August 31, 2015
Three blended Amish families celebrate Christmas in this warmhearted romance anthology. In Long’s “A Sleigh Ride on Ice Mountain,” orphaned Kate is struggling to raise her disabled young brother. Gentle toy maker Sebastian offers Kate a job—and a lifeline. In Lillard’s humorous “A Mamm for Christmas,” three spirited sisters decide that their schoolteacher should be their new mother and insist that their widowed father marry her. Jebber transports readers to a small community in early-20th-century Ohio for “An Unexpected Christmas Blessing,” in which a widowed mother with two young children is drawn to her charming but secretive neighbor. Filled with traditional Amish romance elements, the tales cover a variety of themes while remaining true to the spirit of the holiday.
October 15, 2015
This trio of wintry heartwarmers--along with a mug of hot chocolate and a crackling fire--are guaranteed to get the season off to a great start. A reserved master toymaker with a hidden past is attracted to his housekeeper in Long's poignant, legend-touched "A Sleigh Ride on Ice Mountain"; three creative sisters go to extremes to bring their dad and their teacher together in Amy Lillard's affectionate and hilarious "A Mamm for Christmas"; and a young widowed mother struggles between her feelings for her handsome new neighbor and a longtime friend who wants to marry her in "An Unexpected Christmas Blessing," an absorbing historical by Molly Jebber. VERDICT Children's laughter, heaven-sent prayers, and the scent of snow rise from the pages of this touching anthology that should please fans of Amish romance and attract new readers to the subgenre. Long, Lillard, and Jebber live in Northern Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and Ohio, respectively.
Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.