, waiting for the man she loves to love her back. Just as he is ready to propose, David makes a startling discovery: Bobbie McGregor, his Englisch love, is back. Will Molly’s prayers for a Christmas love be answered?
Home for Christmas by Ruth Reid
When a misdirected GPS sends Ellie Whetstone to the wrong address, she inadvertently finds herself breaking into the home of Amish man, Ezra Mast. Ellie hopes to fix up the house left by her aenti and sell it quickly, but a series of run-ins with Ezra and his young daughter have her questioning whether a hasty sale is the right move. Could this new place with its slower pace be the right home for Ellie?
-Review-
Romantic Times Magazine 4-Star Review
When a collection combines these four leading authors in the Amish genre with sweet Christmas-y novellas, readers know right from the start that this belongs at the top of their TBR lists! The romances crafted here span generations as well as cultures to o er a diverse mix of characters and their stories. Touches of humor (Mammi Ruth surfing the internet!) share space with tender memories, crises of faith and finding home. Each novella is well written and layered, giving readers the depth of a full-length novel with fewer words.
In “Winter Kisses” by Wiseman, unmarried Naomi Stoltzfus and her widowed mother and grandmother find themselves snowed in on Christmas Eve with their prospective suitors and some intriguing secrets. In Clipston’s “The Christmas Cat,” unexpected visitors ensure that Emma Bontrager’s first Christmas without her husband is not as lonely as she anticipated. Irvin returns to Bee County in “Snow Angels” as David Byler finds himself caught between the Englisch girl he once loved and the Amish girl he plans to marry. Reid’s “Home for Christmas” tells about Ellie Whetstone’s return to her roots and the GPS mixup that could change everything. – Carrie Townsend
Wiseman (An Amish Year), Clipston (The Beloved Hope Chest), Irvin (Upon a Spring Breeze), and Reid (A Dream of Miracles) lend their considerable talents to this enjoyable Christmas collection.
In “Winter Kisses,” Wiseman provides a multigenerational romance. When three men of similar ages rent out their Daadi Haus (guest house), a grandmother and mother (both widowed) and an unmarried daughter are all smitten, but a one-to-one pairing is not without its complications. Clipston’s “The Christmas Cat” is a tale of remembered love as well as love of neighbor. Emma Bontrager is lonely on her first Christmas without her husband of 45 years. After a rotund orange tabby arrives and makes himself at home during a snowstorm and four local youth come to check on her, she shares the memories of her long-ago courtship and early married life.
Irvin’s “Snow Angels” features David Byler who must choose between a faith-filled future with his Amish sweetheart or leaving the community to pursue a woman he had romanced during his rumspringa. In Reid’s “Home for Christmas,” Ella Whetstone and her canine companion Lulu inherit her aunt’s farm, forcing her to return to the Amish community she left at six years old. The four novellas vary in style and substance, but all are feel-good stories perfect to indulge in during the busy holiday season.
Novellas Make Great Gifts
Thomas Nelson is excited about An Amish Christmas Love featuring novellas by Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipson, Ruth Reid, and Kelly Irvin.